Kingston City Council Candidate Responses - Alliance for Gambling Reform

Kingston City Council Candidate Responses

Candidate Responses

First Name
Last Name
Ward
Do you support reducing the opening hours of poker machine venues?
Do you support local governments having greater say on the granting or refusing applications for poker machines in their respective communities?
Do you support the banning of all sports gambling ads?

Will you pledge to not take any donations from venues or organisations that derive income from gambling interests?
Will you commit to reducing gambling harm in your LGA?




 
Which of the policies
referred to in our Candidate Information Pack do you support?
What is your position on poker machine policy?
Greg Herridge Banksia ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ My major concern is to see a ban or at least a significant reduction in gambling advertising to stop polluting the minds of kids and problem gamblers.  Problem gamblers lose $8 Billion annually across Australia. The reason this continues is that successive State Governments of all political persuasions have been addicted to gambling tax revenue for over 100 years - and major parties now lack the political will to drive meaningful change, including the necessary taxation system reforms to fund government spending via other means.  In the last 12 months I have written to my local federal member (Mark Dreyfus) and the Federal Communications  Minister (Paul Fletcher) and have been fobbed off with politicians' standard non-committal bullshit on both occasions.  It seems clear from their non-replies that they have no committment to necessary reforms.  Politicians merely describe what has been done, failing to address the fact that not enough has been done and the adverse consequences on public wellbeing are increasing!  How can we accept the status quo?  I have made regular posts on social media on this issue.  I am not aware of Kingston City Council's current stance on this matter but, if elected, I will try to establish support and see what we can do at Local Government level. I am sure that there is widespread community support for at least a reduction if not a ban on gambling advertising. The tacit approval of gambling by the AFL, NRL, etc. and media organisations (which have also become reliant on advertising revenue from betting companies) is a major concern, and, in my opinion, it is morally bankrupt.
We all deserve better.
Pat Tilley Banksia ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ Stopping betting advertising on TV in childrens timeslots, advertising at sporting venues for gambling.  Reduction in gambling opening hours.
Alex Cunningham Banksia ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ 1
Trevor Shewan Banksia ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ When I was previously a Councillor, I served on the Kingston Gaming subcommittee that put a cap on the numbers of Pokies in Kingston. I fully support the Alliance for Gambling Reform Council Social Policy, Planning and Enforcement and Advocacy policies to help reduce the number of Pokies, and as consequence the numbers of people gambling on the Pokies. I believe the Alliance of Gambling Reform policies need to be fully implement to have the necessary impact on reducing the number of Pokie machines.
Steve Staikos Bunjil ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ I support many of them, in fact Kingston will soon adopt a policy that will implement most of the policies outlined in the policy statement.
I Strongly support this.
George Hua Caruana ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ I supported the Kingston Council’s Gambling Policy and Action Plan.
Nick Spitzer Caruana ❌ ✅ ❌ ✅ ✅ My focus would be on support programs for those who want it. Gambling can be done in a safe manner, however some people do struggle with gambling responsibly. That is why a focus towards helping people combat their addiction I believe is the appropriate action to take 
Ian Baldock Chicquita ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ I feel poker machines are the scourge of society, bleeding money from those least able to afford it. It promotes poverty.
Jack Butler Chicquita ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ I will fight to stop the expansion of gambling in my city.
James Carey Como ✅ ✅ ❌ ✅ ✅ The harm done by poker machines are undeniable. Australians lose more gambling than any nation on earth, and that is mostly due to poker machines. I do commit to never organising a Council event, should I be elected, in an establishment with poker machines. Additionally, I will vote to not allow future poker machine on Council land, and shift to the public health narrative of referring to 'gambling harm'.

