MEDIA RELEASE HON ROBERT BROKENSHIRE MLC FAMILY FIRST The Independent Party

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GOOD FRIDAY GAMBLING: “ITS TABCORP THAT’S OUT OF TOUCH” Tuesday 17 March 2009 FAMILY FIRST MLC Robert Brokenshire has hit out at Tabcorp’s claims in national media today that it believes community standards had changed and that the community now wanted Good Friday gambling. “There’s 363 days of the year to gamble, why do they want more? The gambling industry have an insatiable appetite. First it was pokie venues wanting to operate 24-7, now its Tabcorp wanting to encourage race meetings to occur on Good Friday. Its Tabcorp that’s out of touch, not the politicians who are reluctant about this move – politicians that represent the families of Australia” “Good Friday is a religious holiday for millions of Australians, and for millions more it is a day of recreation with family on an Easter holiday or catching up with loved ones – not spent at the TAB watching horses go around a racetrack. Frankly, if you are a person who wants to gamble on Good Friday, I suggest that you do not represent community views, but you are in fact a problem gambler” Mr Brokenshire has today written to new Gambling Minister Tom Koutsantonis asking if he will direct racing and sporting codes not to conduct race meetings or other events on Good Friday with a view to attracting gambling activity. Mr Brokenshire – a former Gambling Minister - said that Good Friday and Christmas Day should never be days for gambling. “What we are witnessing here is a greedy industry that just can’t get enough, and are waging an incremental war on traditional family values.” “The Governments of Australia have given too much ground to the gambling industry and lobby already. We need to stop and think about where we’ve gone wrong and start winding back gambling opportunities, rather than expanding them” Mr Brokenshire observed that moves to expand gambling rarely come with a commitment to increase problem gambling initiatives.

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