Council says no to pokies in TABs

Peter Garvan.
Peter Garvan.
A New Zealand Racing Board objection to the Waitaki District Council's proposed gambling venues policy has not dissuaded councillors from sticking with it.

At an extraordinary meeting in Oamaru last week, the council voted in favour of a gambling venues policy that does not permit stand-alone racing board venues (TABs) to host class 4 gambling (poker) machines.

When submissions on the gambling policy review were heard on September 30, the racing board opposed the council's proposal to disallow TAB venues from having poker machines on the grounds its reasoning - to ensure ''the maximum amount'' of gambling proceeds was ''returned to the local community'' - was discriminatory.

The racing board argued it was not appropriate for the council ''to discriminate against societies based on how their gaming machine proceeds are distributed''.

There are no stand-alone TAB venues in the district and the racing board had indicated to the council that it would not establish any before the policy was reviewed again in 2018.

On Wednesday, policy and communications manager Fraser Liggett told councillors the council's legal advice had been the racing board had a ''strong argument''.

Mr Liggett recommended the gambling policy be adopted with TAB venues allowed to host the poker machines. However, Oamaru ward councillor Peter Garvan objected.

''We have every right to make our own decision and we should today,'' he said.

The cumulative impact of more opportunities for gambling was sufficient to disallow poker machines at TAB venues.

Cr Melanie Tavendale agreed. She said five of the seven submitters had supported the council's proposed policy on the grounds of harm minimisation.

While distribution of the proceeds from the machines was ''not the underlying reason'' for her support of the policy, it was a consideration.

The council's class 4 gambling and TAB venues policy is due to be formally adopted on October 28.

The council must review its gambling policy every three years.

hamish.maclean@odt.co.nz

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