Wilkie Defects from Gillard Government After Poker Machine Compromise

In a dramatic development over the weekend, Tasmanian MP Andrew Wilkie has decided to sever his support for the Gillard Government, after the Australian Prime Minister said she would not push forward with the plan to add pre-commitment technology to poker machines throughout the country.

Wilkie's initial support for the Gillard Government was critical in its formation, but it came at a price. In order to secure his support, Wilkie was promised that poker machine reform would be pushed forward by May 2012. The bill favored by Wilkie included a smart-card system that would require players to set a loss limit, after which machines would no longer allow them to play.

However, Gillard and other Labor officials did not believe they had the votes to pass such legislation, and thus sought some kind of compromise action. In the end, the Prime Minister proposed that a trial of the pre-commitment technology take place in the Australian Capital Territory, and that all poker machines manufactured after 2013 would be fitted with that technology if the trial went well. In addition, Gillard's plan would limit the amount of money that could be withdrawn from ATMs at all gambling locations except for major casinos.

While Wilkie and some other supporters of gambling reform see the move by the government as a betrayal of promises made, Gillard has argued that she is simply taking a pragmatic approach to the issue by pushing for reforms that can pass in the current Parliament.

While the Wilkie defection is a tough loss for the government, it is not nearly as dramatic as it could have been. Originally, Wilkie was the single vote that gave Gillard majority support in Parliament. However, Liberal MP Peter Slipper moved into Gillard's column late last year in exchange for gaining the role of Speaker. This gave the government a two-vote margin on any potential no confidence votes. After the loss of Wilkie, Gillard would still likely survive such a measure by one vote.