Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert says a study released today by the Salvation Army emphasises the need for a review of our social security system.
 
The Salvation Army’s study, ‘Economic and social impact of cost of living pressures on people accessing emergency relief’ shows the significant and far-reaching impacts of financial hardship.
 
“A very high percentage of people needing emergency relief are doing without the essentials,” Senator Siewert said today.
 

At the start of Responsible Gambling Awareness Week, Greens’ gambling spokesperson, Senator Richard Di Natale, poses the question of who really needs to take responsibility.

“Personal responsibility is an important message this week,” said Senator Di Natale. “However as a health professional who has worked in addiction medicine, I know that personal responsibility becomes much more complex when addiction is at play.

Greens’ gambling spokesperson, Senator Richard Di Natale, said today that the Greens have a solution for Tony Abbott’s new found concern for problem gamblers.

“It’s been astounding to see Tony Abbott feigning concern that the schoolkids’ bonus could be wasted on the pokies,” said Senator Di Natale.

Greens’ gambling spokesperson, Senator Richard Di Natale, said that meaningful pokies reform was back on the agenda following the Speaker’s decision to stand aside.

“This parliament may be the best opportunity we will have for decades to do something meaningful on pokies and people are desperate to see change.”

A new poll demonstrates that 83% of people want $1 bet limits on poker machines if mandatory pre-commitment is not implemented.

This article first appeared in The Drum, Friday 13 April 2012

In the lead up to last year’s AFL grand final I was struck by a comment from a well known TV football commentator. “It wouldn’t be a Grand Final without some great odds,” he said, before crossing to a bookie spruiking the latest betting odds. Really, I thought? Is a grand final no longer a grand final without gambling odds? 

 Greens’ gambling spokesperson, Senator Richard Di Natale, said today that it was obscene to see Clubs Australia gloating about their campaign against meaningful pokies reform.
 
“The Government’s watered-down pokies reforms achieve absolutely nothing,” said Senator Di Natale.
 
“You only have to look at Anthony Ball gloating about his successful campaign for proof that a cashed-up lobby group has managed to trump good government policy, yet again.
 

Greens’ gambling spokesperson, Senator Richard Di Natale, along with Independent Senator for South Australia, Nick Xenophon, and DLP Senator for Victoria, John Madigan, will introduce legislation into the Senate today for $1 maximum bets on poker machines.

40% of the revenue that goes through these machines can be attributed to the problem gamblers. The harm this causes the community is enormous. As money is taken out of family budgets the social costs add up, and are estimated at $4.7b per year.

The Greens’ policy of limiting bets to $1 is a simple reform that won’t affect most players, but will help problem gamblers limit their losses.

Greens support for the Government’s pokies legislation in its current form is not guaranteed, said Greens’ gambling spokesperson Senator Richard Di Natale, today.

“The Government’s proposed legislation gives nothing more than the veneer of action and could actually put the cause of real reform back for years.

In Senate Estimates hearings today, the Government's reasons for rejecting $1 bet limits on poker machines were exposed as a lie. Under questioning from Greens Senator, Richard Di Natale, the Department (FAHCSIA) admitted that their $1.5 billion price tag was not based on the Productivity Commission's recommended policy.