source: pixabay.comJust weeks after the Mackensie District voted to introduce a sinking lid policy, Lower Hutt, the sixth-largest city in New Zealand has voted to do the same. This follows the decisions also made by Porirua (2013) and Wellington (2021).
In a unanimous decision made mid-December, Hutt City Council voted to introduce a sinking lid policy to pokie machines in the city.
During the consultation period prior to the vote, the Council heard from a range of people and community groups, including groups that are worried about a fall in funding, should pokie machine numbers be reduced in the city, and also those that are against the harm to families caused by Pokies.
Policy, Finance and Strategy Chair Simon Edwards said:
“Council has a responsibility to support the wellbeing of all our people. In 2019, $29 million in profit was collected from gaming machines in our city. Of that, only $4 million was returned to the Hutt-based community and sports groups in the form of grants,”
“Lower Hutt has well above the national average number of pokies per capita. We need to take an approach that minimises harm.”
“Community groups are an important part of our city, and we have heard and understand their concerns,”
“We’ve taken a balanced approach by introducing a sinking lid, and we will be strongly advocating to central government to consider providing alternative sources of funding that don’t rely on pokies.”
“The highest concentration of pokies are in our most in-need neighbourhoods, and the community funding that results often ends up in our more well-off communities. For Lower Hutt to be a city where everyone thrives, we need to make fairness a priority.”
