Flavell Te Ururoa: Gambling Amendment Bill (No 2) — Second Reading 
Flavell Te Ururoa: Gambling Amendment Bill (No 2) — Second Reading 
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TE URUROA FLAVELL (Maori Party—Waiariki) 
: 
 Tena koe Mr Deputy Speaker. Kia ora tatou katoa i tenei po. In doing some research about this particular bill today I came across some information that set me back a little bit. The 2006-07 Gaming and Betting Activities Survey revealed that 86 percent of Maori had participated in gaming over the last 12 months; that Maori spent more on average than any other demographic group with an annual spend of approximately $644; and the third figure was that three-quarters of Maori who participate in such activities believe that they break even when playing the pokies. 
I think that the last statistic is probably the saddest one. Breaking even simply does not add up when one looks at the long list of criminal activities associated with gambling. Perhaps the more correct term might be breaking and entering or theft forgery embezzlement fraud credit card scams counterfeiting assault child neglect prostitution vandalism loan sharking money-laundering and home invasion. We could describe all of these as the collateral damage associated with or caused by gambling. Perhaps the most tragic outcome of all is the crime against families that occurs when those who are drawn to the casinos and pokie machines gamble away relationships by breaching the trust of family members—and I have seen that myself first hand. 
This bill today does not reduce the activity of gambling. It does little to address the path of pathological gambling or to develop strategies that address the harmful effects on our communities—the wider social economic and health costs. But there are some increased provisions within the bill that will identify and assist problem gamblers and this is a gain. 
I want to outline the Maori Party position right from the outset. Our commitment to this issue is such that my colleague Hone Harawira sat on the Government Administration Committee when it considered this bill as a non-voting member. I am told there were 168 submissions. We wanted to respond to all of those submissions. We were also involved in and influenced by the community hui the national conferences the advice of key organisations along with the problem gambling network and the excellent advice from expert specialists such as Dr Lorna Dyall from Te Herenga Waka o Te Ora Whanau and John Stansfield of the Problem Gambling Foundation. The expert analysis of all of these individuals and organisations is invaluable in advising us of the significant and harmful effects caused by gambling. 
I want to remind the House that Maori and Pasifika peoples are more likely than other groups to suffer gambling-related harm and that there is a ripple effect that goes all the way through whanau families hapu and iwi from gambling. The best estimates from Dr Dyall predict that up to 239000 people could be potentially adversely affected by Maori problem gambling when we take into account the impact on whanau and others—239000 people. This is one of the great concerns that I see around the expansion of gambling in our modern lives. Personally I am opposed to the practice of gambling as an unwise potentially addictive habit. The decision to indulge in unwise investments has I believe a destructive and damaging influence on families and whanau. In essence those with money to burn on gambling should remember their responsibilities to care for their whanau. 
I am told that Katherine Pau a counsellor from the Problem Gambling Foundation in Christchurch demonstrated the factual nature of this point of view. She gave evidence about relationship problems financial stresses personal stresses loss of employment crimes and suicide as examples of the devastation incurred by families and communities. From that same city the 198 Youth Health Centre was concerned that gambling is still in oversupply and spoke of the need to address the significant and ongoing negative social health and economic costs on families and communities. 
The bill has responded to these concerns with a very specific provision around problem gambling. The Government Administration Committee has recommended that a venue manager should be liable for any failure to display a notice in the gambling area advising customers that the venue has a policy for identifying problem gamblers. We support and note the clear and absolute statement of responsibility as outlined in the report from the select committee. But there are many many other issues that need to be addressed to reduce the harm being done by pokies particularly to Maori Pacific Island peoples Asian low-income workers beneficiaries and of course their communities. As a consequence of our concerns we included a minority report in the bill recommending that the Government should act with urgency to firstly devolve greater power to local authorities to reduce venue numbers; secondly to investigate new technologies such as player tracking and pre-commit cards; thirdly to restrict how pokie funds committed to racing are applied and others have spoken about that; and fourthly to require the Department of Internal Affairs to publish clear reports about where funds come from as well as where they go. We carried on and said that there is a need to address serious issues around the role of trusts in the distribution of pokie funds; and finally to reform and improve the way in which the problem-gambling levy is administered. 
I did want to point out the real irony within the industry. As I understand it more than $58 million per year is being siphoned out of the charitable gaming sector into the racing industry. Others have sort of touched on this matter but it is worthy of mention as we discuss this bill tonight. The recent controversy that erupted over the Christchurch based Eureka Trust giving over $75000 to the Oamaru Harness Racing Club has drawn criticism from some quarters. Morally one would expect that gambling profits accrued within Canterbury should stay within Canterbury not diverted south. But even more important is the simple principle that money taken from the activity of gambling should not be redirected to another form of gambling. 
In speaking about the submissions again I point out that the Porirua problem gambling network urged the select committee to ensure that any new devices or machines should at least be less harmful than existing machines. The Waitakere Association for Gambling Action highlighted the oversupply of gambling opportunities with more than 300 pokie machines available within a short distance of the Auckland casino. Terry Huriwai project manager for Matua Raki the National Addiction Treatment Workforce Development Programme advocated a need to strengthen consumer protection measures and other strategies to minimise harm. The Wellington People’s Centre specified far more meaningful avenues for profits generated from gambling to be distributed. Its position was that the amounts given in grants should be increased given the cost of gambling to the community. This at least was a move towards the recognition of the impact of poverty family breakdowns suicide bankruptcy and so on. 
These are just a few of the strong and consistent views that advocated for further consideration of issues around problem gambling. It is my understanding that in all some 108 submissions held the view that more comprehensive amendments are needed over and above the changes proposed in this bill and I have some empathy with the position that substantial reform is needed to achieve the original intent of the Gambling Act. 
I remind us all that the purpose of the Gambling Act is extremely significant. There is a commitment to control the growth of gambling and the aspiration to prevent and minimise the harm caused by gambling including problem gambling. There is a call to ensure the integrity and fairness of games while at the same time facilitating responsible gambling. Importantly the Act makes a commitment to ensure not only that the profits of gambling benefit the community but also that they facilitate community involvement in decisions about the provision of gambling. 
These are important principles that we must reconsider and revitalise in the work ahead. My own kinsman Anaru Bidois who is heavily involved in supporting those with gambling issues in Rotorua is one who acknowledges that this bill does not go far enough but it does go in the right direction. It is a first step and the Maori Party will support this bill as one way of supporting the change that we want to see.