A local politician has come under fire for accepting funding from gaming companies. Responsible gambling advocates want Kevin Andrews to explain the circumstances surrounding a very generous donation from Clubs New South Wales. The issue has been raised by Nick Xenophon, an independent senator who is well-known for advocating for pokie reform.
He has called on Clubs NSW to explain why the organisation made a $30 000 donation to Menzies 200, a group which helped to fund Mr Andrews’ election campaigns during 2013 and 2014. "Clubs NSW should explain to its members, to the public at large, why it made such significant donations to Menzies 200, 750 kilometres away," Xenophon demands.
Clubs NSW is an organisation that manages poker machines in clubs and pubs across the state. Over the years, the group has campaigned against poker machine reform as well as imposing pokie betting limits. As such, it seems suspicious that the group would donate to a political campaign – especially since Mr Andrews was a lead player in the repeal of Labor’s gambling laws.
Mr Andrews has argued against the claims, stating that it is offensive for Mr Xenophon to suggest that his decision regarding gambling laws was influenced by any donations. He also states that the gambling policy was already decided upon before any donations were made, so there is no way that Clubs NSW’s actions could have influenced the decision.
"The policy that went to the last election was disclosed two years before the last election, so the electorate had a good look at our policy on that beforehand," says Treasurer Joe Hockey. The issue raises concerns about political donations. Mr Xenophon states that sources of donations should be made public quickly, ensuring transparency and reducing any possibility of shady dealings.
Such disputes over political donations and gaming policies would not take place with more effective and immediate disclosure.
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