Gambling Harm

The gambling bill as originally drafted would have given councils and the

public power to cut the number of poker machines in their area and ensure

that gambling proceeds are fed back into the immediate community.

Unfortunately the government ‘gutted’ the bill of key provisions during the

select committee process and made it not very different to the status quo

of how the law operates now. Family First now opposes the bill because of

the exclusion of the important provisions above. In an independent poll of

1,000 NZ’ers, 87% of respondents supported Councils being able to cut the

number of pokie machines in areas they are thought to be particularly harmful.