Casino ad ban plan

Jim Gainsford, Fairfield Champion, 25 Sept 2002

THE state government has stepped in to stop Casino Canberra advertising in Cabramatta.

NSW gaming minister Richard Face will formally request that the casino stop advertising its weekly casino shuttle bus service.

Despite Casino Canberra stating last week it has stopped advertising in the local Vietnamese press, this week it was seeking - unsuccessfully - to place ads in the Champion.

The casino stirred local anger a month ago when it began promoting a weekend courtesy bus from Cabramatta direct to the Australian capital.

The $60 fare included bus transport, overnight accommodation, "free casino membership", meals and tour of Canberra - but with the condition punters must "buy in" to the casino for $1000.

This came at the same time as the state government pours hundreds of thousands of dollars into helping local problem gamblers.

Fairfield's only Vietnamese-speaking councillor Thang Ngo, who fought the shuttle service from day one, said the casino was deliberately targeting Cabramatta and questioned its fitness to hold a casino licence.

He collected more than 150 signatures at the recent Moon Festival on a petition calling on Casino Canberra to cancel the weekly shuttle service.

Last week Mr Face said Canberra Casino was adopting a predatory policy targeting a vulnerable section of the community - middle-aged housewives, most of whom could not afford to lose the $1000 they are required to gamble to qualify for the package.

Mr Face will hold urgent talks with the ACT minister but stressed that the NSW government could not legislate to stop "this pernicious practice".

"I will be asking the ACT minister to implement an enforceable code of practice to include anti-predatory marketing measures," Mr Face said. "I appeal to the casino to withdraw this unacceptable campaign."

Cabramatta MP Reba Meagher weighed into the debate last week by asking the state government to consider introducing legislation to ban casino advertisements.

"I commend the actions of Cr Ngo," Ms Meagher told parliament. "Cr Ngo and I do not always see eye to eye, but I do believe that we share a deep and genuine concern for the welfare of the Vietnamese who call Australia home," she said.