THE Communications Minister, Stephen Conroy, brokered a deal with the television industry to allow betting companies to continue spruiking live odds during sports broadcasts, despite the growing public backlash against the spread of gambling culture.
HEATH ASTON reports in THE AGE that Senator Conroy has said repeatedly that sports fans are having live odds ”pushed down their throats” – but Fairfax Media has learnt the minister personally set out a framework to enable bookmakers to appear in football and other sporting coverage.
Proposed amendments to the television code of practice, currently being considered by the Australian Communications and Media Authority, were written to the specifications of Senator Conroy, according to the head of FreeTV, Julie Flynn.
”Mr Conroy set out the principles,” she said.
Labor MP Stephen Jones will address caucus to rally support for a law banning live odds and all gambling advertising when children are watching – the PG classification period up until 8.30pm.
Mr Jones said he believed caucus would support his private member’s bill but wanted the Gillard cabinet to get behind him and make it a government bill. New South Wales MP Ed Husic said he supported Mr Jones.
Mr Jones said the proposed code was nothing more than a ”big con”. ”It’s just the status quo, it ain’t good enough,” he said.
”I haven’t had anyone [in caucus] come up to me and say ‘you’re on the wrong tram on this one Jonesy’ – and I’ve had a lot of conversations.”
The amended code of practice stemmed from a 2011 COAG meeting in which state ministers agreed to crack down on live odds – particularly by sports commentators. But two years on, Senator Conroy appears to have been left with a document that does not address the outcry at bookies on live sport.
Senator Conroy said the 2011 COAG meeting was unanimous that the promotion of odds was ”insidious” and change was needed but the process was ongoing, with ACMA expected to agree to a new code in about a month.
“The industry code is being reviewed and I would expect there to be a new code put forward in the very near future, certainly before the election,” he said.
“I think there is a universal view that having live odds and gambling ads being pushed down people’s throats has gone too far and that’s what this code review is about – trying to shift that balance back a bit. Now people are going to disagree about where that balance should be, that’s why we have this process.”
Prime Minister Julia Gillard said on Tuesday that betting odds in sport ”just drives me crazy” but backed Senator Conroy and the code of practice process.
South Australia announced on Monday that it would ban the promotion of live odds outright but NSW and Victoria said it was up to the federal government to act.
New South Wales Minister for Hospitality and Racing George Souris said the free-to-air TV stations and pay-TV had been allowed to engineer a voluntary code of practice.
Victorian Premier Denis Napthine said: ”We do not support in-play advertising but we believe the legislative responsibility lies with the federal government.”
Greens Senator Richard Di Natale, who also has a private members bill to ban odds and betting advertising, said the public demanded change.
”The momentum for action is now unstoppable,” he said.
STORY SOURCE: THE MELBOURNE AGE - FAIRFAX MEDIA.
