tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29101447.post1266968390335629629..comments2023-11-18T11:49:19.163+11:00Comments on Bairnsdale Conservative: Rudd Policy?DaoDDBallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14116429233512306142noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29101447.post-41405601848186629382007-09-14T22:17:00.000+10:002007-09-14T22:17:00.000+10:00Govt attacks Labor's 'phoney' pokie pledgeSeptembe...Govt attacks Labor's 'phoney' pokie pledge<BR/>September 14, 2007 - 5:00PM<BR/>Source: ABC<BR/><BR/>Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer has accused Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd of running a phoney campaign against poker machines.<BR/><BR/>Mr Downer says Mr Rudd's pledge to reduce state government reliance on pokies revenue is not funded.<BR/><BR/>He says Mr Rudd helped introduce poker machines to Queensland when he worked as a government chief of staff.<BR/><BR/>"This phoney line on pokies is just a profound embarrassment and it exposes the Labor Party and Mr Rudd for what they are, which is people pulling stunts with no capacity to govern Australia," he said.<BR/><BR/>Mr Downer's attack comes after federal Treasurer Peter Costello said the issue of poker machines in Australia needed to be addressed.<BR/><BR/>"I regret that we have so many poker machines in Australia, I'd like to see less," he said.<BR/><BR/>"I think that governments have to work together to address this problem gambling phenomenon.<BR/><BR/>"People are losing homes, jobs, families because essentially they have an addiction."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com