More good than harm
Last week, ClubsNSW was contacted by this newspaper seeking comment on the industry’s contribution to the local community for a broader piece on the release of recent gaming machine data.
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While our statement ran in the online version of the story, it was omitted entirely from the print edition of the article published on October 17.
Suffice it to say we were deeply disappointed by the lack of balance in the piece – particularly given this paper’s advocacy for poker machine reform.
The truth is – various studies, including a 2010 Productivity Commission report, have found that poker machines deliver a net social benefit to the community.
That is, they bring more benefits than harm.
Clubs have a social license to operate poker machines in NSW because they are not-for-profit and make an annual social contribution of $1.3 billion - including $100 million in funding through the ClubGRANTS scheme.
Shoalhaven clubs make an enormous contribution to the region, employing 892 locals and providing more than $844,000 in ClubGRANTS funding to a range of worthy causes, including local charities, schools and sporting groups.
The region’s 27 clubs paid $10.4 million in gaming machine taxes to the state government in the past 12 months, helping to provide and maintain much-needed services including hospitals, schools and roads.
According to a top 4 accountancy firm, they also made an economic contribution of approximately $63.6 million.
Shoalhaven clubs service more than 104,000 members, offering affordable entertainment, food and beverage options and providing a safe and secure place where patrons can socialise with family or friends. Not-for-profit clubs are vital community hubs, particularly in regional areas.
A. Ball, ClubsNSW
Committee unnecessary
There is not enough money in local government and never will be and it has been forecast that the Shoalhaven City will be going through ten years of deficient budgets of approximately $10 million per year for the next 10 years. Every cent counts. That means making decisions on council is about choices and priorities.
From my experience of spending hundreds of hours working in the community talking to residents about council related issues I have come to assessment that everyone is concerned about the environment and that climate change issues are important. However the majority of people that I speak to think that leadership on climate change must come from the State and Federal governments and they don’t want one cent more than necessary of their hard earned ratepayer dollars spent on duplication, protecting the environment. They want their ratepayer dollars spent locally on the social and economic issues, assets and infrastructure.
After listening to some council directors say that most of the work being done by the Sustainable Futures committee is a duplication of what has been done internally by council staff for the past decade, the resources spent on this committee, $50 000 per annum could be better spent on the social and economic issues that confront the Shoalhaven on a daily basis.
The Shoalhaven council has a history of combating climate change and protecting the environment and has been implementing scores of strategies for many years. These strategies are having a profound impact on Shoalhaven residents and contributing to a change in mainstream culture in regard to climate change and protecting the environment.
Money that is spent on duplication should be redirected while social, economic and environment issues should continue to be progressed alongside each other.
On this occasion I was unable to support the rescission motion.