Tag: political donations

  • Pokies: joyless, nasty, and on the way out?

    Pokies: joyless, nasty, and on the way out?

    This post gives a shout out to hotel owners who are ditching their pokies to create a more family-friendly atmosphere. And to executives of registered clubs who are resisting pressure to make gambling the heart and sole of the business plan for registered clubs: see here and here. Let’s be honest: pokies (also known as…

  • Democracy is not a spectator sport: more on campaign finance and public health

    In October 2015, at the Oceania Tobacco Control Conference, Professor Mike Daube, one of Australia’s best-known public health advocates, gave the closing address. He wore a tie given to him some years ago by an American colleague.  It read: “Democracy is not a spectator sport”. On the back were the words: “Made exclusively for Philip…

  • Campaign finance: a neglected public health issue

    Enjoying the Australian election?  Of course you aren’t. But campaign finance and political donations are a neglected public health issue. A few years ago I asked the Chairman of an Australian tobacco company “Why do you do it? Why give political donations at all?” “[F]or the same reasons as Westfield or anyone else”, he answered. …