‘Parasitic’: Pastors pen letter to Premier, Minns to tackle gambling crisis

Two respected Sydney pastors have penned an open letter to Dominic Perrottet and Chris Minns to take action against the growing pokies scourge in NSW.

Soaring numbers of people seeking help for gambling has prompted a rare joint plea from Wesley Mission and the Anglican Dean of Sydney to Premier Dominic Perrottet and Labor leader Chris Minns to take action.

In an open letter to both parties, Wesley Mission chief executive and Superintendent Minister Stu Cameron and the Anglican Dean of Sydney Sandy Grant have urged Mr Perrottet and Mr Minns to form a “unity ticket” agreeing to poker machine reform ahead of the state election.

The respected community leaders – whose organisations are left to mop up the effects of problem gambling – have also asked that Mr Perrottet and Mr Minns refrain from signing any pre-election Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with clubs against any regulatory reform. The NSW Liberal Party has signed an MoU with Clubs NSW for the past three elections.

“As pastors, we can’t remain silent as we hear from people experiencing gambling addiction, who are at risk of physical self-harm, family members ­impacted by gambling harm facing repossession of a car or furniture, or even children going hungry,” the letter said.

Wesley Mission CEO and Superintendent Reverend Stu Cameron and Anglican Dean of Sydney Reverend Sandy Grant have penned an open letter.

“We have heard you each express concern about the devastating impact of gambling harm in our state.

“It is urgent that you act now. We lament that it could be said NSW and its government have the world’s biggest, most destructive gambling ­addiction, and a growing reliance on a truly regressive and socially destructive form of taxation.”

The letter asked both party leaders to take action on gambling.

Reverends Stu Cameron and Sandy Grant’s suggested reforms.

NSW Treasury budget ­papers project taxes on gaming devices in clubs and hotels alone will grow to over $2bn in the next financial year, with an average annual growth rate of 12.55 per cent over the next four years.

The pastors want $1 bet limits on all poker machines as recommended by the Productivity Commission, a cashless gaming smart card system, longer compulsory shutdown periods for all poker machine venues such as between midnight and 10am and giving councils the powers to limit the number of pokies in their LGA.

“This week a son of gambling addicts spoke to me about how both his mum and dad had squandered over $1m gambling, were now carrying unrecoverable debt in their twilight years and how he had pleaded with management for help only to be told they could do nothing,” Mr Grant said.

“The industry is parasitic.”

The pastors want Mr Perrottet and Mr Minns to commit to reforming gambling.

“They say it’s a form of entertaining. It’s misery-making entertainment. The only way to get out of bed with clubs and pubs is to form a unity ticket. Both leaders must agree to do it together.”

Mr Cameron acknowledged it would take political courage to take on the sector.

“It will take some real courage to rise above the parapet and lead towards reform. We are looking for leadership in this space,” he said.