Today the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission will consider Romsey Football Netball Club’s (RFNC) application for 50 electronic gaming machines (EGMs) at the Romsey Hotel, with the hearing also to consider Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s opposal to the application.
Romsey Hotel has been out of operation since owner Jim Hogan closed it in 2017, leaving the Romsey township without a pub for six years, but now the RFNC wants to lease and operate the venue if the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) approves their application.
The application to the gambling commission state that if Romsey Hotel reopens, $200,000 of profits, including 30 per cent of the balance of profits, would be distributed back to the club.
While council does not have the authority to approve or decline the application, it can make a submission to the VGCCC for consideration in its decision.
A council commission social and economic impact statement found the application for poker machines would likely cost the community negative $4.30 million over 20 years, or Benefit to Cost Ratio (BCR) of 0.66.
Macedon Ranges Shire Council Mayor Annette Death said at the April meeting the detriment was a ‘public health issue’ that deserved a public health response.
“It has already been highlighted the amount of work that has gone into ensuring we have the right research, but importantly the social and economic impact assessment is what builds out that criteria around detriment net benefit framework,” she said.
“The officer’s report notes that in the Local Government Act 2020, the role of council is to provide good governance in its municipal district for the benefit and well-being of the municipal community.
“We know the detriment and the harm that gambling can have in communities, and this is a public health issue, and it needs and deserves a public health response. The data definitely shows the detriment that it can cause to communities and this particular application will certainly do that from the evidence that we have.”
In coming to the resolution, Ms Death said council also considered several factors from a community survey via an independent survey.
Council surveyed the Romsey township, and of 1493 respondents, council found that 60.36 per cent believed the 50 EGMs in the Romsey township would have a negative impact on the broader community, while another 60 per cent did not support the application.
RFNC president Wayne Milburn said in his submission to the VGCCC said while he acknowledged there was a small minority of people who are negative about the EGMs, community members felt ‘the town is empty and incomplete’ without the hotel.
“As a long term resident of Romsey, I can say with confidence that the sentiment from the town is that nearly all of the people in town are upset with the closure of the hotel, which seems likely to be permanent unless gaming machines are installed,” he said.
“I acknowledge that there is a small minority of people who are negative about the gaming machines and the TAB but it seems to me from the conversations I have had, that they accept if they’re going to get the pub back, and a vastly improved pub back, that accepting the gaming is just part and parcel of what is proposed.”
It is not the first time council has opposed gaming machines at the Romsey Hotel.
RFNC’s plea for poker machines marks the second time that the VGCCC will decide on an application for EGMs at the pub.
In the prior stoush, Macedon Ranges Shire Council saw a favourable outcome when the Supreme Court refused the approval of 30 poker machines at the Hotel in 2009 when Mr Hogan applied.
Bearing in mind the predominant reason for refusal of the previous application, Mr Hogan said in his submission he had ‘tested the waters in relation to the views of the community around the approval.’
Mr Hogan said the ‘overwhelming feedback’ had been positive, contradicting council’s findings.
“My interpretation of the Taverner results is that the community wholeheartedly endorses the plans and the proposal,” he said.
“Whilst there is some concern in relation to introduction of gaming, it appears that the local community is really willing to accept that the hotel is just not viable without gambling, and that if they want this beautiful facility that gaming will need to be a part of it in order for the proposal to be viable.”
Mr Milburn did not return to the Review’s email to provide comment.