COUNCIL MOTIONS

Manningham Council motion submitted to buy back Templestowe RSL at Council Meeting, 15 December, 2020.
Minutes available here
Livestream available here:(Motion begins 49 minutes into the meeting)

City of Yarra motion submitted for MAV state council meeting on May 17, 2019

THAT the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) call on the State Government to implement an evidence-based public health approach to reduce gambling harm associated with electronic gaming machines through

(a) introducing a stronger Responsible Gambling Code of Conduct to include:

(i) stronger focus on venue and staff responsibility to reduce levels of gambling harm by offering assistance to people displaying signs they are being harmed by gambling, as is the case under laws in New Zealand and Switzerland;

(ii) mandatory breaks and maximum daily limits on gambling time;

(iv) prohibition on inducements to gamble such as gifts or offering free food and drink (excluding water) and instead encourage gamblers to take a break going to other parts of the venue for food and drink;

(v) requiring venues to assist research projects approved by the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing (OLGR);

(vi) no service of food or drinks at the machines.

(b) reducing opening hours for pokies venues to include mandatory 2am - 9am shutdown.

(c) banning losses disguised as wins as recommended by the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation (VCGLR), noting this feature is already banned in Queensland and Tasmania.

(d) Mandating the display of signage on all electronic gaming machines with a product health and safety warning – ‘stating the machine is designed to keep you playing and programmed for you to lose money’, emulating the approach taken with the tobacco industry.

City of Monash, 30 April 2019

That Council: 

1. Notes that the Victorian Government is currently reviewing the Responsible Gambling Code of Conduct for EGM venues in line with a 2018 election commitment and that the Gaming Minister is expected to announce the outcome of this review in the coming weeks. 

2. Notes that harm from gambling is a public health issue and that Council supports reform in order to protect the local community from gambling harm, including strengthening of the Responsible Gambling Code of conduct for EGM venues. 

3. Publicly supports reform of the EGM venue codes of conduct so that: 

   • All venues are prohibited from engaging in activities aimed at increasing the amount of money people lose. 

   • All venues be required to monitor people gambling to identify signs a person is being harmed by gambling. Further, venues should be required to intervene and offer assistance to people displaying signs they are being harmed by their gambling. 

   • Introduce mandatory breaks and maximum daily limits on gambling time.  

   • The Code forbids the provision of free drinks (excluding water) in the pokies area of the venues and encourages people to take a break by having to go to other parts of the venue for food and drinks. 

   • The Code should prohibit the giving of gifts, inducements or any other item of value to people who are gambling. 

   • The Code requires pokie venues to assist in any research around reducing gambling-related harm that has been approved by the Victorian Government. 

4. Writes to the Hon Marlene Kairouz MP, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Gaming & Liquor Regulation to communicate Council’s support for these reforms to the venue code of conduct. 

5. Writes to our local Members of State parliament encouraging them to support these reforms. CARRIED  

 

Mitchell Shire 15 April 2019

11.1 NOTICE OF MOTION: NO. 961 - MAV STATE COUNCIL MOTION - ELECTRONIC GAMING MACHINES SIGNAGE 

Author: Councillor David Atkinson 

File No: CL/04/001-03 Attachments: Nil 

I hereby give notice of my intention to move the following motion at the Ordinary Council Meeting to be held on 15 April 2019. 

MOTION THAT the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) call on the State Government to implement an evidenced based public health approach to reduce gambling harm associated with electronic gaming machines and specifically: 

• Mandate the display of signage on all electronic gaming machines with a product health and safety warning - stating the machine is designed to keep you playing and programmed for you to lose money’, emulating the approach taken with the tobacco industry. 

Councillor Comment: Evidence from two government Productivity Commission Reports (1999 and 2010) along with numerous national and international research studies indicate EGMs are the most addictive form of gambling and that there is a fundamental issue with the product. EGMs are designed to keep you playing and programmed to lose money. Stronger regulation is needed to make our community healthier. By, mandating public health product warning messages stating, ‘this machine is designed to keep you playing and programmed for you to lose money,’ clearly visible on each EGM to anyone who is using, would ensure those using the machines are provided with evidenced-based messages. This emulates the approach taken with the tobacco industry. Health warnings are regulated on all tobacco product packaging for retail in Australia. These warnings provide a clear message about the harmful health consequences of tobacco products. EGMs are widely understood to be an unsafe product. Mandated, regulated EGM product safety warning messages in visible locations on all EGMs provides significant opportunity to ensure communities are reduced from gambling harm.  

