Sky City to gain $25 million from 350 more pokies in dirty deal with Government

The dirty deal between Sky City and the Government to bribe us with a convention center in return for more pokies looks like it will go through this week.

It's a filthy deal for two reasons.

The first is that this represents out right political bribery. We will re-write NZ law, law set up to protect us from the scourge of pokies, we will re-write that because Sky City is buying us a pretty convention center.

Have you ever felt so cheap?

If Sky City get 500 more pokies, they gain $35 million more, 350 pokies will gain them $25 million more. That's not civic generosity, that's a God damned scam.

The second reason this is a filthy deal is that by handing the convention center to Sky City it dooms the St James. The St James is a beautiful building being left to rot and decay, the old Auckland Council's submission was that the regional funding available for the convention center goes to the Aotea Center who would refurbish the St James and use that as an arts and cultural events venue. By giving the convention center deal to Sky City, the National Government has signed the death warrant for the St James.

My main concern however is what else is in this deal? Sky City were pushing hard to have advertising regulations loosened as well as the extra pokies. That would mean a double blow to Auckland, more pokies and more ability for Sky City to suck people into those pokies.

To date the only issue Steven Joyce has with this entire grubby deal is that it needs to look paua shell tacky Nu Zilind enough to satisfy his largesse.

Welcome to the new crony authoritarian capitalism. Our Cabinet looks a shade of Junta this year don't you think?

Ugly, ugly deal.

FACEBOOK TWITTER