Mullumbimby Community Action Network

Originally published 13Nov2012

mullum-zine

come to Wws tomorrow 9 am for POKIES REFORM

Newsletter 112
13 November 2012



Greetings

9 am Wed: ask WOOLWORTHS MULLUMBIMBY for POKIES REFORM
Support the GetUp! Pokies Campaign

Want to make a difference for Australian families struggling with gambling addiction?

You are cordially invited to come along to Woolworths in Mullumbimby tomorrow morning (Wed) between 9 am and 9.20 am. I will be interviewed by the local ABC about the impact of Woolworths on the local economy at 9 am. This is, coincidentally, a splendid opportunity for us all to hand over, publicly thanks to the ABC, a letter to Woolworths manager asking that Woolworths reform their pokies.

In brief, your letter (or placard) could say:

"PLEASE LOWER THE BET LIMIT TO $1 PER BUTTON PUSH INSTEAD OF THE CURRENT $5 - $10."

‘STOP TARGETTING DISADVANTAGED PROBLEM GAMBLERS"

‘STOP THE SUICIDES"


Please go to http://www.getup.org.au/expose-the-truth to read how Woolworths have tried to mislead their shareholders about problem gambling.




POKIES ACTION IN LISMORE


SAT 17 NOV – Keen Street, Lismore


http://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/pokies-reform/lismore-store-action-rsvp/join-us-in-lismore

(The following is from GetUp! Newsletter dated 9 November 2012)

What: Family-friendly community action. We'll be handing out informational flyers, stickers and reusable grocery bags and joining our local GetUp community in delivering a petition to Woolworths management to let them know how the community feels about their investment in high loss poker machines.

The overwhelming majority of Australians want poker machine reform. They realise something needs to be done, but after years of disappointing Government leadership on the issue they're not sure where to turn. Now is your chance to demonstrate to your community that the company they buy groceries from has the power to make a difference in the lives of those affected by problem gambling.

You might already know these facts, but chances are that your neighbour doesn't. If we can can get the truth out, it will be difficult for Woolworths to continue to shirk their duty to their customers and enact real reform:

• Woolworths is the single largest owner and operator of dangerous high loss poker machines in the country.1

• An independent study commissioned by GetUp revealed that Woolworths targets disadvantaged communities with their poker machine business, those who can least afford to lose.2

• Poker machine addiction is the most insidious form of gambling addiction in the industry, reaping more than 40% of its revenue from problem gamblers.

• It accounts for 1 in 5 suicidal patients seen by the emergency department of Melbourne's Alfred Hospital.3

• The company will do anything to deny the harm caused by their high loss machines, including misleading their own shareholders about the evidence for reform.4

•
The only winners from poker machine addiction are the owners and operators, of which Woolworths is the largest. Will you join the GetUp community in shining a light on Woolworths at a store action in your city?

http://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/pokies-reform/lismore-store-action-rsvp/join-us-in-lismore

No company can withstand a prolonged and broad based community campaign against business practices that the community they operate in find offensive. Let's get the message out to our neighbours and friends that we expect better from Woolworths.

Thanks for all you do,
The GetUp team.

PS - Our movement is the largest organisation of its kind in Australia, over 600,000 strong. When we work together we can do amazing things. Last week, amazing GetUp members delivered letters in person to Woolworths stores asking them to do better on pokies. While the response from the company was disappointing, the fact they even received a written response means we are making an impact - they're paying attention.

1. Productivity Commission 2010 Gambling Report no 50, Canberra
2. Charles Livingstone 2012. Location and Estimated Net Gambling Revenue generated by ALH Group Pty Ltd poker machine venues Melbourne
3. The contribution of the Australian Government to mental health in Australia. Submission to Senate Inquiry into the provision of mental health services in Australia 2005. Attachment 19.
4. Australian Financial Review. Activist Group pushes Woolworths to curb pokes. 9 November 2012.



CSG NEWS

I have so much news on CSG that I"ll have to do another newsletter tomorrow.
Briefly, Mullumbimby and Byron Shire are included in an application for petroleum prospecting over an area of 900 square kilometres located about 10 ks west of Byron Bay. Please contact deborahatmullumactiondotorg if you want a copy of the advertisement published in Tweed Border Mail on 7November 2012. Submissions/objections to csg prospecting in Mullumbimby (yes, that"s included on the map) can be made before 5 December. More news tomorrow.

See you at Wws tomorrow, I hope!

Cheers
Deb