Last ditch pokies stand

HEALESVILLE Community members opposed to more poker machines in Healesville will have an opportunity to put their case to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) in April.
An appeal against the decision by Yarra Ranges Council to refuse a planning permit for the installation of 30 electronic gaming machines at the Terminus Hotel has been appealed by Terminus owner Pink Hill Hotel Pty Ltd.
The appeal, which could go for up to four days, will start in Melbourne on 29 April.
Pink Hill Hotel was granted a gaming licence by the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation last year, but a request for a community representative to speak at that hearing was refused.
Healesville Anglican minister Tim Anderson said however he had been advised that the community would have a say at the VCAT hearing and had called a meeting of registered objectors for Thursday 11 April to co-ordinate a response.
Rev Anderson said there were a number of points on which the objectors would be basing their objections including that the proposal was inconsistent with Yarra Ranges’ planning objectives, was close to sensitive community facilities, would have an adverse impact on the Healesville community, and would not derive a net community benefit.
He said both the Liberty Church and the Salvation Army were relevant in terms of Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme’s policy that EGMs not be in proximity to sensitive community facilities.
“Both operate counselling services and Liberty, which runs men’s services for addiction is literally across the road,” he said.
He said in addition they would argue that the proposal would make the venue the primary destination as a gaming facility, that the proposed gaming area was not sufficiently separated from the non-gambling activities of the hotel, and that the proposal for gaming machines was premature as the hotel had not demonstrated it had existing use rights to continue operating as a hotel.
Rev Anderson said he believed Yarra Ranges Council’s case was stronger than in many other applications which have ultimately been lost at VCAT.
Yarra Ranges Council has confirmed it will defend its decision.
He said he believed there was also an increasing understanding by policy makers of the damage poker machines do at an individual and community level which provided some hope for objectors.
Anyone who put in a formal objection is eligible to be a spokesperson.
The ‘strategy’ meeting will be at 7.30pm at St John’s Anglican Church, Healesville on Thursday 11 April.
Terminus owner Robin Daley told the Mail he had no comment to make at this stage.