Melbourne's former explosives depot to become 500 homes amid gambling concerns

After years of sitting empty, hectares of land once the site of an explosives depot in Melbourne's west will be transformed into 500 homes.

Although the extra housing in Deer Park is welcomed, some locals are concerned that the proposal is too close to a pub with poker machines and no alternative community hub in the plan.

"It's a potential social housing disaster,'' said local resident Graeme Blore.

Punters lost $185 million in Brimbank LGA last financial year, more than other local government area in the state.

The Deer Park Hotel, which is next to the housing development, recorded $19.5 million in gambling losses, while the Deer Park Club, less than a kilometre away, recorded a further $17 million in losses.

"That's over $100,000 a day, every single day of the year," Mr Blore said.

He has campaigned against the plans for years.

Now, for the first time in his 70 years he has joined a political party, the fledgling West Party.

The new party has a plan to crackdown on poker machines if they win influence at this November's state election.

"We are not about outlawing altogether,'' Werribee candidate Paul Hopper said.

"We just see a much fairer and more equitable system for the people of Victoria, and we think these addictive features need to be dealt with and minimised."

Mr Hopper previously ran as an independent in the last Werribee contest.

The West Party wants to remove elements of poker machines such as alarms that make losses sound like win, as well as changing the rate pokies can spin.

Complex policy area

Treasury collects $1.5 billion in pokies taxes every year, while the social impact of problem gambling in Victoria, of which pokies is the biggest contributor, was estimated to be $14 billion.

The political issue is usually championed by minor and non-government parties.

But the Labor government under Daniel Andrews made a shock announcement in 2023 that it would pursue a scheme forcing punters to preset how much they were willing to lose.

Punters would require a card to play.

It was hailed as a major step forward by advocates worried about problem gambling, but was slammed by the industry.

The state has since passed laws to enable the scheme's rollout and a trial has been held.

However, the wider rollout was delayed under Jacinta Allan who feared a negative campaign from clubs and pubs ahead of the November election.

The trial was also criticised for being too weak and its results are yet to be published.

The Coalition has previously questioned whether carded play would work after consulting the hotels lobby.

"Labor's carded play trial ended nine months ago, yet its results remain secret,'' a Coalition spokesperson said.

"An elected Coalition government will release the results of the trial upon coming to government. We will consider all forms of technology in evaluating the best ways to mitigate gambling harm."

Premier Ben Carroll has backed the scheme.

"These things have worked,'' Mr Carroll said on Friday.

"They have had a big, important impact, and that is why what is evidence-based we have to look at delivering on."

The Greens want to phase out poker machines and have called for tougher bet limits in the interim.

"The Liberals want pokies to be able to take as much money from Victorians as they want, and this will kill people," Greens leader Ellen Sandell said.

"I think it's a disgraceful policy. Labor and Liberals are both in bed with the gambling lobby."

Long-time anti-pokies campaigner Reverend Tim Costello said he was please the West Party was pursuing a policy to cut harm but lamented the lack of action under the former premier.

"They aren't even talking about this terrible addiction that transfers money from the poorest people, particularly in Labor electorates in the west, to the captains of the gaming industry.

"It is appalling for both the major parties."