The Mulgrave Country Club’s board and their poker machines operations have once again come under direct fire from City of Monash Councillor Geoff Lake.
Councillor Lake’s opinion piece in the City of Monash May bulletin, targeting the Mulgrave Country Club and ALH Group, comes just months after he caused controversy by calling the board members ‘pasty old white men.’
The prominent anti-pokies campaigner believes the country club’s board does not represent the diversity in his community in which they make decisions for.
“The Mulgrave Country Club board is hopelessly out of touch, its full of old white men,” Councillor Lake said.
The human impact caused by poker machines, particularly those at MCC, is of most concern to Councillor Lake who discussed the devastation it causes in the Monash community.
“Poker machines disproportionately impact those who can least afford it … they are aimed at vulnerable people … who often don’t stop until all of their income is put through those machines” Councillor Lake said.
As a result of causing a $12.3 million loss from the Monash Community last financial year, Councillor Lake believes they deserve no special treatment just because they are a community-based club.
“They are making an absolute killing from the people of Monash,” Councillor Lake said.
Despite admitting that he would like to see poker machines banned all together, Councillor Lake has made it clear he is not expecting the club to stop their operations all together but is rather asking them to reduce the addictive nature of the machines.
“That’s what a community club who is genuinely interested in its local community ought to be at the head of the pack of.” Councillor Lake said.
Club president Leon Ross disputes Councillor Lakes claims and is once again disappointed with the councillor’s view on his board.
“It is very frustrating and might I say personally and deeply upsetting to have such personal racist comments and attacks made by a public official who should adhere to the standards of the office he holds.” Mr Ross said.
Mulgrave Country Club’s General Manager Ms Kerry Scarlett also responded to Councillor Lake’s comments about her club via email on behalf of the entire board.
“Gambling is a legal activity and the last thing our club wants is for our members and their guests to gamble in a way that does harm to themselves or others,”
“To compare a community club like ours to ALH is demonstrable of the lack of understanding of the author and a deep insult to our club.” Ms Scarlett said.
Councillor Lake’s anti poker machine agenda does not just target the Mulgrave Country Club and operators in the Monash community, he also has the Victorian State Government and the major political parties in mind and credits them for the continuation of the pokies crisis.
“What the state government needs to do is stop getting in bed with poker machine bodies and organisations like … Community Clubs Victoria and ALH.” Councillor Lake said.
Written by Victoria Eastoe.
Just Vic Things 