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Aussie
Rules
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News Release
It's Time for John Pandazopoulos and Co. to Resign! To ensure Victorians can get a "Fair Bet" To use and old Labor Party adage "It’s Time!"…for John Pandazopoulos and his counterparts, and the Chair of the Bookmakers and Bookmakers' Clerks Registration Committee Katherine Bourke to resign. They should be ashamed of their lack of support of the local betting industry. The minister was recently awarded a 2½ star rating out of a possible 5 on his performance as a minister to date. As far as our industry is concerned it should be 2½ stars out of 10! B&BCRC should stop wasting tax payers money by chasing time sheets! from bookmakers such as myself and start working with the industry to be able to compete on a level playing field. All I’ve been asking for over the last 5 years is for the authorities in our state Including Racing Victoria LTD to support our industry, which is what our counterparts in other states of Australia enjoy. We have been banned from advertising our product in NSW and Queensland for many years while under the very same law, bookmakers from these states freely advertise their products in the Victorian media. Even the Minister’s South Australian counterpart has gone in to bat for his bookies by banning Michael Eskander Racing from advertising in SA. Although we don’t agree with the restriction of trade, we applaud his loyalty. No such loyalty here in Victoria, as interstate bookies have open slather when it comes to advertising on our turf. Furthermore, why is it that feature bookies from NSW can bet on Listed races and we cannot? Why is it that in Canberra and N.T. operators can bet up until the start of a race when we must halt all activity in the vital 30 minutes before the jump? Why is it they can bet on the Election and we cannot ? Why is it that we cannot (as NSW bookies do) stand at the races? And why is it that the TAB can bet at venues such as the MCG and we cannot? Why is it that TABCORP can bet on jockey premiership and we cannot? These are questions I have put to the Minister and his Department. They seem to think I am pestering them, but what am I to do? Sit back and watch bookies from NSW, Canberra, the Northern Territory and international betting exchanges take all the riches from Victorian races when they are not even licensed here? why is it TABCORP employees can serve on the racing club committees and a bookmaker cannot? Our Minister has done nothing to advance our industry unlike his predecessor Rob Hulls The chair has wasted tax payer's money for a long time acting like a police officer in an industry that is full of them eg registration committee, stewards, on course police, bookmakers' supervisors, club officials, RVL and VBA. Why keep them on the job if they only selectively enforce the act. Victoria led the bookmaking world for 100 years up until the late 1990’s. Our strong and colourful betting rings is the envy of racing authorities throughout the world. History proves that our culture, combined with the talent in our own backyard can not only compete on the world stage but given the right environment, become world leaders again…and mark my words our market is open to the world, whether we like it or not. It's Time for us to move forward. Michael Eskander.
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