Gaming Machines

The Hon. F. PANGALLO (17:12): I move:

That the regulations made under the Gaming Machines Act 1992 concerning prescribed day, made on 6 December 2018 and laid on the table of this council on 12 February 2019, be disallowed.

The regulations that are the subject of the disallowance have the effect of extending the prescribed day for the purposes of section 53A of the Gaming Machines Act 1992, providing an extension of time before which certain prohibitions regarding the operation of electronic gaming machines (pokies) and cashless gaming systems on licensed venues take effect. The date has been extended to 31 December 2020.

The background to the regulations is that, from 31 December 2018, it is an offence under the act to operate pokies that are not capable of displaying on-screen messages unless the date is changed by way of regulation, which has occurred by way of this regulation. Further, there is no legislative requirement for the holders of gaming machine licences when operating a cashless gaming system to offer voluntary pre-commitment on any gaming machine in compliance with the voluntary pre-commitment code set out in schedule 4 of the Gaming Machines Regulations 2005.

These harm minimisation methods were introduced on 1 January 2014 as part of the Statutes Amendment (Gambling Reform) Act 2013. Basically, this regulation allows pokies operators to continue to operate with pokies without on-screen message capabilities, an essential tool for harm minimisation, preventing people using the pokies from becoming pokies addicts. Not one stakeholder involved in harm minimisation and counselling of pokie addicts, such as Anglicare, SACOSS, Uniting Communities or Relationships Australia, was consulted about the regulations and their effect. Only industry stakeholders were consulted. That is outrageous.

In addition, there has not been adequate reasoning provided as to why gaming venues have not been able to update their pokies machines in time. They have had five years to do it and failed. I want to advise the chamber that I will be taking this disallowance motion to a vote in two weeks. With those words, I commend the motion.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. T.J. Stephens.