Interview with Michael Rowland, ABC News Breakfast

MICHAEL ROWLAND, HOST: The Federal Government has this morning announced a starting date for a new national exclusion register for problem gamblers. BetStop will launch on the 21st of August and to tell us more about it, Michelle Rowland, the Communications Minister joins us now. Minister, good morning.

 

MICHELLE ROWLAND, MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS: Good morning. 

 

MICHAEL ROWLAND: Okay, tell us how BetStop will work in practise.

 

MINISTER ROWLAND: This means that an individual who wishes to opt out from all 150 licenced online wagering providers in Australia with one touch can go to Betstop.gov.au and they will be excluded from being able to open an account or place a bet. They will also be excluded from receiving direct marketing material from wagering providers. This is an opt in scheme, it is a national self-exclusion register and as you say, it will commence on the 21 August this year.

 

MICHAEL ROWLAND: Why is the scheme being set up in the first place?

 

MINISTER ROWLAND: This was a key recommendation of the National Consumer Protection Framework and this component is in fact the last to be completed. Since I became Minister, I have reiterated my commitment to ensuring BetStop comes into operation. This means that Australians who are experiencing online gambling harms will have this opportunity to self-exclude, similar in the way that they are currently able to self-exclude themselves from licenced venues, for example.

 

MICHAEL ROWLAND: Okay, and I was just going to ask about that. The pressure is clearly on the individual based on the self-exclusion from licenced venues already. What's been the take up rate for that? And how confident are you that people with a problem will actually go to a place like BetStop on their own and self-register?

 

MINISTER ROWLAND: Based on that experience and also the advice that has been taken in the lead up to this implementation stage, we know that it's an important component. We have received cooperation from the wagering sector, from health advocates and from people who are obviously very concerned about this issue right across the community. We know that there is no silver bullet to this. It requires a multi-faceted approach, but it does mean that people will be able to exclude themselves from three months up to a lifetime from being able to opt in to online wagering. So, it's a very important last step and it is pleasing to see that we have cooperation right across the community and right across the sector for this. It will be enforced and overseen by the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

 

MICHAEL ROWLAND: While we're on the topic, Minister, when is the Government going to ban gambling ads?



MINISTER ROWLAND: We received the report from the Committee less than two weeks ago and we are currently reviewing all of those recommendations, including consulting with relevant stakeholders. We will be in a position, when that process is completed and as we go through the proper processes, to consider all of these measures to have an expeditious response to these matters. We understand the level of concern that the community has and we also appreciate the comprehensive work that has been undertaken by this Committee. But I can assure all of your viewers that we intend to do this expeditiously. I'm on the record as saying that the status quo is unsustainable and we will have a response in due course.

 

MICHAEL ROWLAND: Okay, ‘expeditiously’, ‘in due course’. In normal parlance, what does that mean? Because as you know, Minister, opinion poll after opinion poll suggests there is overwhelming support for the ban. You've got the Opposition on side. Do you need at the time you're talking about to take what is clearly going to be a very popular decision?

 

MINISTER ROWLAND: If I can put it this way, Michael, the previous Government sat on reports into managing gambling harms and harm minimisation, including banning credit cards from online wagering and important reforms to the classification scheme where there is simulated gambling that children are exposed to in games - they sat on those reports for years. We will not be doing that. We will be undertaking the proper consultation, including ways in which relevant recommendations can be implemented, and we'll be taking a comprehensive package forward.

 

MICHAEL ROWLAND: Okay, so you're criticising the former Government for taking years. So, it could be months until we see this ban?

 

MINISTER ROWLAND: Michael, I want to be clear that this Government takes this issue very seriously. We only received the report less than two weeks ago. We understand the importance that the community places in these matters. As always, the centre of our focus here is harm minimisation. We will be exploring all of those options in order to achieve that goal.

 

MICHAEL ROWLAND: Well, I know lots of our viewers out there, based on every time we talk about this, will be keenly awaiting your response. Minister, I really appreciate your time this morning. Thank you.

 

MINISTER ROWLAND: Pleasure.