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

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Communications, Senator Farrell. Under current rules, streaming services like Kayo and Stan can't show gambling ads between 5 am and 8 pm during live sport. Your government's proposed changes to gambling advertising would remove this ban, leaving online streaming services less regulated than they are right now and less regulated than broadcast television. This will simply move gambling advertising dollars to streaming services, where children and their families watching live sport will be bombarded with ads. Senator Farrell, how can your government claim they are taking strong action to tackle gambling ads when this loophole allows for a free-for-all?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Hanson Young for her question, and I might start my reply by saying that the Albanese Labor government is delivering the most significant gambling advertising reform by any Australian government ever, and we have delivered over $110 million in gambling harm reduction measures in the budget. So I fundamentally reject your proposition that we are not doing enough in this space.

But let me tell you about all of the things that the government are—

Well, do you want to hear answer or not?

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, we do.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) | Link to this | Hansard source

You want to hear the answer. We're delivering $112 million over five years from 2025-26 to address online gambling harms through improved consumer protections, expanded support services and targeted public awareness and education campaigns. These include $39 million over four years from 2026-27 to expand financial counselling support to maximise availability and the reach of services for individuals and families impacted by gambling harms; $28.7 million over four years to improve BetStop by raising community awareness, strengthening data-matching systems and enhancing usability to optimise client safety outcomes; $22.6 million over five years to implement wagering advertising reform, boost compliance and enforce actions against illegal gambling— (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson-Young, first supplementary?

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

Well, I listened carefully to that answer, and it went nowhere near the point that it is going to be easier for gambling ads to be shown on streaming services than it is now. Why is your government letting the online gambling industry and their advertising off the hook?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Hanson-Young for her first supplementary question. Again I reject that proposition, Senator Hanson-Young

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

You can reject it, but it's fact.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, maybe you should have listened a little bit better to my first answer, Senator Hanson-Young.

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, please direct your comments to the chair.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) | Link to this | Hansard source

Of course. Thank you, Chair. I outlined in some specific detail all of the things which this government has been doing to establish the proposition that we have delivered the most significant gambling advertising reform by any Australian government ever, with over $110 million in gambling harm reduction measures in this budget. No other government in the history of Australia has done as much in this space as the Albanese government has done in the last budget. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson-Young, second supplementary?

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

On Friday, millions of Australians gathered in schools, homes, workplaces and pubs around the country to watch the Socceroos play in the World Cup. In the lead-up to the game, they were bombarded with gambling ads while watching the public broadcaster. Will you ban all advertising on our public broadcaster so that people can watch our great sport without being bombarded by gambling ads?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Hanson-Young for her second supplementary question. I did happen to watch that match, and I was very pleased to see that such a large number of South Australian soccer players were performing so well in that game. The gambling reforms that I was talking about before are reforms that—I can only repeat this, and I'll repeat it every time you ask this question—

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson-Young?

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

My question was pretty direct. Will the government ban advertising of gambling on the SBS?

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Hanson-Young. I have been listening carefully, and the minister is being relevant to your question.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) | Link to this | Hansard source

I can only repeat my answer, Senator Hanson-Young, and that is that we have delivered the most significant gambling advertising reform that any Australian government has ever introduced.