Victorian local government area, Brimbank City Council, is calling on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to take action on gambling reform.
Council approved a motion on Tuesday to co-sign an open letter by the Alliance for Gambling Reform addressed to the prime minister, which outlines proposed reforms.
It was also addressed to the Federal Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. Bill Shorten MP.
Brimbank Chair of Administrators John Watson said Council shared concerns with the member organisations of the Alliance for Gambling Reform about the harmful and unfair impacts of gambling and its normalisation in Australian culture.
The letter highlights three reforms, including, a ban on sports betting advertising during G-rated time periods; a Joint Select Committee on Gambling Reform, to build on existing knowledge of the problems and solutions; and legislation that limits poker machine gambling to a maximum $1 bets and maximum losses of $120 per hour.
“Problem gambling is a serious issue not only in Brimbank but across Australia,” said Mr Watson.
“Council is asking Prime Minister Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten to make reforms to the industry and as such make a difference to lives of hundreds of thousands of Australians.
“The open letter will coincide with Senator Nick Xenophon and Andrew Wilkie MP moving a motion in both the House of Representative and the Senate for a ban on sports advertising in G-rated family viewing times.
“As stated in the letter, gambling impacts 500,000 Australians each year who experience financial stress, mental illness and relationship breakdown as a direct result, reforms need to take place.”
Brimbank is ranked highest for losses on Electronic Gaming Machines of any local government area in Victoria, totalling $143 million in 2015-16.
The Brimbank Electronic Gambling Policy 2015 outlines Council’s position on electronic gaming to limit the exposure and impact of gaming in the community.
Additionally, Council along with the 60 other members of the Alliance for Gambling Reform advocates for a suite of regulatory reforms to redress the burden of the negative impacts of electronic gambling on the community.
