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Mana threatens 'civil disobedience' over pokies

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Tue, 25 Oct 2011 2:20p.m.

Minto says low-income people are targeted by machines designed for addiction

Minto says low-income people are targeted by machines designed for addiction

A Mana Party election candidate is vowing to get rid of pokie machines in the Manukau East electorate if he wins the seat.

John Minto says he's spoken at many meetings and so far only two people have said they want them to stay.

Local communities would be able to make the decision "but with the feedback I've had so far Manukau East would be a pokie-free zone by Christmas", he said on Tuesday.

Mr Minto says half the pokies in the electorate are in the poorest areas and low-income people are targeted by machines designed for addiction.

"This exploitation of vulnerable people is despicable," he said.

"If the new Government doesn't give the community the power to get rid of these machines then Mana will discuss other means, including civil disobedience, to get them out."

Mr Minto said each machine took an average $50,000 net a year.

"This is wholesale theft from the poor which is siphoned off to the likes of horse racing clubs for the wealthy - the end of the pokie scourge is in sight."

NZN

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Comments

28 Oct 2011 07:27p.m.

Libby Mitchell wrote:

If anybody were to put an axe through a poker machine...I wonder if the police would dare to charge them lol...or indeed..I wonder how much they would be fined? If a few strong fellas laid into a pokie or a few hundred...and smashed the lot to smitherines...I would gladly PAY just to watch lol! Oh...I wish! Maybe the safer course would be just to BAN these wretchedly dangerous, blood-sucking community-killing machines? Hope Minot gets in!

27 Oct 2011 02:30p.m.

Emily Jones wrote:

Well known QC Tony Molloy had this to say about the finance industry collapse that cost many kiwis their shirts at the hands of greedy and dishonest businessmen -

"finance companies collapsed because regulators,courts, lawyers, accountants, were unready, unwilling and unable to to do their jobs with integrity "

The same could be applied to the regulation of Pokie Trusts by DIA

Minto and Co are the radical element in the 8 out of 10 kiwis frustrated by the current pokie system. He knows well that such statements create headlines and debate and these postings are proof the strategy works.

27 Oct 2011 12:41p.m.

eddie wrote:

Why not shut down all the bottle shops Mr Minto, they create just as much, if not more harm. Close the pubs too as they are targeting low income earners. Awww what the hell, close down all the TAB outlets too as it's taking money from the poor!...OK, that's freedom of choice gone in Sth Akl (Manukau east)...what else can be a temptation for those poor low paid workers?...lets see...Ahh yes, fast food oulets..Fish n chip shops,KFC, McD's etc, they'll have to go too as low paid workers can't afford takeaways and it's bad for their health...anything else? (you can see Mr Minto , and mad Sue, were both paid up members of the communism party...people can't be trusted to make desicions so we will make the decisions for you!)

27 Oct 2011 10:53a.m.

Lisa wrote:

if you don't want to take part in the a legal form of entertainment- don't put any money in the machines. I'm an adult I'll make the same choice! easy...I wont tell Minto how to live his life, he needs to stop telling me what to do with mine!

27 Oct 2011 08:51a.m.

pip wrote:

DIA knows millions of dollars flow from the pokie bars of South Auckland into grants to greedy rugby and racing clubs of Otago and Southland, knows how it is done and knows who is responsible. Still they do nothing - its just too hard because it involves lawyers accountants and white collar businessmen. If it was a solo mum or unemployed from Sth Auckland ripping off welfare for $2,000 the Govt would be all over her in a shot. Little wonder there is anger !!!

26 Oct 2011 05:15p.m.

emily Jones wrote:

Pokies are controlled by DIA but as we saw with the collapsed finance industry a well resourced Govt Regulator has once again failedto protect us. DIA have become apologists for this very powerful billion dollar industry and its pet politicians from National and United Future.

26 Oct 2011 09:24a.m.

Tim wrote:

Good on ya John! Let's get rid of all these machines (not just in Manukau East, but from the whole country). They are dangerous and hurt people and families.

26 Oct 2011 06:58a.m.

atrout wrote:

You can be sure that Munto wouldn't be the one to pick up an axe himself and lay into a pokie machine. Nope, he'd be there with his loudhailer shouting the odds while someone else got carted away by the cops. All noise and no trousers....

25 Oct 2011 05:57p.m.

peteremcc wrote:

When John Minto says "give the community the power", he means "let 51% tell the other 49% what to do". How about individual choice and freedom for a change?

25 Oct 2011 05:30p.m.

Stephen Berry wrote:

What does John Minto mean by 'civil disobedience?' I'm going to hazard an educated guess. I think that into means he would encourage the use of force to damage pokie machines and businesses that provide pokie machines in order to get them out of Manukau East. What else could it possibly mean?