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MEDIA RELEASE
NICK XENOPHON M.L.C. INDEPENDENT
NO POKIES MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
SHOW ME THE MONEY
II ·
Premier, Minister
contradict each other over Gamblers Rehabilitation funding. No
Pokies MLC Nick Xenophon has asked questions in Parliament this afternoon over
apparently inconsistent statements made by the Premier Mike Rann and Families
and Communities Minister Jay Weatherill over Gamblers Rehabilitation funding.
He also says he fears for the safety and welfare of problem gamblers and
their families over the delays in the urgently needed funding. The story so far:
● During the pokies debate in
Parliament last December, Mr Xenophon successfully moved an amendment (with the
support of the Opposition and cross-benchers) to massively increase Gambler’s
Rehabilitation funding. A compromise reached in the Lower House saw funding
virtually doubled with an extra $2 million per annum – to be applied on a pro
rata basis - for this financial year.
● On
“From today, the State Government’s extra
$2 million payment to the Gamblers Rehabilitation Fund kicks in.”
● Information obtained from
gambling rehabilitation providers that none of the extra funding has yet flown
through. · Following Mr Xenophon’s media
release on “The Minister and the Premier are clearly
contradicting each other over this additional funding.
This shows a shallowness to the Government’s commitment in providing
the urgently needed additional funds for this major social problem.” “The Premier should overrule his
Minister and promise that the additional funding that he promised would
kick in from
Written and authorised by Nick Xenophon, 653 Lower North East Road, Paradise, SA 5075
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