Unions Wellington is the Local Affiliate Council of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi (NZCTU), bringing together tens of thousands of union members in our city. Currently led by a committee of six members and staff from affiliated unions, we are the united voice for working people and their families in the Capital.
Our Constitutional Objects, which include promoting and protecting the economic, social, industrial, political and educational interests of working people in Wellington, led us to make a submission as part of Wellington City Council’s review of its Gambling Venues Policy.
We consulted our parent body, the NZCTU, considered the position of working people in the city and consulted with representatives of the unionised workers in health and social services who provide support to individuals and communities experiencing gambling harm.
It was great to work with the rest of the Unions Wellington committee to produce the submission, based on a Public Health approach, calling on the City Council to:
- Implement a sinking lid, which allows no new venues or machines in Wellington.
- Support the ActionStation submission (“No More Pokies in Wellington”), and specifically to implement a gambling venues policy that provides:
★ A ban on any new venues including TAB venues: No new pokies venues will be permitted in Wellington.
★ No relocations: If a venue with pokies is forced to close or voluntarily closes, the Council will not permit the pokie machines to be relocated to any venue within the Council area.
★ No venue mergers: Where pubs and clubs that host pokies merge, they will no longer be permitted to host pokies.
Our full submission is available at:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1j98QOZdzYicmoaI9VOrRGOYPgquALJwx/
Grant Brookes | Nurse & Trade Unionist 