Independent Member for Curtin Kate Chaney MP has lashed the consultation process on the Government’s proposed gambling reforms, calling it a sham.
“The Albanese Government’s approach to gambling reform has been dodgy from the start. At best it’s misguided and ill-informed,” Ms Chaney said.
“The lack of meaningful consultation with gambling reform advocates on the exposure draft this week is yet another example of this Government not taking gambling reform seriously.
“Tokenistic consultation is a symptom of a government that puts vested interests ahead of the best interests of all Australians.
“Gambling reform advocates have shared with me their disappointment and disbelief that the Government only scheduled 45 minutes for them to discuss the exposure draft legislation and require written feedback within 24 hours.”
Ms Chaney was a member of the committee that produced the landmark You win some, you lose more report chaired by late Labor MP Peta Murphy which made 31 recommendations on gambling reform.
“The exposure draft, released less than two weeks ago, creates a complicated, piecemeal framework full of loopholes that will be confusing to navigate and difficult to police. Following the consultation, it’s still unclear how these half-measures will be implemented.
“These reforms are not what the Murphy Report recommended.
“A total ban on gambling advertising has the support of more than three quarters of the Australian public, would be simple to implement, and would cost the taxpayer less. But the Government has instead created a regulatory Frankenstein – it’s an absolute mess.
“If these reforms pass as currently drafted, the gambling companies will be ecstatic – they are likely to keep showing their ads to a huge majority of Australians.
“In the more than 1000 days since the Murphy Report was released, we know the Government has meet more frequently with the gambling lobby, big betting companies and other vested interests.
“Meanwhile, advocates fighting to prevent harm and those with lived experience have constantly been stonewalled and offered little of the Minister’s time, attention or consideration. Freedom of Information requests illustrate this disparity clearly.”
Ms Chaney is deeply concerned that broadcasters are expressing implementation difficulties regarding the exposure drafts partial ban ending at 8:30 pm local time when Australia spans different time zones.
“An unacceptable outcome would be Western Australian children being exposed to harmful gambling ads from as early as 5:30 pm during daylight savings just because broadcasters find it too difficult to manage,” Ms Chaney said.
“A complete ad ban would solve all these problems.”
Comments attributable to Emeritus Professor Mike Daube from Curtin University who was part of the limited consultation process this week:
“It is stunning that the Government took three years to consider the Murphy report but now gives us just a few days to provide comments on the draft legislation – with a ‘consultation’ scheduled for just 45 minutes,” Professor Daube said.
“This consultation just looks like a charade.
“Consultation with public health experts and people with lived experience has been minimal. If I were into gambling, I would be willing to bet that there has been much more consultation with the gambling companies and their lobbyists – and that they are comfortable with the outcome.
“We need serious action, not half-measures that will continue to normalise gambling for children and young people.
“There is an overwhelming consensus that we should follow the Murphy Report recommendations for a comprehensive ban on gambling advertising. Instead, we have a complicated range of partial measures, curbs that still allow three gambling ads an hour, and even then, end at times when many young people will still be exposed to advertising.
“When I asked about any evidence or research to support measures such as allowing gambling ads after 8.30 pm, the response was that these were ‘political decisions’. That is especially disturbing given the meticulous approach to research taken by the Murphy Inquiry and the clear evidence about the impacts of gambling ads on young people.”
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