Former NRL star Steve Mortimer joins ‘It’s un-Australian’ pokies campaign
Clubs Australia has recruited former NRL star Steve Mortimer to be the popular face of its controversial “It’s un-Australian” campaign to pressure the government on its plans to impose a daily poker machine bet limit.
According to a story in The Sunday Telegraph today, the campaign aims to inform the public that the financial security of rugby league will be placed under threat if betting limits are imposed.
The ads are to air in a week’s time, and will run until the end of the footy season.
They will also be screened at State of Origin fan sites – First Fleet Park and King Street Wharf in Sydney and on the Gold Coast – and intend to reach a combined audience of 1.5m.
People,
Please consider the following:
1. Is it rational to permit a person with a gambling problem to gamble using a precommitment system?
answer-no. the person should be excluded from all forms of gambling until they have recieved quality counselling.
2. Will a pre-committment system stop problem gambling?
no. people will set their own limits to the maximum or find a way around the system
3. Will people with a gambling problem stop playing pokie style products if they have reached their limit?
answer – no. an addiction with pokie style products are available on line using their CREDIT CARD
4. What penalty will be applied against people being caught trying to circumvent the system?
answer-nothing as they have not considered the issue
5. Will the introduction of Wilkies scheme be beneficial to the government?
no.as the tax revenue will be reduced and all revenue will exit the country to support unknown questionable internet gambling sites around the world.
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nooo – since when was is “Australian” to blow all your money on poker machines?? where does this logic come from?
NRL clubs are also addicted to gambling – of course they don’t want the old pensioners cash to dry up. How about investing in real entertainment instead of mini casinos?
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You mean if I pokies aren’t played, those over-paid boof-heads might be released into the community?
I’m not sure which is worse…
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…and here’s some questions for you Mark:
1. Is it healthy for a business to succeed or fail based on the amount of money problem gamblers put through poker machines? Answer – No.
2. Should Australians do nothing while the gambling industry (and not just the poker machines segment) grows seemingly out of control? No.
3. Should a child have to go to bed hungry because a parent has blown their pay packet at the club just so we can watch a bunch of blokes run around a football field on a weekend? I’ll leave it to you, Mr Mortimer and Mr Gallop to come up with an answer for that one.
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I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, if pokies revenue is there to prop up failing business models like NRL teams and bad hotels, then I’d prefer we gave all the pokie licenses to schools and hospitals. I’m guessing it’s going to get tricky to keep this line going from the NRL when later this year they get somewhere near a billion dollars in tv revenue.
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Get rid of Pokies and NRL two problems solved!
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It’s a well-worn path, isn’t it – “if you mess with us we won’t be able to give any money to the kiddies!” That said, I’m quite sure the overwhelming majority of people who play these machines aren’t addicts (despite the hyperbole). And surely, rather than rant about poker machines, the problem’s gambling. Why are the poor pokies being singled out it when casinos or the TAB or online gets off scot-free? I don’t see them closing Star City; far from it in fact, they’re presently doubling its size.
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Turvey Mortimer? Pulling out the big guns there. People will jump into furious action when such an authoritative trusted figure takes the stage. Thats like getting Jesus to tell christians to believe in him. Talking to the bloody converted…
Thank God absolute clowns are running this whole effort. Those community-minded Australians that wish to see something serious down about problem gambling and the social plague that are Pokies can sleep safely.
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Before reading this, I didn’t know quite how much pokies were contributing to NRL. I was totally on the fence about the debate, but now I’m in – if you’re telling me that supporting the bet limit will decrease the amount of footy being thrown in my face, then I’m in! Add the fact that the venues will have to look at other forms of entertainment to get people in (fingers crossed for more quality live music) and we have ourselves a winning plan.
I’ve never cared much about problem gamblers. As the product of a gambling father I have no sympathy for them. But what Steve Mortimer seems to be telling me is that my other pet hate (footy culture) will be decreased with this limit.
So bring it on!
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Lead the way, Steve Mortimer.
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and rugby league will die if it doesn’t have tobacco sponsorship – hey wait on, that didn’t happen, did it?
