Link to council webpage: http://greaterdandenong.com/news/1754/fighting-pokies-together

Following are my responses to questions put to me by a RMIT student:

Q:The statement you’ve linked me to is from a couple of years ago now. It’s clear the council has a strong stance in regards to gambling, what significant moves has the council taken towards lowering the average of gambling losses?

There’s not a great deal that local councils can do, given that the final arbiter on individual applications and the cap on the number of machines allowed per municipality is the Victorian Government.

As you mention, the council is part of a multi-council coalition against problem gambling. This coalition has become significantly stronger in the last six months, as more councils have joined the coalition.

The council does have limited success. For example, recently we voted down an increase of machines at Club Noble and the club did not appeal to the Victorian Government.

Q: Given that the council has been aware of this issue for a long time, is it of concern that these loss statistics are still so high today?

Most definitely. More than ever, our local community has less disposable income and is more vulnerable to the effects of problem gambling.

Q: What ongoing actions does the council have in place to lower these losses, and have they been changed by recent revelations, or do they remain the same?

I’m not sure of the revelations you refer to. The amount of money lost to gambling in Greater Dandenong has been high for a long time.

The council has the following actions to reduce problem gambling:

Assess each application for increase including the context of harm to the community by problem gambling.
Continue the multi-council coalition to advocate to the Victorian Government for, in particular, harm minimisation. Harm minimisation is about making it harder for an individual to lose a large amount of money in a short time. One of these initiatives is $1 minimum bets, which we were happy to see has been supported by Coles.
Support community initiatives such as Australian Friendship Chess that offers an alternative to gambling.
Support awareness of problem gambling by initiatives such as Two Sides of the Coin.

Q: Your statement reads, “a lot of what Council is trying to achieve is hampered by the impact of gambling including domestic violence, crime as well as physical and mental health”. Have you seen any changes in these areas within the community having joined this taskforce and taken a more aggressive stance on gambling?

I haven’t seen any data or studies showing a causal link between problem gambling and purported associated issues. What we do know is that problem gambling takes money out of family budgets, and one of the main stresses on family relationships and well-being is financial stress.

 

Response to questions by Cr Matthew Kirwan:

State legislation specifies a dual role for Councils in the process of approval as follows:
• The initial granting of planning approval of the addition of further electronic gaming machines(EGMs) or establishment of a new gambling venue; and
• In terms of the next step under state legislation which requires applicants to also seek approval from the State Government Statutory Authority known as the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation (VCGLR), the opportunity to respond to an application by submission to VCGLR. As part of this process, legislation specifies the amount of time Councils may take to notify the VCGLR of its intention in relation to an application and to present its submission on behalf of the community. Having made a submission, Council has the option of supporting its position with an oral presentation at a hearing of the Commission, should it choose to do so.

So, in short we can’t stop ultimately gaming machine applications nor do we have the power to remove EGMs. Recently our rejection of an application for 20 additional machines in Club Noble in Noble Park was supported by the VCGLR but they ultimately had the power to decide.

Hence with dealing with the problem of the very large number of machines at Keysborough Hotel, and the very large losses there (from memory in the Top 10 across Melbourne) our role is advocacy related specifically to advocate, and support the advocacy of other local governments or organisations, for reform to the regulation of EGM gambling, including but not limited to the following:
• Reduction in the density and number of EGMs permitted under the caps of EGMS, in municipalities of socio-economic disadvantage and relatively high EGM density (one of the caps covers Greater Dandenong);
• Measures that diminish problem gambling. For example:
– Imposition of a limit of $1 upon the amount of money that may be lost in a single bet on an EGM;
– Removal of EFTPOS facilities from EGM gambling venues;
– Introduction of a compulsory pre-commitment mechanism; and
– Increased State Government financial support for programs and services that prevent problem gambling or the harms associated with
problem gambling;
• An extension in the period of time Councils are allowed to respond to gambling applications; and
• Revision of the VCGLR Social and Economic Impact Assessment Form, to more clearly direct local governments to relevant evidence about the local impact of gambling applications.

Hi Heather,

I had been on the Dandenong Valley Regional Library Service for over 10 years and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Colin Watson was the Regional Librarian from its inception and Kevin Moody who resides in Berwick was the Foundation CEO ., The Region was from Springvale, Dandenong, Pakenham. Cranbourne, Berwick, Kooweerup, Lang Lang I wink it was 270 square miles at the time. Springvale was the first and then one by one the Branch Libraries broke and formed their own area according to their respective municipalities. A lot of travelling for Delegates and the Pan techs towing a gooseneck trailer packed to the walls with lending books.

I had the good fortune to be Mayor Springvale when Springvale founded the Springvale Library and Premier Dick Hamer and I jointly opened the Library in 72 Prior to me being elected to Council in 1960 I had been a member of the Springvale Library Action Committee which was established in about three years prior.

I liked Jan Bateman. I stood for the State seat of Dandenong and was beaten by Alan Lind by 600 votes. Bill Warner won in every polling booth except Doveton I think the electorate had about 400,000 odd voters.

Jan stood a couple of years later.

I had the good fortune to be mayor three times, so it was an exciting 20 years as a councillor.

I will send this one to a few people who had been my supporters over the years

Many thanks

Bill Warner

Photo celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Dandenong Valley Regional Library Service on July 1, 1981. It says you were Regional Chairman of the Library Board. That’s the late Jan Bateman, who was Mayor of the City of Berwick, with you.

