Anglican dean launches petition for Tasmanian gaming machine reforms

Richard Humphrey believes mandatory pre-commitment cards for poker machines would reduce gambling harm.

Australia.- The Anglican dean of Hobart, Richard Humphrey, has launched a petition urging the Tasmanian government to fulfil its commitment to a mandatory pre-commitment card for electronic gaming machines. The petition is backed by independent MP Kristie Johnston. The government has commissioned a review of the proposed system.

In its petition, Humphrey says: “Evidence shows introducing the mandatory pre-commitment cards for poker machines with default daily, monthly and annual loss limits as proposed by the Tasmanian Liquor and Gaming Commission would reduce gambling harm.”

In an interview with ABC, he said: “Our politicians are there to care for not just the big end of town, but the disadvantaged and the needy in our community. I don’t care which political party supports it. We just want it to happen because that’s what they went to the election with. It’s about real people, real lives, real individuals, real communities that need help and support.”

See also: Opposition raises concerns over progress on Tasmania gaming machine reforms

Meg Webb, an independent member of the Legislative Council, said: “The government’s slippery behaviour regarding this secret report is deeply disturbing.  It is concerning that its existence had to be dragged out of them via parliament, and it is unacceptable we have to go back to parliament to secure further basic details such as what the reviewers are actually looking at, who they are talking to and its timeframe.”

A week ago, Michael Ferguson, Tasmania’s former finance minister, published an opinion article in The Mercury arguing that the state’s hospitality association was putting pressure on politicians through a coordinated campaign against the proposal

Ferguson introduced the cashless gaming card proposal in 2022, aiming to restrict losses to AU$100 per day, AU$500 per month, and AU$5,000 per year. However, the Tasmanian Hospitality Association (THA) argues that up to half of the venues hosting poker machines could face closure if the proposal is introduced. Ferguson claims this misrepresents the potential effects of the reform.