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anyone know who the agency and production company were? Not that one was needed. Anyone associated with this campaign should be ashamed.
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Do pokies make the world a better place? Do they make Australia a better place? Mark from Sydney, how is everybody better off with pokies??? Would Armogeddon happen if they all dissapeared, or would your interest dry up?
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I’ve lived in Australia 15 years, even scored a citizenship a while back yet have still not worked out what it is to be “Australian”.
Do people really respond to such patriotic statements by doing whatever is asked of them in order to maintain their national status?
From a marketing point of view, has there ever been any good campaign that used the “un-australian” name and shame theme?
To me, it looks like the final call to arms for a weak cause. I also find it quite rather insulting.
Maybe I should eat more lamb…
Marc
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People, please do some research. this is not about whether you like rugby league or poker machines. It’;s about whether the proposed technology will help problem gamblers. read the submission to the gambling inquiry from professor Alex Blaszczynski who dismantles mandatory pre-commitment, and actually predicts it will increase the number of problem gamblers.
No wonder Wilkie refuses to trial the technology, he knows it wont work but doesn’t want to admit he backed a winner.
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To those that have commented against the campaign: You have all put up some great comments there but the problem is you all have the wrong information.
The percentage of Problem Gamblers in Australia is less than 0.5%. Now I am not saying that they do not need help they do, but clubs most certainly do noth thrive off their problems.
For one can you honeslty say that this attempt to put a system in place that essentially monitors how much you gamble “with a poker machine” will stop a gamblers children going to bed hungry. Put a system in place that stops a gambler, gambling altogether and then make a statment like that.
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I like NRL and pokies. And last time I checked, being above the age of 18 and living in a relatively free country, means that I am free to do both?
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K nobody was saying that you couldnt do it,or that they going to prohibit them, its a forum for proposed changes to a social problem. Like ciggies, pokies will never ever go away, and the problems asscoaited with both will always be here also.
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Oh come on, cut out the hyperbole and look at the facts.
Yes, 0.5% may be “known” problem gamers (i.e. those that admit they have a problem; the true figure is much higher) but I note that you don’t mention how much that so-called 0.5% contribute to total poker machine revenue turnover? Nope, we’re deliberately avoiding that figure it appears.
This rubbish “un-Australian” campaign is exactly that, most Australians believe in a fair go and allowing people to destory their lives on the highest intensity form of gaming designed purely to yield the highest amounts of spins per hour at the lowest possible payout rate is not a fair go. Allowing users to lose up to $10 every two to three seconds is electronic crack – nothing more, nothing less.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe in banning them and I’m not convinced that the pre-commitment technology will work. In fact, I believe it would be much better to simply limit the maximum spin to less than $1 (as opposed to the $10+ on some machines now), lower the maximum spins per hour so people play at a slower pace and no longer allow machines to accept $50 or $100 notes. In all essence, lower the intensity and also the risk to reward ratio so it’s not as addictive as present.
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Hey Mortimer, I bet 10 to 1 you back jockeys flogging horses with whips.
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Ok Anonymous, I see your stats and raise you…
0.5% of the Aust. population is still 100,000 people. That’s 100,000 families destroyed, 240,000 kids (based on the ubiquitous 2.4 children rule) going without, and 100,000 spouses being left with a mountain of debt after the inevitable separation.
The recently released Productivity Commission’s report into problem gambling puts the total amount lost by all Australians at just over $19 billion annually. To put that into some perspective, the total amount raised by the unfortunately titled Carbon Tax in the first 12 months is expected to be just $11 billion, and yet is being touted by those against it as being ‘devastating’ to the economy.
Problem gamblers contribute $4.7 billion to this total, or roughly a quarter of all loses. Of the 115,000 (you were close) problem gamblers in Australia, 95,000 of them play the pokies regularly.
And these numbers are climbing.
While I don’t agree with your dismissive argument, I will agree that this pre-registration scheme will do nothing to stop problem gamblers. Addicts will do anything to get their next fix, and deluded gamblers live their lives convinced that a big win is just around the corner. That conditioning comes from the way pokies are designed – the industry has spent tens of millions of dollars over several decades studying the human psyche and designing the perfect machine to take people’s money.
