By Luke Voogt
Local veterans could be losers from council’s legal bid to oppose 30 extra pokies at Geelong RSL, Community Clubs Victoria has warned.
Not-for-profit clubs, including RSLs, relied on pokies to support their existence and contributed $1 billion socially annually to Victoria, the group’s president Leon Wiegard said.
“It’s a waste of money to throw legal fees at it.“
Often councils neglected the benefits not-for-profit clubs created for community groups through pokies, Mr Wiegard said.
“The council probably haven’t looked at it even-handedly. People only see one side of this issue.”
About 35 per cent of the revenue from pokies at not-for-profit venues went to state and local governments while the rest returned to the community, Mr Wiegard said.
Victoria had strict regulations and caps on pokies, he said.
“Let the people who want to gamble, gamble. The ones who get into trouble are a very small percentage.
“We want to help them and have a whole range of harm minimisations in place. Our best weapon in place is our self-exclusion program.”
Council on Tuesday announced it would appoint legal representation to appear at a hearing into Geelong RSL’s application to increase its pokies from 42 to 72.
In September, Council agreed to make a written submission to Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation (VCGLR) against the application.
But at Tuesday night’s meeting Greens councillor Sarah Mansfield also moved for council to allocate its legal team and up to $8000 for external representation to oppose the application.
“I believe as a Council, we can and must do everything we can to reduce the harm from problem gambling related to pokies,” Cr Mansfield said.
“Historically, a written response to an application to increase pokies has been very unlikely to impact the VCGLR’s decision.”
But recently councils had appeared at hearings via legal representation, resulting in the commission rejecting applications or ordering concessions to prevent community harm, Cr Mansfield said.
Council opposed the application on the grounds that gambling losses would be approximately $2.9 million in the first 12 months by Geelong RSL’s admission.
Councillors also cited community objections, the layout of the venue and its proximity to Barwon Health’s Prevention and Recovery Care program and SalvoConnect Women Services in opposing the increase.
Greater Geelong has 1,292 pokies, the most of any Victorian local government area, which caused gambling losses of more than $118 million during 2017-18.
State Government’s regional caps system permits a maximum of 1,421 EGM licenses in greater Geelong and Borough of Queenscliffe combined.
Extra licenses became available after Geelong Football Club divested its 100 machines.
