Andrew Wallace (Fisher, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I second the bill. During my time as Chair of the Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs, I led an inquiry into age verification for online wagering and online pornography, producing the Protecting the Age of Innocence report. We called for urgent action to 'protect children from gambling-like incentives used by tech giants and video game creators to generate microtransactions for chance-based, mystery virtual items'. As I said then, these exploitative and deceptive in-game purchases have created a global billion-dollar industry at the expense of our youth—and, it has to be said, for their families.

As the member for Clark has pointed out, in August, a study into loot boxes found that there is a strong correlation between loot box and gaming purchases and problem gambling. The coalition has continually fought to keep kids safe online, including in the face of growing big tech and social media influence. It was often said, when we were in government, that you shouldn't be able to do online what you can't do online in the real world. Children under the age of 18 can't walk into an RSL and play the pokies. They can't walk into a TAB and put a bet on a horserace, and yet these loot boxes are effectively a form of gambling that is being delivered to young people's homes, into their bedrooms and living rooms.

I'm very pleased that when we were in government—thanks to the Protecting the age of innocence report and the work that we undertook as a committee—we were able to secure a commitment for mandatory age classifications from the then communications minister, and we took a number of steps to empower the eSafety Commissioner to tackle these issues. Unfortunately, the election got in the way, as it has with many things, but, as they say, that's life in a democracy.

This measure is a step in the right direction, and I want to commend the member for Clark. We have our differences on many things, but the member for Clark has been an absolute strident champion in his desire to clean up the gambling industry—as have I. We stand shoulder to shoulder in this place to put big tech and the big gambling companies on notice that he and I, and anyone who wants to join us, will fight shoulder to shoulder to protect Australians who have become vulnerable to gambling.

I'm not advocating for gambling to be made illegal—I won't speak for the member Clark; that would be inappropriate—but there is so much that we need to do in this place to protect vulnerable Australians. Yes, it's uncomfortable for some people. Yes, it's uncomfortable for parties. But together we can do this. It is a sensible start to introduce this bill to introduce age classifications, something that will protect our most vulnerable. I support the bill, and I congratulate the member for Clark for bringing it to the House.

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