Belly,
Never been a problem fo me as I don't play them. I find them boring. I belong to a soldiers club and visit occasionly and enjoy the facilities the machine players provide for me. I used to enjoy the atmosphere at my local pub but gave it away when pokies were installed as the place changed, you could no longer have a quiet beer and a yarn to a mate.

Here is a link to another aspect of the debate.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-28/gamblers-recruited-into-drug-trade/3025290

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you Andrew Wilkie for your "Footy tax"!

Thanks for delivering a cashed up campaign against Labor right in the middle of Labor heartland, for which the coalition does not have to lift a finger.

Thank you Juliar for being so desperate to hold onto power, that you gave this greenie independent legislation that will strip Labor of probably a dozen seats in the next election.

Thanks Andrew for doing unto Labor what those in the coalition only dreamed of.

In the early 60s I had a lot of contact with a large company based near Frankston, Vic.

At the end of the day a few executives would go to a businessman's club nearby.

This was a small but lovely place, quiet, with quality furniture, & a calm atmosphere, where the business could be concluded over a meal, & a drink, in comfort, & some style.

I was more than a little jealous when I compared this club to our businessman's club in Sydney, where the clang of the old one arm bandits caused a noisy brassy atmosphere, certainly not the place to conclude your days business.

Then Vic got poker machines, & it all changed.

The clubs were no where near as nice, to my mind, but the patronage quadrupled in a year, then did so again & again. They became as noisy & cold as their Sydney counterpart.

I must be way out of step, as their patronage increased, their attraction to me decreased. I can't stand poker machines, but for those who do, it's their business, & no one else's.

Close observers will have noticed a change, in me.
The caps are not heat or anger just to highlight.
I side step political baiting.
I dislike Andrew Wilkie, always have.
Nothing to do with Poker machines .
He ran third, won his seat on Labor and Liberal preferences.
Xenophon too, never liked him, think he is a road block to democracy.
The DLP senator, Labor put him there!
Single green in the lower house? rode in on Liberal preferences.
Not one of them should be in the house.
I HAVE A PLAN! the incoming government in 2013 Conservative one, must, along with Labor fund and pay for such as NSW Labors country Labor.
And run them, both sides, in every seat, to take those preferences away from mentioned above.
And the greens.
I did not expect this thread not to be tainted with the way we talk politics here,it would have been too much.
Can we briefly, look at the issue.
ten am this morning 6 for some pubs opened doors to people who had been waiting for? the pokies
Some had stolen some thing to sell, to bet others hope blinding them thought about a win that may fix things.
politics? are we unable to think for our selves is it always some one else we blame for not caring?
Goggle this mornings story linking drugs and these machines visit reasons people kill them selves.
It is us, me and you, who should demand an answer and us who should ask what football tax.
That claim should HIGHLIGHT much we hear is a constructed lie.

belly quote..""much we hear is a constructed lie.''

yep
thats why any tax is bad
we yap on about..druggies or kids or kliberals or unions
cause we like to yap on

why do we yap on
the same reason those with found money
play it..into into the one armed bandit

bordom
im blogging cause im bored
[and hope that my bordom..avoidance..
can help change things..towards the better

of course i know its futile
just as the tax on smokes didnt stop me smoking

just like the putche for taxing booze
wont stop the boozers

there are those with too much credit
and too much time to waste/..so we have a puff..or a sip
or take a walk..get stoned or drunk..or go out to score..for the other adictions

anything can be addictive
[heck i used to blog 16 hours a day
and protested months at a time
but to what end

to fill in the blank spots..of a blank life?
so bored politiions can fill in time and say
hey look we made 149 new laws..

increased tax revenue 50%
created 5000 nice clean new beurocrats
who will be surveyed..and flexie times intio their generous pensions
all while making too many new rules..cause that is what govt does..when its bored...[make new income streams]

poker machines are just the next cure all
to overcome 'beuro-roc/rat-tic' boredom

we dont need
new laws or new taxes

we just need to ban
the greedy multiplay ones

and takeaway the bells and wistles..
[heck i like that plain lable idea]

and the pictures can be words..
or letters..so the key would be to match a specific sentance
or make a specific random word...

[i think we should say...'chose
your here..to socialise..or specialise
here to drink..OR GAMBLE..

[and need to licence to do one or the other]
set limit..once the limit is reached..your licence gets voided
[till you sober up]

a set limit..[that cant exceed ten%
of your bankcard balance

no notes
no coins

only on credit

[and renting a seat/stool/.chair
costs extra...[heck we could give kids a job
renting them..

just like beach chairs]

Belly,

I would agree with you to some extent, I think most of the independents are self serving trolls.

However, from a purely strategic point, the unholy alliance that Juliar has had to cobble together to attain power, and the concessions she has had to make with the "Footy tax" the carbon tax, and the NBN, has meant that the Labor brand is slowly and surely being eroded to the point of being valueless.

This can be seen in what is happening in the states and polls.

I don't think Abbott would have had much of a free ride either, but at least he would not have had to deal with Bandt and Wilkie.