House of Assembly Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3) 51 3 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Bills Gaming Machines (Hours of Operation) Amendment Bill GAMING MACHINES (HOURS OF OPERATION) AMENDMENT BILL Second Reading Second Reading Adjourned debate on second reading. (Continued from 16 October 2008. Page 514.) Mr GOLDSWORTHY House of Assembly Kavel Mr GOLDSWORTHY (Kavel) (11:11): I rise to speak in support of the bill that the member for Davenport has brought to the house. I know that it has been reintroduced from the previous session of parliament. When parliament was prorogued, the bill fell off the Notice Paper, and the member for Davenport has reintroduced it. When it was before the parliament previously, I spoke in support of it. I think it is important that licensed premises that operate poker machines close at a consistent time for some period during a 24-hour period so that people who have issues with problem gambling do not have the avenues to pursue that problem by locating a venue to continue gambling on poker machines. I am pleased to support the member for Davenport's legislation. Mr VENNING House of Assembly Schubert Mr VENNING (Schubert) (11:12): Likewise, I always take the opportunity to speak on matters like this, and I congratulate the member for Davenport. I will not speak for very long. I was here in this house when poker machines were introduced. I did not support it then and I never have since, because poker machines should never have gone into local hotels. They should have been restricted to specific licensed clubs. I am happy to support this measure because it restricts the operating hours. In our communities we see that poker machine hours are causing a lot of havoc, and I think it is common sense that we have some conformity and at least force people to go home to their family rather than spend all night playing pokies. Again, I commend the member for Davenport, and urge the house to support the bill. Debate adjourned on motion of Ms Breuer.