Constituency questions
South-Eastern Metropolitan Region
Michael GALEA (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:41): (299) My question is for the Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation and relates to the Andrews Labor government’s recent gambling reforms. The South-Eastern Metropolitan Region includes some of the municipalities that experience some of the greatest financial losses from poker machines. Minister, how will communities throughout the South-Eastern Metropolitan Region benefit from the recent changes announced by the government to the gambling industry? Within my electorate there are three municipalities that rank in the top eight highest losses from poker machines in Victoria. In a ranking of the highest amount spent on pokies per municipality, the City of Casey came in second, with residents having spent $159 million in the last financial year. Money lost to pokies in Greater Dandenong was similar, with around $140 million, and the City of Monash rounded out the top eight. These councils have been calling for action on poker machines, and I am very glad to see these reforms and policies announced. My question is: how will these reforms benefit the South-Eastern Metropolitan area?