Independent MPs have accused the federal Labor government of kowtowing to gambling companies and betraying the legacy of one of its MPs, the late Peta Murphy, after this masthead flagged proposed changes that would cap, rather than ban, gambling advertisements.

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland’s mooted plans, reported at the weekend, would cap gambling ads to two an hour on each channel until 10pm, ban gambling ads an hour before and after live sport, and include a blanket ban on betting ads on social media and other digital platforms.

The proposals, which are yet to go to cabinet and are subject to change, have been roundly criticised by independent politicians as well as reform advocates for not going far enough to curb problem gambling. The plans were revealed to this masthead by five sources briefed on the changes, and an announcement is expected within weeks.

Teal independent MP Zoe Daniel said Rowland and/or her office had met 66 times with gambling executives in six months, according to documents uncovered following a freedom-of-information inquiry initiated by Daniel.

“How many more young and impressionable sports fans are going to have their lives ruined before government gets the message?” she said.

“Rather than responding to the Murphy report, Michelle Rowland is giving the gambling giants pretty much what they want – the appearance of action when all the proposed measures would do is enable them to continue to normalise the relationship between gambling and sport and wreck the lives of thousands more mainly young people.”

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The federal government remains committed to advancing the interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says.

But Albanese effectively ruled out the foundation of a formal Makarrata commission, instead saying that talking to Indigenous organisations and people, including land councils, was the way to engage with First Nations Australians.

“That’s not what we have proposed. What we have proposed is Makarrata just being the idea of coming together,” he told the ABC’s Insiders program.

Albanese stood firm in the face of accusations his government had abandoned its commitments to truth-telling and treaty processes after he addressed the Garma Festival in the Northern Territory on Saturday.

Albanese said the federal government had not progressed a path to treaty before the October referendum on whether to enshrine an Indigenous voice in the constitution – and that had not changed.

Instead, treaty processes were taking place through states and territories.

He said it was important for Australians to “walk together” in efforts to close the gap between First Nations people and non-Indigenous Australians.

“Australia, as a nation, will benefit from being more united, more reconciled with our history, and that’s important for all of us, but it’s also important for how Australia is seen in the region and the world,” he said.

The Greens accused the government of “all but abandoning” the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

The 2017 Uluru statement called for a constitutionally enshrined Indigenous voice and a Makarrata Commission, which would work towards a treaty and truth-telling.

“Despite Labor previously committing to implement the Uluru statement in full, today Anthony Albanese treated it like the elephant in the room, saying let’s leave it to the states and territories,” Senator Dorinda Cox said on Saturday.

AAP