City of Greater Dandenong - motion calling for strong pokie venue code of conduct

Item 3.2 - March 25, 2019 - see minutes on p16774 and 16775, plus coverage in the local paper.

That Council:

1. notes that the Victorian Government is currently reviewing the Responsible Gambling Code of Conduct for EGM venues in line with a 2018 election commitment;

2. notes that harm from gambling is a public health issue and that Council supports reform to protect the local community from gambling harm, including strengthening of the Responsible Gambling Code of conduct for EGM venues;

3. publicly supports reform of the EGM venue codes of conduct:

a) All venue staff are prohibited from engaging in activities aimed at increasing the amount of money people lose.

b) All venue staff be required to monitor people gambling to identify signs of gambling harm. Further, venue staff should be required to offer assistance to people displaying signs of gambling harm, including instructing anyone with significant signs of harm to leave the venue and not return for at least 24 hours.

c) Mandatory breaks and maximum daily limits on gambling time are introduced.

d) The provision of free drinks (excluding water) in the pokies area of venues are prohibited and patrons are encouraged to take a break by having to go to other parts of the venue for food and drinks.

e) The giving of gifts, inducements or any other item of value to people who are gambling, is prohibited.

4. writes to the Hon Marlene Kairouz MP, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Gaming & Liquor Regulation to communicate Council’s support for these reforms to the venue code of conduct;

5. writes to our local members of State parliament (lower house and upper house) encouraging them to support these reforms and places them on the agenda for any upcoming meetings with local MPs; and

6. includes our advocacy position on the Greater Dandenong website advocacy page and promotes the advocacy position via a media release and our social media and website.

City of Yarra - motion for consideration at 2019 ALGA National General Assembly to be held in June

Item 13.1 - March 19, 2019 (see p17 of these minutes)

That the National General Assembly calls on the Federal Government to: 

1. Establish a Royal Commission into the gambling industry and the $24 billion in annual gambling losses nationally, the highest in the world in per capita terms. 

2. Embrace national harm minimisation policies to reduce gambling harm in Australia such as:
   
   a. following the lead of the UK Labour Party in supporting a ban on credit card usage with Australian licensed online gambling companies;
   b. introducing further restrictions on gambling advertising, emulating the approach taken with the tobacco industry;
   
   c. establishing a national ombudsman scheme to process consumer complaints and resolve customer disputes with online gambling companies;
   
   d. introducing a ban on federally registered political parties from owning gambling licences issued by Australian governments, including for the operation of poker machine venues.

Local Government Association of Queensland annual conference - Brisbane, October 31, 2018:

Motion 87. Noosa Shire: Planning Powers - Electronic Gaming Machines

That the Local Government Association of Queensland advocates to the Department of State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning to amend planning legislation to define electronic gaming machines as a land use and permit planning schemes to address both the land use as well as the social impacts of electronic gaming machines on communities.

Noosa mayor Peter Wellington spoke to the motion, there were no speakers against and then it was passed 118 votes to 73. Also see this preview story on Fairfax's Brisbane Times website the day before the vote. See p224 of the agenda to read the full background on the motion.

Local Government NSW Conference - Albury, October 22, 2018

Motion 62 Liverpool City Council Problem gambling

That Local Government NSW:

• provides research and resources to support councils in NSW developing and implementing Gambling Harm Prevention policies, and

• calls upon Liquor and Gaming NSW and the relevant Minister and advocate for local governments to have a greater say in the placement of poker machines.

Subsidiary motion Byron Shire

That Local Government NSW provides research and resources to support councils in NSW developing and implementing Gambling Harm Prevention policies.

Both were defeated 64% to 36% after a division. Listen to this audio of the 13-minute debate.

MAV State Council: October 19, 2018

Consolidated Motion 33: Gambling

Submitting councils: Darebin City Council, Maribyrnong City Council and Hobsons Bay City Council

That the MAV:

1. Calls upon State Government to commit to strategies to reduce gambling losses, adopts a public health approach and implements increased allocation of support funds to more extensive harm measures and communities experiencing large gambling losses.

