The gov’s response to push for gambling reform is half‑hearted
The Albanese government's response to a parliamentary report on gambling reform is criticized as inadequate and half-hearted.Summary
Former Labor MP Peta Murphy, who chaired a committee on online wagering, died in 2023. Her committee's unanimous report, released in June 2023, contained 31 recommendations, including a ban on all online gambling advertising and the appointment of a national regulator. The Albanese government sat on the report for nearly three years before issuing its response on budget day, a move critics said was intended to bury it. While the government announced some advertising restrictions, its full response was described as a minimal package that fails to meet the standards sought by Murphy and her colleagues. Key recommendations ignored include a national regulator, federal responsibility for online wagering, and a ban on inducements to gamble. The government's half-hearted approach, according to the author, will allow Australia's gambling epidemic to continue largely unchecked.
(Source：The New Daily)