Nick Xenophon (SA, Nick Xenophon Team) Share this | Hansard source

Chair, I think that you and the minister may be pleased to know that this is my final line of questioning before I seek to move amendments on the running sheet!

The minister made reference in his closing remarks on the bill that there is going to be a national consumer protection framework in respect of online gambling. There were many recommendations made in the O'Farrell review and the minister is no doubt aware of Financial Counselling Australia's recommendations in relation to dealing with these issues. I know that Senator Roberts did outline a number of cases from that report that were quite horrendous stories of people who had lost life savings, who had been devastated financially and who had their lives ruined by sports betting. And this was legal sports betting.

In terms of the framework, the processes and the time line for this to be dealt with, could the minister elaborate on when that will take place? Will it be a case of Commonwealth legislation or will it be a case of state-based template legislation with other Commonwealth legislation? I think the concern is that the O'Farrell review did do some genuinely good work—I think it should have gone further, but it did do some good work to deal with these issues—you have had the report of Financial Counselling Australia and you are aware of the previous reports that the Joint Select Committee on Gambling Reform did back in the time of the Gillard government. What does the minister say will be the progress of that national consumer protection framework that so many in the community are so anxious to be progressed and implemented?