Australia: Serious National Gambling Problem – World’s most prolific gamblers

A national problem

Australians are the world’s most prolific gamblers, based on per capita spending.

In 2016, Australians lost more money per person — an average of US $990 — than any other developed country, according to research by consultancy H2 Gambling Capital. In comparison, runner-up Singapore lost $650 per person, and Ireland, which came third, $500.

One disadvantaged working-class Sydney suburb, Fairfield, gambled away more than AUS $8 billion from 2015-16 — or just under $40,000 per resident.

Total gambling expenditure in Australia increased by 7.7% from $21.114 billion in 2013-14 to $22.734 billion in 2014-15, according to the latest edition of the Australian Gambling Statistics, published last year. Meanwhile, per adult gambling expenditure increased from $1,171.09 to $1,241.86.

The most prevalent forms of gambling are lottery-type games (such as Powerball or Oz Lotto), with 30% reported use, but poker machines come second, with 8% of adults reporting they use pokies in a typical month, according to the 2017 Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey.

Driving this national addiction are the country’s 196,000 electronic poker machines. With the exception of Western Australia, pokies are allowed not just in casinos but in pubs and social clubs, where they are plentiful…

Source: Australia has a serious gambling problem – CNN

WA’s new police comm: Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission boss Chris Dawson

Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission boss Chris Dawson has been appointed as the new Police Commissioner for Western Australia.

The former WA Police deputy commissioner will replace Karl O’Callaghan, who has announced plans to retire after serving in the role for 13 years.

There were 10 candidates for the top job.

WA Premier Mark McGowan and Police Minster Michelle Roberts made the announcement, saying Mr Dawson had the “experience, the knowledge and the depth” for such an important role.

Mr Dawson will officially take on the role on August 16, two days after Commissioner O’Callaghan retires.

Source: WA’s new police commissioner named as Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission boss Chris Dawson – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

N Korean Missiles: Best Interview from a VERY Experienced Watcher + Clued-Up

Phillip Adams ABC has a ‘Clued up’ interview here;

Very interesting chat from a VERY experienced watcher in Korea.

http://ift.tt/2tTtnvp

Podcast or listen 13mins

Black bears kill 2 in Alaska, including teen in extreme race

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP)

Patrick Cooper had already turned around after reaching the halfway point in a popular mountain race in Alaska when he somehow veered off the trail and became lost. That’s when the 16-year-old Anchorage boy encountered the black bear that would take his life in a rare predatory attack.

Cooper began running, and at one point he reportedly placed a frantic call to his brother, saying he was being chased by a bear Sunday in the Robert Spurr Memorial Hill Climb race south of Anchorage. The brother notified race director Brad Precosky, who alerted race crews to begin searching for Cooper, known as Jack.

It took a couple hours for responders to locate the teen, whose body was found about a mile up the path, at about 1,500 vertical feet (457 vertical meters). The bear was found at the site, guarding the body, Precosky said.

A Chugach State Park ranger shot the 250-pound (113-kilogram) bear in the face, but the animal ran away.

Alaska State Troopers said the boy’s remains were airlifted from the scene on Sunday.

State park staffers were scouring the area Monday looking for the bear, state Fish and Game spokesman Ken Marsh said. Sunday’s attack was believed to have been a rare predatory move, not a defensive action such as when a female bear will protect her cubs, he said.

“It’s very unusual,” Marsh said of the mauling. “It’s sort of like someone being struck by lightning.”

Later Monday, a second fatal mauling at the hands of a black bear was reported nearly 300 miles northeast of Anchorage. Officials with an underground gold mine reported a contract employee hired to take geological samples was killed and another injured in a black bear attack.

 

Source: Black bears kill 2 in Alaska, including teen in extreme race

Phil ‘Gus’ Gould: Suggests girls don’t like footy, taking a dig at female fans.

CHANNEL Nine commentator and Panthers General Manager Phil Gould has caused a social media storm after taking a dig at female fans.

Gould made the comments during a telecast of the Anzac Day clash thriller between the Roosters and the Dragons at Allianz Stadium.

At around the 35th minute mark of the game, Nine’s coverage panned to two women deep in conversation and laughing while a group of men around them were shielding their eyes from the sun trying to watch the match.

Reacting to the vision of the women not paying attention to the on-field action, Gould suggested that they had no interest in rugby league.

“The girls aren’t watching the footy, they don’t care. They’re talking about other things,” he said during the Channel 9 commentary.

The comments hit a chord with league supporters on social media almost instantly and in particular with female fans of the game.

Popular Twitter account, Ladies Who League, who aim to give women in rugby league a voice, was quick to criticise the Panthers supremo.

“Women don’t care about the footy, Gus? RT if you are a woman who loves her footy.” – To which users responded with almost 160 retweets by 9pm on Tuesday night.

It is understood the NRL is disappointed with Gould’s comment during the Channel Nine coverage.

A spokesman for the NRL said women make up the fastest growing sector of the Rugby League community.

“More women are watching, more women are playing and you only have to go to a game to seem women and girls are becoming our most fanatical fans,” the spokesman said.

“They love the game – and we are doing all we can to convert even more women into Rugby League supporters.”

Channel Nine last night declined to comment on Gould’s comments or respond to the social media reaction.

Other fans were also quick to express their disapproval and disappointment with the influential figure’s comments…

Source: Phil ‘Gus’ Gould targets female fans as not being interested in rugby league during Nine telecast | Perth Now

Hume Highway CRASH kills 1 woman + blocks road between Sydney + Melbourne in both directions

Cyclone Cook: New Zealanders flee ahead of huge storm