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Ingram calls for tighter gaming controlsEast Gippsland has defied a state-wide trend and increased its spending on poker machines for the 2003/04 financial year, according to the Member for Gippsland East, Craig Ingram. By Craig Ingram - 3rd August 2004 - Back to News "Latest figures show a six per cent rise in gambling loss in East Gippsland, which is alarming when you consider that this area also has one of the lowest median weekly family incomes in Victoria.
"According to figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics the average median income in Victoria is $800-999, with the average for my electorate of Gippsland East being $600-699.
"The losses to this area are unacceptable and government must implement further measures to reduce the social and financial impact caused by gaming machines.
"When you look at the large amount that East Gippsland residents are putting through gaming machines, you have to question what the real benefit is to the area.
"The Community Support Fund was established by the State Government as a way of putting money back into areas with poker machines, but the fund has only just recommenced after a long break and no funding was forthcoming anywhere during this time. "I have written to the Gaming Minister calling for tighter controls to reduce the social impact of gambling in areas that are losing the most to these machines," Mr Ingram concluded.
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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