Marisa Paterson, MLA, has decided not to table amendments that would reduce the number of slot machines in Canberra to 1000. Photo: Michelle Kroll.

The Australian Capital Territory Labor Party withdrew its own amendments in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday (5 September) to phase in a 500-person reduction in the number of poker machines every four years for the next 20 years.

Although the party backed a bill to reduce the number of machines to 3,500 by July 2025, Dr Marisa Paterson MLA has backed down on further reforms she had developed that would have reduced the number to 1,000 by 2045.

“I went to the chamber on Wednesday morning and the Greens amendments were invalid,” Dr Paterson said. Region.

“Within half an hour I had an email from the (Greens Gaming) Minister Rattenbury saying he would support (my amendments) but it was too late. We had already decided not to move them. There was a risk they wouldn’t be passed and you can’t move the same amendments within 12 months if they’re not supported. The decision was made to move our plan to the election.”

Mr Rattenbury denies claims he did not give Labour enough time.

“I spoke to the Prime Minister on Wednesday, 24 hours before the debate started, to confirm that the Greens would support the amendment,” he said.

“I then sent them a direct email at 10:45 a.m. (Thursday) confirming in writing that we would support the amendments. The debate didn’t start until 12:00 p.m., but they still felt I hadn’t given them enough time. I don’t know how much time they need. I think 24 hours is plenty.”

Greens and Labor at odds again over poker machines. Photo: Michelle Kroll.

Region has seen an email that Mr Rattenbury sent to the Prime Minister and Dr Paterson on Thursday morning in which he said: “As we have discussed with each of you over the last day, I can confirm that if the matter is moved, the Greens will support the Marisa amendment to reduce the number (pokies) to 1,000.”

Mr Rattenbury also wanted to introduce new legislation that would allow for the creation of a central monitoring system (CMS), a tool that would link all ACT poker machines to collect data and reduce gambling losses.

“I advocate an account-based system where you set a limit on how much you’re willing to spend before you enter the club. Once you hit that limit, your account stops you from gambling any more… that’s best practice to minimize harm,” he said.

“CSM connects all the machines… if you go to the specialists and spend as much as you can, you can’t go somewhere else and start over.”

The ACT Labor Party does not support this reform.

“The revelation this week that the cost of the Central Monitoring System (CMS) is around $180 million confirms our concerns that CMS is a significant investment in poker machines that would tie up 3500 machines in the ACT for the next 10 to 20 years,” Dr Paterson said.

“The CMS is not profitable without that many machines (since the CMS is funded by poker machine revenue).”

Mr Rattenbury also denies this, claiming that implementing a CMS could happen in a shorter time frame and would enable a gradual reduction in the number of machines.

Dr Paterson said a re-elected Labor government in the Australian Capital Territory would introduce mandatory cashless, account-based gambling, as well as her reforms to gradually reduce the number of poker machines to 1000.