{"id":4104,"date":"2013-05-22T12:04:30","date_gmt":"2013-05-22T02:04:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com\/?p=4104"},"modified":"2019-04-13T23:24:13","modified_gmt":"2019-04-13T13:24:13","slug":"time-to-shred-the-old-gambling-action-response-script-conroy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/time-to-shred-the-old-gambling-action-response-script-conroy\/","title":{"rendered":"Time to shred the old ‘Gambling Action Response’ script, Conroy"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Cartoon

Cartoon by Nicholson from \u201cThe Australian\u201d newspaper: www.nicholsoncartoons.com.au<\/p><\/div>\n

By Tom Cummings<\/a>
\n@NoFibs Gambling Reporter<\/p>\n

May 22, 2013<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a script floating around Canberra, called the \u201cGambling Action Response\u201d script. It\u2019s a succinct little document that gets dusted off and put into action every time someone has the temerity to suggest that maybe, just maybe, we need to do something about the widespread incursion of gambling into every corner of our lives.<\/p>\n

Remember poker machines? They used to be THE hot gambling topic not so long ago. There was strong public support for changes to the poker machine industry and the pokies themselves, and the cause was led by a couple of politicians who championed their cause as hard as they could.<\/p>\n

Both major parties fell over themselves agreeing that something needed to be done. Committees were formed and hearings held around the country. Commitments were made, only to be weakened, diluted and finally broken altogether. What was offered up in the end was little more than a shadow of the original intent, and even that looks unlikely to come into effect.<\/p>\n

And the poker machine industry? They howled and campaigned and agitated, then went very quiet. And now almost everyone has forgotten about them, and moved on to the next story.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the \u201cGambling Action Response\u201d script at work. It goes like this:<\/p>\n