Last year, Queenslanders lost a record $2.34 billion to the pokies. Noosa mayor Tony Wellington said the Queensland government was slow to make changes because it was “wedded” to the millions from gaming machine revenue. “It’s a problem because Australia per capita is the biggest gambler on the planet,” he said. The Queensland government received $687 million in revenue from gaming machines in 2016-17, according to budget papers. After the vote on Wednesday Cr Wellington said he had achieved the first step and the LGAQ's policy executive will write to the Queensland Government.

“That means they will then get a response and it will be ip to the LGAQ’ policy executive to decide what steps to take next.” At present, the Queensland government regulates all applications for gaming machines through the Office of Liquor and Gaming. Councils have no say in granting or refusing applications for poker machines but can make a "comment”, or a submission to the OLG, if a hotel, pub or club wants 20 or more machines. If a hotel, pub, or club wants to increase the number of machines by fewer than 20 machines councils are not asked for input and the community is not notified of the increase. A Noosa Shire Council motion to the LGAQ conference on Wednesday points out the number of gaming machines increased from 20,888 in July 2004 to 24,583 in July 2018.

“Applications for less than 20 machines are not publicly notified for comment and no social impact study is required of the applicant,” the motion from Noosa Shire Council says. Noosa mayor Tony Wellington. Credit:Tony Moore Cr Wellington hopes to win support for the LGAQ to lobby the Department of State Development to have gaming machines classified as a land use, so councils could regulate the impact of poker machines. “Our aim is to see local government have a greater input into decision-making about where gaming machines are placed and how many machines, because fundamentally local government has to deal with some of the consequences of gaming machines,” he said. Cr Wellington hoped to win support from Queensland councils to mirror the Victorian situation, where gaming machines have been classified as a land use for a decade.

“Some of the consequences obviously are that gaming machines can have an impact on traffic and people movement,” Cr Wellington said. “But, more importantly, they also have an impact on the wellbeing of the community and the wellbeing of a community is at the heart of what local government does.” Cr Wellington said he believed councils were frustrated at having little say in where and how many poker machines ended up in their communities. “At the moment we have absolutely no say because we have no legislative mechanism to refuse if a local pub or club applies for less than 20 machines.” Cr Wellington said he was prompted to push the issue when a Noosa club applied year after year for 15 extra machines and his council had no power to stop the extra machines.