Steph Hodgins-May (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you to my colleague, Senator Hanson-Young, for bringing this very important bill, the Interactive Gambling Amendment (Ban Gambling Ads) Bill 2024, forward today.

The late Peta Murphy tabled the House inquiry's report into gambling harm 18 months ago. This landmark report painted a stark picture of a nation in pain, of people whose marriages have fallen apart, who have lost their homes, jobs, families or life savings and who have spiralled into mental distress—all because of gambling. In response to this devastating reality, Murphy's report made a clear recommendation: ban gambling ads across all media within three years.

People and communities right across Australia were hopeful that this Labor led inquiry and report would finally lead to real action to end gambling harm. Yet here we are, 18 months later, with a federal election just around the corner, and the Labor government has done nothing—well, that's not entirely true, as we know. This week it was revealed that they'd accepted close to $200,000 in donations from the gambling industry. What a stinker! We have seen no official response to the Murphy report and no legislation to ban ads—nothing. Instead we have just witnessed Albanese and his government dodge and delay responsibility to end gambling harm. This cowardice epitomises everything that is wrong with the Labor Party and why they are taking a hit in the polls.

I have sympathy for the senators who had to stand up today and try to defend this reprehensible position of not supporting this bill. Come on. We are urging you: be decisive. Show some leadership. We're urging you. We do not want to see a Dutton prime ministership, so give us some backbone. This is an opportunity for the Labor government to take action on gambling before the election—fewer weasel words and fewer lists outlining what the problem is, and more decisive action. It's a chance for the Senate to protect Australians from the relentless harm of gambling ads and those parasitic corporations that are sucking Australians dry.

Research shows gambling ads fuel betting and hit young people and those at risk of problem behaviour the hardest. We all know this. You know this, Labor. These ads plague our radio channels, sports games, television, music streaming, online gaming and now social media. They are even in Bluey streaming. It's disgusting. Everyone, including kids, cannot escape having gambling advertisements rammed down their throats. While it is devastating, it's no wonder that kids as young as 10 years old are addicted to gambling.

The Greens understand the destruction that gambling harm causes and that gambling ads cause. We know that they destroy families, communities and people right across this nation. We know that a gambling ad ban needs to happen before the election, before we risk a coalition government. That is why, in the face of Labor's complete inaction, the Greens put forward this bill and why my colleague the Australian Greens spokesperson for gambling, Senator Hanson-Young, wrote to the Minister for Communications—