Hotels Association out of touch on problem gambling
Attacks on the AMA today by Australian Hotels Association (AHA) Executive Director, Mr Richard Mulcahy, are misguided and indicate that the AHA has failed to keep up with the public debate on problem gambling, AMA Public Health Committee Chairman, Dr Bill Pring, said today.
Dr Pring, a psychiatrist, said the fact that it has taken the AHA three weeks to respond to a newspaper article citing the AMA's health concerns over excessive gambling would suggest that the AHA is not taking the problem too seriously.
"There has been no formal approach to the AMA by the AHA on the matter of problem gambling and health," Dr Pring said.
"Mr Mulcahy has made no personal effort to contact me or any other senior office holder of the AMA at the Federal level.
"The fact of the matter is that the evidence of poor health outcomes from excessive gambling is clear for all to see.
"Visit any pub or club in the country. Visit a doctor's surgery. Read the medical research. Better still, talk to a family member or friend of someone who has fallen victim to addictive gambling."
Dr Pring said that the AMA in Canberra had been cooperative in responding to AHA requests and had forwarded the AMA's Position Statement on Problem Gambling. The AHA was informed that a more comprehensive discussion paper was in progress and would be available in early 2002