By chief political correspondent Emma Griffiths
Updated January 18, 2012 12:02:14
Photo:Defiant: Independent MP Andrew Wilkie (AAP: Alan Porritt, file photo)
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Anti-pokies MP Andrew Wilkie has rejected widespread reports his gambling reform deal with the Government is destined to fall through, while also acknowledging he may have to compromise in the end.
Speaking on ABC Local Radio this morning, the independent MP insisted he was still working to fulfil his agreement with Prime Minister Julia Gillard to bring in mandatory pre-commitment measures at clubs and pubs by 2014.
He said reports that the Government is going to renege on its support for the idea or that he has caved in were "inaccurate".
"Sure, she wants to get a balance between what the industry wants and what I want, but at the end of the day Julia Gillard signed an agreement with me," he said.
"She knows she did, she knows the pressure is on her to deliver on that agreement and, by the way, she genuinely wants poker machine reform. We are talking about mandatory pre-commitment."
Mr Wilkie demanded poker machine reforms in return for his support for the Gillard Government in the House of Representatives. But his hold over Labor was significantly weakened when it won an extra vote through the defection of Liberal MP Peter Slipper to the speaker's chair.
The independent says he is still prepared to withdraw his support from the Government if it does not honour the agreement.
"Although if I was to walk away the Government wouldn't necessarily fall over, it would still be a terrible blow to the Government and some people would accuse the Government of breaking another promise, so there's political reasons why the Government still needs to honour its agreement with me," he said.
But Mr Wilkie acknowledged he was facing the political reality he may have to compromise in the end.
"There's any amount of detail that we discuss and negotiate and you never get exactly what you want, so I need to be very careful here," he said.
"On the one hand I need to be prepared to walk away and maintain my good name and my integrity, but I also need to balance that with the fact that this is an historic opportunity, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get meaningful poker machine reform.
"So it's not up to me to be selfish and just walk way too quickly or too easily. So long as I can get meaningful poker machine reform, then that's what I'll grab a hold of and pursue."
Yesterday, Mr Wilkie fuelled speculation that the deal would be watered down by leaving open the option to delay the start date until after the next election.
Double-crossed?
Mr Wilkie's ally in the battle to curb poker machine addiction, independent Senator Nick Xenophon, says delaying the laws could be a good compromise.
But he is worried that the Government is preparing to double-cross the Tasmanian independent.
"My fear is that the Government is not genuine on poker machine laws, they are going through the motions, they got Andrew's vote to get into Government and if they back away from this I think that the Prime Minister's been in the lodge under false pretences for the last 18 months," he said.
Greens leader Bob Brown says any delay would effectively kill the reforms and would not be supported by his party in the Senate.
"What I am concerned about is that the PM is going to be successful here in having Andrew Wilkie back off, allow a trial, not implement the restrictions that will deal with problem gambling until after 2014, and then consequent on that trial, which means some minister somewhere down the line will determine whether it goes ahead, or some future parliament," he said in Hobart.
But Mr Wilkie has today reiterated his view that the start date is non-negotiable.
"It remains carved in stone that there must be legislation passed by the Budget this year, which is on May 8," he said.
"If there is not legislation passed by both Houses of Parliament by May 8 this year to formalise this reform then I will withdraw my support for the Government."
A delay would allow the Government to push the debate off the agenda until after the next election and avoid a damaging row with clubs in many marginal seats.
The federal Labor member for Eden-Monaro, Mike Kelly, says he is confident that all parties involved will agree there needs to be an evidence-based approach to tackle gambling addiction.
But he says he has been angered by some of the clubs in his region that have put up 'attack banners' targeting him personally over the issue.
"I wasn't ever going to sit still for anything that threatened the viability of our clubs and pubs, at the same time I was really determined we do something about problem gambling," he said.
Clubs Australia has warned MPs that it has set aside funding to continue its multi-million dollar campaign against the changes.
Wilkie denies backing down over pokies - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
