Paul Osborne faces claims of financial irregularities and harassment, writes Kate McClymont.

THE board of the Parramatta NRL club is in crisis following allegations of financial irregularities and a complaint against the club's chief executive, Paul Osborne.

Matters came to a head on Monday when Glenn Duncan, a director of Parramatta Rugby League Club and head of the club's major sponsor Pirtek, resigned over the board's failure to take action against Mr Osborne.

'Having reflected on the matter, and in the interest of probity,'' Mr Spagnolo said he would not deal ''with Paul's future employment while Paul is personally indebted to me''.

He confirmed yesterday to the Herald that Mr Osborne still owed him money but refused to disclose the amount. ''It's nothing to do with the club. It is a personal situation,'' he said.

On top of his financial problems, Mr Osborne, a father of nine and a member of Hillsong Church, has also been the subject of an internal investigation over his relationship with a work colleague.

Club officials met a young female employee yesterday, who alleges that Mr Osborne and his colleague had accused her of gossiping about their relationship.

Mr Spagnolo said the matter had been dealt with by the board but he did not wish to discuss how it had been dealt with.

As to Mr Osborne's future with the club, Mr Spagnolo said: ''He will be with the club.''

Mr Duncan declined to comment on the Osborne matter yesterday, except to say: ''The recent decisions of the board go against all my business principles which place me in a position of no longer being able to meet my expectations and duties as a director.''

Mr Osborne's financial problems have been exacerbated by his purchase of a $1.9 million Byron Bay holiday home in April.

The container ship Rena is stuck on a reef in New Zealand's waters and has been leaking oil into the sea for over a week.

The ship is registered in Liberia, a country well known for offering ship owners "flags of convenience", a business practice that allows ship owners to register their vessels in an alternate sovereign state to their place of origin.

In the case of Rena, the ship is owned by Greeks, registered in Liberia and operated by a Filipino crew - most likely to avoid stricter health, safety and employment regulations enforced in Greece.

The benefits to developing countries like Liberia are large fees that foreign ship owners have to pay to register their vessels under their flag. But in cases like that of the Rena, the flags of convenience system raises questions about where responsibility, and culpability, lies. 

Al Jazeera's Yvonne Ndege reports from the Liberian capital, Monrovia.

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/10/2011101575514543985.html

MORE than $11 billion is pushed through gaming machines in NSW every three months, giving clubs a profit of $800 million.

Anti-pokies campaigners, including churches and the Greens, say that figure makes a mockery of claims clubs cannot afford to introduce gambling controls.

Clubs acknowledge that cash donations to charities and community organisations account for only 2.7 per cent of their income [outcome].

THE Nine Network has changed its explanation for criticisms that rugby league commentators Ray Warren and Phil Gould made on-air about the proposed poker machine reforms, saying the comments reflected the network's own position.

When Warren and Gould spoke out against the mooted pre-commitment system for poker machines during the preliminary final last month between Manly and Brisbane, Nine's initial explanation was that the pair were expressing their own views.

But in the face of an inquiry by the Australian Communications and Media Authority into complaints that Nine did not adequately identify political material, the network now says the comments ''reflect the views of the Nine Network''.

SUPPORT in NSW for restrictions on poker machines has plummeted under the onslaught of a multimillion-dollar publicity campaign by clubs, hotels and the NRL.

The latest Herald/Nielsen poll shows that support for mandatory pre-commitment technology on the machines has fallen from 66 per cent in April to 52 today.

In NSW, opposition to the reforms, which the Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie is demanding, has risen from 30 per cent in April to 44 today.

HUNDREDS of NSW clubs will be banned from giving cash prizes in late-night raffles after the minister responsible for gaming said they might be illegal.

The Minister for Tourism and Hospitality, George Souris, said he would legislate if necessary to stop clubs raffling cash after 10pm after the Herald revealed that St Johns Park Bowling Club at Fairfield was handing out $100 bills in its gaming room from 2.30am in an apparent attempt to keep patrons at poker machines.

''I want them stopped beyond 10pm,'' Mr Souris said.

