A team of federal government officials was supposed to field the questions of New England and North West clubs at a meeting at the North Tamworth Bowling Club but the officials could not attend due to a flight delay from Sydney.

The 80 representatives were left to hear from federal member for New England Tony Windsor, who had extended the deadline for new pokie law reforms’ voluntary pre-committment technology.

The technology will be installed on poker machines by 2018 in an attempt to curb problem gambling.

Mr Windsor acknowledged there were issues with costs, the extent of which had not yet been revealed, and he urged those present to organise another meeting with the federal experts.