Exclusive: Labor MPs worried government’s election focus on cost-of-living pressures will leave no room to act on gambling ad reformGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThere is growing unease and disappointment among Labor MPs and advocates that the government may sideline plans for gambling ad bans until at least after the election, with some politicians saying they do not expect any moves in coming months.Eighteen months on from late Labor MP Peta Murphy’s landmark report, which called for an end to all online wagering ads, the government has still not outlined any plans to rein in gambling marketing. When asked this week whether he would take a new plan to the election or push ahead with reform before it, the prime minister gave no indication.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading…Exclusive: Labor MPs worried government’s election focus on cost-of-living pressures will leave no room to act on gambling ad reformGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThere is growing unease and disappointment among Labor MPs and advocates that the government may sideline plans for gambling ad bans until at least after the election, with some politicians saying they do not expect any moves in coming months.Eighteen months on from late Labor MP Peta Murphy’s landmark report, which called for an end to all online wagering ads, the government has still not outlined any plans to rein in gambling marketing. When asked this week whether he would take a new plan to the election or push ahead with reform before it, the prime minister gave no indication.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading…
There is growing unease and disappointment among Labor MPs and advocates that the government may sideline plans for gambling ad bans until at least after the election, with some politicians saying they do not expect any moves in coming months.
Eighteen months on from late Labor MP Peta Murphy’s landmark report, which called for an end to all online wagering ads, the government has still not outlined any plans to rein in gambling marketing. When asked this week whether he would take a new plan to the election or push ahead with reform before it, the prime minister gave no indication.
“We’ll continue to work through the issues, as we have. We’ve been rolling out a range of reforms,” Anthony Albanese said.
“We’ve done more reforms when it comes to gambling than any government in Australia’s history and we will continue to work through these issues.”
Guardian Australia spoke to numerous Labor MPs who said they were unhappy the government might shelve reform for several months. One, Michelle Ananda-Rajah, told Guardian Australia it was “disappointing”.
“In our quest for perfection we’ve ended up with 100% or nothing; it’s disappointing,” she said.
Other Labor sources said they held out hope reform would be announced during the campaign, but believed introducing such complex and contested legislation so close to an election could be too challenging for the government.
There was a feeling among some in the Labor camp, as they began campaigns squarely focused on cost-of-living problems, that action on gambling ads was not a top-tier priority.
But others said they planned to press the case internally when parliament resumed.
Parliament is scheduled to sit for two weeks at the beginning of February, but there will be little opportunity to introduce and pass legislation beyond that, when the election campaign will be under way in earnest.
Debate on gambling ad reform came to a head late in 2024 when a group of Labor MPs approached the prime minister, requesting clarity on the government’s plans.
It is understood they did not receive a direct response.
Gambling harm advocates were concerned the government would abandon reform efforts before the election. Tim Costello, chief advocate for the Alliance for Gambling Reform, said he expected the reforms would be ditched.
“[Albanese] has decided to bury it … he has decided to not even respond to the Murphy report,” Costello alleged.
He rejected the idea that such reforms were too challenging to push before an election, saying action on gambling ads was “popular” with the public.
“The public opinion would be with [Albanese], so for me it really is one of the clearest examples of democracy, when a majority badly want something, being strangled by vested interests,” Costello said.
In a statement to Guardian Australia, a spokesperson for Rowland reiterated comments the minister made in November, saying the government “continues to work through the 31 recommendations”.
“We recognise that this is taking longer than hoped, but it’s critical that we get this right to ensure that future reforms are effective and comprehensive.”
In his 2023 budget reply speech, the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, proposed a ban on gambling ads during sports broadcasts and an hour either side. But the Liberal party has not responded to the Murphy inquiry.
Independent MP Kate Chaney, who served on the gambling inquiry with Murphy, said she was not aware of any progress on the issue inside the government.
“We don’t have many sitting weeks left, the government has not mentioned that this is something it still wants to get done, it’s not looking good,” Chaney said.
Ananda-Rajah, running for the Senate after her seat of Higgins was abolished, said while she was in favour of an alleged draft proposal from the government – leaked in August 2024, that would have limited gambling ads on TV – she did not support an outright ban on advertising or gambling.
The Labor MP was more concerned what it would mean for people experiencing gambling harm if the government did not press forward with any reform at all.
“I don’t believe in prohibition; it’s our job to nudge people in the right direction and help them journey out of those choices,” Ananda-Rajah said.
Liberal MP Jenny Ware, who also served on the Murphy inquiry, said she was “appalled” no action had been taken yet.
“It does not appear to be one of the government’s priorities,” she said. “More than 18 months after the report was tabled, there’s been silence.”
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