Toast North Melbourne - Proudly Pokie Free

[Dodecahedron]

It was a great day for me when they removed the poker machines from Etihad. The Livewire area on level two used to be full of them. It was really hard for me to go to the footy and have a few drinks, and stay away from the bloody things during the halftime break. I remember getting a bit pissed at a game one Friday night and putting my whole week's wage through the machine. I didn't have a red cent left in the bank. I had to ring my (now ex-) wife and tell her shame facedly what had happened. That was a hard phone call.

I went back to Ireland for a couple of years. When I returned and went to my first game at Etihad and saw all the pokie machines were gone it was an amazing relief. It's made a big difference to my enjoyment of live football.

I didn't know the machines were operated by specific clubs, I thought they were just part of Etihad. So thank you to North Melbourne for getting rid of yours. It's been a big deal for this pokies addict.

Much appreciated. If the Western suburbs is truly their thing, they should care about the mess they’ve left behind.

 

[ferball]

Yep mate.
If you have $millions spare, it actually has the potential to be converted into apartments.

Well if I'd bought that bitcoin @ 20cents a piece in 2011....


My nephew lives around Footscray/Maidstone and whenever i'm down that way i visit him. I've driven past that place a couple of times in the last few years trying to dodge peak hour traffic (usually unsuccessfully) and wondered what its story was. It hadn't changed for years.

I lived in Maribyrnong for a few years in the 80s before all that stuff along that western river bank was built. That unfinished mess reminds me of the old days.

 

[Mr. Blonde]

Of Hawthorns $23M revenue through pokies, what is the profit they made out of these machines?

 

[goalieboy82]

i happen to like Pokey:

 

[bresker]

Of Hawthorns $23M revenue through pokies, what is the profit they made out of these machines?

It’s hard to tell as they have to pay for the licenses and operating costs etc. The information is probably on their club website if you look for their financial reports.

Hawthorn are one of the clubs who get a big tax write-off on their pokie profits because they claim them as ‘community benefits’ or some similar bullshit

http://www.smh.com.au/national/hawks-claim-2m-pokies-revenue-as-community-benefit-20081004-4txr.html

 

[Passmore]

It’s hard to tell as they have to pay for the licenses and operating costs etc. The information is probably on their club website if you look for their financial reports.

Hawthorn are one of the clubs who get a big tax write-off on their pokie profits because they claim them as ‘community benefits’ or some similar bullshit

http://www.smh.com.au/national/hawks-claim-2m-pokies-revenue-as-community-benefit-20081004-4txr.html

"Community benefit"!!?? What the *?

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

 

[Grogg]

It’s hard to tell as they have to pay for the licenses and operating costs etc. The information is probably on their club website if you look for their financial reports.

Hawthorn are one of the clubs who get a big tax write-off on their pokie profits because they claim them as ‘community benefits’ or some similar bullshit

http://www.smh.com.au/national/hawks-claim-2m-pokies-revenue-as-community-benefit-20081004-4txr.html

Hilarious eh?

I remember reading a post from a Hawthorn bigfooty type who worked at one of these community benefit establishments. His rationale at the time was that there was a great benefit to elderly citizens who had nowhere to spend their time (or their pennies) in what would otherwise be a sad and lonely life. Add in the fact that the meals and drinks cost next to nothing and whammo, there's your community benefit right there!

This was all said in earnest sincerity and unfortunately, it's a mentality that's not uncommon.

 

[North Viking]

Hilarious eh?

I remember reading a post from a Hawthorn bigfooty type who worked at one of these community benefit establishments. His rationale at the time was that there was a great benefit to elderly citizens who had nowhere to spend their time (or their pennies) in what would otherwise be a sad and lonely life. Add in the fact that the meals and drinks cost next to nothing and whammo, there's your community benefit right there!

This was all said in earnest sincerity and unfortunately, it's a mentality that's not uncommon.

Must be the same elderly citizens who can’t turn on heating and cooling because of ridiculously high electricity and service to property rates and dine on tins of dog food...........because the *en pokies has taken all their money.

 

[Passmore]

Hilarious eh?

I remember reading a post from a Hawthorn bigfooty type who worked at one of these community benefit establishments. His rationale at the time was that there was a great benefit to elderly citizens who had nowhere to spend their time (or their pennies) in what would otherwise be a sad and lonely life. Add in the fact that the meals and drinks cost next to nothing and whammo, there's your community benefit right there!

This was all said in earnest sincerity and unfortunately, it's a mentality that's not uncommon.

I’m not one to deny people a flutter on the pokies. *, I love a weekly punt on the horses. But to dress this up as a community service....* me laughing....only Whorethorn.

If they want to provide a real community service, offer these folk a cheap meal and place to meet without the caveat of pissing up all their money.

 

[ferball]

Hilarious eh?

I remember reading a post from a Hawthorn bigfooty type who worked at one of these community benefit establishments. His rationale at the time was that there was a great benefit to elderly citizens who had nowhere to spend their time (or their pennies) in what would otherwise be a sad and lonely life. Add in the fact that the meals and drinks cost next to nothing and whammo, there's your community benefit right there!

