Legal appeal lodged against Iris Capital’s new Alice Springs pokies
An Alice Springs anti-pokies group is set to lodge an appeal against the government’s decision to allow hospo giant Iris Capital to have another gaming 20 machines.
Northern Territory
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A government decision to allow two Alice Springs venues to double their number of pokie machines will be reviewed following a fresh legal appeal.
Anti-gambling group No New Pokies in Mparntwe member Jonathan Pilbrow on Monday will lodge a formal complaint with the NT Civil and Administrative Tribunal, almost three months after the new machines were approved.
In June the Director of Gaming Machines approved Iris Capital’s applications to put 20 more machines in Alice Springs – 10 each in Gap View Hotel and Todd Tavern
It came after a nine-month moratorium on any new machines across the Territory, during which more than 400 submissions opposing the hospo giant’s plans were submitted.
Iris Capital was originally seeking to bring 60 new machines to Alice Springs but applications for two-thirds of those were withdrawn before the NT government lowered its cap on gaming machines in community venues from 1699 to 1659.
Mr Pilbrow said while that meant Mercure and Uncles Tavern would not get any new machines as planned, the “fight” was not over.
“By allowing Iris Capital to double the number of pokies, Iris Capital will double the level of harm that these machines cause,” he said.
“I’ve walked through the casino and pubs and clubs in town many times and have seen how these pokies numb and trap people into putting their money into machines that are designed to win.”
“There are currently 493 pokies in our town – 146 in clubs and pubs and 347 at the Lasseters Casino.
“That means we currently have one poker machine for every 40 adults – that’s already too high.”
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers will represent Mr Pilbrow as they argue before the tribunal that Director of Gaming Machines Philip Timney did not properly consider the hundreds of submissions objecting to the additional machines.
Mr Pilbrow will also claim Iris Capital’s community impact studies were “flawed”, failing to properly consult residents and consider the negative social and economic impacts of pokies.
It found the 20 new machines were not expected to “incur a higher risk of problem gambling within the Alice Springs local area” and instead offer the town “diverse entertainment options”.
When considering both applications Mr Timney said despite the majority of submissions being against the applications, it was not his role to decide whether there should be more gaming machine licences granted in Alice Springs.
“The question for the director in terms of this application is whether the applicant satisfies the statutory criteria to be issued with a licence authorising 10 additional gaming machines at the premises,” he said in June.
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Originally published as Legal appeal lodged against Iris Capital’s new Alice Springs pokies
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