The Albanese government is planning to cap gambling ads during general TV programming, despite opposition from its backbench and a fresh push for a total ban by the Greens.
On Monday the Greens communications spokesperson, Sarah Hanson-Young, announced the minor party would attempt to amend an unrelated bill on television transmission to pass a total ban on gambling ads.
In June 2023 a total ban was proposed by a bipartisan committee inquiry chaired by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy, but the government is set to respond with a partial ban.
Under the proposal gambling ads would be banned online, in children’s programming, during live sports broadcasts and an hour either side, but limited to two an hour in general TV programming. The package would not eliminate on-field signs and jersey logos, despite the Murphy report concluding they should also be banned.
On Monday the backbench caucus committee heard the proposal. Several Labor MPs including Mike Freelander once again urged the government to commit to the total ban.
Freelander, a paediatrician and the member for Macarthur in south-west Sydney, said his view was that a total ban would be “most appropriate from a public health point of view”.
Jodie Belyea, who won the seat of Dunkley in a byelection, said she felt a “deep responsibility to honour” Murphy’s legacy.
“As a mum with a 17-year-old son, I am acutely aware of the prevalence of gambling advertising in sport,” she said.
“As the government develops an effective package of reform specific to advertising, I will continue to advocate to my colleagues and the minister to address the recommendations championed by Peta.”
Prof Steve Robson, the president of the Australian Medical Association, said he was “extremely keen” for the government to crack down “as much as possible, to send the message gambling is not healthy”.
Robson agreed it is a “major public health issue”, citing dependence, mental health issues and an impact on all aspects of life including employment.
Labor has been lobbied by the crossbench, former prime ministers John Howard and Malcolm Turnbull, former state premiers Dominic Perrottet and Steve Bracks, and Murphy’s husband, Rod Glover, to adopt the total ban.
Asked by independent Zoe Daniel about the partial ban in question time, Albanese replied there was a “fair bit of hypothetical about … our alleged position”.
Albanese said the government was “working through these issues” and had acknowledged “the status quo, of saturation of gambling advertising where children are exposed to it, is untenable”.
“We’re taking a comprehensive approach, recognising that this is a complex issue.”
Labor was tackling gambling harm “in a way that will ensure that there aren’t unintended consequences”, he said.
Although some gambling companies including Tabcorp were prepared to accept a ban, major sporting codes and media companies lobbied the government for a softer cap due to concerns about withdrawing a major source of revenue that may not be easily replaced by other advertisers.
Hanson-Young said the Greens will move to amend a regional broadcasting bill, set to be debated in the Senate on Monday evening, to enact a total ban on gambling ads.
“There’s going to be a test for the government this week in the Senate,” she told reporters in Canberra.
“We will use that bill to test the guts of this government to do the right thing.”
FreeTV Australia has asked for revenue affected by ad restrictions to be “offset by reductions in the regulatory burdens on commercial broadcasters”.
Asked about the issue of compensation, Hanson-Young said the Greens were prepared to talk about “what can be done to support community sport” but the government had to “come to the table and ban the ads first”.
With lower house independent MPs and a hostile Senate crossbench including the Greens, David Pocock and Lidia Thorpe calling for a total ban, Labor will need bipartisan support from the Coalition to pass its cap proposal unamended.
The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, first proposed a ban on gambling ads during sports broadcasts and an hour either side in his 2023 budget reply but the Coalition is yet to state its position on the Labor proposal.
On Monday the Nationals leader, David Littleproud, said that gambling ads were “offensive” and had “gone too far”, particularly having live odds advertised during games of football.
“There needs to be some sensible policy put in place,” he told Sky News.
“We’re going to work with the government when they announce all their policy details.”
• In Australia, Gambling Help Online is available on 1800 858 858. The National Debt Helpline is at 1800 007 007. In the UK, support for problem gambling can be found via the NHS National Problem Gambling Clinic on 020 7381 7722, or GamCare on 0808 8020 133. In the US, call the National Council on Problem Gambling at 800-GAMBLER or text 800GAM.
