The Greens’ proposed pokie ban,dependent on the party securing power at the March election,would hit both ends of the sector,from small suburban bowls clubs to the mammoth Kedron-Wavell services club at Chermside.
Every poker machine in Brisbane takes an average of $80,397 per year.Jason South
Greens mayoral candidate Jonathan Sriranganathan said the party wanted clubs to focus on live music,theatre and hospitality – not poker machines.
That would cost them up to 70 per cent of their current revenue. Kedron-Wavell alone made $27 million from poker machines in 2022.
“The council can’t fully compensate that sort of money,” Sriranganathan toldBrisbane Times.
“What we are saying is that we want to transition these clubs away to other revenue streams and other business models,because at the end of the day,those millions of dollars are coming out of the pockets of problem gamblers.
The Greens want to swap poker machines for music,theatre and hospitality at council-linked venues in Brisbane.Supplied
“That revenue is not coming from poker machines,it is coming from people who are addicted to poker machines.”
In their policy announcement,the Greens list 26 clubs they say rely on council leases to run poker machines.
The Greens’ Jonathan Sriranganathan says some clubs around Queensland are “perfectly viable” without revenue from pokies.Nine
However,the list includes the Broncos Leagues Club,which now owns the bulk of its land in Red Hill,and other suburban clubs on long-term leases.
Kedron-Wavell,which has worked with previous council administrations to expand the Chermside precinct,has a lease until October 2039 – with the option of another 25 years after that.
Sriranganathan said if they won power,the Greens would spend $6 million annually to subsidise live music at council-owned venues,and $5 million for kitchens and staging.
“That is not going to fully compensate some of those clubs,but those multimillion-dollar[pokies revenue] figures represent community harm,” he said.
Club officials privately questioned the power of council to institute such a ban,and said the revenue paid salaries,supported venues,and subsidised community activities.
However,the Greens argue poker machines are with 76 poker machines being added to Stafford Bowls Club and 125 to Souths Sports Club in Acacia Ridge.
Sriranganathan said there were clubs around Queensland that were “perfectly viable” without gaming machine revenue.
“That tells us that it is possible. The main message here is that we are not proposing to do this overnight,” he said. “We are saying that if you want your lease renewed,we will be encouraging you to get rid of your poker machines.”
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