2. Specifically, calls on the State Government to reduce the number of electronic gaming (EGM) machines from all licensed premises by 2032, and lower EGM caps.

3. Engages with the Vision Super Board to advocate for full divestment of investments held in companies where more than 10% of earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) are derived from gambling including Woolworths, Crown Resorts, Aristocrat, Tatts Group, Tabcorp Holdings and Star Entertainment Group.

Passed comfortably without discussion

Banyule City Council

Ordinary Council Meeting Minutes, Meeting held 17 September 2018

Local government has very little capacity to influence the location and number of Electronic Gaming Machines (EGMs), or the regulations governing their use, as this falls under the jurisdiction of the State Government. Therefore advocacy, and a joint and concerted advocacy campaign, is the most important avenue and role for local government to minimise the harm from gambling in our communities.

In September 2017, Banyule became a Leadership Council Partner within the Alliance for Gambling Reform based on Resolution Number CO2017/199.

Advocacy for reform is the key aim of the Alliance for Gambling Reform. Continuing our funding as a Leadership Council Partner of the Alliance for Gambling Reform recognises and acknowledges Banyule Council’s commitment to reduce the harms to our community from gambling.

The purpose of this report is to seek Council approval to continue the partnership with the Alliance for Gambling Reform as a Leadership Council Partner. And provide an evaluation of the outcomes of the partnership with the Alliance for Gambling Reform to date.

Recommendation that Council:

1. Approves the continuance of Banyule as Leadership Council Partner with the Alliance for Gambling Reform to the value of $25,000, funds have already been allocated in the 2018-19 Operational Budget.

2. Receives a further report in September 2019 to evaluate the outcomes of continuing as Leadership Council Partner with the Alliance for Gambling Reform.

Brimbank City Council

Ordinary Council Meeting Minutes 12329, Meeting No. 442 12329 21 August 2018

Children’s Exposure To Gambling Advertisements On Television

That Council considers including ‘the banning of sports betting and gambling advertising during televised sports events’ as an advocacy priority when Council develops its Federal Election advocacy campaign.

Resolution Moved Councillor Tachos/Seconded Pham

That Council considers including ‘the banning of sports betting and gambling advertising during televised sports events’ as an advocacy priority when Council develops its Federal Election advocacy campaign. CARRIED

A division was called.

Affirmative: Mayor Cr Giudice, Cr Allan, Cr Tachos, Cr Truong, Cr Pham

Negative: Cr Lancashire, Cr Councillor David, Cr Congreve, Cr Papafotiou

14. Rescission Motions - Nil.

15. Urgent Business

Resolution Moved Councillor Tachos/Seconded Councillor Allan

That Council considers a Motion to consider item 15.1 Community Conversation. To Continue To Strengthen Multiculturalism And Address Racial prejudice, as an item of urgent business, as the matter has arisen since the distribution of the agenda, cannot be deferred until the next Ordinary Meeting of Council, and cannot be addressed through an operational service request. CARRIED

Vision Super to investigate divestment of gambling investments
September 3, 2018, City of Darebin

Moves Cr Amir and seconded Cr Newton

That MAV State Council:

1. Notes the serious health impacts that gambling is having in the Victorian community and the wider Australian community given Australians are the world’s biggest gamblers with an estimated $25 billion to be lost in 2018.
    

2. Notes that despite ample evidence of effective public health measures which could reduce harm, gambling companies are failing to deliver their products in a safe manner.
    

3. Authorises the MAV to engage with the Vision Super board to advocate for full divestment of investments held in ASX200 companies where more than 10% of earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) are derived from gambling including Woolworths, Crown Resorts, Aristocrat, Tabcorp and Star Entertainment Group

Watch the 9 minute debate starting 1 hour and 5 minutes into this webcast of the meeting.

Support for NSW councils developing gambling harm prevention policies
August 23, 2018, Byron Shire

Moved by Cr Spooner and seconded by Cr Ndiaye:

That Local Government NSW provide research and resources to support Councils in NSW developing and implementing Gambling Harm Prevention policies. 

