http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/...tory/a861efc37d32af893a9827cd8081c513?login=1
The local council which presides over the home of the Hawthorn Football Club has taken the extraordinary step of asking the AFL club to remove its poker machines from the neighbourhood.
Monash Council is staying strong in its push to ditch pokies across the area despite being rebuked by Hawthorn president and former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett.
Monash Mayor Paul Klisaris sent a letter to Mr Kennett on behalf of council, calling on the club to walk away from relying on pokies revenue.
Hawks properties recorded $23.29 million in pokies losses for 2016-17, with $10.86 million coming from Mulgrave club Vegas at Waverley Gardens.
In his reply to Mr Klisaris, Mr Kennett labelled the contents of the letter “extraordinary”.
He wrote that gaming machines were legal, most of the community did not use them, but that many who did were “older citizens who attend gaming venues, play the lowest denominator machines, not to make or lose money, but to go somewhere during the day for company”.
Monash is the sixth-highest local government area in Victoria for pokies losses, with $109 million lost in the 2016-17 financial year.
The local council which presides over the home of the Hawthorn Football Club has taken the extraordinary step of asking the AFL club to remove its poker machines from the neighbourhood.
Monash Council is staying strong in its push to ditch pokies across the area despite being rebuked by Hawthorn president and former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett.
Monash Mayor Paul Klisaris sent a letter to Mr Kennett on behalf of council, calling on the club to walk away from relying on pokies revenue.
Hawks properties recorded $23.29 million in pokies losses for 2016-17, with $10.86 million coming from Mulgrave club Vegas at Waverley Gardens.
In his reply to Mr Klisaris, Mr Kennett labelled the contents of the letter “extraordinary”.
He wrote that gaming machines were legal, most of the community did not use them, but that many who did were “older citizens who attend gaming venues, play the lowest denominator machines, not to make or lose money, but to go somewhere during the day for company”.
Monash is the sixth-highest local government area in Victoria for pokies losses, with $109 million lost in the 2016-17 financial year.