Reverend Proposes Anti-Gambling Strategy
11th December, 2007
Tim Costello, the Reverend, said today that he feels the state government should start finding means of becoming less dependent on the revenue from poker machines as part of anti-gambling strategy that should be put in place, according to the anti-gambling campaigner.
This is what he said on the ABC radio today: "It will be long-term, it will be tough but this is actually what the public wants. I hope (Prime Minister) Kevin (Rudd) will act."
The Reverend suggests that the government should introduce conditions on federal grants to the states and territories to ensure the effectiveness of the strategy.
Costello explains: "You have state governments that know gambling is doing social damage but ... putting up taxes would get us thrown out of office we need some help. The Federal Government's grants can come with strings attached. We will give you these grants only if you start to ween yourself off the revenue then over a five-ten year period the Federal Government can start to top up what is lost by weaning states off pokies."
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