Page 4560 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 31 October 2018
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Out of the round table we built a shared sense of commitment to new and stronger rules for identifying and responding to signs of gambling harm. We explored ways to help make our protections, like self-exclusion, stronger and more consistent across various clubs. We also explored the need for updated and more consistent training, particularly to ensure that club workers know their responsibilities and their rights and that they are supported in enforcing harm minimisation rules.
It is clear that there are leaders in our clubs industry who welcome engagement with the government and the community to develop stronger gambling harm protections and to enable clubs to serve their members even better. It is also clear that our community expects more and stronger harm minimisation regulations. This government is clearly of the view that we can have both stronger rules for gambling harm minimisation and a stronger and more diverse clubs sector. The round table was an example of everyone who was affected working together to achieve these goals.
MS CHEYNE: Attorney, how will these initiatives deliver stronger protections for individuals, families, and our whole community?
MR RAMSAY: I thank Ms Cheyne for the supplementary question. This government’s policy on gaming machines is person-centred. It is mindful of the social value that our clubs offer and also the impacts beyond the individuals who are directly affected by gambling harm. That is how, in our discussion in relation to new regulations, we move those ahead to ensure that there is minimised harm. That is why we have a point of starting with the lived experience of individuals.
We heard at the round table about how a strong self-exclusion system can help people who are looking for support to stay safe and prevent gambling harm. We also heard about how relationships and interactions with staff at clubs are important not only for gambling harm prevention but also for building a sense of community at our local clubs. That is why we devoted part of the meeting to talking about how it is that we might craft the right training, and who it is that needs that training, to empower staff to take action.
Better rules to guide clubs to identify and respond to gambling harm by offering support and better training to make those rules effective will make individual club patrons, their families and their whole community safer from gambling harm. And our recognition of the importance of relationships in that work is why we also support clubs to be more sustainable, more diverse and more community focused.
MS ORR: Minister, can you tell us how gambling harm prevention sits within the government’s work to support our local clubs?
MR RAMSAY: I thank Ms Orr for her supplementary question. The value of our clubs as, primarily, places for people to connect and not just places to gamble is a cornerstone of our government’s policy on gaming machines. Reducing gambling harm is a goal that our clubs have clearly and openly expressed their support to achieve.
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