"Transformative wealth redistribution"? or are some of Labor / Green’s welfare recipients too wealthy?

Carbon tax compo being gambled away

Daily Telegraph
July 18, 2012 8:24AM
Pokie revenues surge in May and June
Increase coincides with carbon compo payments

HANDOUTS to low-income workers under the carbon tax scheme have led to a surge in pokie revenues in May and June, according to The Australian Financial Review.
Pokie revenues in Queensland rose more than 7 per cent in May and 12 per cent in June which coincided with the Federal Government’s handout of more than $15 billion in carbon tax compensation to pensioners and low-income earners.
Although other states have yet to release official gaming machine revenues for June, the AFR reports that in lower socio-economic areas of Victoria such as Bendigo they rose by 8.6 per cent, which is 7 per cent above the state average.
Other poker machine operators such as Coles and Echo Entertainment have also seen a jump in pokie revenues since the carbon cash injection was given.
The new figures have led to calls by anti-gambling campaigners for carbon compensation to be given in a different form other than cash.

Stephen Mayne, an independent candidate for the Melbourne by-election this weekend, said it would be better to give the carbon tax compensation in the form of credits at a consumer’s power company.
Nomura gaming and retail analyst Nick Berry said carbon tax payments would continue to the end of July, boosting retail sales and gaming revenue. But when the first power bills arrive at the end of September, most of the carbon compensation will have been spent.
Keith DeLacy, chairman of the compliance, audit and risk committee at the Reef Hotel casino in Cairns, told the AFR that casino revenues have always increased when cash handouts were delivered.
"All it is showing is that people have increased disposable income and that’s what they’re spending it on,” he said.
“Governments have got to accept if they give straight cash handouts to the population at large they can’t dictate how it must be spent as well. I mean, how far can you take the nanny state?”