See the minutes.

Children’s Exposure To Gambling Advertisements On Television
August 21, 2018, City of Brimbank

This motion moved by Councillor Virginia Tachos was passed by City of Brimbank unanimously

That Council considers including ‘the banning of sports betting and gambling advertising during televised sports events’ as an advocacy priority when Council develops its Federal Election advocacy campaign.

See p12335 of the agenda

Adopting a Gambling Harm Prevention and Reduction Policy
14 August 2018, Inner West Council, NSW

This motion was passed by the Inner West Council unanimously. 

That Council convene an Inner West Gambling harm minimisation round table with representatives from the Alliance for Gambling Reform, experts in gambling harm minimisation, local clubs and pubs, other interested organisations and councillors. The aim of the round table would be to discuss making a local gambling compact with local strategies we as a community could agree on to reduce the problem gambling and assist those who experience this problem.

This second motion was unfortunately not carried , however- the fact that 7 of 15 councillors voted for it is very promising.

THAT Council:

1. Commits to preventing and reducing harm to our community from gambling and considers possible actions through its strategic and community planning processes, through community capacity building, long term advocacy for gambling industry reform, increased accountability and through the support of services for those who experience gambling related harm;

2. Writes to local state MPs and the relevant minister and shadow minister, calling on the state government to develop mechanisms to accelerate the reduction in poker machine numbers in the state, and to place an immediate cap on poker machine licences in the Inner West LGA;

3. Requests staff prepare a draft Gambling Harm Prevention and Reduction Policy to be reported for consideration by Council and the community. The focus of community consultation for this draft policy and report should be those harmed by gambling and their advocates, rather than those profiting from gambling;

4. The report on the draft Policy should include consideration of practical steps Council can take to reduce gambling harm in the Inner West, including:

a. The development of a Community Gambling Harm Reduction Standard, as a standard to be followed by clubs, hotels and other gambling venues.

b. The employment of Gambling Harm Reduction Outreach Officer(s), to be funded by (voluntary) contributions from the pokies profits of hotels and clubs in the Inner West (noting that a contribution of just 1% of Inner West hotel and club pokies’ annual net profits is over $1,500,000).

5. In accordance with the recommendations of the Alliance for Gambling Reform, the draft policy report to include consideration of at least the following further actions:

a. Council to work towards ensuring there are no electronic gambling machines on premises located on public land;

b. Council to work towards banning sponsorship by gambling and gambling related organisations for any Council event or on Council land;

c. Council to work towards not hosting events at venues with poker machines;

d. Council to make submissions in relation to all Local Impact Assessment applications by venues within the LGA, detailing harm as well as benefits to the community;

e. Council to review its investments to consider divestment from any gambling or gambling related entities;

f. Council to provide community information on gambling harm and services available to those affected by gambling;

g. Council to review its involvement in the ClubGrants scheme, particularly in regard to the transparency of grant decisions, and evaluation of benefits of ClubGrants;

h. Council to join the Alliance for Gambling Reform; and

i. Council to ensure its internal policies recognise that staff may be impacted by gambling.

6. Resolves to put the following proposal to the next Local Government NSW Conference:

a. That LGNSW provide research and resources to support Councils in NSW developing and implementing gambling harm prevention strategies; and

b. That LGNSW lobbies the state government on behalf of NSW Councils to implement the recommendations of the 2010 NSW Productivity Commission Report on Gambling and the 2014 NSW Upper House Select Committee Inquiry on the Impact of Gambling.

Site Valuations for Poker Machine Venues
August 13, 2018, Hume City Council

Moved by Cr Joseph Haweil and seconded Cr Jodi Jackson this motion which Council carried:

That Council prepares a report outlining the valuations (site value and CIV) for the 14 poker machine gambling venues in Hume City and the rates which will be payable by these venues in 2018-19.

Audit of Poker Machine Signage in Hume
August 13, 2018, Hume City Council

This motion was successfully carried by council after being moved Cr Joseph Haweil and seconded Cr Drew Jessop, that Council:

1) Notes the provisions and requirements of the Gambling Regulation (Signage) Regulations 2005 which permit the display of gaming machine related signage under strict conditions.