His criticism contrasts with the package of pro-clubs legislation the government has introduced since it took power. Mr Souris signalled more help for clubs and promised changes to the planning system to ensure big new housing estates earmarked prime-location land for future clubs.

''The developer would have to set aside an area, as they already have to for a school and shopping centre … to allow clubs to create new clubs in expanding areas,'' he said.

A GROUP raising awareness about problem gambling says its funding from the clubs industry was halted after it spoke out in favour of the federal government's plans to introduce mandatory pre-commitment technology on gaming machines.

Kate Roberts, the chairwoman of the Gambling Impact Society, a registered charity, said the grants the society had received each year for the past 10 years stopped after she declared her support for the government's policy.

''If you speak out you're doomed,'' she said. ''I strongly believe [local clubs] have been pressured not to support us. We are the only voice out there … trying to represent people with problems.''

Independent MP Andrew Wilkie has lashed out against Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's pledge to repeal poker machine reform legislation, saying it is just "pandering to his political self-interest".

Mr Abbott last night predicted that the Coalition would repeal the poker machine betting limit legislation which the Government will introduce in return for Mr Wilkie's support.

The legislation is based on recommendations by the Productivity Commission on strategies to reduce problem gambling.

Mr Wilkie has threatened to withdraw his support for the Gillard minority Government if the bill does not pass.

But vigorous opposition to the legislation from Clubs Australia and rugby league identities is giving the Government a political headache.

Last night Mr Abbott told a rally of more than 1,000 people at the Campbelltown RSL in south-western Sydney that problem gambling was an individual issue which can be dealt with by counselling.

In statement today, Mr Wilkie described Mr Abbott's stance as a "very disappointing exhibition".

"Mr Abbott is showing no respect for the hundreds of thousands of Australians touched by poker machine problem gambling, no respect for the Productivity Commission, and no respect for the Australian community who support genuine poker machine reform," he said.

"Mr Abbott fails to understand that 95,000 Australian problem gamblers lose some $5 billion each year on the pokies.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-10-26/wilkie-slams-abbott27s-pokie-comments/3601396?WT.svl=news0

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Australia's largest grocery retailer Woolworths was forced to defend its gambling business at its annual general meeting in Sydney today.

Chairman James Strong told shareholders the company had survived a worldwide downturn in the retail sector to post a record net profit of $2.1 billion.

The result was a 5.1 per cent increase on the previous year and the 12th consecutive rise in profits.

"2011 was undoubtedly one of the most challenging years the retail sector in Australia has seen for a long time," Mr Strong said.

"It was marked by tightened consumer spending, increased competition in retail, an increase in personal savings rates, deflation in many categories, a strong Australian dollar."

The company will announce its plans for the future of its struggling Dick Smith Electronics business in February.

Woolworths is the majority owner of pub and bottle shop company Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group, which also is Australia's largest poker machine operator.

At the meeting, activist group GetUp's national director Simon Sheik presented a petition containing more than 60,000 signatures against the grocery company's move to block the Federal Government's proposed poker machine reforms.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-11-24/woolworths-agm/3692372?WT.svl=news2

Federal Cabinet has announced it is formally abandoning a deadline to introduce mandatory pre-commitment technology for poker machines.

Labor had a deal with independent MP Andrew Wilkie to form government, which involved changing poker machine laws by May 8.

At a press conference this afternoon, Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Community Services Minister Jenny Macklin announced they will begin a national trial of the technology from next year.

The Government will introduce legislation to require the mandatory pre-commitment technology be installed on every new poker machine manufactured from the start of 2013.

Ms Gillard says the technology will be in place by the end of the trial in 2016, with the new timeline supported by the Productivity Commission.

"The technology will be rolled out while the trial is underway," she said.

Poker machines will also be required to display electronic warnings, while ATMs at gaming venues will have a $250 daily withdrawal limit.

Ms Gillard says the original deal struck with Mr Wilkie would not have passed the current parliament.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-21/government-to-trial-pre-commitment-in-act/3785894

Mr Wilkie indicated he would vote in favour of the new legislation on gambling.

