Feds cash into pokies

AN increase in gaming machine expenditure in local Casey venues may be caused by the Rudd Government’s economic stimulus package, according to Inga Peulich MLC.
Victorian Commission for Gaming Regulation figures this week show gaming expenditure in Casey venues has increased by 15.28 per cent in the last year, from $9.9 million in December 2007 to $11.3 million in December 2008.
Ms Peulich said the rise coincided with the Federal Government’s $10 billion handout on December 8.
“Clearly the economic stimulus package was not all spent in the manner the Federal Labor Government would have hoped for, that being the retail demand and therefore local jobs,” she said.
“Splurging money on pokies will not deliver the benefit the Federal Government intended and greater consideration should have been given to spending multi billions of taxpayer dollars on measures that would have more lasting impact.”
The figures come after information released by the Victorian Commission for Gaming Regulation projected predictions that Casey residents would lose more than $127.5 million in local venues this financial year – the highest ever recorded.
Mayor Cr Geoff Ablett told the News last week that the City of Casey was committed to reducing the harms of electronic gaming machines through its responsible gaming policy.
“(The policy) requires that the social and economic impacts of all gaming applications are thoroughly investigated before a decision is made. The policy examines where electronic gaming machines would be more suitable or discouraged,” he said.
“The City of Casey is also partly affected by a State Government ‘capped area’ which restricts any new machines from being introduced until such time that electronic gaming machine density falls. Council is also in the process of developing (in collaboration with other municipalities) a planning policy to guide consideration of applications.”