Wilkie Adamant Pokie Reforms Will Go Ahead

Tuesday 17 January, 2012 17:25

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MP Andrew Wilkie is adamant that the pokie reforms of the Gillard government will go ahead as planned. There has been some suggestion, particularly by Senator Nick Xenophon that the Gillard government plans to go back on its word regarding the reforms.

Mr. Wilkie and Prime Minister Julia Gillard made a deal after the 2010 elections that Gillard would introduce the mandatory pre-commitment pokie reforms in exchange for the support of Mr. Wilkie for Labor in order to help form a minority government. Mr. Wilkie gave Prime Minister Gillard until May to introduce the reforms or he threatened to withdraw his support of the government.

Mr. Wilkie and Prime Minister Gillard met on Sunday in Hobart. While Mr. Wilkie refuses to reveal the details of their discussion, he has insisted that progress is being made.

"It was a very productive meeting. There was a real spirit of goodwill," Wilkie said. Commenting on the claims made by Senator Xenophon, Wilkie added, "In fairness to him, he hasn't been involved in all of the detailed work over the last year and a half, whereas I have been." "I have a much more optimistic view of where we're going."

Senator Xenophon, a vocal anti-pokies lobbyist said, "Andrew has my support and admiration because he's really stuck his neck out on this, but I just don't want him being double-crossed at the last minute, and that's what I feel will happen."

Senator Xenophon Sceptical Pokie Reforms Will Happen

Prime Minister Gillard has refused to disclose whether she still supports the mandatory pre-commitment measures; however, following her meeting with Mr. Wilkie, she did say: "In terms of Senator Xenophon's comments, of course Senator Xenophon was not in those discussion yesterday, so the people who best know how those discussions are going are the participants in them, and both participants - me and Mr. Wilkie - describe [them] as productive because they were."

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Mr. Wilkie is panning to meet with West Australian cross-bench MP Tony Crook to discuss the details of the measures.

"I want to talk through the details of the reforms, make sure that Tony Crook is informed of all the details so he knows exactly where we're at," Wilkie said.

"He obviously is one of the six cross-benchers. His support for these reforms is every bit as important to me as the other cross-benchers and I'd like Tony's support as well."

The Coalition does not support the pokie reform measures of mandatory pre-commitment that are being suggested.

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