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December 7th, 2011 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda Updated
Father Riley says his charity receives $300,000 a year from Clubs Australia.
Leaders in the charity sector have questioned the wisdom of a prominent youth worker who has joined Clubs Australia to fight the Government’s proposed poker machine reforms.
Youth Off The Streets founder Father Chris Riley has become the face of the clubs’ campaign against the reforms, which include mandatory pre-commitment technology.
Father Riley appears on a pamphlet that will be sent today to almost 50 electorates across the eastern states.
His organisation receives funding from Clubs Australia, but Father Riley says his stance is more about standing up to Andrew Wilkie, the independent MP who has demanded the reforms in return for supporting the minority government.
“I think the most important thing for me is the randomness of policies which frustrates me, that… a minority incumbent has the incredible power to make such a big decision against pubs and clubs and I just don’t think that’s fair,” Father Riley told News Radio this morning.
“I also believe that legislation never deals with human problems. We need education, we need counselling, we need programs out there in the field so that people can access them.
“At the moment there’s not enough of those.”
Father Riley’s organisation receives hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations from the gambling industry, but he says the money is not influencing his opinion.
“Maybe 300,000 each year, which in the big picture is not a lot of money,” he said.
“No-one owns me. I have to say that really clearly. I’ve been in this fight for 15 years with random politics that just randomly go out and attack pubs and clubs.
“They’ve got to do it in a just way, and they’ve got to make sure they go out there as a platform rather than just letting one man exert his power.”
Misguided response
Anti-gambling campaigner Tim Costello has criticised Father Riley, accusing him of a conflict of interest.
“I think when you are taking the dollars from the pokies lobby and then being their face, you have to explain that conflict,” Reverend Costello said.
Reverend Bill Crews, who chairs the NSW churches’ anti-gambling taskforce, is a friend of Father Riley but says he has taken the wrong approach.
“Well Chris Riley’s my great friend and I’m saddened by that, because I think his response to it’s been misguided,” he said.
Father Riley says instead of mandatory pre-commitment, the Government should instead focus on funding education and treatment programs.
But Reverend Crews says poker machines are the crack-cocaine of gambling.
“It is as addictive and as difficult as that,” he said.
“And in lots of ways education programs are fine after the event because you can help people through, but before, nobody really knows what they’re getting into.
“Education is very difficult. This is one of those issues where you actually need to stop it happening.”
Reverend Crews says he is concerned about Father Riley damaging his credibility.
“I think it could and that’s my great worry because he’s done so much good work,” he said.
“I get amazed sometimes at how low the gambling industry will stoop to get support.
“I just think often they behave in a very immoral way.”
Heated debate
The heated debate over poker machine reform has been causing political heartache for the Federal Government.
Clubs Australia has been targeting Labor backbenchers with so-called community forums in marginal seats in NSW and Queensland.
The addition of Father Riley to their campaign will add to that pressure, but independent Senator Nick Xenophon told ABC Radio Father Riley’s intervention could backfire.
“I know the gambling industry says Father Riley entering the campaign is an ace in their pack, but given his stand, the potential conflicts of interest and the fact that he’s got the facts absolutely wrong, I see it more as the joker card,” Senator Xenophon said.
The pamphlets featuring Father Riley will be delivered to two million people.
Reverend Crews says people should not forget the harm problem gambling causes.
“I think what influences people more is when they see their son, their daughter, their brother-in-law, somebody they love having their lives ruined because they’re pouring every cent they can get and con out of everybody else down the stomach of a poker machine,” he said.
gambling,
federal-government,
australia,
nsw
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