Jan McLucas (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Mental Health) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I move amendments (6) to (10) on sheet 7456:

(6) Schedule 1, item 6, page 4 (lines 23 and 24), omit "in venues nationally".

(7) Schedule 1, item 12, page 5 (line 26), omit "in venues nationally".

(8) Schedule 1, item 12, page 6 (line 9), omit "in venues nationally".

(9) Schedule 1, item 12, page 6 (after line 15), after paragraph 20(2)(a), insert:

(aa) to ensure that a venue-based voluntary pre-commitment scheme operating in a State or Territory is capable of connecting to a State or Territory wide voluntary pre-commitment scheme that operates within the State or Territory; and

(10) Schedule 1, item 12, page 6 (lines 16 and 17), omit "this capability", substitute "these capabilities".

These amendments go to the question of responsible gambling. Labor in government worked very hard with the community to find a solution but, for various reasons, we were not able to get to the point where we found that solution. But we still strongly hold the view that problem gambling is a very real and a very serious issue in our country. For too many Australians gambling can be incredibly destructive. It affects over five million Australians including friends, families and employers of people with a gambling problem.

We commit to continue to engage with stakeholders to develop effective ways of addressing this very real issue. As a party we need to revisit this issue and determine the best way forward, together with stakeholders from right across the community—and that is what we will do. So today we are moving amendments that will ensure that venue based schemes have the capacity to connect to state-wide schemes.