The problems of poker machine addicts are well-known and all genuine attempts to curtail people's serious gambling addictions will be welcomed by all decent Australians.
But the hare-brained plan by the newly-elected Tasmanian Independent MP Andrew Wilkie to fingerprint every poker machine player in Australia is one of the most-idiotic proposals ever made by a serving politician - possibly anywhere in the world.
Mr Wilkie previously served as a Federal Government Intelligence Analyst but he is not displaying any intelligence on this issue.
Just imagine every patron of RSL's, sporting clubs and hotels around Australia facing mandatory fingerprinting before they could enter the premises or play the pokies.
Eighty-year old grandmas having their weekly flutter at their local club would be treated like common criminals under the Wilkie fingerprint plan.
What planet is Mr Wilkie on?
Somewhere beyond Pluto it would seem.