The government is confident it has the numbers to get the revised deal through Parliament.

Ms Gillard's original deal with Mr Wilkie committed the government to introducing legislation by May this year that would mandate pre-commitment technology by 2014. But it became clear there was not sufficient support for the deal.

The policy announced by Ms Gillard and the Minister for Community Services, Jenny Macklin, yesterday is the first time an Australian government has legislated on problem gambling.

Clubs in the ACT will host a 12-month trial of mandatory pre-commitment that will require people to set a limit on how much they are prepared to lose before they start gambling.

It will begin early next year and end well after the next election is due later in 2013.

In the meantime all new poker machines manufactured from 2013 will be required by law to have mandatory pre-commitment technology.

The Australian Greens will introduce $1 maximum bet legislation to parliament next month in a bid to do something immediately about poker machine reforms.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced a watered down version of planned poker machine reforms on Saturday, including a trial of the controversial mandatory pre-commitment technology to start in 2013, probably in the ACT.

The federal government also intends to pass laws requiring every poker machine in the country to be linked into a state-based pre-commitment system by the end of 2016.

This backs away from a deal struck with Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie to legislate the reforms by May and roll out the mandatory pre-commitment technology by 2014.

Mr Wilkie in response yesterday declared he was dropping his support for the Gillard government.

The Greens have been pushing a limit on the maximum bet amount as an alternative to the pre-commitment option.

Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has indicated he won't support an Australian Greens proposal for $1 pokie bet limits.

The Greens unveiled plans on Sunday to either introduce new $1 maximum bet legislation to parliament next month or amend the government's reforms to legislate for the maximum single wager limit.

The move comes after Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced a watered down version of planned poker machine reforms on Saturday, including a trial of the controversial mandatory pre-commitment technology to start in 2013, probably in the ACT.

The federal government also intends to pass laws requiring every poker machine in the country to be linked into a state-based pre-commitment system by the end of 2016.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says Julia Gillard has torn up the contract that made her Prime Minister by breaking a deal on pokies reform.

Independent MP Andrew Wilkie has withdrawn his support for Labor after Julia Gillard abandoned their post-election deal for mandatory pre-commitment poker machine technology.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-22/gillard-accused-of-tearing-up-pm-contract/3786690?WT.svl=news0

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The CEO

Woolworths                                                                             March 1st, 2012

Dear Mr O'Brien,

As customers of Woolworths, my wife & I are writing to you to express our disgust at the fact that your organisation owns more electronic poker machines than the top five Las Vegas casinos combined, whilst having no effective strategy in place in your venues to make them safer for problem gamblers.

Fortunately, research conducted over the past decade by the Productivity Commission and other independent experts shows that there are available reforms that are not cost prohibitive for your business but that are very effective in preventing problem gambling.

One of these solutions is voluntarily changing your machines so that they don't allow more than $1 bets per spin, and allow maximum losses of $120 per hour. This reform not only prevents problem gamblers from the current dangerous situation where they are able to lose up to $10,000 in an hour, it also does not impact purely recreational poker ma chine players - 88% of whom never bet more than $1 dollar per spin as it is.
Also, the removal of ATM machines from poker machine venues would greatly assist in reducing ready access to large amounts of cash, frequently sought by problem gamblers chasing their losses.

Owning the lion's share of poker machines leaves you in a powerful and unique position to enact and inspire real change. You're in a position to lead Canberra and other corporate owners of poker machines by example, and minimise the harm posed by poker machines - starting with your own venues.

Will you step up to do the right thing by your customers by voluntarily reforming your machines so that they're less dangerous to the most vulnerable members of our society?
We hope so.

If you won't, then we will be obliged to move our custom elsewhere.

Sincerely,
Annie & John Richardson.

WHILE the travails of Craig Thomson were the obsession in Canberra this week, there were a few other things going on in the national capital. Most notable among the non-Thomson news was the passage in the lower house of the Gillard government's gambling reforms with the support of the independent member for Denison, Andrew Wilkie.