2) Council considers undertaking an audit of all signage on poker machine venues to ensure compliance with these Regulations.

3) Council receives a report back on such an audit noting the size, number, and location of all “pokies” signs on the 14 gaming venues in Hume city, particularly noting where that signage is on Council land, and take any enforcement action required if there is non-compliance with the Regulations.

4) Council also writes to the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation advising of identified non-compliance, if any, and requesting enforcement action.

5) Council further considers the suitability of signs advertising pokies being permitted on Council land and receives a report outlining options for their removal.

 

Investigating the valuation of pokies venues - are they paying their fair share of rates?
July 3, 2018: City of Yarra

Cr Misha Coleman moved and Cr Stephen Jolly seconded an amended resolution when adopting the 2018-19 general valuation which commissioned a report disclosing the valuations and rates paid by City of Yarra's 8 pokies venues. It was past unanimously and read as follows:

1. That Council receive and adopt the return of the General Valuation effective from 30 June 2018 for Rating Purposes.

2. That Council request that Officers prepare a report for noting at the 7th August 2018 Council Meeting outlining the valuations (Site value, CIV and NAV) for the 8 poker machine venues in City of Yarra and the rates which will be payable by these venues in 2018-19.

See p13 of the minutes of the July 3 meeting. The 9 minute debate starts 1 hour into the audio archive although part 2 about pokies valuations isn't discussed. 

Moratorium on poker machines in Frankston
July 2, 2018: City of Frankston

Cr Glenn Aitken moved and Cr Steve Toms seconded this strong motion which was carried unanimously:

That Council writes to the Premier of Victoria, Daniel Andrews and Opposition Leader, Matthew Guy, State Member for Frankston, Mr Paul Edbrooke MP and State Member for Carrum, Ms Sonya Kilkenny MP, requesting a moratorium and/or ban on any further gaming machines in the Frankston municipality. That a letter of support be sought from the Alliance for Gambling Reform.

See the full text of the motion on p832 of the agenda plus the outcome on p42 of the minutes. There was no debate or dissent in the chamber as the video archive shows they got to it 3 hours and 2 minutes into a long meeting. However, it did generate considerable media interest including one radio interview along with this piece in the Frankston Leader and this piece in the Frankston Times. 

Calls for action on loot boxes, children's video games and online gambling
June 15, 2018: City of Brimbank

Cr Virginia Tachos moved and Cr Bruce Lancashire seconded this motion which was unanimously passed:

That Council writes to the Victorian Minister for Consumer Affairs, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, the Hon. Marlene Kairouz MP, to:

a. Request advice on what information is available about the impact of the increasing Gamification within the gambling industry - in
particular, the incorporation of gambling-style features into online video games targeting children.

b. Seek advice on how the video and online gaming industry is currently regulated in Victoria to ensure children are not being
exposed to material that is normalising gambling and increasing their future vulnerability to harmful levels of gambling.

c. Call for the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation to conduct further research into the prevalence and impact of online
gambling, including evidence-based harm reduction strategies.

See this Brimbank press release about the motion, plus this piece in the Star Weekly newspaper. See p505 of 510 of these minutes from the meeting.

Calls for Hawthorn to follow the lead of Melbourne FC and exit the pokies
April 24, 2018: City of Monash

Cr Josh Fergeus and Cr Geoff Lake submitted this motion urging Hawthorn Football Club to exit the pokies industry:

That Council:

i) Congratulates the Melbourne Football Club on their plan to withdraw the club from any financial interests attached to the gaming industry;

ii) Notes the long relationship between the Hawthorn Football Club and the City of Monash;

iii) Notes that venues associated with the Hawthorn Football Club were responsible for more pokies losses than any other AFL Club in the 2016-17 financial year, topping $23.9 million;

iv) Notes that $10.86 million of pokies losses occurred at the Hawthorn Football Club gaming venue Vegas at Waverley Gardens in the 2016-17 financial year; and

v) Calls on the Hawthorn Football Club to follow the example of the Melbourne Football Club and withdraw the club from any financial interests attached to the gaming industry.

The motion included detailed background information. 

