Clubs ACT has ramped up its campaign against poker machines in the Canberra Casino with a 300-strong rally at the Raiders' Belconnen oval in Holt on Friday morning.
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Speaking to the crowd, ACT Liberal Leader Jeremy Hanson slammed Labor's promise to give a 50 per cent tax break on pokie revenue for some clubs, announced on Thursday.
"They've come out on the eve of the election with a disgusting move to try and split big clubs from medium and little clubs," he said.
"Clubs aren't buying it, and I'm glad you're not buying what is a pretty cheap and nasty political exercise."
While only about eight of the city's 49 clubs will qualify under the government's promise, about 14 more who already pay no tax will benefit from a one-off $10,000 cash grant to small and medium clubs.
The tax breaks will go to club groups that make less than $4 million of revenue a year from poker machines, so only eight will benefit as the others earn less than $300,000 from pokies and already pay no tax.
Clubs ACT president Max Mercer said the government had disregarded multiple attempts by the group over five years to discuss the issue before Mr Gentleman's "sudden announcement" on Thursday.
The groups's chief executive Gwyn Rees confirmed Chief Minister Andrew Barr declined an invitation to attend the rally, which Mr Hanson said was further proof he was "abandoning the Canberra community".
Club workers, volunteers and sporting teams made up a large portion of the crowd, speakers included a number of club representatives and Liberal candidates.
Former radio host and new Liberal candidate for Brindabella Mark Parton hosted the protest. He said he wanted to show the government "community clubs are sick to death of being pushed around and aren't going to take it any longer."
"I've knocked on 3000 doors in Tuggeranong in the past six weeks and time and time again people tell me they want their club looked after," he said.
"The future of our clubs is at stake here."
Crowds cheered and applauded when lead candidate for Ginninderra Geoff Kettle said the territory had "been the victim of closed and secret government for the past four years".
Mr Barr hit back at Clubs ACT's anti-government campaign - during which they adorned drinks coasters, posters, banners and a direct mailout with their message - calling it highly politicised.
He stressed the government's promised tax break policy was aimed at helping small and medium sized clubs to rely less on poker machines into the long term, and blamed Clubs ACT's strong opposition to the proposal on not sharing his goal to target problem gambling.
But this voice was not heard at Friday morning's rally.
Instead, protesters held posters with messages reading "why is the Casino deal with Barr a secret?", "Barr's Casino deal takes $20m from clubs," "Don't let ACT Labor destroy your club" and "Labor leader Barr's deal with the foreign-owned casino is the last straw," some of which were on the big screen at two recent Raiders home games.
The clubs lost their fight against the Canberra casino in May - when the ACT government announced it would support up to 200 poker machines at the venue - and have since continued to argue their livelihoods are at stake.