This was all said in earnest sincerity and unfortunately, it's a mentality that's not uncommon.

Leagues Clubs in NSW have exactly the same set of justifications and get all sorts of tax benefits from them as well.

 

[gokangas]

Leagues Clubs in NSW have exactly the same set of justifications and get all sorts of tax benefits from them as well.

This whole 'community benefit' angle is so open to abuse. I know at a local club that I have some involvement with that they can rort that clause in so many ways. Cannot believe the government does not audit this in a much more stringent way.
The problem with pokies in Victoria is that when they were introduced by Kirner the Labor Government set them up in a way that allowed private companies and people to profit from them and that took away the club set ups like NSW had at the time whereby profits were invested in community good projects. Once people could make money out of pokies it was never going to be done in a good way.

 

[Twinkletoes]

Leagues Clubs in NSW have exactly the same set of justifications and get all sorts of tax benefits from them as well.

RSL clubs as well ferbs. I had to meet a few other school dads in our nearby RSL last year and sure enough it was filled with pokies and sad faced gambling addicts who grumbled through the three minutes they had to stop feeding the machine and stand for the Ode etc. It was a sad sight, especially through the eyes of someone who managed a gaming venue for the first couple of years when they first landed in Vic, and who saw the very worst of what they can do to the vulnerable, as I did.

 

[ferball]

RSL clubs as well ferbs. I had to meet a few other school dads in our nearby RSL last year and sure enough it was filled with pokies and sad faced gambling addicts who grumbled through the three minutes they had to stop feeding the machine and stand for the Ode etc. It was a sad sight, especially through the eyes of someone who managed a gaming venue for the first couple of years when they first landed in Vic, and who saw the very worst of what they can do to the vulnerable, as I did.

The RSL pisses me off a bit too cos they seem to do * all for war veterans and yet they really are in a position to do so much stuff. I'm got (or had ... R.I.P.) mates who were veterans of nearly every war or military action since Vietnam and PTSD is a massive problem among them. The RSL's role is taken up by a whole of NGOs and community organisations that specifically deals with PTSD and while I know some state branches of the RSL offer some assistance to those groups there really could be so much more done.

I don't mind gambling on horses or at casinos or whatever. Two up is fun. But even those things have the potential to stuff people up. But not in the way Pokies do.

The other thing about Pokies apart from the way they are designed at attract vulnerable personalities is their anti social nature.

Grumbling thru the Ode.. - so they can get back to their anti social, shut out the world trance. Targeting vulnerable people who need the escape and are easily sucked in by screens.

Every other form of gambling has the potential to be a social event. At Card or Roulette tables you have to interact with people. Its easy to be social at the races and Two Up is more about hanging out with your mates on a public holiday than winning heaps of cash. All of those things are games that people play or events they watch together. Pokies aren't.

 

[bresker]

The original RSLs were set up by WW1 veterans to meet and drink and help each other, in an age when no-one understood PTSD or the trauma of war. They probably had a sneaky game of two-up or cards to pass the time and be sociable.

If those same veterans could see what the RSL has become today they’d be disgusted. I hate them. I’ll happily give money to service charities especially helping soldiers with PTSD. But I’ll never give a cent to the RSL.

If anyone here lives in Preston/Darebin, the RSL wants to install more pokies in the club on the corner of Bell & St George’s Rd. I’m going to fight them.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/...h/news-story/535a0090e1041d0dd070e7655a015aba

 

[bresker]

Well that was a strange night. Chief will be happy to know that Peter Gordon and the Bulldogs board are avid followers of bigfooty, at least my posts (hi Peter!) bigfooty was referenced several times at the AGM and the very words I used on this thread were quoted and used to attack me!!!

 

[Grogg]

Well that was a strange night. Chief will be happy to know that Peter Gordon and the Bulldogs board are avid followers of bigfooty, at least my posts (hi Peter!) bigfooty was referenced several times at the AGM and the very words I used on this thread were quoted and used to attack me!!!

They are s**t scared of you bresker and everything you represent.

Keep fighting the good fight

 

[Hearts to hearts]

Well that was a strange night. Chief will be happy to know that Peter Gordon and the Bulldogs board are avid followers of bigfooty, at least my posts (hi Peter!) bigfooty was referenced several times at the AGM and the very words I used on this thread were quoted and used to attack me!!!

Disgraceful. I saw Stephen Mayne is working to show up the poor behaviour with your candidate statement.

 

[ferball]

Well that was a strange night. Chief will be happy to know that Peter Gordon and the Bulldogs board are avid followers of bigfooty, at least my posts (hi Peter!) bigfooty was referenced several times at the AGM and the very words I used on this thread were quoted and used to attack me!!!

Pokies politics seems like a dirty game. Remember when Julia Gillard shat herself at the thought of fighting the pokie lobby with all her other stresses and ****ed over Andrew Wilkie? It probably was the only thing she could have done to build some genuine good will and she squibbed it.

