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AUGUST NEWSLETTER

Check out all our latest updates

13/082022

CarolBennett

Carol Bennett

Chief Executive Officer

News from our CEO

It’s been a busy time here at the Alliance with more public attention focussed on gambling and its harms than ever before.  A huge thank you to you for your continued support!  

 

The Alliance would like to share a few of the things we’ve been up to.  Here’s a quick whip around of what’s been happening.  As always, we appreciate your feedback and insights and if you would like to support our work you can do so here

Out and About

On Tuesday, June 14, we hosted a successful fundraising event, “An evening with Tim Costello”. The evening focused on what we can do to stamp out sports gambling ads, and shared powerful stories of the lived experience of gambling harm.

 

We also attended the National Australian Local Government Association conference in Canberra, working with many of our Leadership Councils to denounce gambling harm and work towards offering alternative late-night options.

 

The event was attended by Carol Bennett (CEO), Kasuni Mendis (Councils Gambling Harm Support Officer) and Board member Susan Rennie.

 

In other local government news, we are working closely with Kingston City Council, in an effort to close a planning loophole enabling close proximity of gambling venues and supermarkets.

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Alliance staff with representatives from Kingston City Council at the ALGA conference

Campaign Updates

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We’ve been keeping abreast of the Royal Commissions into Crown and Star Casinos.
We’ve welcomed the Australian Communications and Media’s (ACMA’s) actions towards a National Self Exclusion Register and Hawthorn Football Club’s divestment form Poker machines.

We’ve supported the Victorian Gaming Minister’s new Gambling harm minimisation measures,

We supported the Mparntwe/Alice Springs community in its campaign to stop new poker machines in their community with a petition and call for submissions.

We eagerly await the results of the NSW government’s White Paper on gambling harm minimisation

Latest Blogs

Read our latest blogs

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Voices for Gambling Reform -
"A journey from harm to empowerment"

In June, Anna Bardsley, Paul Fung and Carolyn Crawford presented A journey from harm to empowerment at the 2022 NZ International Gambling Conference.

They spoke about their work within Voices for Gambling Reform, a key program of AGR that supports and empowers people impacted by gambling harm to be powerful advocates for change.

Too often “consumers” are engaged in ways that are shallow and disrespectful of their knowledge and expertise, instead of being given meaningful decision-making power and being included in organisational power structures.


The workshop invited participants to do better in this area. 

Image by Christin Hume

Submissions

This month, we provided submissions to the NSW Crime Commission clubs and pubs inquiry into money laundering, input to the Vic Department of Justice for the Royal Commission legislation and the ACT government on lower bets and credit limits inquiry.

We are currently working on two major casino inquiry submissions in both Queensland and South Australia.  We will engage our Voices for Gambling Reform group to bring lived experience to the fore.

Our
Social Media

Here are some of our most popoular stories on social media.
Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

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A David and Goliath Tale: A Time for Bravery

2 February 2026

"When I read Tim’s chapter in the book Brave; the silent suffering that had been my family's secret, danced across the pages with staggering clarity.

With magnanimity and resolve, Peta Murphy and Tim Costello have taken up guerrilla warfare against the gambling industry, who line the pockets of our state and federal governments and thank god.

Tim and Peta's fight has been fought, not for themselves, but for the Australian families, like mine, who lose every day.

A David and Goliath tale.

This is leadership. This is bravery. Vale Peta Murphy. "

You can buy A Time for Bravery from The Australia Institute here:

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The company was told a gambler was banned. A new account was opened minutes later.

29 January 2026

Picklebet let a self-excluded person open a new gambling account just two minutes after being told they were banned. It’s one of six companies, including Tabcorp, found by ACMA to have breached self-exclusion rules.

ACMA’s Carolyn Lidgerwood said: “Self-exclusion only works if wagering providers follow the rules.”

This isn’t a system flaw - it’s a failure of regulation. People experiencing gambling harm deserve real protection.

