Bob Baldwin (Paterson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Acting Prime Minister. I refer to the concerns expressed about the government's mandatory precommitment policy by the Prime Minister's Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, the member for Eden-Monaro, who said, 'I wouldn't support anything that would threaten the viability of my pubs and clubs,' and the member for Page, who said, 'I would prefer voluntary precommitment.' Acting Prime Minister, do you agree with your colleagues? Don't you also agree that Australians deserve better than this divided and directionless government?

Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There are many in this House, on both sides, that share the objective of doing something fundamental about problem gambling, which is why we have gone down the road, over a four-year period, of a Productivity Commission inquiry into the issue of problem gambling. That is why we have come to a situation where we have a commitment to mandatory precommitment technology. You can be a supporter of the club industry and have a commitment to mandatory precommitment. I have been a supporter of the club industry for a long period of time, and I dare say that in the future I will be a supporter for a long period of time as well. But it is no secret that there is a faction within the club industry that is opposed to mandatory precommitment and they are prosecuting their case with vigour, as is their democratic right. But these matters will be brought to a conclusion. We are working our way through these issues with the industry and with the crossbench. We will continue to do that. We on this side of the House are determined to do something about problem gambling because it destroys lives and it is not good for communities. Something must be done.