Reducing the Impacts of Gambling on the

City of Maribyrnong community.

Gambling Advocacy Campaign Plan

2015/16 – Updated February 2016

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CONTEXT

Gambling is a multi faceted industry that includes lotto, ‘scratchies’, table games, racing, sports betting, electronic gaming machines (pokies) and more recently online gambling.

The suite of policy and regulatory responses over the past decade have had mixed outcomes especially with regards to protecting problem gamblers, and vulnerable local communities. Electronic Gambling Machines (EGMs) are the most dominant source of gambling losses in Australia and these losses have been most acute and sustained in Maribyrnong since their introduction. Maribyrnong per capita losses on EGMs are among the highest in Victoria.

In 2011, Council adopted its Gambling Policy which outlines Council actions for managing gambling within the current public policy and the gambling industry context in Victoria and Maribyrnong. It focuses on EGMs and recognises Council’s new and emerging planning role in managing EGM movements and locations in Maribyrnong.

The objectives of the policy are to reduce harm and minimise the negative impacts to:

1. Problem gamblers and their families; and

2. Vulnerable communities where significant and cumulative gambling losses contribute to poor socio-economic outcomes.

COUNCIL’S RECENT ADVOCACY

To date, Council has undertaken a number of advocacy activities to support its position on gambling including:

Council Gambling Policy

The Gambling Policy has been used by Councillors and Council officers to advocate on gambling issues to State and Federal Governments. The policy has also been used to support Councils response to local gaming applications the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation including The Braybrook Hotel and Yarraville Club.

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The Council Gambling Policy 2016-2020 will be presented for Council consideration in the March 2016 meeting cycle. The Maribyrnong City Council Electronic Gaming Machines Reference document (August 2012) will also be reviewed. This review is in relation to the co-location of residential dwellings with EGMs at a gaming venue, as occurred with the Edgewater Club in the suburb of Maribyrnong.

MAV “Enough Pokies”

The MAV has partnered with 38 Victorian Councils including Maribyrnong and other organisations such the Salvation Army and the Inter-Church Taskforce on Gambling, to call for better protection for vulnerable communities from inappropriate placement of electronic gaming machines.

The MAV Enough Pokies began in 2014year prior to the Victorian State Election campaign. Enough Pokies had significant success during the election, in highlighting the impact of gaming machines on the Victorian community. The campaign had strong metropolitan media coverage with articles in the Herald Sun and local and regional newspapers, and coverage on Facebook and Twitter.

There were also been pledges of support for Enough Pokies from over 40 community organisations across Melbourne including Women’s HealthWest and Angliss Community House in Footscray. Council has been a strong supporter of Enough Pokies and contributed $5000 to the campaign. Council is continuing to support the Enough Pokies Campaign and regularly attends meeting and supports the work of the group.

Since the completion of the election campaign, Enough Pokies has worked on promoting the research on gaming undertaken by Dr Charles Livingstone from Monash University. This research consists of a review of gaming applications decisions made by the Victorian Commission for Gaming and Liquor Regulation, and evidence to support the reduction in maximum bet limits for electronic gaming machines.

In addition, MAV Enough Pokies are promoting local government participation in the National Alliance for Gambling Reform which is a national campaign on gambling.

Victorian Local Government Association

The Victorian Local Government Association (VLGA) undertakes gambling advocacy activities on behalf of Councils across Victoria. This includes meeting with Ministers, and the development of election campaigns. The role of the Working Group is to provide a network for local government councillors and officers as well as community members and organisations to minimise the impact of problem gambling, including advocacy to State and Federal Governments, and to provide advice on VLGA Board actions in this regard. Council officers regularly attend VLGA Local Government Working Group on

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Gambling meetings (LGWGOG) to discuss gambling issues and develop advocacy strategies. Council officers have also participated in the development of VLGA submission to Federal and State Government inquiries into gambling.

Submissions to government inquiries on gambling

Council officers have developed a number of submissions to Federal and State Government inquiries into gambling including:

Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission’s Inquiry into the social and economic costs of problem gambling in Victoria. Victorian Department of Justice Inquiry into Voluntary Pre-commitment for EGM gambling. Productivity Commission Inquiry into Gambling. State Department of Justice and Regulation Gaming Arrangements Review.

2015/16 ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVES

To support Council’s policy implementation and enhance its advocacy efforts, a dedicated campaign is planned over the 2015/16 period. The objectives of this campaign are:

Raise awareness and profile of Council’s advocacy activities within the local community and wider. Influence the State and Federal Governments to strengthen the legislative powers available to local government to minimise the impact of gambling

in local communities. Inform the community on the programs and services available to assist problem gamblers. Secure increased levels of State and Federal funding to assist problem gamblers. Illustrate that Council will be relentless its advocacy and action on this issue.

