2018-09-11 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                             11 SEPTEMBER 2018


While electronic gaming machines have traditionally been regulated at a State level, the
continued increase in the number of gaming machines raises significant concerns at a local level.

Research suggests problem users are significantly more likely to experience depression as a
result of gambling, experience disruptions to family and social lives, have debts due to gambling
and experience disruptions to work and study. There is some evidence that gambling, especially
on poker and gaming machines has led to social problems in society, such as personal financial
pressures, emotional distress, domestic violence, employment difficulties, suicide and crime
(Productivity Commission, 1999).

Currently the only input Local governments and communities in Queensland have into gaming
machine control is by providing comment on applications to OLGR, this however is only for
applications of 20 or more gaming machines (where in a club and 10 or more where in a pub).
Applications for less EGM’s than the outlined above are not publicly notified for comment and no
social impact study is required of the applicant.

In Victoria, planning legislation was changed to define electronic gaming machines as a land use
and therefore enable local planning schemes to regulate the land use and thus also the socio
economic impacts of gaming. In Victoria, electronic gaming machines have been considered a
land use for nearly 10 years. Planning schemes in that State can have local policies and codes
that quite rightly deal with the social and land use impacts of gaming machines within the local
context of each community. Most Local governments in Victoria now require a full social impact
assessment on any new gaming facilities.

Electronic gaming is not currently defined by the Planning Regulation 2017, but it is clearly a land
use and one that can have significant impacts on local communities. For this reason, Local
governments and their communities should be afforded greater opportunities to influence and
provide input into the location and extent of electronic gaming machines at a local level.

The basis of this proposed motion to the LGAQ is that Local government should be able to
participate in determining the number of electronic gaming machines (poker machines or
“pokies”) in their local area, as occurs in other states such as Victoria.

Specifically, this proposed motion to the LGAQ conference seeks support to advocate to the
relevant State agency to amend the Queensland Planning Provisions to include a land use
definition of electronic gaming machines which would permit Local Governments through
planning schemes to address the real social and land use impacts on local communities of
electronic gaming machines and so minimise the potential harm associated with gambling.

Previous Council Consideration
Council has recently considered a request to change a Development approval for a material
change of use for the RSL Club at Tewantin. This request was specifically to remove a condition
on the approval which currently restricts the number of electronic gaming machines on the site,
essentially therefore allowing no restriction on the number of gaming machines on the site. In
response to this request Council resolved the following;

Ordinary Meeting Minutes, 19 July 2018, Item 5, Page 11
That Council note the report by the Development Planner to the Planning & Environment
Committee Meeting dated 10 July 2018 and the Further Report to the General Committee dated
16 July 2018 regarding Application No. MCU16/0079.02 for a minor change to Development
Permit for Material Change of Use of Premises for extensions to RSL Club situated at 5 Memorial
Avenue, Tewantin, described as Lot 10 on SP 273411 and defer consideration to a future Council
meeting in order that the Council can obtain further advice in relation to its powers to regulate
poker machine numbers via its planning provisions and/or other regulatory instruments, and/or
variations in terms of fees and charges.

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