Sinking lid policy on pokies to stay
The Kaipara District Council is to retain its policy of letting the number of gambling machines and venues diminish.
Council spokeswoman Barbara Ware said a recent review of the council's gambling venue policy showed overwhelming public support for the "sinking lid" approach.
This means when machines and venues are given up or closed they are not be replaced.
Since the implementation of the sinking lid approach in 2003 there has been a reduction in the number of venues and machines in the Kaipara District.
Council received 144 submissions to its annual plan. About 10 submitters asked to be heard in support of their submissions.
The submission hearings took place in Maungaturoto on May 9 and were adopted earlier this month. The council heard from the New Zealand Racing Board, which was the only submitter out of the 144 submissions received, to comment on TAB venues.
The Racing Board submitted on two points. It asked the council to separate its class 4 gambling venue and board venue policy into two documents - something a number of other councils were electing to do.
Class 4 gambling and board venues are dealt with under different laws.
Deputy Mayor Julie Geange, who chairs the hearings committee, said: "It makes sense for the document to be separated so the council can deal with each area under its respective act [of Parliament]."
The Racing Board also asked the council to permit up to two board venues in the Kaipara. Kaipara has no board venues but does have five TAB facilities.
The Racing Board has no plans to open a TAB venue in the Kaipara but wanted the option to do so in the future.
Ms Geange pointed out council consent was not required to open a TAB facility in a bar, hotel or club. "We [the council] don't believe operating a TAB in these less-supervised bar environments is the best place for a TAB to operate."
Another submitter, The Dargaville Club, which lost its licence for two gambling machines in 2007 due to a change in the policy operated by the Department of Internal Affairs, was given approval to apply for a licence to regain the two machines.
This DIA policy change was successfully challenged by the club in September 2010 but the council's local policy did not permit the club to regain its machines.
The club asked for the council to permit it to hold up to four machines.
Councillor Geange said the club had found itself in a unique situation through no fault of its own.
