Jacqui Lambie (Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie Network) Share this | Hansard source

On the one hand, Tasmanians gave $43 million to charity in 2016-17. On the other hand, they gave $110 million to the pokies. The Liberals say pokies create job. You know what pokies really create? They create absolute pain and misery. People are committing suicide because of these machines. These machines suck the life out of the local communities and they are sucking the life out of Tasmania. Nobody wins from these machines except the people who own them and the people who take political donations from the people who own them. They win big by selling a product that hooks you in and bleeds you dry. Half the money these machines pull in comes from problem gamblers. It's a business model built on the abuse of the most vulnerable in our society. It's absolutely robbery and it's absolutely shameful. I support this motion because pokies are a curse. The sooner they are removed from our pubs and clubs, the better.