Alice Springs locals fight new pokie machines as moratorium nears its end

A contentious pause on new pokie machines in Alice Springs will end soon but the government is keeping tight-lipped on its next move. Here’s what the community is calling for.

An Alice Springs MLA says a “hideously high” number of pokie machines in her town and the impact they have on families is at risk of becoming even greater.

Independent Araluen MLA Robyn Lambley said the government should listen to the community when it reveals its decision on the contentious issue in the coming weeks.

A nine-month moratorium on new machines in Alice Springs is due to end in June, which a spokeswoman for Gaming Minister Chansey Paech said would not be extended.

Ms Lambley said the vast majority of residents were opposed to new machines – a view that has been backed up by a new survey.

Araluen MLA Robyn Lambley is strongly opposed to new pokie machines in Alice Springs. Picture: Che Chorley

“I really don’t know anyone in Alice Springs who thinks more poker machines is a good idea,” she said.

“I don’t need to tell anyone about the harm that gambling does to families, individuals and communities.

“On top of everything going on in Alice Springs, the gravity of our social problems, we don’t need this.

“It is ridiculous, absolutely hideous.”

Mr Paech issued the moratorium in September last year amid widespread community opposition to hospitality giant Iris Capital’s application for 60 new machines across its Alice Springs venues.

The government caps machines to 20 per hotel and 55 per club, but there is no cap for the Territory’s two casinos.

Ms Lambley said while that made the true prevalence of gambling unknown, Iris Capital’s Lasseters Casino in Alice Springs had “hundreds”.

She said she had lodged written questions to Mr Paech through parliament to find out the number – believing Alice Springs had the highest rate of pokies per capita in Australia.

The No New Pokies in Mparntwe/Alice Springs campaign has found the overwhelming majority of locals agree with Ms Lambley.

The survey of more than 1000 residents and tourists in the past two months found 98 per cent were against new pokies in the town.

Community group 'No New Pokies – Mparntwe Alice Springs' has surveyed 1000 locals and tourists in Alice Springs about new pokie machines in the town. Picture: Supplied

“We spoke to hundreds of people, and the message across the board was clear – pokies are harmful and are not what Mparntwe/Alice Springs needs in order to solve the problems in our town,” No New Pokies member Jonathan Pilbrow said.

“The NT government has kicked the can down the road and needs to now take strong action to ensure none of Iris Capital’s applications can be approved.

“If it does anything less … it is going against the overwhelming views of the Central Australian community.”

Mr Pilbrow said the cap on pokies in clubs was currently 1699 machines, with permits issued for 1595.

Racing, Gambling and Licensing Minister Chansey Paech is due to make an announcement soon as the moratorium on new Alice Springs pokies machines comes to an end. Picture: Jason Walls

Mr Paech did not answer questions from this publication but a spokeswoman said an announcement on the issue was imminent.

However Hospitality NT chief executive Alex Bruce said after the current government reintroduced a cap and lowered it twice, there was “no industry expectation” that it would be raised.

“We respect the right of everyone in the community to have their say,” he said.

“But there is always a lot of focus on us and not the unregulated gambling, the illegal cardhouses that pop up in communities.

“We’re well regulated, highly taxed and we want to be part of the community.

“We just want certainty.”

Mr Bruce said only a small cohort in the industry were seeking extra machines.

Originally published as Alice Springs locals fight new pokie machines as moratorium nears its end