that cleric again this time bagging aussies, page-42

You can't argue with reality (unless you are insane)!


Gamblers increase spending on pokies
Alyssa Kimlin | 19th January 2009

Jeff_Kubina

TOOWOOMBA residents fed more than $4 million into poker machines last month, nearly $500,000 more than the previous month.

Figures released by the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing, showed Toowoomba residents spent $4,308,270 at the 1161 operational pokies in the city.

This is $490,101 more than November, 2008, and $535,651 more than December, 2007.

Shamrock Hotel manager Perran Sonnex said while December was traditionally busy, last month was exceptionally active.

“It is normally the biggest month of the year,” he said. “But it was bigger than expected.”

Mr Sonnex said the Rudd Government's stimulus package, which included bonuses handed out to aged pensioners, disability pensioners, carers and parents, certainly contributed to increased activity in the gaming industry.

“I don't think it was necessarily the best thing to do,” he said.

“They should have given the bonuses in the form of vouchers at Coles and Woolies and other places like that.

“But the bonuses weren't the only reason for increases.”

Lifeline Darling Downs counselling services manager Paul Jensen said it was quite common to see risky behaviour, like gambling, increase in times of crisis.

“Anxiety provokes a response where the behaviours that increase risk (which is causing the anxiety) actually increase,” he said.


http://www.thechronicle.com.au/story/2009/01/19/gamblers-increase-spending-on-pokies/




Govt stimulus wasted on pokies: Xenophon
Posted Tue Jan 20, 2009 8:05am AEDT


Independent Senator Nick Xenophon says many people used the economic stimulus package on poker machines.


Independent Senator Nick Xenophon says many South Australians put their share of the Federal Government's economic stimulus package into poker machines.

Poker machine spending for December last year was up almost 15 per cent, or more than $8 million, compared to the previous December.

Senator Xenophon says the Government must act.

"Fifteen months ago, Kevin Rudd said some very strong words about poker machines - the damage they cause, the impact on families. It's time to put those words into action," he said.

"The Federal Government could put through legislation that would get rid of ATMs from venues, it could make the machines less addictive, it could introduce smartcard technology."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/01/20/2469638.htm



Woman steals $50k to fuel pokie addiction
Posted Mon Jan 19, 2009 7:13pm AEDT
Updated Mon Jan 19, 2009 7:12pm AEDT


A 55-year-old woman who stole more than $50,000 from her Brisbane employer after she developed a gambling addiction has been jailed for three years.

The District Court heard Beryl Kay Mudgway defrauded her employer over 18 months to November of 2007.

Mudgway transferred money to her own accounts to pay for holidays for family and friends and credit card debts.

Her lawyer, James Godbolt, said his client took the money after she developed an addiction to poker machines and still owed more than $3,000 on her credit card and $12,000 on a car loan.

Judge Kerry O'Brien accepted Mudgway was of previous good character and genuinely remorseful.

He ordered her three year jail term be suspended after she serves 10 months.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/01/19/2469507.htm