Gambling is a policy area where there’s a major mismatch between the public and the government.

The public and advocates want much more restriction put on gambling advertising, while the government – beset with pressure from stakeholders, including the industry itself and media companies wanting the revenue from the ads – drags its feet.

The Albanese government’s currently has legislation before parliament that would, among its changes, restrict the number of gambling ads that can be played during certain hours, bans radio ads during school pick-up and drop-off times, and ban ads in sports venues and on players’ jerseys.

But critics say the legislation, now before a Senate inquiry, doesn’t go nearly far enough.

Since entering parliament in 2010, independent MP Andrew Wilkie, from Tasmania, has been a tireless advocate for more controls around gambling, especially its advertising, to minimise harm. Recently he put his arguments to former prime minister John Howard and reportedly received a good hearing.

He joins podcast today.

On the government’s planned reforms, and its response to the report done by a committee under the late Labor MP Peta Murphy, Wilkie is scathing:

It needs to be recognised that the Murphy parliamentary inquiry, named after Peta Murphy, the late chair, was the best parliamentary inquiry into gambling harm this parliament has ever seen. And it’s important that its 31 recommendations, [made up a] consensus report. I would go so far as to say it is the best blueprint that has ever been produced in Australia for addressing gambling harm and that makes the fact that the government sat on it for more than three years all the more damning. That makes the fact that the government is only going to three of the recommendations and........

© The Conversation