Gaming Reform a Non-Starter as States, Unions oppose Wilkie

By Clyde Mooney

The deadline set by Andrew Wilkie for the Gillard Government to garner agreement from the States on mandatory pre-commitment will pass tomorrow (May 31) with fanfare or resolution unlikely.

Failure to meet the conditions means that the Federal government must now overrule the States and legislate unilaterally.

Far from offering support, in light of the urgency the objections are coming thick and fast from both Liberal and Labor representatives.

The liquor and hospitality workers union, United Voice, is concerned that thousands of jobs are under threat with the currently proposed implementation.

United Voice NSW Secretary, Tara Moriarty, has written to Wilkie asking him to abandon the suggested timetable.

Moriarty sits on the ALP National Executive and is vice-president of the NSW branch of the Labor Party.

She has suggested an internal push to quash the reforms could be on the cards from the NSW Right faction if the Gillard government goes ahead, but still appears unconvinced that will happen.

United Voice join the growing chorus of objections, most recently from Victorian Premier, Ted Baillieu, whose address yesterday to party faithful included news that Victoria would consider a High Court challenge if Gillard tries to override states.

Independent Senator, Nick Xenophon, says that the reforms are ‘sensible’ and that the Federal government could move if it had the political will.

The independent from South Australia likened the situation to the Howard government’s mandate on Work Choices, which after becoming law in early 2006 was disputed, campaigned against and eventually abolished by a newly-elected Rudd government in 2007.

A similar debacle could similarly see thousands of people out of work and millions of dollars of public money wasted on ‘education’ campaigns.