By Brendan Rees
One of Australia’s leading voices on social justice has called on Casey Council to financially back a campaign against problem gambling.
Director of the Alliance for Gambling Reform Reverend Tim Costello delivered a presentation to councillors at their 19 June meeting seeking $25,000 to support the Alliance’s campaign ‘The Pokies Play You’ which aims to prevent harms from gambling.
His speech was part of 15 public submissions received by council in relation to the draft Council Plan 2017-21 and the 2018/19 Budget.
“Councils need to join because Australia has the greatest gambling losses of any country in the world – $25 billion a year, that’s a $1000 per head,” Rev Costello said, who is also he former chief executive of World Vision Australia,
“And why should Casey be a member of the Alliance? Because you suffer the second largest losses in the state as a municipality; $129 million, that’s up $2.28 million from last year.
“Only Brimbank Council is higher than you – $134 million of losses. So at this rate, with the rise you’re headed for a loss of about $134 million, that $367,000 a day,” he added.
However, Rev Costello did commend Casey Council for their “very strong policy” to reduce gambling harm.
Rev Costello continued his speech, saying pokie machines were deliberately deceptive, addictive and had misleading programming.
“Features such as losses disguised as wins – you think you had a great win when you have a win on one line, and you’re playing the other five lines and you’re done and all the bells and whistles go off and the adrenaline pumps and this is profoundly addictive,” he said.
“There are harm minimisation measures that one dollar bets, maximum (hourly) losses actually can save marriages and people going bankrupt.”
A letter from the Alliance to council said if the City of Casey chose to join the Alliance the benefits would be an opportunity to work directly with a member of the Alliance’s politics and media strategy team and a focus on advocacy, community consultation, support and education.
Cr Sam Aziz told Rev Costello the $134 million in losses for Casey didn’t take into account that the City of Casey was “in fact the largest city by population in Victoria.”
“It would be fascinating to translate those figure as a per capita figure and then do a comparison,” he said, but added “Every dollar is unacceptable.”
Rev Costello said: “Overall, per capita figures are important – we can get that to you – the individual stories are utter strategic that’s why we need you.”
The 15 public submissions will be considered at special council meeting on Tuesday 26 June.
