Elizabeth Watson-Brown (Ryan, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Communications. Gambling reform is unfinished business in this parliament, and parents are angry that their kids are bombarded with gambling ads online and when they watch sports and other shows. After three years, your government has still refused to ban gambling ads, so will you at least accept the Greens' compromise offer to ban gambling ads online that target our kids and during sport when families are watching?

Michelle Rowland (Greenway, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Communications) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for her question, which goes to a number of matters, including gambling advertising, including the issue of time, and, as I see it and as I've seen reported from her colleague Senator Hanson-Young, including questions around the interests of the community and the interests of members of parliament. I think it's important to first point out, considering it's so contemporaneous, that Senator Hanson-Young was out there today basically talking about prioritising—this is what she accuses—prioritising the interests of the community over the interests of the gambling lobby and those making money off this parasitic dangerous industry. I find it interesting that the honourable member, who is a member of the Greens political party from Queensland, should ask this when the Queensland Greens have accepted over nearly half a million dollars in donations from a highrolling gambler. This is despite pushing for a ban on political donations from the gambling industry. Even more interesting about this is that the honourable member is one of three members from Queensland who have benefited from this, and the spokesperson for the Greens is saying, 'Our campaigns are entirely funded by people who believe in our vision and platform.' So, of course, constituents in the seats of Brisbane, Griffith and Ryan should be well aware of where that money is coming from to fund the honourable member's campaign.

It gets better because, as was only reported in the last few days, the Greens' largest individual donor—this is as recent as a couple of days—was Gold Coast gambler and mathematician, Duncan Turpie, who donated about $275,000. In early 2024, the Brisbane Times reported that Turpie had donated $472,088 to the party since—

Honourable Member:

An honourable member interjecting—

Michelle Rowland (Greenway, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Communications) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A beneficiary! A beneficiary!

Honourable members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! No, there's far too much noise. Members on my right will cease interjecting. Members on my left will cease interjecting. The member for Griffith, like any other member, is entitled to raise a point of order. Everyone gets to be heard in silence while they raise a point of order, including the member for Griffith.

Max Chandler-Mather (Griffith, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On relevance: this is a serious question. It went to gambling reform and actions on reform and cracking down on gambling advertising. The minister is making light of a serious issue that impacts people's lives. I think the people of Australia should expect a reasonable answer.

Honourable members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Everyone can just take the temperature down. The member for Griffiths is entitled to raise his point of order. The minister needs to make sure her answer is being directly relevant. She just can't talk about alternative policies. I'm going to ask her for the remaining 40 seconds to make sure she has further information for the House. I don't know if she has further quotes to read, but she is entitled to do that just as long as they're relevant to the question.

Michelle Rowland (Greenway, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Communications) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Greens political party has had so many positions on this issue now—probably three positions in as many days. It's a party that has been vehemently opposed to this government's consultation process. I acknowledge, Mr Speaker, that this is taking longer than we would have liked to get done. The reason for that is the complexity, whereas the Leader of the Opposition, when he was a member of a cabinet for nine years, initiated changes that resulted in a 50 per cent increase in gambling advertising and an even bigger increase in regional areas. We will get this right because we know how important it is.