KEY CAMPAIGN MESSAGES

Pokies cause widespread harm in the City of Maribyrnong community Pokies have the highest level of losses of any form of gambling in Victoria each year, over $2.5 billion is lost in electronic gaming machines across Victoria. The City of Maribyrnong had over $52 million in losses from electronic gaming machines in the last financial year. This impacts on the community because electronic gaming machines are the greatest cause of harm in Australia. 80 per cent or more of those with a gambling problem have it because of electronic gaming machines.

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Gambling operators target disadvantaged communities – Victoria’s electronic gaming machines are concentrated in disadvantaged communities, such as Braybrook, which have higher levels of losses from electronic gaming machines and high rates of problem gambling.

Reduce EGM Caps in disadvantaged areas – The level of electronic gaming is often higher in disadvantaged areas than the state requirement of 10 electronic gaming machines per 1000 adults. In Braybrook it is currently 15 electronic gaming machines per 1000 adults.

Give Councils 90 days to consider EGM applications – Currently, Council only have 60 days to consider applications. Giving Councils 90 days to consider gaming applications, this will allow more adequate period to consider and assess the social and economic impacts of an application and protect vulnerable communities.

Introduce $1 maximum bet limit for pokie machines - The design of gaming machines encourages people to gamble more. A $1 maximum bet limit with a maximum $120.00 limit per hour should be phased in over a period of five years and commencing as soon as possible.

Change the definition of community benefit for EGM applications –The Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation (VCGLR) relies on the no net detriment test in assessing EGM applications. This allows EGM venues such as large hotels to redevelop their venue and claim it as a community benefit. Venues also offer to make community contributions which are also classified as community benefit under the test.

The inclusion of residential dwellings in a gaming venue – In a recent application to amend a permit allowing the development of the Edgewater Club, in the suburb of Maribyrnong, dwellings were sought to be provided on levels above the gaming premises both accommodated in the same building. Council is concerned about the potential adverse social and economic effects flowing from co-locating dwellings and gaming in the same building.

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TARGET AUDIENCE

State Government

Minister for Gaming the Hon. Jane Garrett MP

Minister for Planning the Hon. Richard Wynne.

Local members

Federal Government

Minister for Health – Hon. Susan Ley MP

Minister for Social Service – Hon. Scott Morrison MP

Leader of Greens - Senator Richard di Natale

Senator Janet Rice

Hon Jenny Macklin MP

Leader of the Opposition – Hon Bill Shorten MP

Senator Nick Xenophon (one of his federal platforms is anti-gambling)

Member for Denison - Mr Andrew Wilkie (Andrew was the Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Select Committee on Gambling Reform and has been active in promoting safeguards on online gambling)

Community

Local residents and businesses

Local community groups and services

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IMPLEMENTATION PLAN – Updated February 2016

Advocacy

Advocacy Activity Description Council Action TimeframeJoin the Alliance for Gambling Reform

The Alliance for Gambling Reform is a newly-formed national collaboration of organisations with a shared concern about the harmful impacts of gambling in Australia. The Alliance seeks to campaign for reforms to the gambling industry to reduce harm from gambling.

Initially, the Alliance will focus on gaming machine related harm through supporting a $1.00 per spin bet limit in Victoria and seeking licensing changes to address the increasing practice of gaming operators shifting existing machines into more vulnerable communities. The mission of the Alliance aligns closely with and builds upon, the local government led Enough Pokies campaign which Council was a key participant in and contributor to last year in the lead up to the State election in 2014.

The Alliance is supported by the MAV, the VLGA and a number of agencies including Inter-Church Gambling Taskforce, the Salvation Army and the Uniting Church in Australia, The Reichstein Foundation and the Whittlesea Inter-agency Taskforce on Gambling.

Council joined the Alliance in August 2015 and has promoted it through the Council website and on social media.

Council also held a screening of the Alliance for Gambling Reform film Ka-Ching Pokie Nation at the Sun Theatre in Yarraville on 30 November 2015. Following the film screening, a panel discussion was held which was hosted by the CEO Stephen Wall. The panel discussion featured two of the key members of the board of the Alliance for Gambling Reform, Dr Charles Livingstone and Jacob Varghese.

The event was attended by local community stakeholders including Colleen Hartland MLC and representatives from HealthWest and Victoria University.

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Organise meetings for Council representatives and the Minister for Gaming the Hon. Jane Garrett MP and the Minister for Planning the Hon. Richard Wynne.

These meetings will be used to outline Council’s position on gambling as outlined in the Council Gambling Policy and the MAV Enough Pokies campaign. In particular these meetings will focus on concerns relating to the recent successful application by the Edgewater Club in Maribyrnong for and additional 12 residential dwellings at the venue.

The Mayor and the CEO met with the Minister for Gaming The Hon. Jane Garrett’s advisors to discuss the issue. Advice was then provided to Council from the Department of Planning on this issue.

