This week, while the Liberals and Labor teamed up to push through community-damaging and ill-considered pokies legislation, they have refused to support any cross-bench amendments to try and minimize the harm caused.
Amendments the major parties rejected:
- Insert/increase penalty expiation fees for breaches of mandatory provisions of codes
- Making statistical information on total gambling expenditure by venue available on a monthly basis (as happens in Victoria)
- Increase maximum penalty for gambling provider for enabling contravention of barring order
- Provisions enabling barred persons to recover some losses from gambling provider who enabled them to contravene barring order
- Increased reporting from the Gambling Advisory Council, and other transparency measures around reporting
- Limitations on advertising gambling, particularly on advertising aimed at inducing a minor to gamble
- Capping jackpots at $500
- Removing coin machines from licensed venues
- Limiting the use of facial recognition technology for harm minimization purposes only
- Increase penalties for allowing the presence of minors