Ban pokies, troops out: Harawira

Te Tai Tokerau MP Hone Harawira has a simple plan to reduce gambling problems - ban poker machines from poor communities.

Mr Harawira also reckons he has a simple solution to the problem of children going to school hungry - bring New Zealand troops home from Afghanistan and use the money which would have been spent keeping them there to provide free meals for children.

Whangarei gamblers lost $3.712 million from April to June on the 325 poker machines in 24 venues around the district. Kaipara people left $592,460 behind in 69 machines at 10 venues in their district in the same three months.

But the biggest losers were in the Far North, where 364 pokies in 30 venues extracted $3.809 million from punters in April-June.

The Internal Affairs figures show that in the three months to the end of June gamers lost $8,114,631 - or $89,171 a day - while playing 758 poker machines in 64 venues across the region.

And problem gambling is becoming a big issue for women. Half those now seeking help for their addiction to gambling in Whangarei are females, according to the Problem Gambling Foundation.

Mr Harawira says both the Labour and National Parties allowed most of the money spent on poker machines in poor communities in the North to go somewhere else, mainly Auckland.

He said he hated poker machines because of the number of poor people he saw "getting sucked into the lie of chasing a big payout while most of the money goes on things like yacht races and the Rugby World Cup that poor people can't afford to attend".

Mr Harawira said the Mana Party's position was simple - no pokies in poor communities.

He also questioned Government priorities over keeping troops in Afghanistan while children went to school hungry.

"Did you know that if we were to provide free meals to every child in every school in the poorer parts of this country it would cost us $38 million?" he asked.

"Shock! Horror! We haven't got that kind of money. Well... did you know it costs $40 million for this Government to keep our boys in Afghanistan? Mana's position is simple - bring the boys home and use that money to feed the kids."

Budget appropriations last year for NZ Defence Force expenses in 2010/11 totalled $2279 million, with a further capital expenditure of $573 million for buying or developing assets.

New Zealand's 38 SAS soldiers in Afghanistan are based in Kabul.

SAS soldier Corporal Doug Grant was killed in Kabul on August 18 and Lance Corporal Leon Smith was killed on September 28.

POKER MACHINE FACTS

Poker machine venues, numbers and losses by district April - June: Whangarei - 24 venues, 325 machines (1.78 per cent of national total), $3.712 million (1.69 per cent of national total). Far North - 30,364, (1.99 per cent), $3.809 million (1.73 per cent). Kaipara - 10, 69 (.38 per cent), $592,460 (.27 per cent). Source: Internal Affairs.

Where to go for help: Problem Gambling Foundation: 0800 664262, or email help@pgfnz.org.nz Nga Manga Puriri: (09) 437 0167 or email: tatou@ngamangapuriri.org.nz