The Minister’s advisors referred Council to Planning Victoria for further discussions. Representatives of Planning Victoria suggested that Council consider reviewing existing Clause 22.06 of the Gaming Policy in the Maribyrnong Planning Scheme as a way of addressing this issue

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Develop Council Gambling Policy 2016-2020 and review existing Clause 22.06 of the Gaming Policy in the Maribyrnong Planning Scheme.

The new Council Gambling Policy will be presented to Council for consideration.

Given the shortcomings of State Planning legislation the existing Maribyrnong City Council Electronic Gaming Machines Reference document (August 2012) will also be reviewed.

This review is in relation to the co-location of residential dwellings with EGMs at a gaming venue, as occurred with the Edgewater Club.

Following the review, the existing Clause 22.06 Gaming Policy in the Maribyrnong Planning Scheme or other provisions will be amended as appropriate.

The Council Gambling Policy 2016-2020 will be presented to Council at the April 2016 meeting cycle for adoption. The purpose of the new policy is to reflect Council’s ongoing commitment to reduce the harm and minimise the negative impacts of gambling to the City of Maribyrnong community.

Council obtained advice as to whether the existing Clause 22.06 Gaming Policy can be amended to either prohibit or discourage residential dwellings within the same building accommodating a gaming venue.

The advice outlined the following:

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Policy within the local Scheme should not be elevated to the level of mandatory requirements (there being a distinction between mandatory controls and the application of policy provisions). Policy can never be more than a guideline and should not be applied as if it is the mandatory limitation on the exercise of discretion.

It follows that Council will not be successful in seeking approval to amend clause 22.06 where Council seeks to impose any restrictive or mandatory rules about co-locating the two uses within the same building.

In order for Council to successfully amend clause 22.06 by introducing a policy discouraging co-locating gaming and residential uses in the same building, Council must demonstrate the policy is underpinned by sound strategic planning and supported by persuasive evidence.

More particularly, Council will need to demonstrate the precise nature of the harm flowing from co-locating the two uses. Such evidence might be in the form of academic research and/or examining

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the social or economic impact of residential uses that are in close proximity to gaming venues. It goes without saying such evidence should also be undertaken by an expert in the field, either an academic or a social planner (or the like). In essence, Council must be able to cogently demonstrate the policy is underpinned by evidence of the adverse social or economic impact directly flowing from co-locating these two uses in the same building (rather than merely within proximate distance).

We appreciate this evidentiary burden may be difficult to achieve and is potentially an area of research in the new field. We also recognise gathering such evidence will be a substantial piece of work that is likely both costly to Council and time consuming.

Council is better placed to direct its efforts and advocacy on the State Government to bring about the type of policy change sought by Council.

State Department of Justice and Regulation, Gaming Machine Arrangements Review

The Gaming Machine Arrangements Review is aimed at informing the State Government about the options for the future regulation and management of EGM entitlements before they

A submission has been prepared and submitted. The submission outlines a number of issues for consideration which reflect Council’s ongoing commitment to

February 2016

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expire in 2022.

A consultation paper, associated with the review, was released in late December. This paper outlines a number of key issues associated with gaming machine arrangements including community benefits statements for venue operators, the allocation and transfer of EGM entitlements and options to improve the regulatory framework for EGMs

Submissions in response to the consultation paper must be made to the Department of Justice and Regulation, by February 22 2016.

minimising the harm caused from gambling. This includes:

EGM caps and population growth EGM caps in disadvantaged areas

such as Braybrook The level of gambling taxation

collected in Victoria The claiming of employment

expenses in Community Benefit Statements by pubs and clubs

The term limits for EGM entitlements

The transfer of EGM entitlements between venue operators

Changes to the Gambling Regulation Act to reduce the harm caused by gambling in local communities.

Identifying media opportunities to promote Council’s position on gambling

Undertake a range of media activities to promote Council’s key messages of the advocacy campaign.

The advocacy campaign has been promoted through traditional media such as local newspapers and radio and through social media including Facebook and Twitter.

Council officers will also scope opportunities to develop accounts of personal stories of people who have experienced problem gambling in the City of Maribyrnong community for circulation

September 2015, Ongoing

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to media outlets.

During the Enough Pokies campaign stories of people’s experiences of gambling were used to raise community awareness of gambling issues. Personal stories have also been used by Gamblers Help and other gambling support organisations. Personal stories of resident’s experiences with gambling are more likely to resonate with the local community.

Developing Local Partnerships

During the Victorian State Election, several local organisations pledged support for the Enough Pokies campaign including Women’s HealthWest and Angliss Community House in Footscray.