To the specific Council policies noted in the 'Alliance for Gambling Reform' September 2020 handbook, I pledge that not only will I support gambling-free public space, I will actively work to reduce any and all gambling on public land. Additionally, Councils are uniquely placed to find creative solutions to ensure gambling revenue is not required by venues to survive. Lastly, understanding the needs and requirements of any community sports club currently engaging in gambling to shift towards other solutions to make up funding shortfalls is required. This won't all happen in Kingston overnight, but if you elect me in Como Ward, I will work to ensure Kingston do not increase any gambling machines.
Alison  van den Dungen  Como ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ I support all policies that will work to reduce gambling and the effects of gambling in our communities. Especially on low socio-economic and elderly residents. 
Silvana Anthony Karkarook ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ I support all efforts to dismantle gambling in our community particularly government reliance on gambling for tax revenue.  One of my key local platforms is to oppose new or extensions to gambling venues.  
Dallas Riseley Karkarook ✅ ✅ ❌ ✅ ✅ I understand the link between sport and problem gambling, however there needs to be a suitable replacement. Racing, in particular, is based on gambling, so it is difficult to see that changing.
Bonnie Meiselbach Karkarook ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ I support all of them 
Suen  SURENDER Karkarook ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ The social ills associated with problem gamblers are widespread and often go beyond an addition to gambling. Problems with gambling can lead to bankruptcy, crime, domestic abuse, and even suicide. ... Gambling produces positive psychological and economic benefits at a relatively low cost to society. I am in favour of bringing problem gambling in control and I fully endorse and support causes like "Gamble Responsibly". There is an urgent need for a unified, transparent approach to tackling gambling’s harms in Victoria – a strategy that encompasses public and private sector organisations, similar to those that target alcohol and drug addiction.
David Walker Longbeach ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ I support all three of the LGA policies, I do not agree with poker machines at all and would be supportive of any attempts to curb their use. 
Georgina Oxley Longbeach ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ Fully support and have implemented a ban on using pokie venues for Council events, supporting our sportings clubs to go gambling free and stop reliance on poker machines, particularly our 2 AFL clubs, Council grants not available to pokie venues - as well as supporting advocacy on earlier closures of gambling venues. 
Nola Baker Maleleuca  ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ Definitely need to reduce number of poker machines and the hours they operate. Online gambling needs to be controlled too.
Natalie Firth Maleleuca  ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ I will support anything that can prevent and minimise the harm done from gambling. If elected, I will be an active and vocal member of council on all matters regarding gambling.  
Dylan Styles Maleleuca  ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ I am in overall support of the policies referred to in the candidate information pack. i am in particular support of the language change to "Gambling Harm" and removing of exisiting language like "problem gambling" and "responsible gambling". i also am in full support of ensuring that council business is not undertaken within premises that includes poker machines.
I am in support of the policy regarding poker machines and agree and acknowledge that council needs to do more to lobby state government to ensure we get a positive outcome within this space.
David eden Sandpiper ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ Council need to ensure that we work to reduce EGM numbers, and ensure that Council does not fund such activities either.
Anthony Davis Sandpiper ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ I support the end to sports gambling advertising as it greatly effects our young people, it is indoctrinating them into a future that sport and gambling go hand in hand.
Janet Woodcock Sandpiper ✅ ✅ ❌ ✅ ✅ Gambling free public spaces, gambling free local sports, and we do not need any more pokies!
Rez Chowdhury Wattle ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ Do not hold  council events or activities at gambling venues. End gambling ads. My position is Ban the gambling
Pamela Eden Wattle ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ I support all of the policies that you have raised. In the first instance, I would like to see Councils have more say over the number of poker machines in their locality and the operating hours AND have the same rules as Tobacco advertising applied to all forms of internet gambling (and horse and dog racing ads) - it is shocking and a public blight to see internet gambling ads multiple times per hour, every hour on TV channels and the radio and internet - the devastation that this gambling advertising will have on our children will be overwhelming and is fully predictable. Also re-institute the rules that were originally put in place in Victoria when Poker machines were first introduced - that is to have them in fully contained rooms that have solid doors and walls that are not transparent and with guarded doors, so that no one in the rest of a venue (including children) can see the poker machines and the guard has to ensure that no people under 18 can enter the poker machine room. Also make visible all of the kickbacks that gaming venue provide to places such as retirement homes to bring their people into the venues and tighten up the rules around "community benefit schemes".
Cindy  Rella Wattle ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ I support them all.  I certainly would love to see gambling banned at sporting events, especially around community sports.  I would love to see the banning on any new permits for poker machines in venues and to reduce the number of poker machines at venues already with permits to eventually phase them out 
Jillian Van Yammerbook ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ Having read the AGR Council Candidate Policy guide, I am able to say whole-heartedly that I can promise to:
1.  Support gambling-free public space - creating opportunities for the community to meet and socialise in places that are free from gambling.
2. Back gambling-free community sport - gambling should never be a means by which local sporting clubs raise funds through the profits of gambling.
3. Stop the expansion of gambling in our suburbs & towns - councils have the opportunity to oppose new venue applications where there is a "net detriment" to the community and should commit resources in the defence of the community against negative impacts of gambling.
Sharon Carter Yammerbook ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ All of them. Poker machine venues opening hours should be reduced and  local councils should object to any new applications 
Damien Williams Yammerbook ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ I have a clear position on wanting Kingston to say ‘No’ to pokies in our community. They are job destroyers and they suck vital capital away from local businesses, in addition to the manifold social costs and human misery that they cause. On my website, I have reproduced a submission I made to Kingston in August 2020 as part of its gambling policy review. https://williams.vote/pokies-submission
Julian Taylor Yammerbook ✅ ✅ ❌ ✅ ✅ I absolutely recognise the harm caused by the gambling industry, especially in the City of Kingston with one of the highest levels of money loss in the state. I support not holding council endorsed events at such locations and not allowing future poker machines to be installed on council land. I do support some form of incentive to reduce organisation's use of EGMs, but it also must be considered that these machines create traffic for venues upon which their livelihood rests. This needs to be a consideration when implementing such policy and a viable alternative be explored to ensure the security of jobs and business for these venues. 
Cameron Clarke Yammerbook ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ I support all of the initiatives you have presented in your Pack. I believe that poker machines are a scourge; over time I would like to see them phased out completely.