By LAURA WAKELY
A BRIMBANK City Council decision to refuse another 22 pokie machines has been overturned by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
Sunshine’s Club Italia applied for the additional machines to bring a total of 60 pokie machines at the venue, but was refused by council in April 2010.
The Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation (VCGR) supported the refusal, after it found that increasing the number of pokie machines at the club would be detrimental to the Brimbank community because of the increased expenditure (Gamble backfires, Sunshine Star, 21 December 2010).
The club appealed to VCAT and the decision was handed down in January, with the tribunal ruling that the 22 pokie machines could be installed under strict conditions.
The conditions include the completion of a multi-purpose room, new entry for the function room, outdoor lighting for the pitches and additional internal amenities by 16 August 2016 and the construction of a synthetic soccer pitch by 1 June 2017, as well as restrictions on when the club may apply for extensions of time.
If any of the conditions are breached, Club Italia’s licence will revert to 38 machines.
VCAT found that the club ran on a not-for-profit basis with 93 per cent of club revenue returned to club members and the broader community and that there was a genuine need for the facilities the club was providing for the community.
In the 2010/2011 financial year, VCGR records show more than $1 million of the $1.18 million made by Club Italia was spent on the creation or maintenance of facilities, the provision of goods and services and buildings, plant and equipment.
Brimbank Council would not comment on whether or not it was satisfied with VCAT’s decision, but Community Wellbeing general manager Kelly Grigsby said the council continued to be concerned about the 953 pokie machines in Brimbank.
“With over $139 million lost on electronic gaming machines last financial year, Brimbank experiences the highest level of municipal losses in the state. On average, adults lost $1004 per gaming machine last year, well above the average expenditure of $613 per adult,” Ms Grigsby said.
Club Italia can install the 22 extra machines from 16 August this year.
