The Labor MP Jerome Laxale has expressed his “disappointment” in the Albanese government’s failure to restrict gambling ads and called on the party to “honour the legacy” of the late Peta Murphy if re-elected.
Laxale, a left-faction MP who is trying to hold on to the ultra-marginal New South Wales seat of Bennelong, said he was “sick of seeing betting odds linked to live sport” and told voters in his electorate there was “a strong reform package coming”.
The Albanese government has not taken changes to gambling regulation to this election and has faced sustained criticism from public health experts and political pressure for shelving plans to restrict gambling ads, in the face of opposition from sporting codes and broadcasters.
The government is yet to formally respond to a June 2023 bipartisan inquiry led by Murphy, who died in December 2024, which called for all gambling ads to be banned after a three year transition period and for the establishment of a national regulator.
“There’s a couple of disappointments I have in my own government – I have been open about that – and not being able to implement more of Peta Murphy’s review is one of them,” Laxale told a candidates forum organised by multiple church groups in Bennelong on Wednesday.
“I know there is more to do. The former member Peta Murphy did that report. She was well respected in our caucus and we have to honour her legacy. I am hopeful that we can do that in a second term.”
In recent days, Anthony Albanese and senior ministers have faced multiple questions about why his government has not acted on gambling ads, despite previously raising concerns about their prevelance and preparing reforms that were never introduced to parliament.
In late 2024, communications minister Michelle Rowland’s office apologised to multiple people harmed by the gambling industry after delaying long-awaited advertising reforms, admitting government action has taken “longer than hoped”.
Laxale told the audience that he had met with Rowland to discuss the issue and said “there is a strong reform package coming and I will work incredibly hard to ensure that happens in a second term Labor government”.
“I know that whatever we bring to the parliament – whenever we bring it – will be strong,” Laxale said. “My role is to try and make it as strong as possible.
“I watch a lot of sport (…) and like you, I am just as sick of seeing betting odds linked to sport. I know what it is like to sit down and see that and I don’t want gambling embedded in the culture of sport.”
Laxale echoed the prime minister’s comments about doing more to address gambling harm than other governments, highlighting a ban on credit card use, stronger taglines at the end of ads, monthly activity statements to help gamblers track spending and the creation of a national self-exclusion scheme.
On Friday, Albanese told Guardian Australia that “more needs to be done” on addressing gambling harms, but indicated that even if re-elected he would not rush to implement a ban on online gambling ads.
“We need to get it right,” Albanese said. “It’s no good having changes that just then channel people into other forms of gambling, potentially offshore,” he said.
Earlier this year, Guardian Australia spoke to Labor MPs who were unhappy with the government’s inaction. One, Michelle Ananda-Rajah, said it was “disappointing”.
“In our quest for perfection we’ve ended up with 100% or nothing; it’s disappointing,” Ananda-Rajah said.
In late 2023, the Labor MP Mike Freelander said legislating a “blanket ban” on gambling advertising was “the right thing to do” and he “strongly believed” there was support for that among his colleagues.
“It is insidious,” he said. “It is all pervasive and it is really impacting electorates like mine, particularly young people and young families. The social harm that it does is immeasurable.”
