By Lucy Cormack and Tom Rabe
The boss of the state’s powerful clubs lobby group believes Dominic Perrottet will struggle to secure political support for his cashless poker machine proposal, while also accusing the premier of pursuing the contentious policy because of his religious beliefs.
In comments that risk deepening the dispute between ClubsNSW and Perrottet ahead of the March 25 election, the group’s chief executive, Josh Landis, claimed Perrottet did not understand the complexity of the reform and was acting on his “Catholic gut”.
ClubsNSW chief executive Josh Landis leaves NSW Parliament House after meeting with Premier Dominic Perrottet last year.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer
“He’s going to struggle because he can’t satisfy everybody,” Landis said ahead of an impending debate within cabinet over Perrottet’s proposal.
“I think it’s fair to say that the premier has very little understanding of this issue and has acted from his conservative Catholic gut rather than based on evidence.
“What he’s done is create hyper-anxiety among the industry and among people who go to clubs, and hyper-excitement among those who want reform.
“That perhaps explains to some extent why he’s having trouble with his parliamentary colleagues.”
Perrottet on Tuesday morning said the comments were offensive to and attack on all people of faith across NSW, and suggested they could be grounds for resignation.
Perrottet is finalising the details of his long-promised policy, which has secured support from several senior ministers but also stoked concerns among others.
ClubsNSW on Monday announced a new gaming code of practice to take effect in clubs from July 1, barring punters if they show signs of problem gambling like seeking credit, borrowing money or leaving children alone while playing poker machines.
Perrottet said he supported any tightening of the rules but appeared incredulous that the measures weren’t already in place. Asked whether he was concerned the industry now wanted to deal with parents who leave their children in cars, Perrottet responded: “I may have thought that.”
“When I read the report, you would have thought that this would already be the case,” he said. “But if it’s not, I welcome any move from clubs to make that change.”
Landis denied ClubsNSW had lost political capital in the contentious gambling reform debate despite the premier and NSW Labor leader Chris Minns both confirming on Monday that they would not sign any pre-election gambling policy agreements with the lobby group.
That development makes the March election the first in more than a decade in which the influential clubs organisation has not secured any guarantees from the Liberal Party about policy settings for the next term of government.
Perrottet said on Monday that he had no plans to follow predecessors Barry O’Farrell, Mike Baird and Gladys Berejiklian by signing a memorandum of understanding with ClubsNSW.
“I have no intention of doing that. It’s not something that’s in any way on my mind,” Perrottet said.
Minns also said NSW Labor would not sign any agreement ahead of a possible election victory.
“Absolutely not. That would not be appropriate given we are conducting a major independent review as well as a trial of cashless gaming,” he said.
Both Perrottet and Minns have said they would not sign any agreement with ClubsNSW until matters outlined in a landmark NSW Crime Commission report were addressed.
While the premier has repeatedly vowed to turn the state’s poker machines cashless, he is yet to outline a policy framework or present a plan to cabinet.
Minns said Labor had been clear with voters about its policy, which includes a mandatory cashless gaming trial of 500 machines, a gradual reduction of machines, and responsible gaming officers in large venues.
NSW Labor Leader Chris Minns says his party has not signed a memorandum of understanding with ClubsNSW.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer
The Labor leader also hit back against criticism from independent federal MP Andrew Wilkie, who told the Herald on Monday the opposition risked being “morally bankrupt” and not fit to govern by not backing statewide cashless gaming.
“An independent politician from Tasmania is asking NSW Labor to sign off on a policy of Dominic Perrottet that he hasn’t even released,” Minns said.
The lack of enthusiasm from both leaders for a memorandum of understanding with ClubsNSW comes after Landis reportedly told the lobby’s annual general meeting last year that he was optimistic about reaching a written agreement with both sides before the election.
Under its new code of conduct announced on Monday, Clubs NSW will conduct welfare checks on poker machine players at least every three hours, clubs will have a designated responsible gambling officer, and family members will also be able to request exclusions for loved ones.
While clubs have always reported punters who leave kids in cars while using poker machines, the new code will automatically block them from entering all clubs across NSW if they do so.
Landis told the Herald clubs were not against cashless gaming but simply wanted further trials. He said he was not fazed by the two major parties so far refusing to sign a memorandum or agreement.
Asked if he was concerned by new analysis showing NSW residents lost more than $2.1 billion on poker machines in fewer than 100 days last year, Landis claimed there was no evidence that money was coming from people who could not afford it.
“If they spent that money on lollipops or they spent it on shoes … wouldn’t you be OK with it? The point is that people choose to play poker machines, they like them,” he said.
“We can’t support the community in the way it’s come to expect from us north of $100 million a year, through selling schnitzels and schooners. We rely on the revenue from gaming.
“I’m not worried about how much money is spent on poker machines, I’m worried about those people who can’t afford it … They are a tiny minority, for whom we need to do more.”
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