The Government's newly introduced Online Casino Gambling (OCG) Bill has been met with backlash from some on New Zealand's leading sporting bodies.
The legislation would regulate online casinos and allow them to operate in New Zealand, but concerns have been raised that the bill won't make them return community funding grants.
Cycling NZ Chair Martin Snedden says this bill poses as risk to the future of local sport - as it benefits greatly from such grants.
"Sport thrived off the back of that - at the moment, sports are really struggling with the economic environment, accessing sponsorship money's impossible. Local Governments are naturally pulling back because they're in financial trouble themselves, there's a whole confluence of economic problems."
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudkin
from News Talks EDB Right.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
As I mentioned earlier, New Zealand's biggest sporting codes adjoining
forces to fight a law change they say threatens the
future of grassroots sport. The government is proposing the Online
Casino Gambling Bill. The legislation would regulate online casinos and
allow them to operate in New Zealand. So the issue
for our local sport is that the bill would not
make those operators return community funding grants. Sport currently receives
(00:35):
one hundred and seventy million dollars from such grants. Chair
of Cycling New Zealand, Martin Sneden, is leading the opposition
and he joins me, now, thanks for your time, Martin.
Good morning.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
Warning Francesca.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Okay, so why have you pulled these sports together?
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Accidentally fell out and found out about this about six
weeks ago, un locked at it and thought, man, this
is a massive risk. There had been no consultation with
the sports sector, no warning that this was on the cards,
and as soon as I saw it, I recognized the
the extent of the risk to community funding. So luckily
I've got the experience in the contacts within the sports
(01:12):
sector to quickly galvanize the leaders of the organizations. Everyone
has come in behind this and I've got fifty organizations
that have signed up to this that are authorizing me
to speak on their behalf and to tell the story
of why this is a crazy move by the government.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
So why is this a crazy move? What could this
bill do to community sport?
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Well, for a start, gambling was only legalized in New
Zealand with some quid pro quos, and one of those
was that some of the proceeds would be used to
support community, including community sport, and that's been a principle
since nineteen seventy seven and is enshrined in the Gambling
Act in two thousand and three. Sport over that period
(01:58):
of time has really benefited enormously from the Class War.
I mean, the Pokey Trust moneys have been paid into clubs.
It all goes to clubs, it all goes to community,
not to professional sport, and so sports thrived off the
back of that. At the moment, sports are really struggling
(02:19):
with the economic environment. They're accessing sponsorship money is impossible.
Local governments are naturally pulling back because they're in financial
trouble themselves, so there's a whole confluence of economic problems
that are just falling on top of these clubs, and
then to have this on top of it is really
(02:40):
to test the future sustainability of clubs.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
So basically, clubs are telling you, you know, if they
start losing this fundate, they're going to have to increase subs,
potentially double subs. And of course if you've got kids
who are playing a winter in a summer sport. When
you've got a couple of kids, you get to the
point where you might only be able to play a
winter or a summer sport.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
Yeah, it's not just that, it's just this will actually
affect the actual ability of some of these clubs to
survive and the regional organizations that also received grants from
the pokies to actually service their needs. So I don't
understand why they're doing this. I think what's happened is
that government itself has been blindsided by a lack of
(03:23):
analysis and advice from the Department of Internal Affairs. They
haven't done their work. I've looked at the documents behind
the bill. DIA has not done the necessarily analysis and
therefore has not put perhaps their own minister, but certainly
cabinet in a position to understand the impact on community
(03:44):
sport that the ownmission of the requirement for the international
operators to provide money for community is going to have.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
So you're hoping that if you explain this to MPs,
they're going to get the head round. This just hasn't
been considered as I think that.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
So the Prime Minister, the Minister of Sport Martin Macture,
the Associate Minister of Sport Chris Bishop, they all love
sport dearly. They I'm sure are not going to allow
something to go through that is ultimately going to have
a dramatic negative impact on the future of community sport.
(04:25):
I just can't imagine that they would be prepared to
do that and to take that risk. So I'm hoping
that by now raising awareness, not just publicly and not
just within the sports sector, not just within the media,
but by what we're doing within ministers themselves, that they're
going to see the sense of actually backtracking on this
(04:47):
and do what was originally envisaged when Tracy Martin first
started scoping out this legislation, which is to include a
provision for community funding.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
And would you like them to Is it as simple
as saying, actually, these online gaming organizations have to contribute
to community funding. All the government needs to find way
to cover that losses.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
Well, I think in the first instance, the government should
be saying to the international operators you are going to
be contributing if you want to operate in New Zealand.