Springvale was named after its abundant source of natural spring water in the early 1850s. Springvale was also an important stopping place between Melbourne and Dandenong. Springvale was chosen as a location for one of the Australian Government’s purpose-built Enterprise Migrant Hostels to meet short term housing needs created by waves of migration in the 1970s and 1980s. This hostel provided settlement services to over 30,000 migrants and refugees and has been a key contributor to Springvale’s existing cultural identity. Today it is home to the largest and most established south-east Asian cultural precinct in Greater Dandenong. It has a strong Vietnamese and Cambodian influence giving the centre a distinctive Asian food and retail offer. Springvale has an established cluster of civic and community services and assets such as a council customer service centre, large civic hall, library and police station. In 2014 the Springvale Road railway level crossing was removed and the railway line was lowered below Springvale Road. This project also involved other public transport improvements, such as the new bus transport interchange and the Lindsay Williams Crossing vehicular bridge to allow crossing of the line east of Springvale Road. This removal has also provided the opportunity to initiate a significant urban renewal project, namely the Springvale Road Boulevard Project. The level crossing removal has opened up the north and south of the centre for Springvale was chosen as a location for one of the Commonwealth Government’s purpose built Enterprise Migrant Hostels to meet short term housing needs created by waves of migration in the 1970s and 1980s. The Hostel provided settlement services to over 30,000 migrants and refugees during this time and has been a key contributor to Springvale’s existing cultural identity.

In 2014 the Springvale Road railway level crossing was removed and the railway line was lowered below Springvale Road. This project also involved other public transport improvements, such as the new bus transport interchange and the Lindsay Williams Crossing vehicular bridge to allow crossing of the line east of Springvale Road. This removal also opened up the opportunity to initiate a significant urban renewal project, namely the Springvale Road Boulevard Project. The level crossing removal has opened up the north and south of the centre.

The Springvale Civic Site redevelopment is also underway and will include improved public open space and community facilities including renovation works at the Springvale Town Hall and the construction of a community hub which will incorporate a modern, state-of-the-art library, flexible community meeting spaces, civic services area and plentiful parking.

After its planned launch in 2020, it will be a vibrant meeting place where people of all ages, backgrounds and interests feel welcome and can come together in a spirit of mutual respect, connection and celebration.

World-class community facilities will combine with large, multipurpose green spaces to provide the perfect setting for learning, playing and relaxing.

A Community with a Vision

The First Government Primary School with a Canteen

The Springvale Rise Primary School, formerly, Springvale Heights and originally Sandown Park had a unique beginning.

The boundaries of its catchment area were Springvale Road, Princes Highway, Sandown Racecourse and the Mile Creek.  The whole area was owned by the Victorian Amateur Turf Club (VATC) who, in the late 1950s, sold off 800 house blocks to pay for the development of the racecourse.  The planned development included land reserved for a maternal and child welfare centre, a kindergarten and a school.

Interestingly Melbourne’s first group of display homes was built in Wareham Street.

By 1964 the school had not been built.  The children were attending Springvale North Primary School which was on the other side of Princes Highway.  An accident involving one of the children who was crossing the highway galvanised the community into action.  Submissions were written, meetings were organised and regular personal contact was made with relevant people within the Education Department in Melbourne and the District Inspector in Dandenong, Mr.Croft Stocks.

Mr Norm Billing, the State member at the time, arranged a meeting in the Old Treasury Buildings for a group of parents to meet relevant Education Department staff.  Those attending included Max Floyd, Jacques Rosenberg, Joan Scriven, Joan Borrow and Merle Mitchell.  They were told the Department didn’t build schools to solve traffic problems!

The Minister, John Rossiter, was invited to visit the site.  Most of the roads at this time were unmade.  He came in the winter when there had been a lot of rain.  His driver refused to drive on the unmade road.  One of the parents, Joan Scriven, offered to drive him in her 1955 Ford Customline.  She took him down Amiel Street where the car slid on the muddy wet surface but there was plenty of time then to convince the Minister of the need for the school!

Eventually a decision was made to build the school.  The need to raise funds for equipment quickly became apparent.  A committee was formed and numerous fund raising activities were planned.  But this was a group with vision.  They wanted a canteen to be built with the school.  But this had not been allowed for in the Department’s budget.  A library was to be included in the plan but there was nothing in the budget for books.

So the group decided it had better get a loan to build the canteen and equip the library.  But it had no collateral.  So it approached three people – a Springvale councillor, a relative of one of the parents and a parent.  These three agreed to go guarantors for a $5,000.  The loan was to be paid off by funds raised through the canteen sales and other money raising efforts.

There was enormous support.  There were no waste collection services in those days so every month a bottle and newspaper drive was organised.  Every house in the area was doorknocked.  Some parents did the doorknocking, others minded the children.  The bottles and papers collected were all stored at the Reinhold’s house in Garnsworthy Street.  Huge amounts of money were raised.

Regular street stalls were held.  Women who could sew made dozens of sets of pyjamas and other children’s clothing.  The material was always supplied, bought at Ball’s store in Richmond.  Cracked eggs were bought cheaply from the egg farms and made into cakes.  The record was 19 sponges made in one day by the one woman!

On 19th June, 1965 Sandown Park Racecourse was officially opened.  They hosted a luncheon to raise funds.  Informal lunches were held in some parents homes.

The school opened on 1st June, 1967.  It was the first government primary school in Victoria to open with a canteen and a fully stocked library.  This from a community of young families on quite low incomes – but families prepared to work collectively for the benefit of their children.

And then came another first

Schools at this time had a School Council, who made all the decisions, and a Mother’s Club, which raised all the money but had no say in how it would be spent.  This structure caused a lot of tensions in some schools.  At Sandown Park the Sandown Park Parents Association was formed to fulfil both roles.

Just prior to the opening the District Inspector, Croft Stocks, said, ‘This school has the potential to be the most outstanding Primary School in Victoria.’

And the loan?  It was paid off twelve months after the school opened but the group continued – there was much more to be done – including the financing of an arts centre.

Merle Mitchell AM

The Age article

November 2011