House of Assembly Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1) 52 1 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Flinders Centre for Gambling Research FLINDERS CENTRE FOR GAMBLING RESEARCH Ms THOMPSON House of Assembly Reynell FLINDERS CENTRE FOR GAMBLING RESEARCH Ms THOMPSON (Reynell) (14:51): My question is to the Minister for Families and Communities. Can the minister advise of the latest South Australian initiatives in the area of problem gambling? The Hon. J.M. RANKINE House of Assembly Wright Minister for Families and Communities Minister for Housing Minister for Ageing Minister for Disability FLINDERS CENTRE FOR GAMBLING RESEARCH The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright—Minister for Families and Communities, Minister for Housing, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Disability) (14:52): This morning I had the honour of joining professors Malcolm Battersby and Fran Baum to launch the Flinders Centre for Gambling Research. As all members know, South Australia has a proud record of providing support to an increasing number of people across South Australia in recent years who are experiencing or have experienced problem gambling. Through our partnership with industry, the state government offers help and support to people and their families who are finding it difficult to break the cycle. It is vitally important that we make sure that help services, counselling and therapy programs are effective and up to date and based on good research. This is why I was so pleased this morning to announce that the collaboration between Southgate Institute and the Flinders Human Behaviour and Health Research Unit has resulted in the formation of the Flinders Centre for Gambling Research. This centre builds on the established work of the Statewide Gambling Therapy Service which is funded through my department and which has been operating from the Flinders Medical Centre for the past 10 years. The Statewide Gambling Therapy Service treated more than 500 clients with severe gambling problems and comorbid conditions during the last financial year, and this work forms the basis for ongoing research into problem gambling at Flinders University. Well-respected professors Malcolm Battersby and Fran Baum will collaborate to build research that informs our practice in relation to gambling problems and work to improve health outcomes for those who are adversely affected by gambling in this state. We are determined to remain leaders in dealing with the issue of problem gambling and, in fact, international expert Professor Max Abbott this morning praised the fact that South Australia continues to be ahead of the pack in its initiatives. I believe the new Flinders Centre for Gambling Research will be our own flagship in the continuing battle to identify, prevent, remediate and treat problem gambling in South Australia.