Part of the reason you're allowed to do so is
that part of your moneys are going to be going
into community and that's a good thing.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Absolutely. Ill look, best of Luck Martin. How long have
you got to kind.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
Of well do the log It's all been happening a
bit quick. We've got the sector organized, the public submission
process two weeks today, so we're really trying to galvanize
in a hurry every layer of sport in New Zealand
and say to them, this is in your best interest
to file a submission and to demonstrate your dissatisfaction with
(05:52):
where it sits now and then to support us to
be their advocate in order to open up the minds
of Cabinet and get the change that's needed.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Best of Luck Martin, thank you very much for your
time this morning. Appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
For more from the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin. Listen
live to News Talks A B from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudkin
from News Talks EDB Right.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
As I mentioned earlier, New Zealand's biggest sporting codes adjoining
forces to fight a law change they say threatens the
future of grassroots sport. The government is proposing the Online
Casino Gambling Bill. The legislation would regulate online casinos and
allow them to operate in New Zealand. So the issue
for our local sport is that the bill would not
make those operators return community funding grants. Sport currently receives
(00:35):
one hundred and seventy million dollars from such grants. Chair
of Cycling New Zealand, Martin Sneden, is leading the opposition
and he joins me, now, thanks for your time, Martin.
Good morning.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
Warning Francesca.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Okay, so why have you pulled these sports together?
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Accidentally fell out and found out about this about six
weeks ago, un locked at it and thought, man, this
is a massive risk. There had been no consultation with
the sports sector, no warning that this was on the cards,
and as soon as I saw it, I recognized the
the extent of the risk to community funding. So luckily
I've got the experience in the contacts within the sports
(01:12):
sector to quickly galvanize the leaders of the organizations. Everyone
has come in behind this and I've got fifty organizations
that have signed up to this that are authorizing me
to speak on their behalf and to tell the story
of why this is a crazy move by the government.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
So why is this a crazy move? What could this
bill do to community sport?
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Well, for a start, gambling was only legalized in New
Zealand with some quid pro quos, and one of those
was that some of the proceeds would be used to
support community, including community sport, and that's been a principle
since nineteen seventy seven and is enshrined in the Gambling
Act in two thousand and three. Sport over that period
(01:58):
of time has really benefited enormously from the Class War.
I mean, the Pokey Trust moneys have been paid into clubs.
It all goes to clubs, it all goes to community,
not to professional sport, and so sports thrived off the
back of that. At the moment, sports are really struggling
(02:19):
with the economic environment. They're accessing sponsorship money is impossible.
Local governments are naturally pulling back because they're in financial
trouble themselves, so there's a whole confluence of economic problems
that are just falling on top of these clubs, and
then to have this on top of it is really
(02:40):
to test the future sustainability of clubs.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
So basically, clubs are telling you, you know, if they
start losing this fundate, they're going to have to increase subs,
potentially double subs. And of course if you've got kids
who are playing a winter in a summer sport. When
you've got a couple of kids, you get to the
point where you might only be able to play a
winter or a summer sport.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
Yeah, it's not just that, it's just this will actually
affect the actual ability of some of these clubs to
survive and the regional organizations that also received grants from
the pokies to actually service their needs. So I don't
understand why they're doing this. I think what's happened is
that government itself has been blindsided by a lack of
(03:23):
analysis and advice from the Department of Internal Affairs. They
haven't done their work. I've looked at the documents behind
the bill. DIA has not done the necessarily analysis and
therefore has not put perhaps their own minister, but certainly
cabinet in a position to understand the impact on community
(03:44):
sport that the ownmission of the requirement for the international
operators to provide money for community is going to have.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
So you're hoping that if you explain this to MPs,
they're going to get the head round. This just hasn't
been considered as I think that.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
So the Prime Minister, the Minister of Sport Martin Macture,
the Associate Minister of Sport Chris Bishop, they all love
sport dearly. They I'm sure are not going to allow
something to go through that is ultimately going to have
a dramatic negative impact on the future of community sport.
(04:25):
I just can't imagine that they would be prepared to
do that and to take that risk. So I'm hoping
that by now raising awareness, not just publicly and not
just within the sports sector, not just within the media,
but by what we're doing within ministers themselves, that they're
going to see the sense of actually backtracking on this
(04:47):
and do what was originally envisaged when Tracy Martin first
started scoping out this legislation, which is to include a
provision for community funding.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
And would you like them to Is it as simple
as saying, actually, these online gaming organizations have to contribute
to community funding. All the government needs to find way
to cover that losses.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
Well, I think in the first instance, the government should
be saying to the international operators you are going to
be contributing if you want to operate in New Zealand.
Part of the reason you're allowed to do so is
that part of your moneys are going to be going
into community and that's a good thing.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Absolutely. Ill look, best of Luck Martin. How long have
you got to kind.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
Of well do the log It's all been happening a
bit quick. We've got the sector organized, the public submission
process two weeks today, so we're really trying to galvanize
in a hurry every layer of sport in New Zealand
and say to them, this is in your best interest
to file a submission and to demonstrate your dissatisfaction with
(05:52):
where it sits now and then to support us to
be their advocate in order to open up the minds
of Cabinet and get the change that's needed.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Best of Luck Martin, thank you very much for your
time this morning. Appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
For more from the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin. Listen
live to News Talks A B from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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