Sydney's Northern Beaches has long been a haven for snooker, an important community activity that brings together people of all walks of life. Unfortunately, this age-old tradition is under threat as poker machines, or 'pokies', are gradually taking over spaces previously reserved for snooker. This trend, observed in many local clubs, threatens to disrupt a long-standing social practice where individuals, both young and old, have fostered life-long relationships over rounds of snooker and a shared pint. In stark contrast, poker machines feed into a harmful gambling culture that can lead to addiction and social damage.

Furthermore, gambling statistics show that Australians lose more money betting than any other nation (ABC News), a concerning reality that we should strive to mitigate rather than perpetuate by adding more poker machines . By safeguarding the presence of snooker in our cherished local social clubs, we would not only be preserving vital community bonding, but also stemming the tide of a growing societal issue.

We, the community members of Northern Beaches Council, NSW, call upon our local leaders to limit the encroachment of poker machines in our clubs, in order to protect our social traditions and curb gambling-associated problems. Please support this effort to protect and foster our community's well-being. Sign this petition to keep our social clubs free of excess poker machines and let the tradition of snooker thrive.

When we get over 1,000 signatures we will take this to James Griffin MP, Rory Amon MP, Zalli Stegle MP, Michael Regan MP amongst others.

Thankyou for your support, this petition doesn't require donation, please sign and share. But if you would like to promote this petition there are various options on this page. (Change.org is a great platform, if you would like to donate directly to it you can find the button as well on this page).