Press Statement

Protest – Close the fast-food pokies!

MANA Vice President John Minto

Friday 27th July

MANA is organising a protest this Saturday outside the Galaxy fast-food pokies in Otara.

This is a fast-food outlet with 18 pokie machines out the back. Its pokie venue licence was cancelled after a complaint from MANA to the Department of Internal Affairs. When DIA inspectors finally visited the takeaway bar last month it had already been operating for eight months outside the law.

However the Galaxy is being allowed to keep the machines going till an appeal is heard by the Gambling Commission. This could still be many more months away.

It’s a sign of the poor monitoring of the system that this venue was able to operate illegally for eight months before the DIA knew anything about it and it also appears clear that the Lion Foundation which distributes community grants from the machines was also turning a blind eye.

There 18 machines are sucking out approximately $864,000 from the Otara community every year (Each machine on average takes $48,000 each year).

This Saturday 28th July, 10am
Galaxy Takeaways
120 East Tamaki Road, Otara
(Just along from McDonald’s)

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