Federal Cabinet is expected to formally abandon a deadline to introduce mandatory pre-commitment technology for poker machines at a meeting this morning.
Labor had a deal with independent MP Andrew Wilkie to form government, which involved changing poker machine laws by May 8.
But the Government cannot find enough parliamentary support for the changes, and Prime Minister Julia Gillard last night met Mr Wilkie for talks on the issue.
Community Services Minister Jenny Macklin, who joined in on the meeting, would not be drawn on the outcome of the talks. But she did announce that she has met with Clubs ACT to propose a 12-month trial of mandatory pre-commitment technology on poker machines.
“The vast majority of members of the Parliament would like to see a proper trial of mandatory pre-commit so I certainly hope it will proceed,” she said.
“We want to get proper evidence. The Government does believe that mandatory pre-commitment is a useful tool for problem gamblers.
“But of course we want to take an evidence-based approach. We want to work with clubs in the ACT, with the ACT Government, to properly trial mandatory pre-commitment.”
She told Saturday AM the discussions are in an early stage but financial support will be offered to clubs.
But Clubs ACT chief executive Officer Jeff House expects the trial will show the technology does not work.
“My view is that it probably won’t be as effective as it needs to be and nor do I believe it’ll be as cost effective as it needs to be to justify rolling it out through the rest of the country, but I’m prepared to have a trial to see whether that’s the case,” he said.
A dead deal?
Yesterday, Federal independent MP Tony Windsor weighed into the poker machine plan debate, saying he believed the deal was dead.
The Member for New England has been a vocal opponent of Mr Wilkie’s pre-commitment technology, but he admits something does need to be done to address problem gambling.
“If there are other ways of addressing the issue, well let’s have a look at them,” he said.
He has backed Ms Gillard’s assessment on the pokies plan being pushed through Parliament.
“If I was a betting man, I’d say the reform as far as mandatory pre-commitment are probably dead,” he said.
Mr Windsor’s suggested Mr Wilkie take another look at his options and find another way to tackle the gambling addiction.
