Clubs fear future without pokies
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GREENBANK Hundred of local jobs will be on the line and half a million dollars of community funding in doubt if controversial poker machine legislation is approved in Federal Parliament next week.
Greenbank RSL, home to 280 poker machines, will be left reeling if radical legislation by Family First Senator Steve Fielding to confine poker machines to race tracks and casinos is adopted.
The plan would see gradual tax increases imposed on individual poker machines in pubs and clubs, rendering them non-profitable within five to 10 years.
With 65,000 members, Greenbank RSL employs 280 people.
Greenbank RSL CEO John Limbrick (right) said "tens and tens of thousands of jobs" nationwide would be at risk if the plan got support.
He admitted the removal of poker machines would almost signal the start of the end of clubs like his, and the cessation of the many benefits the community enjoyed.
Mr Limbrick said poker machine proceeds allowed his club to donate an average of $500,000 a year to the community, including $25,000 to Logan Hospital and a "six-figure" sum to conduct the junior development sport program run in conjunction with Brisbane Broncos.
"There are a lot greater social problems in Australia than the small minority of people who have a gambling problem," he said.``Take away poker machines and you ruin an industry (hospitality) and impact all the industries that benefit from it.
``The fact of the matter is that people want to go out and enjoy their leisure time ... poker machines are amusement machines. To some people they are fun, a bit of a giggle.
Mr Limbrick said Greenbank RSL was one of Logan's biggest single employers.
``But these jobs would be in jeopardy surely that is a great economic and social problem for the government.''
Relationships Australia Gambling Help Service program manager Noel Condie
said the social damage of poker machines was well-documented.
He said there were about 30,000 ``problem gamblers'' in Queensland, with poker machines responsible for about 80-85 percent of this tally.
``The personal cost is depression, anxiety, guilt and potential suicide as well as interpersonal stresses such as family breakdown, job loss, unpaid debts and bankruptcy which could lead to criminal behaviour,'' he said.
Logan City and Beaudesert area statistics were not available, but Mr Condie said more than $1million a day was lost through poker machines on the Gold Coast.
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