M.P. against casinos

Press, 6 September 1989, Page 7

M.P. against casinos

By

ANABRIGHT HAY

If New Zealand relies on gambling to secure its future it will not have one, the member of Parliament for Sydenham, Mr Jim Anderton, says. Speaking after receiving a petition opposed to the introduction of casinos in New Zealand, Mr Anderton said his decision to come down against casinos had not been difficult. “I’ve seen them overseas and I haven’t been attracted to them,” he said. People might well question the priorities of New Zealand, a country that closed hospitals and post offices and opened Lotto agencies and casinos. Mr Anderton said he was not a crusader on the issue but he would vote against the introduction of casinos in New Zealand when the bill to legalise them came before Parliament. Arts and recreation funding, to which levies on casinos will go, could be raised in cheaper and better ways. It was “ludicrous” to think tourists would come

from the other side of the world to gamble here, he said. “Who wants to live in a place like Las Vegas? I don’t and I’m sure many others don’t.” The organiser of “People against Casinos” and the petition, Mr Eric Livingstone, said signatures had been collected mainly by mail and through personal contacts. The petition was aimed to be indicative of the widespread opposition to casinos. He had not aimed for sheer numbers to reflect that feeling. An Internal Affairs Department survey published last year showed 62 per cent of New Zealanders did not want casinos, he said. The Commerce and Marketing Select Committee is discussing the Casino Control Bill. Mr Livingstone said the Methodist and Presbyterian public questions committee would make submissions on it tomorrow. The bill is expected to come before Parliament within the next two months.