GAMING giant Tabcorp has lodged its $686.8 million claim against the Baillieu government in the Supreme Court.

The statement of claim over the poker machine licence ''refund'' it claims it is owed presents a major headache for the government, with Treasurer Kim Wells this week saying successful action would have a significant impact on the Victorian economy.

The claim has been expected for some time and follows a similar claim from Tatts for $490.5 million in the Supreme Court last week. Both claims centre on poker machines.

But unlike the Tatts claim, which is based on it not receiving a new licence, Tabcorp says legislation created when it floated as a public company in 1994 entitled it to a refund at the expiry of its poker machine licence whether it was renewed or not.

In 2008, then premier John Brumby said Victoria would be scrapping the Tabcorp-Tatts poker machine duopoly and the government no longer believed the companies would be entitled to compensation.

In a statement to the Australian Stock Exchange yesterday, the company said it was owed the money.

''The Tabcorp board considers that the company is entitled to a payment, and that the board has a duty to Tabcorp's many individual shareholders to pursue that entitlement,'' it read.

Premier Ted Baillieu said the government would vigorously contest the claim because it was money the state needed to build hospitals and other vital infrastructure.

But he refused to say why the Victorian government had acknowledged the claim as a liability for about 14 years before Mr Brumby's announcement in 2008.

The Victorian Government has hailed its ban on ATMs in gaming venues a success after a $62 million drop in poker machine spending.

The ban was introduced in July as part of the State Government's initiatives to fight problem gambling.

Victoria's Gaming Minister Michael O'Brien says new figures show the move has already seen a 6.7 per cent drop in the amount of money being spent on pokies.

"What the change is designed to do is to encourage people to think ahead about their gambling choices to set a budget and to stick to it," he said.

"Easy accessibility to ATMs really did tend to undermine that so we're really pleased by the fact that, initially at least, the first four months indicate that gamblers are taking this reform to heart."

The Victorian Government has also announced a 10 year ban on poker machine headphones.

The isolation headphones plug directly into poker machines and are currently being used in New South Wales.

Mr O'Brien says he won't allow them to cross the border into Victoria.

"I think it's dangerous technology," he said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-12-02/pokie-revenue-down-65pc/4403142

Italy is to press on with plans to open 1,000 new gambling arcades despite mounting national anguish over the spread of pathological gambling in what until recently was a nation of frugal savers.

Silvio Berlusconi's last government authorised the new video-poker saloons in 2011. A contest to decide who should get the licences is due to be held by the end of January.

The non-party government of Mario Monti made a last-ditch bid to suspend the competition by another six months. But a clause inserted in the 2013 budget was thrown out in committee as lawmakers raced to clear the way for the dissolution of parliament last Saturday.

Under pressure to boost state revenues and pay off Italy's huge public debts, successive governments have relaxed the country's once-strict gambling laws. The first significant change was in 1994 when scratch-card lotteries were legalised.

But it was not until the mid-2000s that gambling mania really seized Italy. By 2010, according to figures compiled by Global Betting and Gaming Consultants, Italy's per capita spending on betting was the fifth highest in the world, excluding countries such as Monaco, where gambling is a central part of the economy.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/dec/25/gambling-addiction-takes-toll-taly/print

The biggest world gambling champion... AUSTRALIA.. lose (gamble) about 2.5 times more than the italians per capita....

http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2011/05/gambling

The Northern Territory Gaming Minister has defended his decision to boost the number of poker machines in the NT, saying the current cap imposed by Labor was arbitrary and did not take population growth into account.

After announcing the increase by way of a press release late last Friday, Peter Styles used a media conference today to speak publicly about it for the first time and to accuse Labor of not wanting to deal with issue.

He said a $150,000 donation by the Australian Hotels' Association to the governing Country Liberal Party before the last NT election had not influenced his decision.

"It was an arbitrary cap (under Labor); they counted up the number of machines and said that's it," Mr Styles said.

