30 Results

The latest in a series of self-inflicted PR disasters for the Salvos involves a controversial clubs and Chaplaincy program destined to do more harm than good, writes Mr Tiedt.

The one agency of media regulation in this country with genuine powers seems determined not to use them. David Salter examines its latest finding against the Nine Network.

About $9.7 billion was lost on pokies in 2010-11, and about $180 million was claimed by pokie operators as community benefit — just 1.9% of the total of losses. Charles Livingstone reports on his findings.

After a three-year debate, Manningham City Council in Melbourne’s affluent eastern suburbs tonight will finally have a public vote on whether to introduce double rates on the municipality’s seven pokies venues.

Pokies industry donations for 2010-11 got a brief mention in yesterday’s coverage and they certainly make for interesting reading when totalled up.

Crikey media wrap: Julia Gillard announced Andrew Wilkie’s proposed mandatory pre-commitment scheme was a loss on the weekend after it failed to get enough crossbench support. Meanwhile, embattled MP Craig Thomson has entered the pokies debate.

Julia Gillard and responsible minister Jenny Macklin, the two Victorian ladies of the Left, seemed genuinely committed to pokies reform before this week’s confusing antics.

Why isn’t anyone in the pokies debate embracing the preferred simpler option in pushing for reductions in the maximum rate of hourly losses that pokies addicts can suffer?

The commotion surrounding Labor’s delay of Andrew Wilkie’s pokies reform takes on different meaning when viewed through the context of the inevitable, which is that the future of gambling resides on the internet, writes Alan Kohler.

Former pokies addict Scott Eagar offers an alternative viewpoint to fighting problem gambling amongst the talk of pokies legislation and pre-commitment: kill the feature option.

We all know that James Packer doesn’t get out much in public, so The Australian Financial Review was clearly chuffed that he agreed to give yesterday’s star-studded “Chanticleer Chairman’s Lunch” in Sydney some extra gravitas.

Anglican Archbishop Peter Jensen has used his authority as a church leader to condemn clubs that benefit from pokie addicts. But what about his Catholic counterpart? asks Paul Barry.

Crikey readers have their say.

Has there ever been a more self-serving public campaign than the one being mounted by Clubs Australia? It’s time for a closer look at the alleged benefits of clubs to the Australian community.

As with any public debate, the challenge in the pokies reform will be getting participants to put all their cards on the table and declare these conflicts as they arise. Stephen Mayne declares their interests on the public’s behalf.

Crikey readers have their say.

Impending pokies legislation has sparked a race to get the Australian public onside. So who’ll take out the big one? Tom Cowie presents the Poker Machines Pre-Commitment Plate.

The pokies debate has exploded over the past 24 hours after Clubs NSW used its influence over the NRL to try and impose its campaign against Andrew Wilkie’s reform agenda on the AFL’s grand final week program.

How bizarre that the Australian football codes are arguing that the money they take from problem gamblers is essential to their plans to pay enormous salaries to players and administrators, writes Dr Richard Denniss, executive director of The Australia Institute.

Crikey media wrap: The two dominant footy codes usually war with each other for dominance but they’ve put aside their differences to protest against Independent MP Andrew Wilkie’s pokies reform.