‘Absolutely gutless’: gambling ad ban delay condemned
The government has been accused of letting down Australian communities after its long-awaited gambling advertising policy was officially delayed.
Australians will remain the biggest losers in the world if the government continues to delay gambling advertisement reform, an independent politician warns.
The federal government has officially announced its policy will be pushed back to 2025, more than 18 months after a landmark review into gambling harms – chaired by late Labor MP Peta Murphy – recommended phasing out online wagering ads on TV.
It previously promised to unveil a policy before the end of 2024, but cabinet minister Clare O’Neil said the issue was “complicated” and required more time to address.
“If this was a really simple problem to fix, then it would have been fixed a long time ago,” she told ABC Radio on Monday.
“It falls to us to make sure that we get the balance right.”
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The communications minister had been working with stakeholders, experts and those affected, O’Neil said.
Crossbench politicians and the opposition have put the government on blast, pointing to the harm gambling has inflicted on the community.
Australians lose about $25 billion gambling every year, the most in the world on a per capita basis.
Politicians have had plenty of time to act and their failure to implement change was letting down the community, independent senator David Pocock said.
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“We recognise the harm of gambling. We’re the biggest losers in the world,” he told reporters in Canberra.
“In 18 months, they can’t get their act together to actually legislate something, but at the same time they can ram through electoral reform and all sorts of other things in a very short space of time.
“This is absolutely gutless.”
The Greens and opposition have accused the government of capitulating.
Independent MP Zoe Daniel said it was “really unfortunate that the government hasn’t been brave enough”.
“It would appear that the government has given up on the idea of legislating or acting on, or indeed even responding to, the recommendations of the late Peta Murphy’s report,” she told ABC radio.
“If we end up with a balanced parliament after the next election, (gambling advertising) will be front and centre.”
The federal government previously considered a partial ban on gambling ads, but experts warned it might not be effective in reducing harm.
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