By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Greater Dandenong has joined a joint-council push against pokies venues opening up to 20 hours a day.
Eight metro Melbourne mayors including Greater Dandenong’s Jim Memeti signed a letter to the State Government calling for closing hours between midnight and 10am.
The letter addressed to the Premier and Mulgrave MP Dan Andrews on 3 September cites “millions of dollars” saved since Victoria’s pokies were switched off in Covid-19.
“That money will have been used to pay rent, mortgages and other bills, but will also have circulated around our communities, benefiting local cafes, bookshops and other small businesses.
“Please make a reduction in gambling harm in Victoria a true silver lining to come out of Covid-19.”
Five Ministers including Dandenong MP Gabrielle Williams were also copied into the correspondence.
The letter called on the Government to heed the advice of public health experts to reduce gambling harm – just as it had listened to Covid-19 advice.
“Harm is occurring in poker machine venues at all times of day, but especially past midnight.
“This change will undoubtedly result in reduced gambling harm — saving and improving lives, and helping keep families together.”
The move would also boost consumer spending and reduce an estimated annual $7 billion public health cost, including mental health, domestic violence and homelessness, the letter argues.
“Poker machines are a drain on local economies, and we cannot afford these losses any more.”
In the Covid-affected 2019-’20, pokies spending in Greater Dandenong plummeted from $119 million to $87 million.
Venues had closed for the last quarter of the financial year due to the pandemic. They remain shut during stage-4 lockdown.
Cr Memeti said the pokie closures were “really good for the local community” and “just about the only benefit of Covid-19”.
“My personal belief is I stay away from them. I think they’re addictive – that’s why people are hooked on them.
“You feel so close to winning but they’re programmed for you to lose.”
Poker machines were most prevalent in disadvantaged communities like Greater Dandenong, he said.
“That’s where the biggest losses are – from the people who can least afford to lose.”
Greater Dandenong councillor Matthew Kirwan said the move would be a “small but significant” change.
“It is the early hours of the morning that the most gambling harm is done.
“This is when venues are largely filled with those addicted to machines, or vulnerable people on the path to addiction.
“Staff are rostered at a bare minimum and there is no food service – a recipe for gambling harm.”
The State Government has been contacted for comment.
