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Turn Off the Pokies for Earth Hour - Hartland
19-03-2008 Greens MLC Colleen Hartland has called on pokies venues to turn off their machines during Earth Hour on 29 March this year.
"Do us all a favour and turn off the pokies machines during Earth Hour", said Colleen Hartland.
"Some pokies venues claim tens of thousands of dollars of electricity use as a 'community benefit’ to get a tax break, which I think is an absolute disgrace."
"Let the flashing lights and the awful jangling music stop playing for just one hour. Send the pokies players outside into the fresh air. Pokies are addictive, and taking a break might give people a chance to come to their senses before they become problem gamblers."
"Fifty three cents out of every dollar stolen from not-for-profit groups in Australia and New Zealand goes to fund problem gambling,"* said Colleen Hartland
Further Comment: Colleen Hartland 0417 445 845
* BDO Not-for-Profit Fraud Survey 2008, p.54
http://www.bdo.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/11840/0540_FraudSurvey_Final_2008.pdf