MEDIA RELEASE

For immediate release

— Wellington, Tuesday, 12 May 2009

Abandon sinking lid policy at your peril.

Auckland community board members suggesting an easing of the sinking lid policy for pokie machines appear to forget the emotional carnage and avoidable impoverishment gambling brings to many of their constituents and their families.

The Salvation Army is deeply concerned that some board members have recommended abolishing the policy designed to reduce the number of gaming machines so the machines can be more evenly spread across the city.

While one board chairman was reported as saying that relaxing the policy would benefit community groups receiving funds from gambling trusts, it needs to be remembered a proportion of that money is derived from the household budgets of the families of problem gamblers and from the thefts and frauds some problem gamblers commit to feed their addictions.

Salvation Army Addiction Services National Manager Major Lynette Hutson says many families suffer abject misery because a family member’s out-of-control gambling. These families flow into Salvation Army community service centres and its problem gambling centres daily.

“Canning the sinking lid policy would be a disaster for a lot of families – we’re actually seeing an increase in the number of people seeking help,” she says.

Major Hutson says: “If those suggesting abolishing this policy could see first-hand the emotional carnage and avoidable impoverishment caused by gambling in their own communities, I’m confident they would change their mind.”

Screening of new South Auckland clients coming to The Salvation Army for food aid, budget advice or counselling in the eight months to April 1, 2009 revealed 45 per cent were negatively affected by gambling. According to Ministry of Health figures, the number of Aucklanders receiving treatment for problem gambling in 2008 rose by a third on the previous year.

“While we agree something needs to be done about the unequal distribution of gaming machines in high deprivation areas, relaxing the sinking lid policy is not the way to achieve it,” Major Hutson says.

The Salvation Army’s eight Oasis Centres for problem gambling treat around 2700 problem gamblers each year.

Issued on the Authority of Commissioner Don Bell (Territorial Commander)
The Salvation Army, New Zealand Fiji & Tonga Territory

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