In the Monday afternoon session of the VCAT hearing to
decide the Castlemaine pokies battle, the tribunal heard the evidence of
Jacqueline Hutchinson, a compliance officer with the Mercury Group.
Mercury is a not-for-profit organisation that provides
services to Victorian clubs by assisting them with gaming machine choices and
EGM repairs.
Ms Hutchinson said Maryborough Highland Society (MHS) was
one of about 45 clubs, who were members of the group.She said MHS currently had 54 people who had self-excluded themselves from the venue.
Ms Hutchinson said MHS exceeded Mercury’s mandatory
requirements in the code of conduct by providing staff that completed
self-exclusion interviews with clients.
Under cross-examination from Mr Rantino, she said the
Castlemaine Sports and Community Club (The Club) Inc was part of the MHS but
then quickly changed her statement to say “it will be overseen by MHS
management”.
“I’m sorry, I got the terminology wrong,” she said.
Ms Hutchinson, who was not an expert witness at the hearing,
admitted she did not know what the Act said when it came to who was ultimately
responsible for a venue signing up to be part of a code of conduct.
Bill Jefferies, a committee member of The Club, was next to
take the stand.
Mr Jefferies said The Club had 1571 members and he became
involved because he didn’t think “a fair thing” was being done to the town by
not getting a club.
“There are 1571 people who deserve a club,” he said.
Mr Jefferies said he had a very close relationship with the
MHS management, describing its general manager, Malcolm Blandthorn, as “a
Godsend”.
He said The Club had a very good team of board members who were
dedicated and passionate about having a club in Castlemaine.
Mr Rantino asked him if he was aware that if the application
was successful at VCAT that MHS would be transferring the gaming machine
licences to The Club.
“In due course, after we have paid the bill,” Mr Jefferies
said.
Mr Rantino also asked Mr Jeffereies if he knew that: “In
order for you to hold gaming machine entitlements, you must first be in
possession of a venue operator’s licence?”
“There are a lot of things I am not fully aware of … but I
will be in due course,” Mr Jefferies said.
He said he was previously a member of the Hoppers Crossing
Sports Club before it acquired pokies.
“I left in 1990 but have been back since and I can tell you
it is doing very well. They now have 24 cricket clubs, 18 football clubs, two
turf wickets, which are all due to the good operation and the well-being of the
sports club.”
Mr Rantino asked Mr Jeffereies if he or any other members of
the Castlemaine club’s committee had experience in operating a club?
Mr Jefferies said he didn’t and wasn’t sure if the other
committee members had such experience.
“You would have to ask them.”He said The Club did not have a budget at this stage but the treasurer was taking fees and “everything is accountable, written down and can be examined”.
Mr Jefferies said The Club committee members were "not
taking it lightly" that they would be responsible for the Castlemaine venue and
would have to pay back MHS a considerable sum of money.
“MHS are our financiers and will be responsible for the
initial construction before handing it over to us. In due course, we will start
paying that (money) back over the next nine-and-a-half years.”
Panel member, VCAT Deputy Vice President, Mark Dwyer asked
Mr Jefferies what sort of sports and community facilities the Castlemaine venue
would offer?
“We will have a premises that will include a 350-patron room
and I believe indoor sports activities like carpet bowls, darts and hookey will
be available.
“With regard to outdoor sports, we will sponsor them as they
make applications for a community grant.
“The arts facilities will include art rooms, social rooms
for the elderly and meeting rooms.”
The Club’s secretary, Janet Rixon was the next person to
take the stand.
“There are a lot of people who want this club in Castlemaine
– they want a club, not a hotel,” Ms Rixon said. “There is nothing else in
Castlemaine like this, which is why I am fighting for it.”
Ms Rixon told Mr Rantino that she had no experience in
running a club.
She said MHS management had attended The Club’s meetings but
left on several occasions when the committee needed to vote on various matters.
Ms Rixon said if the club didn’t go ahead, Castlemaine would
not go ahead and “that friction will always be there – we won’t mend”.
Another member of The Club, Ian Braybrook, was the last
person called to the stand on Monday afternoon.
Mr Braybrook said that he and his partner enjoyed playing
gaming machines.
“Although we have a poker machine venue in Castlemaine, I
very rarely go there,” he said. “We prefer to go to a club – it’s a different
environment with a different clientele and a warmer atmosphere.”
Mr Braybrook said he and his partner did try to go to The
Cumberland Hotel to play the pokies on New Year’s Eve.
“We got there about 10.15pm and it was all shut up. There
was nowhere else to go … there is no choice. We were very disappointed and
alas, we finished up going home and going to bed. 