Some good news, and a great opportunity.
This week it was reported that - after more than a year of engagement by GetUp members encouraging the company to quit profiting from the pain of problem gamblers - Coles is making real strides towards doing the right thing by its customers, communities and shareholders.1
If Coles moves on poker machine reform it will kick the legs out from under Woolworths's argument that it won't consider reform unless its competitors do. It'll prove that it's possible to sell liquor and run hotels without depending on profits from problem gamblers; and set a great example for the whole industry.
It would be a huge step forward in the campaign to reduce the harm of poker machines.
Will you take a minute to contact Coles, encouraging it to step up to the plate and do the right thing?
Click here to contact Coles Managing Director, Richard Goyder, by email.
Click here to contact Coles on Facebook.
Click here to contact Coles on Twitter.
Last Friday the Federal Parliament passed pokies legislation so watered down that it is likely to have no impact on problem gambling. Worse than that, after a furious week of lobbying by the clubs movement, and amendments moved by Tony Windsor, the main (and ineffective) measure to address problem gambling - voluntary pre-commitment - won't even be implemented at some venues until 2018. That's two Federal elections away. Click here for more detail on the legislation on the GetUp blog.
We need our corporate leaders to step up and show politicians what it means to take an ethical stance on a complex issue. Unlike Woolworths, which owns ten times as many machines as Coles, Wesfarmers has acknowledged from the very beginning the harm caused by the high-loss machines it owns and operates as part of its hotels business. It's expressed a willingness to evaluate more responsible ways of conducting its poker machine business and Wesfarmers is now closer than ever to being the responsible corporate leader it claims to be.
Will you encourage Wesfarmers to lead the way in making this happen? Click below to contact Wesfarmers and ask your friends and family to do the same:
Click here to contact Coles Managing Director, Richard Goyder, by email.
Click here to contact Coles on Facebook.
Click here to contact Coles on Twitter.
With hope,
The GetUp team.
[1] Sydney Morning Herald, Coles mulls $1 limit on pokies, 26 November 2012.
GetUp is an independent, not-for-profit community campaigning group. We use new technology to empower Australians to have their say on important national issues. We receive no political party or government funding, and every campaign we run is entirely supported by voluntary donations. If you'd like to contribute to help fund GetUp's work, please donate now!. Authorised by Sam Mclean, Level 2, 104 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010. 