Labor and Coalition MPs have thrown their support behind a blanket ban on gambling advertising in a bid to curb the social and economic damage from heavy losses, stepping up a challenge in parliament to a federal cabinet plan to impose a partial ban instead.
The cross-party calls heighten the pressure on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and senior ministers to toughen a draft plan that aims to appease media companies and sporting codes who fear the loss of about $240 million in annual advertising.
The government risks a backlash from community campaigners and some of its own backbenchers who want it to impose the total ban recommended last year by a bipartisan committee led by former Labor MP Peta Murphy, who declared that partial bans would not work.
Murphy died last December and many of her Labor colleagues believe the government should honour her legacy with a comprehensive ad ban after a surge in online bets to about $10 billion a year.
Labor MP Mike Freelander blamed the surge for compounding the financial hardship in Australian households and said a total advertising ban was a necessary health policy akin to the controls on tobacco.
“It’s a way of transferring billions of dollars from poor people to wealthy people,” he said of the gambling industry, adding that he had seen the impact on households as a doctor in western Sydney.
Anthony Albanese during question time on Monday.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
Others who back the ban include Victorian Labor MP Maria Vamvakinou, Victorian Liberal MP Keith Wolahan and Nationals MP Pat Conaghan, adding to calls from influential figures including former prime minister John Howard.
Albanese told parliament on Monday that saturation advertising was “untenable” but he made no commitment to a ban when independent MP Zoe Daniel asked him in question time about the harm from gambling.
Albanese mocked Howard for only speaking out after leaving politics and said he had done “absolutely nothing” on the issue when he had the chance in power.
The draft cabinet plan suggests a cap of two gambling ads per hour on each TV channel until 10pm and banning ads an hour before and after live sport, but MPs are pushing for a tougher regime.
“I strongly believe the only thing we should be doing is a total ban on the advertising,” said Freelander.
“The gambling companies are engaging people at a very young age. It is addictive and very difficult to manage, and if it is on TV all the time you can’t escape it.”
Vamvakinou, who served with Murphy on the committee that wrote the gambling report, said the recommendations should be implemented in full.
“I see no reason to equivocate any further or to prolong this. All the evidence is in and we know what we have to do and we should do it,” she said.
“Peta led this with great passion, as someone who really cared about the impact of online gambling,” she said, insisting a total ban “would be a fitting way to honour her legacy”.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Jodie Belyea, who replaced Peta Murphy as member for Dunkley earlier this year.Credit: Penny Stephens
Jodie Belyea, the Labor MP who won Murphy’s seat of Dunkley in Melbourne at a byelection earlier this year, said she felt a responsibility to honour her predecessor’s legacy.
“As the government develops an effective package of reform specific to advertising, I will continue to advocate to my colleagues to address the recommendations championed by Peta.”
Responsible Wagering Australia chief Kai Cantwell warned against a blanket ban by saying better regulation could safeguard those who wanted to place a bet while shielding them from illegal gambling sites.
“Excessive restrictions on Australian-licensed wagering advertising would not achieve the government’s own stated policy objective of reducing harm,” he said.
But Wolahan, the Liberal member for Menzies in Melbourne and a member of the Murphy committee, stood by the call for an advertising ban in the parliamentary inquiry last year.
“Peta’s call for reform is needed now. Online gambling is peddling more than false hope – it is tearing families apart and driving them to food banks,” he said.
Conaghan, a former policeman and prosecutor and the Nationals member for Cowper in northern NSW, said families were “sick and tired” of seeing and hearing the gambling ads during sports events and other programs.
“I think Peta Murphy would be very disappointed with the lack of action within Labor and I don’t understand why they would not just implement the recommendations,” he said.
Conaghan said the idea of limiting ads to two per hour was not enough to stop the problem.
“That’s still exposing people to harm and it is still exposing children to that harm,” he said.
“I’d like to know the reason why Labor’s not going to support the full phase-out over three years. It’s just common sense.”
Gambling companies spent $238.63 million on advertising in the year to April last year according to the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
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