This amendment was moved by ACT Labor and has the effect of extending the timeframe on a statutory review of the electronic gaming machine licence caps and trading scheme operating in the ACT. The primary purpose of that scheme, established by the Gaming Machine (Reform) Amendment Act 2015, is to gradually reduce the number of poker machines in the ACT. The review was due to be delivered in May 2025 and the function of Labor’s amendment was to postpone that review until December 2026.
Thomas voted against this amendment on the basis that postponing the review could have the effect of delaying further pokies reform. The amendment was passed with support from ACT Labor and the Canberra Liberals, despite opposition from Thomas, Fiona Carrick and the Greens.
ACT Labor argued that this delay would allow time to carry out an independent inquiry into the future of the clubs industry. Their intent was to align the timing of that inquiry more closely with the timing of the statutory review of the existing legislation.
Thomas explained in the Chamber that he is a strong supporter of a concrete plan for the diversification of our clubs industry. His position, though, was that the statutory review should be undertaken on time so as to provide the government with a strong evidence base on the effectiveness of the ACT’s existing gambling harm reduction policies. He argued that this evidence base could be fed into the inquiry and drawn upon in consulting with clubs regarding their future.
Thomas’ position is based on what he has heard overwhelmingly from people in our community about the alarming cost to those suffering from the harm caused by gambling addiction, and to their families. He also referenced recent research out of ANU indicating that current measures to gradually reduce the number of pokies machines in the ACT have not had any impact on gambling harm.
Australians suffer the largest gambling losses per capita in the world, and Canberrans suffer the largest gambling losses in Australia. Thomas’ view is that, given these facts, it is irresponsible to delay a statutory review whose purpose is to evaluate the effectiveness of the key tenet of Labor’s pokies reform agenda; namely, a gradual reduction of poker machines in the ACT — down to 1,000 — over the next 20 years.