Today I attended the SA Press Club lunch to hear my fellow Independent and good friend, Nick Xenophon, speak on the need for establishing an Independent Commission Against Corruption in South Australia.

While other states have independent anti-corruption bodies, South Australia has an anti-corruption branch within SA Police and the Police Complaints Authority, using seconded police officers for investigations.

Why doesn’t the State Government want an ICAC?

I wholeheartedly support Nick’s call for an ICAC. I also support Nick’s ongoing campaign against poker machines.

This Government needs an action plan to curb South Australia’s gambling problem – with 1.6% of the population now seeking help from the Gambling Helpline every year.

The Government collected almost $400 million in gambling revenue in this budget, with almost $300 million of that from gaming machines. How much does it spend to address problem gambling, which has such a significant impact in our community?

For every one person with a gambling problem, there are between five and 10 others who are negatively affected.

According to the Government’s own figures, 30% of the adult SA population played poker machines in 2005, with 18,000 people displaying signs of problem gambling – 5000 of whom are classified as high risk gamblers.

I will be presenting an action plan to the State Government to better deal with the significant incidents of problem gambling in this state, and its effect on struggling families.