Decade-old ban lifted on poker machine signs
The state government has watered down a decade-old signage ban by allowing hundreds of venues to display prominent "pokies" signs.
But... but... that means the people of Victoria will know where the fruit machines are! Will civilisation survive? It's too early to say, but the signs will still have to respect the fashion for plain packaging:
Now the government has allowed the use of "pokies" signs measuring two square metres on the facade of pubs and clubs. The signs must be in white lettering on a single colour background with no "decorative ridges or illumination".
These signs sound bland and drab, but you can always rely on an Aussie wowser to resort to laughable hyperbole and cite a well-worn urban myth about the Great Wall of China...
Opposition gaming spokesman Martin Pakula said "the effect of [Gaming Minister] Michael O'Brien's 'reforms' is that the only man-made structures visible from space will be the Great Wall of China and pokies signs".
And just in case that line doesn't sway the floating voter, another wowser has the killer argument—the piece of rhetoric that consistently trumps all intelligent debate in this foul year 2013...
Anti-pokies campaigner Tim Costello said allowing the signs was a retrograde step. "They don't allow smoking signs at all, which is funded from addiction. Pokies fall into exactly the same category and it's a public health disaster to allow pokies to be advertised," he said.
When in doubt, make a reference to smoking and pretend you're concerned about "public health". It works for the temperance lobby, it works for the food faddists, and there's no reason why it won't work for the anti-gambers.
#slipperyslope
5 comments:
I don't expect to see any pub of club here in Victoria bothering let alone wanting to put up a plain sign.
In spite of the Australian obsession with Health and Safety and controlling the behaviour of its subjects, a large proportion of the population are dull, violent, fat, gambling-addicted piss-artists. Is this a consequence of geographical isolation or something more complicated?
Aw come on Jonathan.
Most of us ordinary citizens are actually quite fit, sensible and happy. It might be that our "easy going" nature for which we have been known has allowed us to allow the blockheads too much latitude.
And many people who would be otherwise sensible have been beaten into submission by the nannying thugs. I could have been beaten except my kids were already grown and independent.
The government we've had for six years is going to get booted out in September. The current opposition is less inclined to wring it's hands to appeal to the sentiments of namby pambies and imbeciles.
I don't care how many signs we are allowed to see...I lost my house, almost lost my family and my life was at risk for years in a battle to beat pokies addiction, that crept up before I ever knew what in the hell was actually happening! No warnings in the 1990's about those wretched machines and their deceptions! You can all sit there and tell yourselves that "I have more self control" etc...but until you get addicted to poker machines frankly...you do not even know the meaning of that word!
Course I guess signs will not make a scrap of difference when our towns start collapsing like Atlantic City in the US is...and Las Vegas already HAS done? So just to be clever...we are now going to get a bigger Brisbane Casino? Way to GO...Not!
A piddly pokies sign will mean jack-s**t when online pokies and casinos begin to blow the local venues out of the water!
Enjoy....especially the last paragraph! Won't matter who you vote for by THEN!
http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20130221_Revel_casino_s_bankruptcy_threatens_plans_to_make_Atlantic_City_a_gambling-plus_destination.html
Libby. A different government won't be a cure for people who believe in magic.
Psychotic gamblers act on their infantile emotions in spite of knowing as adults that the game is loaded in favour of the house.
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