Wayne Goss regrets bringing poker machines to Queensland

FORMER premier Wayne Goss, who introduced poker machines to Queensland, has admitted they are a "scourge" he now regrets allowing in.

FORMER premier Wayne Goss, who introduced poker machines to Queensland, has admitted they are a "scourge" he now regrets allowing into the state.

Wayne Goss, Queensland premier from December 1989 until February 1996, said although it was long-standing Labor policy, it was a mistake to bring in gaming machines in February 1992.

Within a year, there were 9332 pokies in 405 clubs and 298 hotels throughout Queensland.

By last month, the state's pubs and clubs had 41,527 operational pokies and Queenslanders were losing a record $173.32 million a month - or $5.5 million a day - to gaming machines.

Speaking on a panel at the Queensland Writers Festival in Brisbane yesterday, Mr Goss, pictured, was asked if he had any regrets about his political career.

"I wish I'd never brought in poker machines, I think they're a scourge,'' he said.

He later added:  "Introducing poker machines to give clubs a fair go was Labor Party policy for a long time and we implemented it.

"The problem with poker machines in my view is that the people who mainly play them are the people who can least afford to do so. I wish I hadn't done it.''

 The former premier's admission drew praise from Noel Preston, who represents the heads of Queensland's churches on the Government's Responsible Gambling Advisory Committee.

Anti-pokies campaigner, Senator Nick Xenophon, urged Mr Goss to use his standing in Labor to help reduce the number of pokies in pubs and clubs.

But state Treasurer Andrew Fraser said the Government had already frozen the number of pokies in the state and was actively combating their potential harmful effects.

This year's state Budget still forecast an 8 per cent jump in gaming machine taxes, the Government expecting to collect about $578 million from pokies in the 2008-09 year.