Category Archives: Blog

Latest gambling reform media stories and Taskforce statements, filed chronologically.

Historic pokies legislation a win for Australian communities

The ACGT media release is available as a PDF here. The Australian Churches Gambling Taskforce congratulates the Federal Government on successfully navigating the historic poker machine reform legislation through the Federal Parliament this week. Taskforce Chair, Rev Tim Costello said … Continue reading

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Pokies legislation a win for Australian families

The ACGT media release is available as a PDF here. The Australian Churches Gambling Taskforce has welcomed the support of the Australian Greens for the Federal Government’s historic gambling reform legislation, which will be introduced in the House of Representatives … Continue reading

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Tell Woolworths: Stop Gambling with Lives

The community action group GetUp have gathered hundreds of their members who are Woolworths shareholders to use their shareholder power to call an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) of the top 20 ASX company: Woolworths Ltd. If this EGM goes ahead, … Continue reading

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Pokies reform looks set for a slow start

ACGT Media Release Australian Churches Gambling Taskforce Chair Reverend Tim Costello today acknowledged Andrew Wilkie’s decision to support the Government’s poker machine reform legislation. But he said the National Gambling Reform Bill 2012 represents a significant compromise on the original … Continue reading

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Inquiry into the Prevention and Treatment of Problem Gambling

Hearings commenced this week in relation to the Senate Joint Select Committee on Gambling Reform’s Inquiry into the Prevention and Treatment of Problem Gambling. Mark Henley, Mark Zirnsak and Brad Halse attended on behalf of the Taskforce in Melbourne this … Continue reading

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Statement on Poker Machine Reform

ACGT Statement The Australian Churches Gambling Taskforce brings together leaders of the major Christian churches in Australia and the heads of their social services arms nationally. The Taskforce is united by a commitment to reduce the very substantive harm caused … Continue reading

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New England Churches back poker machine reform

ACGT Media Release Local Churches in Federal electorate of New England in New South Wales have given a thousand signed postcards to local federal member, Tony Windsor, in a show of solidarity for poker machine reform. New South Wales Churches … Continue reading

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The twisted logic of pokie reform

Charles Livingstone, The Drum, ABC It’s been a few weeks since the Gillard Government backflipped on its agreement with Andrew Wilkie to introduce pokie reform. In retrospect, and with the benefit of hindsight, it seems that the main lesson to … Continue reading

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Wilkie resists poker machine trial: Tim Costello

ABC Radio National: Breakfast ACGT Chair Tim Costello talks to Fran Kelly on Radio National Breakfast about the current poker machine reform situation Independent MP Andrew Wilkie says that he may oppose legislation enabling a trial of mandatory pre-commitment technology … Continue reading

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Poker machines gulp $149,000 a day

Benjamin Millar, Andria Cozza, Melton Weekly MELTON gamblers are losing almost $149,000 a day in poker machines, according to new figures. Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation data shows the area’s gamblers poured more than $54 million into the … Continue reading

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