Poker Machines

The Hon. C. BONAROS (14:43): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Attorney representing the Minister for Consumer and Business Affairs in the other place a question about poker machines.

Leave granted.

The Hon. C. BONAROS: Monash University's highly respected Gambling and Social Determinants Unit has recently released some data revealing Australians lost a total of $11.4 billion to poker machines in a single year. The report shows that more than 3.3 million people used gambling machines in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland and Tasmania in 2021-22. They each lost an average of $3,429 in the last year, according to that data. The local government area in South Australia with the biggest losses was Port Adelaide Enfield, with $86 million.

Deakin University gambling researcher Professor Samantha Thomas was scathing in her assessment of what she said has been years of government inaction, despite the overwhelming evidence that poker machines were harmful. I quote:

[Poker machines] are the most harmful form of gambling in Australia. We've reached a point where there is no excuse for governments not to be intervening and doing something about this.

My questions to the minister are:

1. What is this government doing to reduce the damage being caused by poker machines?

2. Does the government acknowledge views that say that the 'gamble responsibly' messaging places blame on gamblers and removes the responsibility from industry and governments who reap the rewards of those poker machines?

3. Given this most recent data, will you give consideration to establishing a task force into poker machines in SA?

4. Does this government remain committed to the inquiry it insisted on during the 2019 debate in this place around changes to the Gaming Machines Act?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (14:45): I thank the honourable member for her question, and acknowledge her longstanding and widely recognised interest and advocacy in this area, and I will refer the questions the member has asked to the minister in another place and bring back a reply.