There is no doubt problem gambling has destroyed families and in many cases, destroyed lives.
It is an insidious addiction which although not posing the same health risks as smoking and alcohol, still has the power to harm both addicts and their families.
The Productivity Commission found that in 2010, 40per cent of gaming machine losses - $5billion out of $12billion - were incurred by problem gamblers.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard and independent MP Andrew Wilkie continue to carry on with their absurd dance around the issue of a mandatory pre-commitment scheme for poker machines.
Mr Wilkie wants new laws limiting the amount a player can spend on poker machines introduced in the first half of this year and has threatened to withdraw his support for Ms Gillard if this is not achieved.
Ms Gillard had pledged to support Mr Wilkie’s mandatory reforms in return for his support of her minority government following the last election.
However, now she has a spare number up her sleeve, it appears she is backing away from that agreement. It’s time to put politics aside and instead work together with the community to formulate a workable plan to tackle this growing problem.
Email a friend