"What they haven't taken into account is that we've had substantial increase in our population, there are numerous new entertainment facilities across the Territory, and these people want a level playing field... and an entitlement to have a certain number of machines in entertainment areas."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-15/peter-styles-defends-northern-territory-pokie-increase/5968920

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It is obvious by what the minister says that the Australian Hotel Association wasted their $150,000.00 since that cash donation did not influence the Country Liberal Party one iota in the minister's decision to give the Association what it wanted: more pokies...

It is also known that only rich people gamble and that all people gamble reasonably. Gambling, especially using the one-arm gentleman (used to be called one-arm bandit) is an honourable pass-time that gives hours of fun in half-darkness illuminated by the fascinating glow of spinning lemons/carrots/kings/hearts, while hoping to win big with a line of three aces. There is nothing wrong in being attracted to this glowing tinsel, like bugs are attracted to and zapped by hot light bulbs, while burning some cash we did not know was needed to feed the kids.  See toon at top...

An $8 billion casino and resort development in far north Queensland has had its environment impact statement approved by the State Government.

Aquis, led by Hong Kong billionaire Tony Fung, would still need approval for its gaming licence, which goes through a different approval process.

The project would cover 350 hectares, which is currently used for sugarcane production at Yorkeys Knob just north of Cairns.

The resort proposal includes 7,500 hotel rooms, a convention and exhibition centre, entertainment facilities including theatres, gaming facilities, a golf course and an artificial lake and lagoon.

The coordinator-general was satisfied Aquis would do enough to mitigate the impacts on the Great Barrier Reef and Wet Tropics World Heritage areas.

However a range of conditions were set out.

Among them, locals must be given first priority when it comes to employment and training opportunities, and the proponents will have to help pay for any new infrastructure required to service the resort, such as sewerage and water.

Contingency plans must be drawn up for cyclones and floods, and buildings are limited to a height of 67 metres.

The project requires federal and local government approvals and is yet to secure a casino licence.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-18/cairns-casino-resort-development-gets-environmental-nod/5975414

See toon at top...

One off costs - including defending alleged breaches of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws - have dragged down the profits of gambling business Tabcorp.

Tabcorp reported a first-half profit of $81.9 million, down 33 per cent on the prior corresponding period.

Underlying profit - with the effect of one-off items removed - rose 7 per cent $97.5 million.

The impairment charges of $15.6 million were largely made up of legal costs defending money laundering charges, as well as costs associated with a new betting joint venture set up with The Sun newspaper in the UK.

The civil proceedings brought against Tabcorp by the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act have so far cost the company more than $7 million.

Tabcorp said it had recently adopted an enhanced anti-money laundering program covering all its operations and has been actively working with AUSTRAC to resolve the issue as a priority.

read more: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-04/tabcorp-profit-slides-33pc-on-anti-money-laundering-action/7140284

A man has been charged and remanded in custody after he allegedly set 40 pokies alight at a southeast Queensland hotel on Wednesday night.

Firefighters were called to the Royal Hotel in Beenleigh about 8.30pm after the man allegedly doused the machines in petrol, destroying three and damaging another 37 beyond repair.

Police say the Beenleigh man, who is in his 20s, had earlier attended the hotel, before later arriving with the petrol and allegedly making threats to harm himself and others.

He was charged with endangering particular property by fire and appeared in the Southport magistrates court. Magistrate Gary Finger remanded the man in custody for his own protection.

read more:

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/jan/05/queensland-man-ch...

Fred Nile should be proud of this young fellow... er... Actually Fred, a gambling hating machine, now is a great supporter of James Packer Casino in Sydney... God gambles in mysterious ways... We need to wait for the reasons of the young man's act.

See toon at top...

Formed in Gibraltar in 2013 and registered in the Northern Territory in 2016, Lottoland Limited is a company that allows individuals to bet on the outcome of lotteries around the world. The company claims to have paid out 960 million Euro worldwide with a Melbourne woman winning $1.3m in July, and guarantees to match major lottery payouts by using an insurance-based model.

Already banned in South Australia (who have a more conservative approach to gambling in general), Lottoland is facing legal challenges around the country with Tasmania leading the charge to ban the company. Departing senator Nick Xenophon has also been a vocal critic, but his move to state politics may limit his ability to exert influence where it counts.

