Page 1519 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 1 June 2022
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in the way that they have banned greyhound racing, I think more and more will come to light about that in coming months, and we will all be able to clearly see that the ACT Greens are on a mission to radically change or to end horseracing in the ACT. But I digress.
We have all noticed the increase in gambling advertising, and I think we all worry about who is being sucked in. We know that there are vulnerable people who will be sucked in by those messages. I think we all agree that more needs to be done specifically to address the harm that comes from online gambling across Australia. How can we do that in this jurisdiction? That remains to be seen, because most of the levers, as has been indicated in this debate thus far, are out of our reach.
In terms of the “calls on” in this motion, sure—let us continue to work with and advocate to the commonwealth on the implementation of the National Consumer Protection Framework for Online Wagering. Tick; yes, sure. Let’s do that. Conducting a review of the online gambling and advertising market and the impacts of this on the ACT: that sounds fine in principle. Honestly, I do not know exactly how you would conduct such a review, but I would note that Dr Paterson has plenty of expertise in that area, based on her history with the ANU. I am sure she has some very clear ideas on how that review could be conducted.
I am always worried when I see “investigate ACT revenue sources that can be used for harm minimisation”, because on just about every other occasion that this has been raised it has involved gouging more money from clubs. But, sure; let us get creative and investigate some ACT revenue sources. In fact, straight off the top of my head, if you drop the speed limit in that new Northbourne zone to 30 kilometres an hour, you could raise $10 million in a couple of months, just like that! That is something that could be considered!
Obviously, Dr Paterson is not here today, which is disappointing, but it is outside her control, and I cannot help feeling that there are some pieces missing from this motion. I have taken it upon myself to complete the picture of this motion by adding some amendments. I seek leave to move the amendments that have been circulated in my name together.
Leave granted.
MR PARTON: I move:
(1) Insert after paragraph (1) (k):
“(l) according to a recent article from the ABC there has been $18 million worth of political donations from the gambling industry across Australia in recent years in the states and territories, with the majority of that money going to ACT Labor; and
(m) the ACT Government’s most recent Listed Company Shareholdings list from 31 March of this year includes investments with Betmakers Technologies Group which is linked to Sportsbet, Tabcorp, Ladbrokes, Bet365, Unibet and William Hill;”.
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