September 01, 2014
Gambling harm on political agenda
Politics may seem a punt but Maori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell doesn’t want it leading to more gambling.
Today is gamble-free day, and the Waiariki MP is urging all 544 election candidates to speak out against the harm problem gambling causes to the health and wellbeing of families and wider communities.
He says it’s a way to increase awareness, reduce the stigma and foster conversations about the physical, emotional and financial impacts of gambling.
Mr Flavell put up a private bill last year to reduce gambling harm, which got watered down by National.
But he says it did give councils more tools to reduce the number of gaming venues or transfer them into other areas.
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