Campaigns Against Tasmanian Poker Machine Removal Plan

There seems to be a bit of head-butting when it comes to the new plan of local politicians to remove pokies from all clubs and pubs in Tasmania by 2023. While Tasmania’s Labour politicians are all for the move, one of Australia’s majoring gambling operators is not, and in response, they are campaigning against the plan.

The Federal Group owns a licence that allows them to provide such gaming within Tasmania, have sworn that should there be any plan to take poker machines away, they will not give up without kicking and screaming first.

Campaigns Already in Place

Although ideas of the proposal of such bans are still fresh, the Federal Group have wasted no time. In saying so, they have taken measures including media campaigns launched across a variety of platforms namely: social media, radio and television. All in a bid to resist the poker machine removal plan.

The aim of these ad campaigns is to emphasise that the removal of these machines will negatively affect the cost of jobs throughout the hospitality industry.

Greg Farrell, the Managing Director for the Federal Group mentioned that the 11 staff members who featured in the advertisement campaigns volunteered to do it. Farrell went on to say that these volunteers gave up their holiday to film the content for the ads. Within the campaign ads, the volunteers were given the floor to express their feelings on the plans for Tasmania’s poker machines, which were completely unscripted. In the ads we see, employees expressing their worries about what could happen should the policy be implemented.

Response to Campaigns

According to the Labour leader, Rebecca White, these campaigns were almost expected and are in turn being used as a scare tactic. White goes on to say that recent evidence shows that only 300 employees work full time within the gaming sector. This puts to rest the comments of the massive job losses that would be experienced should the pokies machines be removed. Further, she mentions that regardless of the campaign, there is no doubt that the poker machines are in fact, doing damage to the community.

Tasmania’s current Liberal government has confirmed that, should they win the next elections, they will be sure to keep the pokie machines in the state. Elections are scheduled to be held in March.

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