Ad shames gamblers:that's a shame for pokie owners

An advertising campaign showing a woman leaving her partner because he is a problem gambler has upset poker machine operators, even though it has caused gamblers to flood a helpline.

The television ads are "flat-out disgraceful", according to Penrith Panthers Leagues Club's general manager, John Wilson.

"[Making a link between] quietly playing the poker machines to having no food on the table is a gross exaggeration and a gross distraction to what is a serious problem out there," Mr Wilson said.

But each poker machine has the capacity of earning $72 thousand dollars a year from a problem gamblers family and their communities a spokesperson for Justice Action Mr Pissed And Broke said.

"What is required is more entertainment, live bands, singing and dancing. Perhaps where the whole family can join in and community groups can meet to have some fun without going home pissed and broke." He said

The TV and radio campaign featured the woman taking her children and leaving her partner after discovering she could not pay for groceries because their credit card had been cancelled. The five-month campaign, which ended in March, also included print advertisements suggesting family and financial distress.

The Gaming Minister, Grant McBride, said more than 6000 people called the Government's G-line counselling service during the campaign - 30 per cent more than the year before.

Some callers, most of whom were gambling on poker machines, said they had only called because the ads had convinced them it was time to act, Mr McBride said. One woman called to find out when the ad would next be aired "because my husband needs to see it".

But industry sources said gaming operators disliked the ad and some blamed it for a loss of revenue during the early part of the campaign. Sources said Star City Casino, which funded the ads through the casino levy, was also upset about them - a claim denied by a casino spokesman. He said it always supported ads promoting counselling.

John Thorpe, re-elected president of the Australian Hotels Association on Tuesday, said the ads had caused controversy because experts believed they were the wrong approach to harm-minimisation.

A gambling psychologist, Alex Blaszczynski, from Sydney University, said the TV ad raised awareness but also stigmatised gamblers.

It seemed to give the message that partners should leave problem gamblers, Professor Blaszczynski said. "[This] doesn't seem to be pretty darn sensible therapeutically."

Mr McBride's spokesman rejected the criticism, saying the ads clearly showed a problem gambler, not "an ordinary punter". Mr McBride said he would also review funding for counselling services to ensure the extra demand could be met.

By Shamed And Broke 10 April 03

THE PUBLICAN: One more dollar for the road? Doesn't matter what happens when they get home does it?

THE COMMUNITY: Good will matters if you want to run any business including a pub and club. If pubs and clubs are serving a community people will have good stories and meet regularly to socialise. What you do is what you get. Get off the table WILSON the monies for the beer.

Related:

Fears for poor if Social Services take a social slide?
About 350 clubs and pubs have applied for permission to install about 2300 extra poker machines in their venues in a process that could see machines move from richer to poorer suburbs.

Club expects more problem punters
The Tigers' plan for a super club with 450 poker machines at the SuperDome could create almost 100 new problem gamblers in the five kilometres around the site, according to the Balmain club's application submitted to licensing authorities.

Justice Action criticises Govt's victim voice policy

Victims are not being properly considered in compensation and no expression is given to them, of community goodwill. A spokesperson for Justice Action Mr Brett Collins said, "No community expression or concern is given to the victims of crime. They feel their pain is not acknowledged by the government which tries to balance pain against pain. Never! The community is being misled."

The Sun-Herald reported on Sunday Edward Lee's mother she said, "Then maybe they listen to the mother and father of dead boys," Mrs Lee said.

Mr Collins went on to say, "The community needs to offer victims goodwill, generosity, compassion and preparedness to listen. Not stimulate anger, more damage and vengeance in the mind of the victim." He said.

The New South Wales Law Society is concerned retribution and vengeance will become a part of sentencing under a state Government proposal to give victims a greater voice in court.

New South Wales Premier Bob Carr says the victims of crime should be allowed to participate in the court system by explaining during sentencing how the crime affected them.

However Law Society president Robert Benjamin says the changes are fraught with danger and has urged the Government to reconsider.

Mr Benjamin says it is undesirable to involve emotion in the sentencing process, and he fears judges may be influenced by victims to hand down harsher penalties.

"This has to be done in a balanced and sensible sense so that all the needs of justice, the needs of the community, the needs of the victim and the needs of the person who's committed the crime are all met in a measured way."

By Justice Action 17 Feb 03

Related:

Victims should benefit from criminal assets, not police: NSW Opposition
The New South Wales Opposition wants the victims of crime to benefit from the confiscation of criminal assets, rather than the state's police service.

Crime victim group wants say in money allocation
A spokesperson from Justice Action Mr Brett Collins said, "Victims should be properly compensated regardless of the source and that is currently the law. The law says you don't need to find even the offender to get compensation. This is an attempt by the opposition to create a law and order issue-involving victims when there is in fact no issue!

Abolition of 800 year old double jeopardy law a crime
The 800-year-old rule prevents a person who's acquitted of a criminal charge from ever being re-tried for that offense.

When real safety is jeopardised in NSW
Perception of crime is still a problem in NSW, with a new Productivity Commission report showing the state's citizens feel less safe than most of their counterparts.

Chronology - A History of Australian Prisons
[Allegedly:] The events that have shaped NSW prisons - from convict days through royal commissions, to the Supermax of today. [I say allegedly because no one should trust Four Corners [Walls], why? Because they spill out the propaganda of the day for the Government, whether it be wrong or right. A government that lies and has no remorse about it.]

Robin Egan

Michael Egan want's to rob the poor and give it to the Government.

Two thirds of fines are never collected because they go beyond the means of the defendants and because in lots of cases people do not see that they are responsible. Especially where people know their in the right and no fine ought to have been a penalty.

Being set up on the trifecta for instance, abusive language, resist arrest, and assault police. Where base charges are not proven but nonsense charges are held. Where you're busted for a joint or small amount of illicit drug floating around in your pocket from a late night out.

Traffic offenses when you know you are in the right but through some fluke of nature you're held responsible but the traffic branch won't listen to your reason.

What about good will when some of the poor cannot pay and sometimes they can, then you could way up the fact that you get one third and have allot of good will. Good will, always receiving one third in three. You know what they say; "a bird in the hand is worth three in the bush".

You can always line up wheel chairs for the brain injured like what happened to Jamie Partlick before fine defaulters were taken away from NSW Prisons after he was bashed for being there.

Michael Egan's new formula as follows:

Subtracted from 3 thirds the total of claims. 1. Payments, 2. Good will 3. Bankrupts, and 4. Mistakes then you end up with all the money you were due.

Then you may lead by example and pay all the unpaid compensation claims you have held back from the respondents in their civil claims against the Government left lingering until the respondents are too sick to enjoy it or deceased.

By Gregory Kable 18 April 2002

ED: Perhaps we can just open an account with the Reserve Bank, yeah!