the casino

I BELIEVE that the prosperity of any community has to do with a lot more than the local economy.

If only those supporting this casino proposal would consider the bigger picture, rather than only focusing on the revenue, employment and tourism opportunities a casino may bring to this area.

Yes, go ahead and develop Mildura’s tourist potential, build a convention centre etc, but not at the enormous cost to families of gamblers (and potential gamblers) that a casino would pose.

Whereas the pokies are often viewed as the domain of our senior citizens, a casino would not only further tempt our current gamblers, it would have the glitz and glamour capable of enticing a new generation of gamblers.

I know that not everyone who goes to a casino becomes addicted to gambling.

However, we shouldn’t neglect the needs of those who have gambling problems just because they may be the minority.

By the time gamblers’ families and the wider repercussions are taken into account, gambling is detrimental to the whole community in some form or other.

Why add to an already alarming problem in our Mildura area? I liken the casino proposal to the hypothetical construction of a state-of-the-art, but unfenced, child-care centre on busy Fifteenth Street.

Too bad about the toddlers who have no road sense or stranger-danger awareness, the older children will be fine, it will be an asset to the city, solve child-care shortages etc.

We wouldn’t allow such a thing (and it would be illegal anyway).

Just as we value protection of children in our community, let’s also make decisions that offer protection to others who need it.

That is, don’t jeopardise the future of more Mildura families and the overall prosperity of our city by building a casino here.

Lynette Kay,

Mildura

Railing against

criticism

Victoria’s regional rail freight network is ready to meet the demands of the coming grain harvest, despite the ill informed comments made last week by the Opposition.