By Brendan Rees
A plan to install 15 additional Electronic Gaming Machines (EGMs) in Lynbrook Hotel has been passed up after Casey Councillors voted unanimously against the proposal.
Councillors were quick to move against the application at their council meeting on 15 May, citing concerns with increases in gambling addictions, and the level of financial hardship in the community.
Casey Council Deputy Mayor Cr Wayne Smith said there was already a high amount of pokie machines available to the community.
“There were a lot of responses against this proposal from public consultation,” he said.
“We do have a history of not accepting any extra machines; we have been fairly consistent on that one.”
The Alliance for Gambling Reform director Susan Rennie said Casey Council’s decision to object the proposal came as no surprise.
“City of Casey suffered the second highest losses of any Victorian municipality in 2017-18 when $127 million was lost across 13 venues with 913 poker machines. Enough is enough,” Ms Rennie said.
“The official data shows that a new record will be set in 2017-18 with $109.45 million lost in the 10 months to April 30, 2018, up from $106.42 million in the previous corresponding period.”
The Lynbrook Hotel had a history of being stubborn as a pokies operator, particularly in relation to community contributions, Ms Rennie added.
“The Lynbrook Hotel is already generating almost $10 million a year in pokies losses from its existing 55 machines. Council is right to oppose any move that will inflict more harm on the Casey community,” she said.
“Increases in losses are accelerating since the government passed new legislation late last year. For instance, monthly losses in Casey actually fell marginally from $11.07 million in September 2016 to $11.01 million in September 2017.
“However, the January loss soared from $9.97 million in January 2017 to a record $10.78 million in January 2018,” Ms Rennie said.
Lynbrook Residents Association president Jason Wood said the council’s vote was a win for the community.
“We ran a poll and mail out of our members and found they were overwhelmingly against the hotel being granted any further machines,” Mr Wood said.
A report before councillors said Casey Council engaged SGS Economics and Planning, a company with expertise in social and economic impact assessment, to conduct a review of the proposal.
“The additional provision of EGMs within easy access of residents of a relatively disadvantaged community has the potential to lead to increased problem gambling behaviour,” it said.
Management at the Lynbrook Hotel declined to comment on the council vote.
