Bipartisan action on gambling reform

For broadcast on 2CH Sydney, 19 Jan 2014.

A Senate Standing Committee report released in December shows how problem gamblers, in tears, orally submitted that the repeal of gambling reforms would damage their lives and the lives of many others struggling with this addiction.

Major Kelvin Alley of the Salvation Army was equally passionate and emotional in submitting evidence about the damage such a repeal would mean. The gambling industry must not underestimate the anger and emotion from those working at the coalface with gambling problems.

The time has come for bipartisan action in the public interest rather than in the interest of the handful of people making up the gambling lobby, dictating the defeat of sound policy reform which they publicly stated they supported when it was passed.

The Australian Churches Gambling Taskforce believes this is a moral issue, and by extension a complete failure of moral leadership by political leaders.

I’m Rod Benson for the NSW Council of Churches.