Hone Harawira
MANA Leader

20 June 2012

Shut Illegal Pokies or the People Will

“I can’t understand how pokie operators who’ve had their licences cancelled can keep fleecing poor people while they appeal the cancellation” said MANA Leader Hone Harawira, in response to statements from Internal Affairs Minister Chris Tremain that the government would allow Galaxy Takeaways to continue to operate 18 pokie machines in Otara, even though his department had cancelled their licence.

“They’ve been running an illegal pokie operation and already stolen $500,000 from low income Maori and Pacific Island people living in one of the poorest communities in the country, and the Minister is going to let them continue.”

“He won’t even acknowledge that there’s a problem!”

“That’s unacceptable” said Harawira. “The minister must change the law to get these parasites shut down, and he should do it now. And if he won’t shut them … then maybe the people will.

ENDS

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