An Australian Labor MP has expressed his disappointment at his own party’s failure to introduce a ban on gambling advertising in the country.
Speaking at a candidates forum in the run up to May’s federal election, Jerome Laxale highlighted the recommendations laid out by late Labor MP Peta Murphy in 2023.
Murphy’s report, ‘You Win Some, You Lose More’, called for a total ban on gambling advertising in Australia.
The proposal called for ads across radio, television, online and newspapers to be phased out over a three-year period.
The Albanese government instead favoured a cap system for gambling ads which would limit them to two per hour on each channel, as well as a total ban an hour before and after live sports broadcasts.
A delay in implementing gambling ad reforms of any kind has since drawn criticism from lobby groups Down Under.
Laxale remained hopeful that the party would follow through with Murphy’s recommendations in its second term, claiming the government had a responsibility to “honour her legacy”.
As per The Guardian, he said: “There’s a couple of disappointments I have in my own government – I have been open about that – and not being able to implement more of Peta Murphy’s review is one of them.
“I know there is more to do. The former member Peta Murphy did that report. She was well respected in our caucus and we have to honour her legacy. I am hopeful that we can do that in a second term.”
Laxale, who is running for re-election in the New South Wales seat of Bennelong, added that he has held discussions with Australia’s communications minister Michelle Rowland over advertising reforms.
The MP claimed that a package of reforms is on the horizon and that he will prioritise the implementation of them going forward.
“There is a strong reform package coming and I will work incredibly hard to ensure that happens in a second term Labor government”, he added.
“I know that whatever we bring to the parliament – whenever we bring it – will be strong. My role is to try and make it as strong as possible.
“I watch a lot of sport and like you, I am just as sick of seeing betting odds linked to sport. I know what it is like to sit down and see that and I don’t want gambling embedded in the culture of sport.”
In the run-up to the election on 3 May, the Labor government has thus far made no mention of gambling legislation of any kind in its manifesto.
In contrast, Australia’s Green Party vowed to prioritise introducing a national gambling regulator if elected – another one of Murphy’s recommendations in 2023.
Furthermore, the Peter Dutton-led Coalition Party included a ban on all gambling ads during live sports broadcasts as part of its election manifesto.
The lobby group Alliance for Gambling Reform has also vowed to support any candidates who publicly commit to supporting Murphy’s recommendations.
The post Labor MP expresses “disappointment” at lack of ad ban progress in Australia first appeared on EGR Intel.
Jerome Laxale calls on his own party to honour the reform recommendations laid out by the late Peta Murphy in 2023 ahead of federal election next month
The post Labor MP expresses “disappointment” at lack of ad ban progress in Australia first appeared on EGR Intel.