Exclusive: Senator Sarah Hanson-Young offers to water down Greens bill in a compromise to get legislation across the line
The Greens have pledged to help the government pass legislation to limit gambling advertising this week, challenging Labor to enact wagering reforms that were shelved late last year.
Anthony Albanese promised “we will do more” to prevent gambling harm, in a podcast interview published on Monday, but the prime minister again downplayed the prospect of fulfilling late Labor MP Peta Murphy’s call for a full gambling ad ban.
The communications minister, Michelle Rowland, agreed government reforms were “taking longer than hoped”, but said she was still working through consultation and policy processes, seemingly rejecting the Greens’ push.
Guardian Australia can reveal the Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young wrote to Rowland last week, again lobbying the government to take further action.
But in a sign of compromise, Hanson-Young relented on calls for a full ad ban. Instead, she offered to amend a Greens bill to reflect a suite of reforms the government had reportedly proposed to backbench MPs and industry sources in August last year.
“Like many in the community, we feel frustrated that even a limited reform package from the government has not been released or put to the parliament for consideration. However, all hope is not lost for reform before this year’s election,” Hanson-Young wrote in a letter to Rowland, seen by the Guardian.
The Greens senator called gambling reform “the unfinished business of this parliament”.
The proposed reforms from August, which Albanese and Rowland would not publicly confirm at the time, reportedly would have banned gambling ads online, in children’s programming, during live sports broadcasts including an hour either side, and limits of two ads per hour in general TV programming.
Guardian Australia reported at the time that a Labor backbench caucus committee had heard the proposal, after the Nine newspapers first reported the government had floated the suite of changes as one policy option.
The proposal had reportedly not gone to cabinet and was not finalised.
Asked about the reports at the time, Albanese claimed there was a “fair bit of hypothetical about … our alleged position”.
The government came under fire after failing to introduce reforms before parliament closed last year.
Major sporting codes and online bookmakers had strongly opposed ad bans, while Albanese downplayed the issue, emphasising the government was focusing on other avenues to address gambling-related harms, such as the Betstop self-exclusion register.
As Guardian Australia revealed in January, Labor MPs do not expect any further moves on gambling ads before the election, with many believing it was not a top-tier issue for voters.
Hanson-Young wrote to Rowland last week, offering to water down a Greens bill calling for a full ad ban – due to be debated on Wednesday. It would instead enact provisions including banning all gambling ads on TV and streaming video one hour before and one hour after sporting broadcasts; prohibit online gambling ads entirely; and prohibit ads during programs classified as child-friendly. Broadcast ads would be limited to two an hour in other time slots.
However the Greens proposal would go further than the government’s proposed August 2024 plan, by prohibiting gambling company logos on sporting ground banners or team uniforms.
“I believe much of these measures are those which you have previously raised with me as matters you could support. I also believe stakeholders who have been desperate for action will see this as a step forward and a compromise worth taking,” Hanson-Young wrote to Rowland.
She offered the Greens’ voting support if the government backed the proposal, saying: “Some progress towards a full ban is better than nothing.”
But while Rowland indicated in a statement the government would not take up the Greens’ offer, she suggested Labor reforms were not yet dead.
“Advertising reform is complex and the potential impacts on a broad range of stakeholders need to be considered.”
She said the government “will only progress legislation to implement online gambling advertising reform when we have concluded our consultation and policy-development process”.
On Monday, in a podcast interview with The Daily Aus, Albanese said Labor had “taken more action on problem gambling than any government since federation”.
“We accept that there’s more to do, and we will do more,” he said.
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.
