Former Liberal MP Jenny Ware has slammed her one-time Coalition colleagues for backing Labor’s gambling legislation, claiming “vulnerable Australians have been let down” by the parliament’s failure to enact a full ban on wagering ads.
What Happened
Jenny Ware, who served on the Peta Murphy-led inquiry in 2023 that recommended an complete cessation of wagering advertising and inducements, labeled gambling a public health crisis requiring a much more robust response from both sides of politics. She stated, “Vulnerable Australians deserve better than political convenience dressed up as consensus” and that “Australians deserve better on gambling reform that should meet the scale of the harm.”
Labor’s gambling reforms passed parliament on Wednesday night, described by the government as the strongest wagering legislation ever enacted. These reforms include limiting TV ads to three per hour between 5am and 8.30pm, restricting online ads to over-18s with a mandatory opt-out, and eventual bans on advertising on players’ jerseys and sporting stadiums. New restrictions on inducements, celebrity endorsements, and employee commissions from gambling losses will also be implemented.
However, concerns have been raised about the functionality of a new “opt-out register.” Wagering, tech, and media industries sources expressed being blindsided by its Monday announcement, with operators – responsible for its development costs – anxious about its implementation and expense. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Communications Minister Anika Wells defended the reforms as balancing protection for the vulnerable with the right of Australians to gamble, opting not to impose a full ban on online gambling ads and inducements as recommended by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy.
Key Details
- Former Liberal MP Jenny Ware condemned the Coalition for supporting Labor’s gambling reforms.
- Ware was a member of the 2023 inquiry that recommended a full ban on wagering advertising and inducements.
- She described gambling as a “public health crisis” requiring a stronger response than the current legislation provides.
- The new reforms limit TV ads, restrict online ads, and will eventually ban advertising on sports attire and stadiums.
- Concerns exist regarding the implementation and funding of a new mandatory “opt-out register” for online gambling ads.
- The government did not implement a full ban on online gambling ads, despite recommendations from the Peta Murphy inquiry.
- Ware believes the “full suite” of Murphy’s recommendations, including a national gambling regulator and full ad ban, should have been enacted.
- Peta Murphy’s husband, Rod Glover, also expressed “mixed emotions” regarding the legislation, acknowledging some reforms but stating more is needed.
Why It Matters
This condemnation highlights a significant division within political discourse on gambling reform, particularly concerning the extent of measures needed to address gambling-related harm in Australia. Ware’s strong stance, coming from a former Liberal MP who participated in the key inquiry, underscores the argument that the current reforms do not go far enough to protect vulnerable Australians, despite the government touting them as the strongest to date. The debate over a full advertising ban versus more limited restrictions, and the practical challenges of implementing new measures like the opt-out register, illustrate the ongoing tension between public health concerns and the rights of individuals and industries. The sentiment from Ware and Murphy’s husband suggests a belief that political courage and morality were lacking in enacting the comprehensive changes deemed necessary to tackle what Ware calls a “national public health crisis hiding in plain sight.”