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Albanese defends gambling reforms, says he’s ‘not against someone having a punt’
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, defended the gambling reforms on ABC Radio Sydney this morning, saying they, in some ways, go “further” than those the Peta Murphy report called for.
This has been worked through in a comprehensive way. It was only introduced yesterday morning. There was never any consideration of it passing yesterday, in a day. That’s not what happens. And there’ll be an inquiry, which is absolutely fine and normal process.
I think we have gone far enough. I think we’ve got the balance right between … an absolute ban across the board. …
I’m not against someone having a punt on a Saturday. What I’m against is problem gambling, which overwhelmingly, by the way, overwhelmingly is poker machines, which is of course regulated by the states.
I just find the whole thing tragic. Labor voted against a Senate inquiry into their bill because they know it is so far off the mark.
As to compromises in the Senate, we’ve got Simon Kennedy and others in the Liberal party, Sarah Henderson, saying that it’s not strong enough. How is it that a Labor-chaired committee gave such strong recommendations and then the prime minister just buckles to the gambling lobby, introduces weak legislation and now we have the Liberal party saying that it’s not strong enough?
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Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2026/jul/03/politics-anthony-albanese-labor-angus-taylor-liberal-party-coalition-antisemitism-royal-commission-nsw-victorian-alps-snow-weather-ntwnfb
Author : Nick Visser
Publish date : 2026-07-02 22:27:00
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