This post is very timely. The Press has an editorial today on Pokie Trusts and calls for reform. There has been an ongoing issue these past two weeks with Eureka Trust. The Problem Gambling Foundation (PGF) threatened to take Eureka to the high court over their donations to horse racing stakes (in breach of their Trust Deed - which they were informed about 18 months ago).

Horse racing is an authorised purpose in the Gambling Act, but Eureka set themselves up as a Charitable Trust in 2003 meaning they can't donate to horse racing. They have been donating around $1 million each year of the $5 million they distribute.

Eureka conceded to the demands of The Problem Gambling Foundation (to stop donations to horse racing) so PGF didn't pursue legal action.

Then later in the week Eureka announced they would stop all donations to sport (even though the legal opinion is that grassroots sport is a charitable purpose). Sporting organisations are rightfully upset that Eureka has changed their position of a week ago when they said they would stop donations to horse racing but continue to fund sport.

Pokie Trusts also cream off a lot of money in admin (around $150 million for the Trust administration and $150 million for the pubs). Seems like a lot to distribute around $300 million.

And as you have mentioned in your piece, there is too much potential for crime and corruption in how pokie trusts operate.

Pokie Trusts are not fair, not efficient, and not transparent. It's time for Central Government to review whether a more streamlined and transparent system is needed.

NB: These are not necessarily the views of PGF, who I work for!

For years Lairbour have been training a highly tactical stealth hacking unit. Trained in the marshal arts, the dark arts, the fine arts and all other pinko lesbian left wing peace loving activities, they have been waiting in secret for the very moment in history that Don and his merry men took control of the National Party. Hiding in bushes, behind buildings, in unmarked vans. The stealth team of elite hackers crept into Don’s room and using his office computer (over a period of a year) bit by bit, megabit by megabit, extracted all of Dons e-mail correspondence. Waiting for the very chance to offload the information to Nicki Hager in the hope that he would publish a book which would bring about the downfall of the mighty Don.