NT Gaming Minister Chansey Paech has ordered a nine-month moratorium on new poker machines in Alice Springs following community outrage, with an Independent MLA accusing him of a “complete backflip” after he first claimed he had no control over the granting of the licenses.

Mr Paech said the moratorium would pause a current application by Iris Capital for 60 new gambling machines at Uncles Tavern, Todd Tavern, Mercure Alice Springs Resort and Gap View Hotel.

The moratorium comes after concerned Alice residents sent hundreds of submissions objecting to the new machines, which will now see those applications halted for nine months, with a final decision not expected before June 2023.

However, the more than 100 recent machines granted to Lasseters Casino, which is also owned by Iris Capital, will not be affected Mr Paech said, due to a “separate, longstanding agreement with the NT Government”.

Member for Araluen Robyn Lambley said Mr Paech was making “weak” decisions and criticised him for claiming last month he couldn’t comment on the licences and deferring questions to the Director of Licencing.

“Minister Paech’s decision comes as a complete backflip on statements he made in the media several months ago when he relinquished all responsibility for decisions around the granting of these poker machine licenses, stating it was the sole responsibility of the NT Director of Gaming Machines,” Ms Lambley said.

“Minister Paech has certainly changed his tune, perhaps read his job description and realised that as the NT Minister for Racing, Gaming and Licensing, poker machine licenses absolutely come under his [purview].

“Minister Paech should be flatly rejecting all these applications for new poker machines, not putting them on hold for nine months. This is a weak, indecisive position the Minister has taken.”

Mr Peach did not explain his previous claims last month that it would be “inappropriate for myself to make comments” about the applications and that all responsibility rested with the Director of Licencing, stating in a media release on Monday that the decision to halt the applications was made so the government could review “further harm minimisation policies and practices … including improving the public interest and community impact assessment processes”.

He also said the Fyles Government would spend $1 million on “research this financial year” to better understand gambling-related harm in the community.

“People in Alice Springs have voiced their concerns loudly and clearly, and we are now taking the time to make the application process more robust and in line with community expectations,” he said.

“This move is part of our government’s wider policy reform to minimise gambling-related harm because it is in the best interests of Territorians; and it is what Territorians want.”

Iris Capital, a Sydney-based investment group, has bought up the majority of Alice Springs pubs, taverns and bottle shops in recent months, spending more than $50 million in the town, on top of its $105 million purchase of Lasseters Hotel Casino.

The company told ABC in July that it had “big plans for Alice Springs”.

Ms Lambley had raised concerns about the company in Parliament in July and its plans to bring in more gambling machines given the community’s ongoing issues with addiction and crime. She had also questioned what processes were in place to prevent money laundering from occurring at its NT businesses and the consequences if it were to hold a monopoly on drinking establishments and gambling venues in town.

Iris Capital did not respond to the NT Independent’s questions in July.