Protest Held in Gaming Venue -- Group Blocks Off Gaming Machines

Duty of Care protesters targeted a gaming machine venue in Adelaide today in protest against government failure to protect communities from the harmful impact of gaming machines.

(PRWEB) November 14, 2005

Duty of Care protesters targeted a gaming machine venue in Adelaide today in protest against government failure to protect communities from the harmful impact of gaming machines.

The protest involved 20 Duty of Care supporters each of whom sat at a gaming machine and considered for two hours how best to spend their hard earned money.

Each person placed one dollar in a machine, and collected their one dollar at the end of two hours. The protest was held at the Arkaba Hotel in Fullarton.

Group organizers said they wanted to raise awareness about the government’s inaction, particularly in not following the recommendations of the IGA regarding smartcards.

"It's a 20th century form of passive resistance," No Pokies MP Nick Xenophon said. "The idea is to highlight that you can't win. It's a cheeky way of turning the tables on the pokie industry".

Present at the sit-in were Nick Xenophon - (Member of the Legislative Council), Fiona Barr (Mayor Port Adelaide), John Stansfield (CEO, NZ Problem Gambling Foundation) and Duty of Care members who are attending the International Pokies Impact Conference to be held in the Unley Town Hall on Monday and Tuesday (14th & 15th November).

Protesters asked gaming room staff questions relating to gaming venue Codes of Practice and discovered that gaming room staff were not fully conversant with consumer rights and venue operator responsibilities as described in the Codes.

When asked by one protester for a copy of the Codes of Practice, the gaming room manager was unable to locate a copy within the venue as required by law.

"Senior government MP's talk about their deep concern over the impact gaming machines have on people in our communities, but when given the opportunity to hear the latest research and advice of those who work with those who are devastated by gaming machine addiction, they simply don't want to know" Ms Pinkerton said.

Just one MP has agreed to attend the conference. Even the Minister for Gambling, Michael Wright, sent his apologies claiming he was too busy to attend the two day event.

Sue Pinkerton (Secretary, Duty of Care) said "80% of SA adults want gaming machines removed and we're here today to let the government know we've had enough of being ignored".

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