In this article on The Dominion Post it outlines a proposed ban on pokie machines inside Hutt City Council buildings. This is in relation to the new $6.2 million council-owned bowling hub that is currently being built in Naenae. The Gaming Trust who manage the pokies, have funded over $1m towards the project, and the hub is relying on the pokies for 25 per cent of it’s income.
Between January to March 2016 Lower Hutt residents spent $6.09 million playing pokies.
I will be attending the next council meeting (2nd August) where this is going to be discussed.
The issue for me is ethically it’s very shady that the council is trying to promote health & wellbeing in the community. They passed a policy last year to reduce the number of pokie machines in lower socio-economic areas. It would be like them saying “We want our city to be smokefree by 2025, and we’re going to open a new community hall funded by Dunhill. You’re also allowed to smoke at this council facility – but not at the others”.
The other issue is that they’ve received a lot of money from the gaming trust to help fund construction so to now turn away and ban the pokies is also not a good situation – I don’t know what legal obligation the council has in place with the gaming trust – but I am assuming if they’re handing over $1mil it’s going to be tough to get out of. If the only way a community facility like this can be financially viable is through gambling income, then alarm bells & questions should have been raised much earlier on.
I would like to hear your thoughts on this issue below?