Protestors clash with Salvation Army members during the HLR debate of 1985. Photo: David Hindley. There's concern some glbti problem gamblers will no longer seek help if the Salvation Army becomes the major support service. The Ministry of Health has slashed its ‘harm minimisation’ funding to the Problem Gambling Foundation, saying it’s had a better offer from the Salvation Army. While it has twice apologised, the Salvation Army’s place at the forefront of a bitter anti-Homosexual Law Reform campaign in the 1980s has left many glbti New Zealanders unable and unwilling to forgive. Long-time glbti rights campaigner and current Green MP Kevin Hague says the loss of choice of treatment providers will be of particular concern to our community. It’s personal for him too. “I am well aware that the Sallies do some great work in social services, but I still have a visceral reaction against them,” he says. “They have apologised for their prominent role in opposing Homosexual Law Reform in the 1980s, but despite my efforts to do so, I have not forgiven them for it. “If I needed help with problem gambling I would find it very hard - maybe impossible - to reach out to the Salvation Army. I'm sure many others in our communities, particularly those who were around in the 1980s, feel the same way. Read Bill Logan's thoughts on the Salvation Army here While the Government denies the cut in Problem Gambling Foundation funding is due to the organisation’s vocal opposition to the SkyCity convention centre deal, Hague is among those who are far from convinced. Kevin Hague has tried, but been unable to forgive “The whole situation is appalling,” he says. As a former health executive he has some background in the area. In the 90s he spent time with the Salvation Army’s services as part of research he was doing. Later, when he was the Executive Director of the New Zealand AIDS Foundation he gave advice to John Stansfield, then CEO of the Problem Gambling Foundation on how best to prevent gambling-related harm. Hague says the Problem Gambling Foundation has become a world leader in its field. “I believe it lost its contracts as a spiteful act of revenge and punishment, because its effectiveness was a problem for the gambling industry and its proxies in this government,” he says. “In my many years of contracting for health services I have never come across a situation previously where an organisation got awarded a contract they hadn't sought in some way. What has happened here is that Government has first decided not to contract with Problem Gambling Foundation and then cast around for who it could instead get to provide services.” Hague says there are multiple problems with this. “There will be a loss of continuity. The Salvation Army has experience in some treatment modes but none at all in prevention,” he says. “This decision must be reversed.”
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 26th March 2014 - 2:08pm