Lorraine Pigram, Andrew McNabb, Jeanette Bartlett, Len Gerdsen, Graeme Kirpichnikov and, front, Deborah Lovett and Anna Kirpichnikov were among the 130 residents to voice their objection at last week\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\’s public pokies meeting at the Officer Recreation Reserve.By Melissa Grant
OFFICER and Beaconsfield residents are continuing to fight strongly against the introduction of electronic gaming machines on their doorsteps, calling for a local referendum on the issue.
About 130 people flocked to the Officer Recreation Reserve last Thursday to voice their objection to three gaming venues that would come with an extra 240 gaming machines for the growth corridor.
The special pokies meeting, which ran for two and a half hours, was also attended by Cardinia Shire councillors Brett Owen, Kate Lempriere, Doug Hamilton and Ed Chatwin, shadow gaming Minister Michael O’Brien and Eastern Victoria MP Edward O’Donohue.
Residents voiced their objections to the three proposed venues, with the locations and the possible effect on property values in the area among their concern and called on the Cardinia Council to hold a public referendum on the issue.
Councillors said such a referendum would be costly for its ratepayers and have since set up a phone number for those wanting to register their objection to the applications.
Residents of the two towns opposing the venues have a tough road ahead. Even if council rejects the applications there is the possibility that council’s decision will be overturned by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
“How many times has VCAT said no to a pokies application? None,” Mr O’Brien said.
Cr Hamilton said that VCAT would almost certainly approve the three applications, judging by a ruling on pokies in Drouin.
“VCAT declared that because it was six kilometres from Warragul it wasn’t reasonable to drive that far to play the pokies,” he said.
Cr Lempriere said council was in a difficult position.
“Our position is that gaming is a scourge… but it’s something legal,” she said.
“The State Government didn’t do us any favours at all when they burdened us with these decisions.
“As councillors by law we have to look at the planning permit issues only.”
Mr O’Donohue said Cardinia was particularly vulnerable when it came to poker machine venues considering the shire’s current EGM ratio.
Under State Government legislation, by 2010, no local government area can have a density of EGM’s higher than 10 machines per 1000 adults.
Currently the Cardinia Shire has a ratio of 4.4 EGM’s per 1000 adults.
“In the eyes of the State Government, Cardinia is underweight when it comes to poker machines,” Mr O’Donohue said.
Mr O’Brien said increasing the number of pokies in Cardinia could have a detrimental effect on the shire’s most vulnerable citizens.
“The availability of pokies is driving a lot of problem gambling,” he said. “Pokies are big business but they also have very big impacts on communities.
“For some people it’s a fun night out but for some people it’s a life-destroying experience.”
Those wanting to register their objection to the three gaming applications with council can call and must state “I register my objection to electronic gaming machines in Officer and Beaconsfield” as well as leaving their name and address.
