TOP STORY: Napier NZ's pokie capital

RACHEL PINDER
Napier has become the Las Vegas of New Zealand with the highest ratio of non-casino gaming machines per head of population.
That's according to a policy review on gaming machine and TAB venues which was discussed by the city council's environmental management committee yesterday.
Under the Gambling Act 2003, councils across New Zealand are required to review their policy every three years.
Councillors discussed a social impact assessment which gave a stark insight into Napier's demographics, the impact of gambling on the community from a social, health, welfare and criminal aspect, as well as the financial costs and benefits to the community.
When the policy was introduced in 2003, gaming machines were removed from two venues in Napier - the only city to do so in New Zealand.
But while gaming machine numbers have dropped nationally by 17 percent since June 2003, in Napier they have dropped by only 11 percent.
Cr Faye White said chief inspector Dave Fellows' recommendation to keep the policy unchanged was the right one.
"The figures in view of our social demographics were quite horrifying," she said.
"Napier has 136 machines more than was required to attain the national average, so needs a reduction of 151 machines."
Cr Harry Lawson said that although the number of poker machines had been reduced, Napier was still 40 percent above the national average.
"That makes us the Las Vegas of New Zealand," he said.
"As a council we still have control over the applications from people who want to put in new pokie machines in Napier, but we have no control over the machines which are already here."
Cr Deane Jessep said he was concerned about whether the policy review to reduce the number of poker machines over a period was hard enough.
Chief inspector Dave Fellows explained that the council had adopted the strictest policy it could, and Cr Jessep thought Napier would get to the national average eventually.
Napier Mayor Barbara Arnott agreed the strictest policy had already been adopted, and Napier had since removed more poker machines than any other city in New Zealand as a result.
But she said she believed Napier would never drop to the national average.
"We have got to look at the history of Napier and the rest of New Zealand compared with other port cities, some of which had prohibition originally," she said. Cr Tania Wright said it was a tragic irony that many community organisations relied for funding on profits from gaming machines.
The manager of Hawke's Bay Regional Problem Gambling Services, Monica Stockdale, said a Napier branch was opened in January to help gamblers in the city.
A branch has been operating in Hastings for the past four years, and there are also branches in Wairoa and Central Hawke's Bay.