This week, the Coalition Government has announced that it will be repealing the pokie reform legislation. Responsible gambling advocates are outraged at the decision, and The Greens have spoken are urging the Opposition to do something about it. The Greens have requested that the Labour Party block Tony Abbott’s plans to retract the pokie reform laws that were made by Julia Gillard.
The political party, which is known for its pro-reform stance, believes that this is the only chance to save the legislation. "We need to see Labor take a stand against this brutal government because once this legislation is gone, that's it," says Senator Richard Di Natale. "We won't see a federal government any time in the future tackle this reform. We can't afford for the federal government to vacate the space”.
The law that was passed was a far cry from the legislation that was originally drafted. Initially, MP Andrew Wilkie demanded that mandatory pre-commitment technology be installed on all poker machines across the country. By the time the bill was passed, the provisions were watered down and only a trial of voluntary pre-commitment software would take place.
Still, it seemed to be a step in the right direction for conquering problem gambling in Australia. Repealing the law would mean that a number of harm minimisation measures will not be enacted in Australia. This includes the ban on ATMs in poker machine venues, the trial of pre-commitment technology and the establishment of a regulatory body that would govern gambling on a national level.
The Greens and Andrew Wilkie hope that enough members of the Senate will decide to block the repeal. The legislation certainly has the potential to curb problem gambling rates across Australia, and revoking it is seen as a big step backwards in the fight against compulsive gambling.
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