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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2020-12-03 Daily Xml
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Gamblers Rehabilitation Fund

The Hon. J.S. LEE (14:42): My question is to the Minister for Human Services regarding—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! I'm sorry, the Hon. Jing Lee has the call. I want to hear the question she is asking and I would hope that everybody else will as well.

The Hon. J.S. LEE: My question is to the Minister for Human Services regarding problem gambling. Can the minister please provide an update to the council about how the Marshall Liberal government is improving services to support vulnerable people at risk of gambling harm?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (14:42): I thank the honourable member for her question. The Department of Human Services administers the Gamblers Rehabilitation Fund, which delivers programs to minimise harm caused by gambling. It was established in 1994 under the Gaming Machines Act 1992. The government has undertaken recent reforms to the act, which honourable members may be aware of, which included a new mandate for the Gamblers Rehabilitation Fund and its administrative unit, the Office for Problem Gambling, to deliver public information campaigns, research and early intervention and prevention activities.

Under these reforms, the government committed an additional $1 million into the GRF and is undertaking plans to allocate that particular funding. The 2020-21 state budget includes additional support of $750,000, in 2019-20 and 2020-21, to the GRF. The government increased its contribution to the GRF to offset a reduction in funding from the industry as a result of gaming venues being closed due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Currently, the GRF funds 28 gambling help services that are provided by 12 government and non-government organisations. Contracts for the 12 help services are in place from 1 January 2020 for three years. The targeted gambling help services include a specialised therapy service, a criminal justice service, a program for people with lived experience in problem gambling, Aboriginal and culturally and linguistically diverse services and the 24/7 Gambling Helpline, which is 1800 858 858.

The GRF also provides funds for Gambling Help Online, which is a national initiative funded through contributions from all state and territory governments and the Australian government. Gambling Help Online provides web-based access to counselling and information services. The GRF also provides funding to the Southern Adelaide Local Health Network mental health services to provide the statewide gambling therapy service, which delivers a free service based on cognitive behavioural therapy, as well as access to specialist psychiatric beds.

The OPG has recently contracted UnitingCare Wesley Bowden at a cost of $220,000 over two years to trial a program called Unplugged, which will provide education to help parents understand problem gambling, identify when a young person is at risk and learn strategies to help manage healthier online use.

During the period of the gambling harm awareness, we run programs to provide information to the public. This year's theme was 'Gambling harm can happen anywhere', in recognition of the increase in mobile phone and online sports betting. The OPG offered small grants to GRF-funded services to create awareness initiatives for their community. Six services were awarded grants totalling $62,000 for initiatives such as webinars, online workshops, printed resources, television adverts, social media adverts, videos and podcasts.

We thank our non-government and government partners for their work in this very important area as we continue to address the harms arising from gambling.

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