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KEVIN RUDD hates poker machines. At least that’s what he told the Australianas he pitched for votes before the federal election. But since he became prime minister Mr Rudd’s passion seems to have cooled. He hasn't initiated any legislation or implemented any policy that would help him keep his pre-election promise to “wean" state treasuries off their addiction to pokie revenue. If anything, he has fed their habit, since a fair slice of the stimulatory cash served out to pensioners and "working families" is being fed back to the states via slots in suburban pubs and clubs. (The December distribution of funds under the government’s first $10 billion economic stimulus package coincided with a record month for gambling in Victoria and significant jumps in poker machine revenues in Queensland and South Australia.) ...
