SA Best floats pokies buyback to pay hospitality staff

Pub bosses could keep staff on the books during shutdown by selling back pokies licenses, MPs say. But the hotel lobby says the move would encourage online gambling. VOTE IN THE POLL

• Morrison hoses down mandatory tracking app plan
• Redeem these rewards with your Advertiser+ subscription

A poker machine buyback scheme should be launched to help the state’s beleaguered hospitality industry which has been decimated by coronavirus, crossbench MPs say.

SA Best wants the State Government to offer embattled pubs and clubs at least $15,000 a machine with the money being used to “retain and support” staff.

The machine licence, which could be worth as much as $30,000, would be cancelled, according to the party founded by former No Pokies MP Nick Xenophon.

Attorney-General Vickie Chapman has rejected the idea, and the Australian Hotels Association said it had not been consulted on the proposal, which it said would fuel more online gambling.

Under the SA Best proposal, the Consumer and Business Services Commissioner, also the state’s Liquor Licensing Commissioner, would value each machine.

SA Best MLC Connie Bonaros says selling back gambling machines would give pub bosses tens of thousands of dollars to support staff during the coronavirus shutdown.

Upper House MP Connie Bonaros, the party’s gambling spokeswoman, said the Government had a chance to show “true leadership” in tackling the gambling “scourge”.

She said the plan could reinstate workers who had lost their jobs after COVID-19 restrictions forced venues to shut and lay off staff,

“We know the local hospitality sector – like many other sectors – has been hit by the COVID19 pandemic, and thousands of workers have either lost their jobs or have been put on forced leave by their employers,” Ms Bonaros said.

“Here is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to not only throw a lifeline to dozens of businesses to help them retain their staff in these uncertain times, but also to tackle the scourge of gambling addiction.”

Anti-pokies campaigner Reverend Tim Costello praised the “visionary” idea, which is also being rolled out in the ACT. Latest SA gaming figures show $54.07 million poured into government coffers from 12,088 machines in 497 venues in February, down $3.5 million on January.

AHA SA general manager Ian Horne said SA Best’s plan was “incredibly naive” and a “blatant example of political opportunism when the hotel and club industry is in crisis”.

“SA Best is weeping crocodile tears,” he said.

MORE NEWS:

Meet the South Australians who hunt and kill coronavirus

SANFL footballers prepared to play for nothing

Still no loo paper and only bog standard explanations

“The big winner from the Australia-wide shutdown is online gambling. SA Best just don’t get it.”

Ms Chapman said poker machine buybacks were “absolutely not the answer”.

She said official measures included deferring taxation payable on gambling products for six months, worth $11 million in “tax relief”.

“The $1 billion stimulus includes a $360 million Business Support Fund as well as $10,000 immediate cash payments to keep venues open and staff employed,” she said, referring to the Government’s COVID-19 package, which also includes liquor licensing fee waivers.

“Not only would a buyback scheme not help save thousands of jobs, given clubs and pubs are closed at the moment, the value of poker machines has decreased substantially, meaning clubs and pubs would lose the asset and also revenue in the long term.

“We will continue to help them well into the future, as we appreciate the importance that this industry plays in our community.”