Protests by politicians unlikely to stop casinos

Press, 31 January 1989, Page 6

Protests by politicians unlikely to stop casinos

By

PETER LUKE,

political reporter

Casinos seem certain to become a reality in New Zealand over the protests of politicians from both sides of the House.

Even the member of Parliament for Coromandel, Mr Graeme Lee (Nat.), was pessimistic that his trenchant opposition to casinos would succeed. Casino legislation is likely to be introduced into Parliament before June, after the release yesterday of the favourable report of the Committee of Inquiry headed by Sir Desmond Sullivan. The Minister of Tourism, Mr Hunt, made it clear that politicians would exercise a conscience vote on the bill. He believed there would be a wide margin of support for the proposal. Mr Lee, easily the most vocal Parliamentary opponent of casinos, suggested yesterday that his own party could be divided over the issue — with more decisive Labour endorsement carrying the day. Within National, the tourism spokesman, Mr Warren Cooper, is so ardent a supporter of casinos that he has spon-

sored a private member’s bill to allow them. Support for casinos extends to the Service Workers’ Federation, which would probably provide coverage for most casino workers. The federation’s secretary, Mr Rick Barker, said last evening that his union supported the opportunities offered by casinos that were part of entertainment or convention complexes. In New Zealand such complexes might create between 700 and 1200 jobs. The Service Workers’ Federation, however, envisaged Government ownership of casinos, rather than the private control envisaged in the report. Christchurch’s Labour members of Parliament cover the full spectrum of attitudes to casinos. The Minister of External Relations and Trade, Mr Moore (Christchurch North), has been a supporter, but his backbench colleague from Sydenham, Mr Jim Anderton, has continued his initial

opposition to casino proposals. Mr Anderton had yet to read the Sullivan report, but he described casinos yesterday as an “artificial” tourist attraction. “I would take a lot of convincing . that casinos are the salvation of New Zealand,” he said. The report endorsed casinos but proposed a rigid system of safeguards against corruption. The key to this system would be an independent Casino Supervisory Authority to ensure a fair allocation of licences and protect against graft. “The very last thing we want in this country is any suggestion that groups like the Mafia would be involved in gambling,” Mr Hunt said. “New Zealand has already demonstrated in the horse-racing industry that it can operate a gambling operation significantly free of corruption.” The report stopped short of recommending casino sites or numbers. Instead it advocated that a casino company be allowed in each island —

Casino North and Casino South. Each would be guaranteed a three-year monopoly over casinos and each would be privately owned with a New Zealand majority ownership. The site or sites of casinos would be determined by these companies, subject to the report’s proposed mechanisms. The report contained nothing, however, to deter speculation that Christchurch, as a large metropolitan area and as a tourist gateway, and Queenstown, as a main tourist mecca, would be front-runners for the roulette wheels and black jack tables. Mr Hunt, in endorsing the report, based his view on tourism, and the economic and employment opportunities that would flow from casinos. He noted that many tourists comment on the lack of nightlife to complement the country’s tourist attractions. Casinos would also add to the entertainment choices of local people,

who would make up about 70 per cent of the clientele. Mr Hunt commended the report for discussing the wider social and moral aspects of the issue. The Sullivan committee recommended several safeguards, including a ban on tipping or using credit cards. It also recommended levies on casinos to compensate community groups and charities for lost raffle earnings, and to help fund programmes for addicted gamblers. Mr Lee condemned the introduction of casinos, saying that when the country was “on its knees financially” the Government’s only initiative was to add more gambling opportunities. He criticised the committee for looking only at the financial and moral effects of casinos — not gambling as a whole. But the committee • did recommend a comprehensive review of the legislation and the social and economic issues affecting geimbling.