MR WENDT ASKED THE MINISTER FOR TOURISM AND FAIR TRADING (MR LAWLOR) —
QUESTION:
Would the Minister outline for my constituents the initiatives being undertaken during Responsible Gambling Week?
ANSWER:
This year, Responsible Gambling Awareness Week (RGAW), which is an annual event, ran from 17 to 23 May across the State.
Each year the Queensland Government supports Gambling Help service providers such as Lifeline, Centacare, the Alcohol and Drug Foundation and Relationships Australia to undertake activities to highlight the support available to people who feel gambling may have become a problem for them.
These activities aim to engage locally at a grassroots level to promote responsible gambling strategies and get the message out that help is available.
For RGAW 2010, activities were run in each of the 14 areas where Gambling Help service providers operate. This covers Brisbane, Logan, the Gold Coast, Ipswich, Toowoomba and the south-west, Caboolture and Redcliffe, the Sunshine Coast, Wide Bay and the Burnett region, Longreach, Rockhampton and central Queensland, Mackay/Whitsunday, Townsville, Cairns and Mt Isa.
Each Gambling Help service provider tailors RGAW activities to suit the particular needs of their local community.
The Ipswich Gambling Help Service installed an information booth at the Riverlink Shopping Centre, ran radio advertisements three times a day for six days and took part in a radio interview. A local venue donated a street banner and Ipswich City Council supported this donation by allowing the banner to be displayed free of charge.
On the Gold Coast, the local Gambling Help service, which is auspiced by Relationships Australia, focused on raising awareness amongst young people through the launch of a coaster design competition. The competition involves the creation of a drink coaster that promotes and educates about responsible gambling. The competition will close on 10 September 2010 and the winning design will be used during next year’s RGAW.
In Toowoomba, Lifeline Darling Downs and South West Queensland launched a new Indigenous gambling help brochure called ‘Some people gamble too much’ which includes art work by local young artist, Ben Moodie. Lifeline also donated art packs containing paints and materials to the Community Justice Elders Group art program at Westbrook prison.
In Bundaberg, morning teas for allied service providers and venue staff included providing information on how to recognise a gambling problem and referral pathways. Brochures and resources were handed out to advertise available services.
A number of service providers also ran information displays, events and stalls in shopping centres, libraries and community areas and engaged with local media such as community radio and television stations and newspapers. Articles on RGAW were printed in newspapers covering areas such as Ipswich, Bowen, Cairns, Bundaberg, Rockhampton and Gladstone and in human service agency network newsletters.
RGAW 2010 reinforced the message that if you have a problem with gambling, help is available.
