Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on a very important matter relating to the harm of gambling advertising and the scourge that it is across the country. This election saw a significant result for the Albanese government. The government now has a super-majority in the House. Here in the Senate, the government has the opportunity to work to get its legislation through. This could be one of the most progressive parliaments in living memory if the Prime Minister of today wishes to take the opportunity, but it's going to take courage and it's going to take conviction. I say all this because what we need in order to deal with the scourge of gambling addiction and the advertising of gambling products to Australians—many young, many gambling addicted individuals—is political courage to deal with this, to take it head on.

In the last term of government, the Labor Party promised to move and to act on gambling reform. They fell well short of what was expected by the community, what was required of the issue and what had been promised. The Albanese government now has a second term. They've got a second shot at it, and it's time they acted. In the last term of government there was that incredible report handed down by the late Peta Murphy that had unanimous support from across the parliamentary chamber, with members of the coalition, members of the crossbench, members of the Greens and members of the Labor Party all agreeing that there needed to be something done seriously and fully to combat gambling addiction and the harm of gambling, particularly when it's being targeted to our young people—particularly young men—and that that needed to happen in the form of banning gambling advertising. Promises were made, but nothing was delivered. We've heard all the ins and outs of the stories of what happened, who went weak and who met with what lobbyist within the gambling industry, the advertising industry, the broadcasting television companies and the big sports codes, but the truth of the matter is that Labor went weak. They couldn't stare down the vested interests that have been making massive profits and money from the harm and addiction of vulnerable Australians.

Well, Labor has a second shot at it, and I urge them to take it. We need courage and conviction because gambling in Australia is out of control. In terms of how much we lose per person in Australia, we are world leaders. Australians lose more money in gambling than do other people right around the world. We have very few controls on the advertising that this insidious industry has. We have our young people and our children being targeted on their mobile phones, on their TVs, when they're watching YouTube and when they're watching their favourite sporting heroes. Australia's young people are being targeted by gambling companies to get them addicted, for nothing other than the profits of the gambling industry. Australians lost more than $32 billion in the financial year 2022-23. Imagine what could happen with that amount of money being invested in other parts of our economy and our community. But, instead, tens of billions of dollars per year is coming straight out of the pockets of regular Australians into the hands of the gambling companies. It's obscene.

Just like we banned the advertising of tobacco, because we knew that it was a health disaster, we should be doing the same when it comes to gambling. We have the opportunity for genuine reform that is good for the community, good for public health and good for people's budgets. But the government and the Prime Minister have to have the guts to do it. I know there are many advocates who have been crying out for this reform for a very long time—people like Tim Costello and many, many others. There are families who have been desperately pleading for the suffering to stop. It's time they were listened to. No more excuses from this government that it's all too tough and too hard to do. This government has all the numbers it needs to get this reform done if it's got the guts and the will to do it.

The Greens have proposed, reflecting those recommendations in the Peta Murphy report, that there should be a full ban on gambling advertising. If the advertising of this dangerous product is bad for public health, then you can't just have a little bit; you should get rid of all of it. We don't let tobacco companies target our children just so that they can keep turning a dime, and we shouldn't be letting the gambling companies do it either. There are, of course, ways to get there. There are steps that could be taken. There are compromises that have been floated. I think we should do a full ban on the advertising of gambling. I am not suggesting for a second that people should be stopped from gambling. If you are an adult and you have the responsibility to do that, if you want to have a flutter on the horses, if you want to put a few bets on at certain times, that's up to you. But the gambling companies should not be able to advertise this product, because it is harmful, it is dangerous, and all it does is wreck the families and the lives of Australians and suck money out of our community for their own greedy, selfish profit.

I wrote to the Prime Minister on the eve of the election and I offered the Prime Minister a compromise and a way through. I urge this government: don't waste any more time. Don't wait until the gambling companies and the big corporate sporting codes have their claws in you again. That is of course what happens, because these gambling companies donate to the political parties. They offer nice trips to the footy, opportunities to sit in the corporate boxes, to be wined and dined, to be wished a happy birthday. Stand up to the bullies in the gambling industry. Stare them down and stand by the welfare and protection of Australians and Australian kids. We need to get this done urgently because as soon as the gambling lobby get a whiff of reform that might happen, they will instantly get into this government and members on the benches in this place with their hooks and their threats and their bullying. We need to act now. I urge the government: don't wait for reform. You know what needs to happen. The recommendations are there. You promised to do it. Work with the Senate to get it done, and get it done this side of Christmas.