Poker machines stats don't add up
Letter to the Editor
Fairfield Advance, Wed 7 May 2008

Has Thang Ngo actually read the report upon which he bases his claim that 78% of household disposable income in Fairfield is spent on playing poker machines (Lalich's payout over pokies, Fairfield Advance, April 16)?

It's a relatively short report and took only a few minutes for the flawed logic of his conclusion to become apparent.

I would hope that even Thang Ngo, complete with his repetitive anti-clubs bias, would acknowledge that a portion of the gambling that occurs at Fairfield clubs is done by people who don't actually live in the local government area.

The cited report attributes the spending of the hundreds of thousands of visitors and tourists to that of Fairfield residents.

Such an assumption further perpetuates unfair and incorrect negative media stereotypes of Fairfield and its community.

If Thang Ngo doesn't have the time to read reports relating to gambling, then perhaps it is time he started saying nothing at all.

Jeremy Bath
ClubsNSW
Media relations manager