Zoe Daniel (Goldstein, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I seek leave to move the following motion:

(1) That the House notes:

(a) The evidence is that extensions to restrictions on gambling advertising around sports broadcasts are not effective

(b) Enhanced restrictions on gambling advertising introduced in 2017 have proved counter-productive with promotion shifting from sports broadcasts to general programming

(c) Research commissioned by the Australian Communications and Media Authority found that the total volume of gambling advertisements on radio and television increased by 50 percent after the new restrictions were introduced

(d) A recent survey for the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation found that 78 percent of respondents believe they should be able to watch sport free of gambling advertising

(2) That so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent Private Members' business order of the day No 31, the Broadcasting Services Amendment (Prohibition of Gambling Advertisements) Bill 2023, being called on immediately and given priority over all other business for final determination of the House.

Leave not granted.

I move:

That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent private Members' business order of the day No. 31, the Broadcasting Services Amendment (Prohibition of Gambling Advertisements) Bill 2023, being called on immediately and given priority over all other business for final determination of the House.

I raise this as a matter of urgency because as I speak our airwaves are flooded with advertisements encouraging and grooming our young people, my children and yours, to think there's an inextricable link between sport and gambling; that you can't have one without the other; and that, instead of sport being fun, health, participation and people, you're not one of the gang unless you know as much about the intricacies of multis as you do about the finer points of the game you're watching. I presented my private member's bill in this place on 22 May. It would introduce a complete ban on gambling advertising across radio and broadcast television as well as streaming services and their associated apps. We need to debate this bill now because it's in line with what the community wants.

Just this week, ABC TV's Four Corners program presented disturbing evidence that gambling companies are targeting community sport, marketing games to gamblers sometimes even without the knowledge of the sporting clubs themselves. As we debate whether to even debate this bill in this House this morning, rapidly advancing technology means every day lost without tightening the rules affects more young people, more families, more communities and more local economies, with blanket gambling advertising across free-to-air and pay TV, streaming services, radio and online further normalising betting day by day.

Polling last year showed that 71 per cent of those polled want gambling advertising banned. Recent research commissioned by the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation found that 78 per cent of respondents believed they should be able to watch sport free of gambling ads. The need for this legislation is urgent because the social costs of gambling and gambling addiction are significant and growing. In 2017 the VRGF estimated that the total social cost of gambling in Victoria was no less than $7 billion, and the figure is certainly higher now. Of that cost, $2.2 billion emerged from family and relationship problems; $1.6 billion emerged from emotional and psychological issues, including suicide and violence; and $1.3 billion emerged from financial losses. What could be more urgent than acting to curtail these costs, especially amid a national cost-of-living crisis that worst affects our most vulnerable, who are also the targets of gambling ads?

I welcome the recent steps taken by the opposition to recognise the extent of the problems created by gambling advertising and public concern about its ubiquity, but the evidence indicates that further ring fencing of gambling advertising and merely banning it before, during and after sports broadcasts will not work. The opposition's intent to present its own bill in the other place, diluting much-needed action with very limited bans, is another reason debating the bill I have presented is urgent.

The last time further restrictions were introduced, by the previous government back in 2017, research undertaken by the Australian Communications and Media Authority found that the total volume of gambling adverts on TV and radio increased by 50 per cent, averaging at 948 individual spots per day. Ads merely travelled into other programming, including sports news, magazine programs, comedy and films, all of which attract young viewers. Do we want to simply reconfirm that mistake?

When it comes to the scourge of gambling ads either we can commentate or we can act. We can talk about it or we can legislate it now. I thank my fellow crossbenchers for their support and urge the House to support bringing on debate on the Broadcasting Services Amendment (Prohibition of Gambling Advertisements) Bill.

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