Pressure on Woolworths for spying on gamblers
April 24, 2018: Manningham City Council

Cr Sophy Galbally moved the following motion (see p515 of the agenda - second last page) about Woolworths spying on heavy gamblers which was unanimously supported: 

That Council advocate to the State Government, via the Minister for Gaming and the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation, for an amendment to the Victorian Gaming Industry Responsible Gambling Code of Conduct that requires that venues be prohibited from:

A. collecting customer data on customers other than self declared problem gamblers;
B. storing and sharing customer data with other gaming venues;
C. gifting customers with drink cards as part of ‘customer loyalty schemes’; and
D. setting staff targets with the aim to increase venues’ gains by encouraging customers losses

Watch Cr Galbally's speech starting 55 minutes into this video webcast of the council meeting.

Pressure on Woolworths for spying on gamblers
April 11, 2018: Moreland City Council

Cr Lambros Tapinos moved the following motion (see p871-872 of the minutes) about Woolworths spying on gamblers at its two Moreland venues. Watch the debate starting 2 hours 57 minutes into this video archive of the meeting. 

That Council:

1. Writes to the Australian Leisure and Hospitality group and Woolworths seeking to determine:

a) Whether it has engaged in the unconscionable conduct alleged in the House of Representatives on 28 February 2018 by Mr Andrew Wilkie MP.

b) Whether it monitors and probes customers who use its Moreland City venues for personal information; and if so:

i. Whether it compiles, stores and/or distributes the private, personal information of these customers to other venues and;

ii. Referring to regular gamblers, whether it directs staff at its Moreland venues to ‘be here as much as possible......do whatever you have to keep them in the room.’

Divestment motion over Woolworths pokies empire
April 9, 2018: Darebin City Council

That MAV State Council:

(1) Condemns Woolworths for operating Australia’s biggest poker machine business in a reckless and unsustainable fashion, deluging harm and misery on the community by making more than 12,000 predatory and addictive gambling machines available at
300 hotels across Australia, including 80 in Victoria.

(2) Authorises the MAV to engage with the Vision Super board to advocate for full divestment of its Woolworths investment by the end of 2018 if the Woolworths board has not publically announced its intention to divest its poker machine division.

See page 9 of the minutes, plus this story in The Age. The Darebin debate starts 24 minutes into this video archive of the April 9 council meeting. The MAV debate at state council occurred on Friday, May 18, 2018 and the motion was defeated 70%-30%. 

Time to take a public health approach to pokies policy
March 26, 2018: Brimbank City Council

See press release on Cr John Hedditch's motion calling for a stronger code of conduct, plus p26 of this report detailing the pokies motion being put up to the MAV state council which reads as follows:

That the Municipal Association of Victoria advocates to the State Government to adopt a public health approach to reduce the harms caused by Electronic Gaming Machines (EGMs) by legislating to:

a. Reduce the maximum cash withdrawal limit from EFTPOS facilities at gaming venues from $500 to $200 in a 24-hour period.

b. Strengthen the regulatory framework governing the enforcement of the Victorian Responsible Gambling Code of Conduct.

March 22, 2018: Byron Shire

See p30 of the minutes.

Cr Paul Spooner:

That Council:

1. Write to the new owners of The Beach Hotel endorsing their deliberate decision to remove poker machines from their venue to improve the well being of the Byron Shire community and set a precedent for other venues across Australia to follow.

2. Write to all remaining poker machine venues in Byron Shire opening a dialogue to gauge their interests in pursuing a similar strategy to divest their poker machines and offering Council support if they wish to investigate alternative business models.

3. Undertake a review of Council’s potential interests and involvements with poker machines by researching:

i) council investments with regard to the Ethical Investment Policy;

ii) any council or crown land leases that may involve poker machine venues; and

iii) planning controls that may be available (or potentially available) for limiting the use of poker machines within the shire.

4. Prepare a report for the May Ordinary Meeting outlining options to develop a comprehensive gambling policy to reduce the harm in the Byron Shire from the use of poker machines.

You can listen to the debate in the Byron Shire chamber starting 31 minutes into this audio file and running for 17 minutes. All Byron councillors were in attendance at the meeting and voted in favour of the motion. Finally, check out how one of the local papers, The Northern Star, covered the story after the vote and what we said in our Alliance newsletter.

March 12, 2018: Hume City Council: