Flavell Te Ururoa: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Flavell Te Ururoa: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:668;Page:14846] 
4. 
TE URUROA FLAVELL (Maori Party—Waiariki) 
 to the  
Associate Minister of Health 
: He aha nga rautaki ka kokuhua ki te whakautu i te pikinga ma te 25 orau o nga kiritaki hei whakararu nei i nga ratonga aukati peti moni otira tera pikihanga e 5325 i te tau 2008 ki te e 6673 i te tau 2009; a ka whakaae a ia ki ta Barbara Phillips kaiwhakahaere no te Manatu Hauora i ki ra “those seeking help are only a small proportion of overall gambling prevalence”? 
[ 
What strategies have been introduced to respond to the 25 percent increase in numbers of clients presenting to problem gambling intervention services which rose from 5325 in 2008 to 6673 in 2009; and does he agree with Ministry of Health manager Barbara Phillips that “those seeking help are only a small proportion of overall gambling prevalence”? 
] 
Hon PETER DUNNE (Associate Minister of Health) 
: 
 The Government recently approved a new 6-year strategy for the period 2010-16 and a funding plan for the period 2010-30 including a comprehensive needs analysis based on client user statistics such as the ones that the member has quoted prevalence data and models of best practice. The 3-year service plan continues to provide for a range of services from public health activity through to brief and comprehensive interventions. For communities that do not have access to face-to-face services the toll-free gambling helpline service is now available 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Typically clients present to services in crisis which is a smaller percentage of those affected by problem gambling. The Government has therefore strengthened its focus on early interventions in order to reach people before they reach that crisis point. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: Kua hoparangia e te Minita o te Hauora nga painga o te tuitui i te kari whai-putea me te kari whakatu-whakapaunga-putea ki te rautaki whakakore petipeti; ki te kore he aha? 
[ 
Has the Minister of Health investigated the promotion of player tracking cards and pre-commit cards as part of the integrated problem-gambling strategy; if not why not? 
] 
Hon PETER DUNNE 
: I think a more logical comparison would be to look at data from the same quarters of previous years. An analysis of Department of Internal Affairs data shows that there continues to be a decline in spend in the non-casino gaming-machine sector. For example in September 2008 the sector spend was $232.3 million; that fell to $220.7 million for the September 2009 quarter and to $215.2 million for the September 2010 quarter. I think that data provides the answers to the member’s question. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: He awangawanga ona e pa ana ki nga tatauranga e ki nei ahakoa kua mimiti te tokomaha o nga raihana nga mihini petipeti me nga whare petipeti i te tau kua hipa kua piki tonu te putea kua whakapauria i te hauwha tau kua taha ake nei mai i te $209m i te Pipiri ki te $215m i te Here-turi-koka; a he aha nga ara kei mua i te tangata ki te whawhai i tenei ngarara te petipeti? 
[ 
Has he concerns that despite a decline in numbers of licence holders gambling venues and gaming machines in the past year spending in the last quarter still rose from $209 million in June to $215 million in September; and what measures are in place for a person to combat this addiction to gambling? 
] 
Hon PETER DUNNE 
: The issue that the member raises falls within the responsibility of the Department of Internal Affairs but I am aware that we already have systems that interrupt play on pokie machines that are known as pop-ups or player information displays. I gather that some Australian states are proposing to implement technology such as pre-commit cards and I imagine that the Minister of Internal Affairs would want to see the outcome of that move before determining whether to further regulate the sector in New Zealand.