I agree with Grogg - they are scared of you. Otherwise there'd be no attacks. Its like when you're playing footy - when the other side start punching and carrying on you know you've got them and if you wanna win just keep doing what you are doing but harder. Its better to be attacked than ignored when you're doing any sort of activism. People will attack a genuine threat cos they can't ignore it.

 

[bresker]

Disgraceful. I saw Stephen Mayne is working to show up the poor behaviour with your candidate statement.

I’ve been communicating with Stephen a bit but didn’t realise he’d published anything. I’m in the Age too:

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-ne...ged-to-give-up-pokie-machines-20180123-h0myfk

 

[GarnerSmash]

I’ve been communicating with Stephen a bit but didn’t realise he’d published anything. I’m in the Age too:

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-ne...ged-to-give-up-pokie-machines-20180123-h0myfk

Fair play to you mate.

 

[ferball]

One more point. This is a thing that could generate some real grass roots momentum. Not just at The Bulldogs either but across the whole league. Its no wonder they are shitting themselves.

So .... they might go after you a bit. (Whoever "they" are.)

You might want to canvas members and start building some support.

There's probably a few North people on this board who know a thing or two about generating club support - a different issue for sure but they probably still have a few pointers.

If you set yourself a goal - in 5 years when the license comes up for renewal the club won't renew - and formulate a plan or the beginings of a plan to get there, including replacing the revenue (if necessary) then you can present that to members/people in your club who want the Bulldogs to be pokie free and they have something they can actually see and work with.

That might be enough to get the board or at least some members onside as well. There might even be people in the club who hold important positions who would support you if you offered something people could see had a real chance of working. There will be some people in your club who value the kudos associated with making the Bulldogs pokie free. But you'll have to have something to put to them that they can work with. And you'll have to do it cos you'll need allies.

And you will also need a "rest of your life" support network as well who aren't necessarily involved. Friends you can trust who aren't right into what you're doing. When stuff like this takes over someones life it isn't healthy. Even if it all works out - if you associate too much of your identity with it then when its over an important part of you will be gone. If its only one of the things you do with your life the other ones will make it much easier to recharge.

 

[ferball]

I’ve been communicating with Stephen a bit but didn’t realise he’d published anything. I’m in the Age too:

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-ne...ged-to-give-up-pokie-machines-20180123-h0myfk

That's a great article.

Some of the things I mentioned are referred to in there. Project Fruit looks like it might be a useful place to talk to.

 

[bresker]

One more point. This is a thing that could generate some real grass roots momentum. Not just at The Bulldogs either but across the whole league. Its no wonder they are shitting themselves.

So .... they might go after you a bit. (Whoever "they" are.)

You might want to canvas members and start building some support.

There's probably a few North people on this board who know a thing or two about generating club support - a different issue for sure but they probably still have a few pointers.

If you set yourself a goal - in 5 years when the license comes up for renewal the club won't renew - and formulate a plan or the beginings of a plan to get there, including replacing the revenue (if necessary) then you can present that to members/people in your club who want the Bulldogs to be pokie free and they have something they can actually see and work with.

That might be enough to get the board or at least some members onside as well. There might even be people in the club who hold important positions who would support you if you offered something people could see had a real chance of working. There will be some people in your club who value the kudos associated with making the Bulldogs pokie free. But you'll have to have something to put to them that they can work with. And you'll have to do it cos you'll need allies.

And you will also need a "rest of your life" support network as well who aren't necessarily involved. Friends you can trust who aren't right into what you're doing. When stuff like this takes over someones life it isn't healthy. Even if it all works out - if you associate too much of your identity with it then when its over an important part of you will be gone. If its only one of the things you do with your life the other ones will make it much easier to recharge.

Thanks Ferball you are a very good person. Thanks for all of your support.

I might as well tell you this because I’ve laid a lot of my life open in this thread.

In June of last year my two week old daughter had a massive heart attack. She only, only just survived because we live close to the Royal Children’s Hospital, one of the greatest children’s hospitals in the world and one of only about 6 in the world that could have saved her life.

This experience caused me to become very brave because I had no choice but to be brave.

So nothing the Bulldogs can do will ever hurt me because nothing comes close to my daughters intense & extraordinary battle to be alive. My life has changed already. No words can ever damage me.

 

[North Viking]

I’ve been communicating with Stephen a bit but didn’t realise he’d published anything. I’m in the Age too:

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-ne...ged-to-give-up-pokie-machines-20180123-h0myfk

Respect!!

Good on you for trying to make a difference.

 

[tazaa]

Thanks Ferball you are a very good person. Thanks for all of your support.

I might as well tell you this because I’ve laid a lot of my life open in this thread.

In June of last year my two week old daughter had a massive heart attack. She only, only just survived because we live close to the Royal Children’s Hospital, one of the greatest children’s hospitals in the world and one of only about 6 in the world that could have saved her life.

This experience caused me to become very brave because I had no choice but to be brave.

So nothing the Bulldogs can do will ever hurt me because nothing comes close to my daughters intense & extraordinary battle to be alive. My life has changed already. No words can ever damage me.

Got my full backing mate.
Well done and very brave what you are doing. Dont stop