FEDERAL politicians are gambling with the future of local junior sporting clubs, say opponents of proposed new poker machines legislation.
Key independent Andrew Wilkie has threatened to remove his support for the minority Gillard Government if it does not back his push to have mandatory pre-commitment technology installed on poker machines by 2014.
Mr Wilkie is pushing the plan as a way of tackling problem gambling within the community, and the technology would mean punters would have to nominate in advance how much money they were willing to lose before having a flutter on the pokies.
But St Patrick’s Sporting Club secretary-manager John Dolbel said the changes would threaten the future of many small clubs across the country, and the many sporting and community groups they support.
“It will just about kill us off,” Mr Dolbel said yesterday.
“We’ve got the old technology in our 16 machines and to buy new technology machines would be $25,000 a machine.
“We simply can’t afford it given we’re a community club and put all our money back into sport, community groups and looking after our ovals.”
Mr Dolbel said poker machines provide between 40 and 60 per cent of the club’s revenue, money they simply could not recoup if Mr Wilkie’s proposed changes became law.
He said the potential damage from the changes would far outweigh any possible benefits.
“I don’t think we have a single problem gambler here,” he said.
“People aren’t on the machines all day – there’s no-one on them now. They might come in after work for a beer and to socialise and put a few doll-ars in the pokies, but we don’t have anyone come here just to play the pokies and nothing else.”
Mr Dolbel said St Pat’s, through Clubs NSW, offered voluntary exclusion for any members who believed they had a gambling problem and had access to counselling for people in trouble.
Signs throughout the club advise patrons of the services available to them.
While Mr Dolbel has only been at St Pat’s for a year, he has 13 years’ experience in pubs and clubs and said it was frustrating to again see the industry having to fight for its survival.
“We’ve only just recovered after the smoking legislation changes but we’ve got Clubs NSW on our side in this so that’s a good thing.”
Majellan Bowling Club president Peter Flanagan also opposed the proposed changes.
He said his club has only 12 poker machines but they provided vital revenue.
“We’re only a small club but we do get a few bob out of them,” Mr Flanagan said.
“A lot of income comes from the bar trade and the pokies trade, but if we don’t get much out of the pokies then we don’t get much out of the bar.
“We don’t make a fortune out of the pokies but the changes would certainly have a big impact on the club.
“I walk around and watch the players here and most of them are just betting 25-30 cents per push – not the big money.
“I’ve only just got back from being away and haven’t spoken to our members about it, but they will certainly be against it.”
Clubs NSW has launched a $20 million advertising campaign to lobby against the proposed changes.
The campaign will begin with newspaper ads and an internet commercial that features two mates having a “beer and a flutter’’ after a long day.
It will move to television and radio as the legislation is introduced as early as the end of this year.
YOUR SAY: Do you support Andrew Wilkie’s proposed poker machine changes? Contact us by email at editor.westernadvocate@ruralpress .com, by mail at PO Box 11, Bathurst 2795 or comment online at www.westernadvocate.com.au.
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