Greens ready to settle on AUS Gambling Advertising reforms

The Australian Greens are prepared to reach a compromise with the Labor government to settle on new federal laws for gambling advertising.

As reported by The Guardian, Greens figurehead Sarah Hanson-Young, a Senator for South Australia, has offered to help Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reach a settlement on the divisive matter and “get legislation over the line.”

Hanson-Young is prepared to shift the Greens’ position from advocating for a full-scale ban on gambling advertising to supporting a restrictive package of reforms. The Senator aims to resolve the legislative deadlock before the Federal Election on 21 May.

The Greens will propose a revised bill, set for debate on Wednesday, focusing on primary legislation to ban online gambling ads entirely, restrict TV and streaming ads during sports events and child-friendly programming, and limit gambling ads to two per hour in other time slots.

“Like many in the community, we feel frustrated that even a limited reform package from the government has not been released or put to the parliament for consideration. However, all hope is not lost for reform before this year’s election,” Hanson-Young wrote in a letter seen by The Guardian.

In Canberra, Parliament is set to recommence its debate on federal legislation that will apply to gambling advertising across six territorial states.

The Labor government had previously supported the recommendations of the Murphy Report, which advocated for a three-year phase-out of gambling advertising across all media platforms.

However, before authorising changes, Prime Minister Albanese called for modifications to the proposals, recommending that Labor MPs support a less disruptive approach for Australian media and sports.

Albanese proposed that Australian networks adopt a whistle-to-whistle ban on gambling advertising during sports broadcasts, along with further watershed advertising restrictions.

The change in plan drew criticism from opposition parties, Labor MPs, and reformists, who argued that Albanese had reneged on an election promise and watered down the recommendations of the late Labor Minister Peta Murphy, who authored the “You Win Some, You Lose More” report.

As it stands, the Labor government has neither confirmed nor finalised the proposals, with Albanese previously dismissing reports as hypothetical, stating that legislation would be formally completed in 2025.

Michelle Rowland, Labor’s Communications Minister, acknowledged that legislation was taking longer than hoped, as the government continues to work through consultation and policy processes.