You finished your post by asking for a better system – well how about this? What about a national registry of problem gamblers, where spouses, parents and children – those suffering because of someone’s gambling addiction – can apply through the courts to have their loved one listed. This list will be monitored by those offering gambling services – pubs, clubs and casinos – and the onus will fall on them to keep these people from their premises.
If they fail, then they will leave themselves open to dependents and partners who are left with the debts to claim these loses back through the courts.
Tough to implement I know, but if your making billions of dollars with these machines, then you will surely find a way.
So what do you think – it’s your call…
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Well said Adam Paull- facts are always more powerful than emotions. Some Aussies dont like to be told that they cant do something, even if they know that a solution is needed, somewhere, somehow.
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So this new system is introduced, and:
Scenario 1. I’m on the dole with the standard 2.4 kids at home. I go to my local pub and register for my ‘licence to gamble’ and set my maximum daily limit at $1000 per day (you can self-set this limit, so technically you could make it $5,000 per day!). Hey – no one is going to tell me otherwise so i’ll set what i want thanks! I blow the grocery money there, reach my daily limit then go home where (because i can) i whip out my credit card and use any online gaming site (thanks to the NBN this will all be so much faster now!) to continue gambling.
Scenario 2. I’m a high income earner with the standard 2.4 kids at home. I pay the equivilent of the minimum wage in taxes each year and i’ll be damned if anyone call tell me where or how i can spend my hard earned cash. I go to my local club and set my daily limit at $5,000 and spend whatever i want during my trip.
Scenario 3. I’m an average income earner who rarely gambles. I go to my local club for a meal and decide to ‘have a flutter’, put my loose change through the machine and visit lady luck. Oh sorry, unless you want to fill out the necessary paperwork and wait for activiation you can’t play. “But it’s only a couple of dollars and i don’t come here regularly enough to need a licence”. Sorry, too bad.
Scenario 4. I’m you. I can play Keno, TAB, Sportsbet, Golden Casket, Instant Scratchies, any online gambling site and i can do so without a licence or anyone elses permission.
Now please explain exactly how a ‘licence to gamble’ on pokie machines is beneficial to anyone?
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Sorry Kelly-Anne, but I’m having trouble seeing your point. If you’re trying to say that gambling in this country is ridiculously easy then I’d agree with you. If it’s that implementing measures to try and protect those that are harmed the most is a tough challenge, then I would also agree with you.
If you’re a stooge from the clubs and pubs lobby who would like to see poker machine losses continue their astronomical growth thanks to inaction, then I’m afraid I couldn’t disagree with you more.
Pubs and clubs need to wake up to the fact that their lifeblood causes great harm, and that larger the problem becomes the more attention their industry is going to receive, so they need to reign in the problem gamblers themselves or a rogue politician with the power to do so will do it for them.
Remember, in the mind of that rogue pollie, there’s always scenario 5 – all poker machines are unplugged, smashed with sledgehammers and taken to the scrap yard…
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Adam Paull, the point is – if you are truly trying to make a difference, then why single out just one area of gambling? If gambling is all so evil then why not impose restictions across all levels? Now THAT is something i would support. Instead, Wilkie is attacking the local pub/club which is the organisation that employees local people, purchases local products, gives grants, sponsorships, donations to community organisations, pays massive taxes etc. You restrict gambling here and it all goes online and offshore, with no regulations. Who is the winner here?
Oh and i’m no gaming stooge, but i am in not-for-profit and a recipient of the Clubs Benefit Fund. Funding which will be cut if Wilkie has his way! People can get on their high horse about not relying on money from gambling but unless you are going to put your own hand in your wallet and hand over more money to very deserving charities, then it is a sad reality of the way we have to operate.
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oh Kelly-Anne you are so patently a paid stooge, rolling out key message after key message. please spare us. If the pokies lobby didnt think this would work, they wouldnt spend millions opposing it. Same as plain packaging for fags.
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