While Australians are having a difficult time passing any sort of gambling reform, our Kiwi neighbourhoods have doing so with ease. The country’s Harm Reduction Bill has gained a great deal of support from local residents and politicians, and now a new sinking lid policy for pokies in Auckland has earned approval. This month, a draft of the new sinking lid policy has been presented to the Regional Development and Operations Committee.
The policy will ensure that no new poker machines can be installed in gaming venues across the city. It also aims to reduce the number of pokies in Auckland over the course of the next few years. The draft bill was approved by the committee and will now be submitted for public consultation. At this stage in the legislation process, local residents, organizations, politicians and business can express their support for or concerns with the bill.
During this time, potential amendments are made to the bill so that the new laws will satisfy everyone in the community as best as possible. "Then of course you've got a lot of health people that are very concerned about problem gambling and where the pokie machines are sighted so I think this will have huge public interest,” says Ann Hartley, Chair of the Committee.
There is no word yet on whether or not the sinking lid policy will interfere with SkyCity’s plans to install up to 500 new poker machines at its Auckland casino location. Recently, the casino operator made a deal with the local government to build the city’s new $350 million convention centre in return for relaxing gambling laws.
The deal has not gone over very well in the community, as local citizens are concerned about bringing new machines into the city, especially amidst rising problem gambling rates.
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