Below is a letter I sent recently to Federal politicians from Tasmania, the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition in Canberra regarding the Anglican Church of Tasmania’s view on gambling and gambling reform:
Dear … Gambling I write on behalf of Tasmania’s Anglican community regarding the issue of gambling. The Synod of the Diocese of Tasmania noted the Productivity Commission’s report into gambling which indicates that:Therefore this Synod endorses efforts being proposed in Australia’s Federal Parliament to reduce the impact and incidence of problem gambling, for example, by the introduction of a compulsory pre-commitment system into poker machine use. More broadly, the Synod calls on all state and territory governments to reduce their reliance on taxation on gambling and asks all political parties to refuse donations from organisations which profit from gambling. On behalf of the Tasmanian Anglican community I respectfully ask that you act on this matter for the well-being of Tasmania. Yours sincerely, John D Harrower OAM Bishop of Tasmania
- There are between 80,000-160,000 problem gamblers in Australia, along with another 230,000-350,000 vulnerable to problem gambling
- poker machine users are disproportionately represented among the ranks of Australia’s problem gamblers;
- 41% of the $11.9 billion that Australians lose on poker machines annually comes from problem gamblers; and
- the public benefits and job creation, which the registered clubs claim to offer through their gambling profits, are highly debatable.
MP’s replies:
- The Hon Jenny Macklin MP (Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs)
