Gaming in Victoria – planning approaches Dr Kate Kerkin Co-convenor Social Planning Chapter PIA Victoria – Senior Consultant Planning Coomes Consulting Group Julian Vander Noord Consultant Coomes Consulting Group
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Recent changes to Victorian gaming legislation? Planning permit requirement for all gaming machines: Planning permit requirement for all gaming machines: –Better opportunities for Council to guide the location of gaming machines –Opportunities to better manage impacts of gaming on the community
Towards a rigorous gaming policy Tools for developing stronger policies Tools for developing stronger policies Ideas for strengthening current policies Ideas for strengthening current policies
Achieving controls over the location of gaming machines Including local gaming policy in LPPF Including local gaming policy in LPPF Include land use map in policy designating encouraged or prohibited location Include land use map in policy designating encouraged or prohibited location Strategic justification for policy included as reference document to Planning Scheme Strategic justification for policy included as reference document to Planning Scheme Include gaming policies in Local Area Plans or Structure Plans Include gaming policies in Local Area Plans or Structure Plans
What makes a defensible policy? Providing justification for controls – i.e. excluding EGM’s in specific locations Providing justification for controls – i.e. excluding EGM’s in specific locations Some bases for justification: Regional caps report Regional caps report SEIFA Index of Disadvantage SEIFA Index of Disadvantage Density of EGM’s in particular areas Density of EGM’s in particular areas Quantity of losses in an area Quantity of losses in an area
Locally specific justification Using local indicators to define Clause Planning Scheme – Purpose: 'situated in appropriate locations and premises’ and ensure the proper consideration of the ‘social and economic impacts’ of the location of gaming machines. % losses – assessing local losses against State averages % losses – assessing local losses against State averages Determine appropriate / sustainable losses against SEIFA Determine appropriate / sustainable losses against SEIFA Current EGM’s Current EGM’s Appropriateness of potential losses Appropriateness of potential losses Quantifying ‘well being’ Quantifying ‘well being’
Strategies beyond the Planning Scheme Gaming Policy in LPPF should be consistent with Purposes of Clause Gaming Policy in LPPF should be consistent with Purposes of Clause Gaming Policy can be supported by other Council policies such as Municipal Public Health Plan (indicators of well being) Gaming Policy can be supported by other Council policies such as Municipal Public Health Plan (indicators of well being)
The gaming policy challenge Need to develop defensible gaming policies Need to develop defensible gaming policies Translating social values and indicators into guidelines for spatial or land use outcomes Translating social values and indicators into guidelines for spatial or land use outcomes