We need tougher legislation - not more industry excuses.

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A Time for Bravery - What Happens When Australians Choose Courage? We’re living through a moment that demands bold action - against inequality, fossil fuel dependence and deepening threats to democracy. A powerful new book, A Time for Bravery, edited by Anna Chang and Alice Grundy, asks: what does courage look like in Australia today?

26 January 2026

With contributions from politicians, advocates, academics and more - including The Alliance’s own Tim Costello AO - this collection reminds us that change begins with brave choices.

Tim writes: “It takes bravery to stand up to a ruthless and predatory multi-billion industry, particularly when it is backed by media and politicians. It takes bravery because so many are against you.”

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Labor MPs demand urgent action on gambling ad ban

2 February 2026

Frustration is growing inside Labor as MPs push Minister Anika Wells to act on gambling ad reforms. Despite public support and 949 days since the Murphy Report, there's still no government response. Labor MP Jerome Laxale says gambling reform is “unfinished business for this government” and adds: “We owe it to the communities impacted every day by gambling harm to keep this issue on the national agenda and deliver real change.”

It's time for leadership, not delay.

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Watered down policies in Tasmania not enough

26 January 2026

Alliance Voices Advocate Mark Kempster joins ABC Mornings with David Reilly to unpack why mandatory pre-commitment is essential to stop people chasing losses - and why walking away from this reform is a failure for public health.

They also dive into the Deloitte report that clearly outlines the steps needed to reduce gambling harm.

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Let’s make pokies-free venues the norm, not the exception

23 January 2026

When Mitch Crum removed the last of five pokies from his Sydney pub, he expected relief - instead, he faced months of red tape, confusion and unexpected costs.

Voices Advocate Mark wishes it were easier, and is calling out the broader impact of pokies in our communities: "When I organise a social outing, I look for a venue without poker machines. Why should my friends, family, or their kids be exposed to a product designed to exploit them?
Every time a child sees gambling normalised, the trap is set a little deeper - and that's exactly what these companies are counting on. We wouldn't let our kids watch us smoke. Why do we let them watch us gamble?" It's time to support venues that want out.

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You can also see all the latest media featuring the Alliance for Gamlbing Reform via our website.

You can also view our latest Media Releases.

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Independent Reviews into casinos operating in Queensland and South Australia are now underway.  AGR has worked to achieve input to NSW, WA and Victorian Inquiries to date.  

Your financial support will enable us to provide timely and high quality advice and advocacy, informed by expert evidence-based harm reduction policy recommendations and the input of people with lived-experience of gambling harm.  

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Alliance for Gambling Reform is proud to partner with Gathered Here to offer you the opportunity to write your Will for free (plus free & unlimited updates of your Will for life).

If you don't have a legal will, you can get a free, simple online will through Gathered Here.

Bequests can also be made to the Alliance for Gambling Reform to continue our vital work.

CONTACT

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Have questions about our work or want to make a general inquiry? Please fill out the form below. 👇

If you have lived experience of gambling harm or are an affected other, visit our Voices page.

Thanks for submitting!

Our Community House

552 Victoria St, Wurundjeri Country,
North Melbourne 3051, VIC

 

Email: info@agr.org.au

Phone: (03) 9999 7372

Media

For all media enquiries, please contact 

Phone: 07 2115 0820
Email: media@agr.org.au 

If you or someone you know is in need of support, please contact: Gambling Helpline 1800 858 858 | Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636 | Lifeline 131 114

PRIVACY POLICY

ALL CONTENT IS © ALLIANCE FOR GAMBLING REFORM UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED. CREATED BY NNCREATIVE

The Alliance for Gambling Reform acknowledges we are living and working on Aboriginal land. We would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of this land and pay respect to Aboriginal Elders past, present and emerging.

© 2022 by Alliance for Gambling Reform. Proudly created with NNCreative

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