stimulas packages cause, page-5

The latest gaming figures for Victoria show a surge in poker machine losses for December 2008.

Victorians lost $248m on gaming machines in December, up almost 11 per cent on the previous month.

The losses are the biggest for any December on record.

During the same period the Rudd Government released their stimulus package which pumped $10.4b into the pockets of pensioners, low-income earners and Australian families.

In Queensland reports have linked a 10 per cent rise in gaming revenue (from $152 million in November to $167 million) to the federal government's stimulus handouts of December 8.