John Howard says he’s disturbed by gambling ads on TV. Photo: Lake Mac Libraries.

Former Liberal Party prime minister and staunch conservative John Howard is more progressive than the Labor Party on gambling advertising, according to advocates for reform.

Mr Howard was among 74 prominent Australians who recently signed an open letter calling for a ban on all gambling advertising within three years.

Meanwhile, the federal Labor government has been criticised for its slow pace of reform and its unwillingness to commit to a total gambling advertising prohibition.

The federal government asked interest groups to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) during a recent briefing with them about their proposed gambling advertising reforms, which required the groups to keep all details confidential.

Reverend Tim Costello of the Alliance for Gambling Reform was among those who refused to sign.

“Labor are terrified of vested interests, particularly of Kerry Stokes and the Seven West Network [which he owns], which pays for the AFL through gambling ads,” he said.

“John Howard is certainly to the left of Labor on this issue … Howard showed leadership on guns; that’s why we’re not a gun country like the US. Albo [Prime Minister Albanese] has to show some backbone on gambling too.”

The open letter was also signed by former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, as well as several former state premiers and a number of Green and independent members of federal and state parliaments. No current Labor or Liberal MP signed the letter

“As an unapologetic sports fan, I am troubled by how advertising is now linked with all our major sporting codes and what message this is sending to our children,” Mr Howard said.

ACT Greens leader and Minister for Gaming Shane Rattenbury backed calls for a complete gambling advertising ban.

“The Federal Government needs to do the responsible thing and ban all gambling advertising, just as [a recent] Parliamentary inquiry unanimously recommended. Gambling advertising is pervasive and damaging. It attempts to perpetuate and normalise the gambling harm that damages the community, and it has a particularly harmful impact on children, young people, and people who are susceptible to addiction. The Australian community wants to see action on this issue,” he said.

“Commonwealth laws prevent us in the ACT from enacting comprehensive gambling advertising bans, so it is up to the federal government to lead the way. We are currently considering and consulting on steps we can take in the ACT, but it would be far preferable to see a comprehensive response from the Commonwealth Government.

“The Federal Labor Government’s reticence to take strong action on gambling only reinforces the perception that the Labor Party, with its longstanding connection to poker machine revenue, is ineffective and compromised when it comes to addressing gambling harm.”

Shane Rattenbury MLA has backed calls for a federal government gambling ban. Photo: Michelle Kroll.

Television advertising is regulated by the federal government in Australia. However, it is possible for a state or territory to restrict advertising content within its jurisdiction. For example, the South Australian Government has banned gambling ads in its state between 4:30 pm and 7:30 pm on weeknights.

At the ACT level, Mr Rattenbury is currently seeking community feedback on two proposals to ban gambling ads from radio and TV at certain times.

Independents for Canberra ACT election candidate David Pollard doesn’t see the need for more consultation on this issue.

“Nationally, the Greens wouldn’t bat an eyelid about supporting a total ban on gambling ads. Here in Canberra, they are content to kick the can down the road. They have started a consultation to ask for anecdotes and opinions and are proposing a weak ban on media channels that children are barely consuming. Do they not have enough evidence already? Gambling is harmful, and gambling ads are unnecessary,” he said.

Mr Pollard also criticised the federal government for requesting stakeholders sign NDAs to prevent them from talking about a briefing on gambling ad reforms.

“People are crying out for transparency, accountability and integrity. None of those things are achieved by having an NDA in place. Locking access to what should be a standard industry briefing behind an NDA does not inspire trust. It shows they are afraid of the public reaction and need to sell it to insiders first. That is how lobbyists get what they want, not how Australia gets good policy outcomes,” he said.

The office of Federal Communications Minister Michelle Rowland declined to answer a question from Region on why groups were asked to sign NDAs or respond to the claim that Labor is afraid of vested interests on this issue.

“The government continues to engage with stakeholders regarding the recommendations from the online wagering inquiry as we formulate our response. The Albanese Government is firmly committed to minimising harms from online gambling,” a spokesperson said.