Minister's Words To Gambling Reform Advocate 'Shocking'.

Aus Vokipedia
Version vom 12. April 2026, 10:08 Uhr von VanSaylors0 (Diskussion | Beiträge)

(Unterschied) ← Nächstältere Version | Aktuelle Version (Unterschied) | Nächstjüngere Version → (Unterschied)
Wechseln zu: Navigation, Suche


Communications Minister Anika Wells is under fire from a host of supporters and crossbenchers for informing a former gambling addict to convince betting business about reforms, not her.


Kate Seselja conquered a pokies addiction that nearly caused her taking her own life.


Ms Seselja said Ms Wells informed her during a meeting in August 2025 it was not the minister who required convincing about gambling reforms however the betting companies, tv networks and sporting codes that created revenue from betting.


"I was flabbergasted," Ms Seselja told AAP.


"To be asked if I had actually tried to have conferences with them, as a lived experience advocate, was horrific.


"To have that level of detach to the reality of gambling harm dealt with by millions of Australians, to suggest that people with lived experience go consult with these predators, made me lose belief in the political system."


Fellow advocate Anna Bardsley from the Gambling Harm Lived Experience Experts (GHLEE), who also attended the conference, proved the exchange.


Ms Wells' workplace did not deny the comment was made, stating the minister welcomed the chance to consult with the two advocates to listen to their experience with gambling harm.


A representative pointed to Labor federal government measures consisting of the introduction of the self-exclusion register BetStop, a ban on credit cards for online betting and modifications to warning taglines after ads.


"The Australian government takes seriously our obligation to safeguard Australians, particularly young and vulnerable individuals, from the harms of online betting," the representative said.


Independent MP Kate Chaney branded the minister's remarks a betrayal of Australians experiencing gambling harm, saying they were "stunning however sadly not unexpected".


"Being told to lobby the betting market yourself, after a years of steadfast advocacy and nearly losing your life to dependency, is a profound failure of leadership," she stated.


Ms Seselja stated staff from the communication minister's office informed her to keep battling for reforms throughout a subsequent meeting in March.


"I in fact broke down and lost it at the staffer, since I said to her, if you're not going to do your job, then to do it," Ms Seselja said.


"People are dying and no one is stopping the carnage."


Independent senator David Pocock explained Ms Seselja's recount as deeply uncomfortable, while independent MP Monique Ryan attacked the government for stopping working to take obligation for the issue or stand up to beneficial interests.


Alliance for Gambling Reform chief advocate Tim Costello branded the comments and inaction on the problem "a total failure of federal government", adding he was gobsmacked the federal government had actually not reacted to a gaming damage report released practically 1000 days back.


The landmark report into gambling harm bied far in June 2023 by late Labor MP Peta Murphy advised a phase-out of marketing, curbing incentives and an overarching national harm-reduction structure.

Meine Werkzeuge
Namensräume

Varianten
Aktionen
Navigation
Werkzeuge