HealthWest and cohealth have also supported Council’s Gambling Policy and Council’s Braybrook Hotel gaming application to the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation and VCAT. In addition, Council supports the Dare to Connect North West Gambling Alternatives Program. Dare To Connect is a free 10 week program that aims to offer regular gamblers recreational and educational alternatives to at risk gambling.

A list of appropriate local organisations to support the advocacy campaign was developed, for the Ka Ching Poke Nation screening in November. This list will continue to be updated during the campaign.

Council officers will also continue to meet with local organisations that are working to prevent harm from gambling.

Ongoing

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This program is also supported by four other northwest region Councils; Moreland, Moonee Valley, Brimbank and Hume City Council. Other project partners include North West Area Mental Health Service, Lentara Uniting Care Financial Counselling, Gambler s Help Western and City and Mental Health Practitioners Network (MHPN).

Community Engagement This is aimed at raising awareness of issues associated with gambling in the City of Maribyrnong

Council officers will scope opportunities to use Council’s new community engagement portal Your City Your Voice to raise awareness of the harm caused by gambling in the City of Maribyrnong community.

Ongoing

Community Awareness and Support Programs

Community Awareness and Support Programs

Description Council Action Timeframe

Dare To Connect North West Dare To Connect North West is a free 10 week program that aims to offer regular gamblers recreational and educational alternatives to at risk gambling. The program consists of entertaining weekly activities supported by trained volunteers. The program is funded through a Victorian Responsible Gambling

Council promoted the next Dare To Connect program in September to local residents through Council website, and community information points including libraries and community centres and also to local community groups.

October 2015. Ongoing

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Foundation Preventing Harm Grant.

Maribyrnong City Council is a partner in the Dare to Connect North West program along with four other northwest region Councils; Moreland, Moonee Valley, Brimbank and Hume City Council. Other project partners include North West Area Mental Health Service, Lentara Uniting Care Financial Counselling, Gamblers Help Western and City and Mental Health Practitioners Network (MHPN).

To date, Dare To Connect has had three successful programs, with residents from Footscray participating in the program.

One of the program activities involved a workshop at West Footscray Library to encourage people to engage with their local library as an alternative to gambling.

Dare To Connect has had its funding extended until December 2015, with the possible option of extension of the program.

The next Dare To Connect program will commence in October 2015

Dare to Connect completed the October training session with 14 participants from across the north west region of Melbourne.

Dare To Connect is planning further training sessions in 2016. However, it will no longer be funded through a Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation Preventing Harm Grant. The program will now be funded by a private benefactor. Council will scope options to continue to support the program. Council will work with Dare To Connect to determine how it can support the program in the next phase.

ReSpin Gambling Awareness Speakers Bureau

ReSPIN is a prevention project run by North East Primary Care Partnership made possible through a Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation

Council will work with ReSPIN to seek opportunities for presentations by community educators to Council staff and

Ongoing

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grant until December 2015. (with the possibility of extension).

The project recruits, trains and supports a pool of community educators to talk to community members, groups, media and professionals about their experiences (including family members affected by a loved one’s gambling).

It aims to influence public discussions about gambling harm by giving voice to people who have experienced various types of gambling – poker machines, betting on horses and other types of sports betting, and on-line gambling.

All speakers undertake formal training provided by the North East Primary Care Partnership and receive ongoing professional development and support.

local community organisations.

Reducing Gambling Harm A Public Health Approach Training Manual

HealthWest have developed this training manual to raise awareness and reduce the frequency of gambling in CALD communities in Victoria.

It has been developed to support communities to take action to reduce harm caused by gambling. The training that the manual supports consists of three workshops that focus on how gambling products are promoted to communities and the impact that gambling

Council officers attended a forum run by Health West in September about the training manual.

However, the project will be reviewed following changes to funding arrangements with the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation.Council officers will consult with HealthWest to determine if the program is continuing and if this is the case, how

Ongoing

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harm has on local communities.

The project is funded through a Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation Preventing Harm Grant

Council can support it.

Bet Regret Bet Regret is a gambling awareness campaign that reminds people to stay within their gambling limits reduce the potential for problem gambling.

The program consists of advertisements and online tools including the RegetoMeter which aims to get gamblers to see what they could afford if they were not gambling.

The program is supported by the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation, Gamblers Help and the Victorian Government.

Council will promote Bet Regret program through the Council website and Council social media.

Ongoing

Quit Pokies App Quit pokies is a mobile phone app that can be used by people wanting to reduce or monitor their gambling.

The App sounds an alert when people enter a gaming venue, informing them of losses at the venue and reminding them of other things they could be doing. It also has a “get help now” feature that can put people in touch with support services of friends who might be able to assist.

Council had the Quit Pokies App installed on the Council website and promoted the App through Council Information Points.

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The App has been supported by North West Primary Healthcare Partnership and Moreland City Council. Both these organisations are encouraging Councils across Victoria to promote the App.

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