Emma McBride (Dobell, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Mackellar for bringing this important issue to the House today. I know that in the member's work as a GP the health and wellbeing of Australians has always been front of mind. I recognise the member's advocacy and look forward to continuing to work collaboratively on this important issue.

What I want to make clear is that the Albanese government is committed to minimising the harms of gambling, junk food and alcohol in our community. I would also like to note that harmful advertising does not start and finish with gambling, junk food and alcohol. Just today, on World No Tobacco Day, the Minister for Health and Aged Care released our government's draft of the proposed tobacco control legislation, which supports the National Tobacco Strategy and commits to reducing daily smoking prevalence to below 10 per cent by 2025 and five per cent or less by 2030, with a particular focus on First Nations Australians. This is a critical step in the government's fight against tobacco and nicotine addiction. It consolidates various tobacco related laws, regulations, instruments and court decisions. Importantly, it introduces new measures to discourage smoking and tobacco use and their prevalence and to prevent the promotion of e-cigarettes. As a priority area, the strategy calls for the elimination of all tobacco related advertising, promotion and sponsorship.

There is serious concern about gambling advertising across the community and it's clear the status quo isn't good enough. On a per capita basis, Australians are losing $1,300 each year. That is higher than any other country. We want to make sure our approach to reform is comprehensive, is evidence based and examines the multiple channels over which advertising is delivered, including broadcast, social media and branding. The Albanese government establish an inquiry into online gambling and its impacts on those experiencing gambling harm and we await the final report, which will be presented in the coming months. As a government, we will take the recommendations from that inquiry very seriously and, of course, provide a considered response. In doing so, we will make sure that our action is thorough, evidence based and, critically, safe for the community.

However, the issues we face when it comes to marketing of gambling extend beyond gambling ads. They run throughout many aspects of our lives. This is especially true for our young people and video games. Just two weeks ago, the Minister for Communications launched a public consultation to address proposed improvements to the National Classification Scheme. The proposed changes to the scheme would introduce mandatory minimum classifications of R18+ for games which contain simulated gambling and M for computer games containing loot boxes that can be purchased or other in-games purchases linked to chance. This is something that we have been working towards. It is something that we are acutely aware of.

Our government's position was informed by growing evidence of harms associated with gambling-like products in computer games, including a review by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts in 2022. This research demonstrated links between in-game purchases, paid loot boxes and simulated gambling and gambling harm. Following the consultation period, the ministers will work with the state and territory governments as co-partners in the scheme to finalise the proposed new guidelines.

We are also proud to have implemented and continue to support BetStop. BetStop is the national self-exclusion register for online wagering, and it is a key priority for our government. BetStop is the final element of the National Consumer Protection Framework for Online Wagering. Two other elements—consistent gambling messaging and wagering staff training—came into force just over a month ago.

Last month, the Minister for Social Services and the Minister for Communications announced the government will ban the use of credit cards for online wagering. People should not be betting with money that they do not have. We expect to introduce legislation to implement this important consumer protection by the end of this year.

We are working through the Australian Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code, commonly known as the ABAC, to reduce the effect of alcohol advertising and ensure that it is marketed in a responsible manner. The landscape of alcohol advertising is complex and wide-ranging. Nevertheless, our government is committed to making sure that alcohol advertising does not encourage excessive or rapid consumption and doesn't encourage minors to drink or to behave in an irresponsible manner that would put them at risk to themselves or others.

The government funds other programs that provide information and education about the risks of alcohol consumption, including the Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline, the Alcohol and Other Drugs Knowledge Centre and the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test Initiative. We are also supporting research into the effects of alcohol consumption. The government funds research projects that are investigating the effects of alcohol consumption on health, social behaviour and the economy. This research helps to inform the government's policies and programs on alcohol. This includes the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, the National Drug Research Institute and the National Centre for Education and Training on Addictions.

Our government is addressing the urgent need to reform junk food advertising for all Australians but especially for children. In the 2022-23 budget, $500,000 was included over two years to support a feasibility study to explore the current landscape of unhealthy food marketing and advertising to children and to consider options for implementing restrictions across Australia. We are continuing to support that measure. The study will provide a better understanding of the regulatory and non-regulatory options available to limit such marketing and advertising to children as well as the costs and benefits of these options, with recommendations to be provided to government.

After an open-tender procurement process, the University of Wollongong was contracted to undertake the study. The project team includes sector experts in the fields of both unhealthy food marketing to children and health economic analysis. The final report is due by June 2024.

The Australian Association of National Advertisers, commonly known as the AANA, recently launched a review of the Children's Advertising Code to ensure the code continues to meet community expectations of advertising to children on all media platforms. The AANA also oversees the advertiser code of ethics and the food and beverage code and has flagged its concern with the rise of influencer based activities on social media, which I know is of concern to many.

Our government, the Albanese Labor government, is committed to a program of work to modernise media regulations and fulfil the legitimate expectations of consumers and industry for consistency, transparency and equity in our regulatory environment.

The need to monitor the marketing of harmful products in Australia, including gambling, junk food and alcohol, is certainly a matter of public importance. It is a matter of concern to many people in this House and in the communities we represent. It is discussed in families and classrooms right around the country. We are also aware that we can't change it overnight and that change will require serious collaboration. Change will require sustained effort from governments at all levels right around Australia and strong collaboration with the sector and particularly with advocacy groups. We in this government know just how important the voice of lived and living experiencing is, and we want to make sure that the voices of lived and living experience are at the centre of all of our policymaking and decision-making. I know that's a priority of the health minister. I know that is a priority of our government and the entire health team. We know that people that know the system best should be at the centre of decision-making. We will be setting up two peak bodies for consumers and the people who care for them, to make sure that lived experience is at the heart of all our decision-making.

I once again thank the member for Mackellar for bringing this important issue to the House today. It is one that so many of us are concerned about, are involved with and are really keen to see real change in across Australia. The Albanese government is committed to a program of work to modernise media regulations to fulfil the legitimate expectations of consumers and industry for consistency, transparency and equity in our regulatory environment. That includes minimising the harms of advertising in gambling, junk food and alcohol in our community. As the Assistant Minister for Rural and Regional Health and for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, I will make it the top priority for me and our government, and we look forward to working with you towards these exchanges.

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