MEDIA RELEASE

NICK XENOPHON M.L.C.

INDEPENDENT NO POKIES MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

11 October 2005

COMMUNITY TO HAVE A SAY OVER PLAN FOR SOUTHERN POKIES PALACE

·        Public Meetings 11 October, Christie Downs Community House cnr Flaxmill and Morton Roads Christie Downs at 7.30pm ) and 12 October, Reynella Community Centre, Oval Road, Old Reynella at 7.30pm)

Plans by the Club industry to turn the old Sizzler site at Morphett Vale (Corner of Wheatsheaf and Main South Roads) will be the subject of two public meetings (details above) to be held this week.

No Pokies MLC Nick Xenophon, who has organised the meetings, says that the meetings are about “putting widespread community concerns over the ‘pokies palace’ plan into concrete community action.”

The meetings will hear from local businesses and welfare groups over the existing impact of pokies in the Southern Suburbs, and the potential additional impact the new development, if approved, could have.

Those attending the meetings will be encouraged to lodge objections to any application for pokies for the site. It is expected that any such application will be one of the first test cases under new clauses to the Gaming Machines Act which requires the Liquor and Gambling Commissioner to have regard to the social effect of the grant of the licence on the local community and, in particular, the likely effect on problem gambling within the local community.

Pokies losses in the City of Onkaparinga approached $5.5 million in the last financial year.

Written and authorised by Nick Xenophon, 653 Lower North East Road, Paradise, SA 5075