Australian communications minister refutes claims of industry pressure on gambling reforms

Michelle Rowland says she did not meet with gambling executives.

Australia.- Communications minister Michelle Rowland has denied agreeing to water down restrictions because of pressure from broadcast media, sports codes and gambling companies. Responding to a question from Kate Chaney MP (Independent), the federal member for Curtin, she denied having met with gambling executives 66 times in six months.

She said: “The documents will show I met zero times. Zero times with gambling executives, and we will continue to go about this process with the facts in an orderly way, because facts are important here.”

Responding to reports that the government plans to limit gambling ads rather than impose a total ban, Rowland said the government’s priorities were to tackle the normalisation of sports betting, reduce children’s exposure to betting ads and address the saturation of advertising, especially online. She said the government “will continue to consult in a mature and orderly manner consistent with a proper Cabinet process.”

Earlier this week, a group of over 60 prominent Australians including former prime ministers, MPs, union leaders, sports figures, business professionals, health experts and community advocates signed an open letter calling for a ban on all gambling ads within three years. The group is urging the Federal Government and the Opposition to commit to adopting all reforms recommended by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy’s Federal Inquiry into Online Gambling.