Anti-poker machine campaigner Stephen Mayne has called on Hobsons Bay council to help lobby for legislative reform ahead of November’s state election.
Representing the Alliance for Gambling Reform, Mr Mayne spoke to a funding submission requesting $15,000 at last week’s council meeting.
He told councillors he toured six gaming machine venues in the municipality before the meeting.
“The harm has increased in Hobsons Bay where your losses are up by 3.2 per cent over the first four months of the year,” he told councillors. “The Millers Inn … now owned by Woolworths, the world’s largest operator of poker machines.
“Woolworths also owns the Rifle [Club] Hotel, which is also running 20 hours a day at the maximum.”
Mr Mayne then moved on to venues which benefit football clubs, starting with the Seagulls Nest. “Why is a football club offering 50 poker machines at 4 o’clock in the morning?” he said.
“Two of them are owned for the benefit of the Carlton footy club – The Vic Inn and Club Laverton – and when
you combine the fact that they are managed by Bruce Mathieson, the billionaire pokies partner of Woolworths … the majority of your losses are managed by Woolworths and Bruce Mathieson.”
The council is considering the request.
