Pokies prohibition

By Kath Gannaway
YARRA Ranges Council is holding out for a 1.5 kilometre ‘no go’ zone in a proposed planning scheme amendment aimed at giving council more control over the location of poker machines in the shire.
The planned amendment which proposes a Local Planning Policy for Gaming Machines was exhibited in July and August last year and consequently went to an independent panel hearing on 18 April this year.
The adjudicator Lester Townsend, while agreeing with many of the council’s proposals, found there was no justification for a 1.5 kilometre separation distance, but recommended that gaming machines should not be located on sites that were in or at the edge of activity centres.
Council wants a 400-metre buffer from facilities such as schools, kindergartens, libraries, churches and offices of public and private welfare agencies, but is asking for the 1.5km buffer from facilities including railway stations, other gaming machine venues, and shops which cater for day to day needs of residents such as supermarkets, milk bars, post offices and newsagents.
The aim is to minimise opportunities for convenience gambling and the incidence of problem gambling.
Councillors were unanimous both in their condemnation of gaming machines, and in their resolve that the proposed amendment should not be watered down.
“If I had my way I would ban poker machines altogether, but, unfortunately, we have to live in the real world,” Cr Graham Warren said.
He moved a motion to adopt the amendment generally as recommended by the panel but with a revised Local Planning Policy, and to submit it to the Minister for Planning for approval.