Comments on: NSW government's gamble on gaming

By: Shaun

Shaun — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 11:19:00 +0000

DD, are you not confusing Souths Juniors which is a separate entity to Souths Leagues? The leagues club is to fund the football club. The decision does not affect Souths Juniors at all.

By: The Devil Drink

The Devil Drink — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 03:21:38 +0000

Sure Shaun.
Holmes a Court is playing up the charitable aspect of dumping poker machines from the club. That’s fine; but the same time he’s presenting no business model for making up the shortfall of funds that won’t go into supporting junior rugby league, except to call for the Government to fund it instead.
Furthermore you should take note of his line that the State should support sport ‘directly rather than through pokies’. That Souths Leagues should itself be a supporter of junior sport doesn’t enter into the argument for him, and I suspect Souths are a great deal less concerned about the “social costs” of “problem” gambling than they are with minimising their tax bill.

By: Shaun

Shaun — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 13:12:17 +0000

Any change to revenue from pokies hurt the clubs. That’s the trouble when you put all your business plans in the one basket Phil.

The ban on smoking inside clubs/pubs has hurt pokie revenue as well. However, other reports suggest that there is an increase in pub patrons, especially women, since the ban on smoking to effect. So there are ways to increase patronage.

DD, can you clarify you last point re Holmes a Court/Souths Juniors?

By: professor rat

professor rat — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 08:11:30 +0000

In light of the fact that very few people in Oz seem to want to compare the treatment of indigenes in similar countries gambling is a good way to actually shine a little light in. In NZ. Canada and the US, for example, its interesting that all of those places appear to be doing better than us. Even if you factor in the latest billion dollar ‘liberation operation’.
Ranging from more autonomy and state assistance in Canada and NZ to more freedom for self-help in the US ,where Indian reservations may supply cheaper cigarette’s and casinos the scope for progressive comparisons is vast. The casino dollar in some US res’s goes to help rehabilitation , preservation and ultimately more reconciliation.

You might think a certain ‘Big Fella’ with a lot of very far right mates would be interested in casinos.

‘Certainly where they will ban nudie cards there they will burn men.’ ( professor Heiny)

By: The Devil Drink

The Devil Drink — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 07:21:38 +0000

People ask us how we’re you going to make money without pokies. There are entire countries where pubs and clubs do not have poker machines yet they make money. We have a lovely state to the west, which I am from, which has resisted poker machines. Western Australia has plenty of great pubs which make very good profits.

Yeah, and the Western Australian hotel industry contributes nothing to social dysfunction.

As for the funding of junior sport, the Government should support it directly rather than via pokies. Junior sport should be supported more than it is today.

Thank you Robert Holmes a Court for all the support you believe Souths Juniors should give Souths Juniors.

By: Phil

Phil — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 01:16:32 +0000

I love the spin where they say that clubs will be ruined without pokies, as if clubs in other parts of the world don’t exist without them.

The same applies to the community argument. How is it that other communities around the world seem to be able to do kids sport and other activities without those proceeds in support?

Talk about taking the easy way out.

Kudos to Homes a Court and Crowe for daring to do something different for their club. Something that goes hand in hand in developing a new culture at Souths, one based on positives.