Jets' anger over pokies crackdown

Jets Leagues Club CEO Brad Wolens is upset with the proposed new poker machine laws.

Claudia Baxter

IPSWICH Jets Rugby League Club's capacity to assist the community will be severely reduced if proposed changes to poker machine rules are brought in.

The Federal Government plans to adopt mandatory pre-commitment systems to limit the amount of money people can bet on the pokies.

The scheme was part of the Gillard government's deal with independent MP Andrew Wilkie in exchange for his support of the Labor minority government.

Ipswich Jets CEO Brad Wolens is negotiating a package with a sponsor to give away 500 balls valued at $7500.

He said if the new poker machine laws came in that kind of deal would be put in jeopardy.

He added that the Jets would not turn their backs on local sporting groups, but the proposed new laws might also put the club in a position where retaining quality players became more difficult.

The Jets Rugby League Club does far more than just put a Queensland Cup side on the paddock.

The Jets receive Leagues Club grant monies of at least $45,000 from which they make significant contributions to the community.

These donations include $9500 towards schools and other sporting organisations, $5000 towards the running of the Cyril Connell and Mal Meninga Cups teams, two sets of school jerseys at $2000 and 500 footballs at a cost of $6250.

"We also ran the Ipswich Jets Volunteer Ladies in Sports luncheon which we spent $10,000 on," Wolens said.

"We had 14 ladies that represented sports in Ipswich. It was not about rugby league.

"It was about doing something for the community.

"So it is those sorts of community events that this bloke (Wilkie) is going to squash.

"It will be interesting to see if he wants to do anything else to help the sporting clubs that he puts on the brink of folding...and see if he can help them survive.

"Our leagues clubs are the ones who generate the most funds for a rugby league club so it will have a massive impact on us if the laws come in.

"We do as much as we can with juniors and support the growth and development of junior sporting clubs on the whole."

Competing against the financially stronger clubs such as Redcliffe was tough enough but Wilkie's proposal would add to the pain.

"Like with a lot of rugby league clubs, to be competitive on the field it takes money and if you can't be competitive with the money that is available through the pokies then you've got to make cuts in other areas - and they are the aspects that you don't want to be cutting," Wolens said.

"That is what this guy obviously doesn't understand.

"He needs to come and talk to some of the clubs and the blokes at ground level and not to the blokes with their heads in the clouds.

"Then we can bring him up to speed with how clubs in the country operate."

COMMUNITY CLUB

Ipswich Jets receive at least $45,000 in leagues club grant money which they put back into the community.