Lottoland’s managing director Luke Brill claims that over 600,000 Australians have registered with Lottoland, although the company doesn’t seem to be a big fan of corporate transparency.

Recently interviewed on the ABC, Brill justified his proposed 15% tax rate vs the 65% paid by lotteries:

“We’re not actually a lottery. We’re a sports bookmaker. We’re attracting people who have never walked into a newsagency and bought a lottery ticket… we believe we’re growing the market.”

As to why the company is based in notorious tax haven Gibraltar, Lottoland claims 'Gibraltar is the European "Silicon Valley" of the gambling industry', which is code for “we’re all as dodgy as one another”.

Apart from those mentioned in the "Lottoland Gotta Go" ads (most notably the low tax rate and lack of forced charitable contributions), one of the biggest issues many critics have with Lottoland is that it encourages punters to play every day, rather than betting once a week on a "proper lottery". While this is really no different to the slew of gambling apps that allow you to bet on various types of racing every day, it’s possible that the significantly higher prize values may lure more people into gambling addiction.

Brill counters this claim (via ABC) by saying Lottoland is a “soft product” with“very very limited problem gambling”, yet “with 600,000 Australians playing, there’s clearly a demand for our product”.

Hmm…

Lottoland is also a bit of a bummer for newsagents, quite apart from making fun of them in their ads. From a certain angle, the funny thing here is that Lottoland’s ads portray their customers as absolute morons, unable to grasp the fact that Lottoland isn’t available in newsagents. The bigger problem is that the sale of lottery tickets provides a consistent revenue stream for newsagents — a struggling business, particularly in regional areas.

read more:

https://independentaustralia.net/business/business-display/think-for-you...

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The quirk giving Woolworths a $30m tax break on pokies takings

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Will Hodgman may be the Premier but it's pokie industry rulers, the Federal Group, who are running Tasmania, says Mungo.

SO TASMANIA has a new government. Yes, I know the Libs are still in office at 1 Salamanca Place and Will Hodgman is still Premier.

But the real government, the one run by the pokie industry under the Federal Group and the Farrell family, has now been confirmed as the successor of the dynasty of rent seekers who actually manage the Apple Isle.  

It was ever thus. Partly because of the smallness of the place and partly because of the ruthlessness of the rulers and the apathy of the voters, unelected corporations have held the real power for over 40 years, which is as long as I have taken an interest.

In those days, it was the Hydro — the Hydro-Electric Commission, whose manic determination to build dams transcended all else. There were protests and objections, notably with the flooding of Lake Pedder but until the 1980s the Hydro reigned supreme, the politicians following slavishly in its wake.

When Bob Hawke’s Government and the High Court effectively scuttled plans for the Franklin Dam, the Hydro’s massive influence ebbed away. But it was swiftly replaced by Gunns, the timber merchants dedicated to destroying old growth forests and shipping them off as woodchips for Japan.

Read more:

https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/mungo-maccall...

Read from top...

Profits from poker machine gambling in NSW clubs surged despite the COVID-19 pandemic, State Government data obtained by the ABC has revealed.

Key points:

• Clubs reopened in June 2020 after NSW's coronavirus lockdown
• A leading expert says there could be several reasons why profits surged after that
• ClubsNSW argues the increase was less than spikes seen in other industries

Gamblers across the state lost $2.17 billion to poker machines in clubs from June to November 2020, up 7 per cent on the same period in 2019.

Punters in Western Sydney lost the most cash — in the Fairfield local government area (LGA), profits surged to $197 million, while in Canterbury-Bankstown they hit $187 million.

In Blacktown, pokie profits were up 16 per cent to $96 million, while in Penrith they increased 11 per cent to $68 million.

The 7 per cent statewide increase represents a major bounce back, after clubs in NSW were closed between March 23 and June 1 due to the state's COVID-19 lockdown.

Read more:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-05/poker-machine-revenue-surges-in-nsw-and-western-sydney/13121448

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