THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs has today launched an inquiry into online gambling and its impacts on people with gambling problems.

Chair of the Committee, Peta Murphy MP, said, "The inquiry will be a fresh look at online gambling and whether current laws, regulations, consumer protections and education and support programs are enough to reduce harm to gamblers.

"The Committee is concerned about the increasing reach of online gambling platforms into Australians’ lives, the exposure of children and young people to gambling advertising and how this may contribute to increases in problem gambling in the future," Ms Murphy said.

The Committee is seeking written submissions, ideally of no more than 10 pages, from individuals and organisations providing recommendations relating to any or all of the inquiry terms of reference by November 11, 2022.

Ms Murphy said, cIf you want to tell your story but have concerns about your privacy, you can ask for your submission to be published without your name, or for your submission to be received confidentially and not published by the Committee."

The committee will examine:

• the effectiveness of existing consumer protections aimed at reducing online problem gambling;
• how to better target programs to address online problem gambling to reduce the potential exploitation of at-risk people, and protect individuals, families and communities;
• the effectiveness of current counselling and support services to address online problem gambling;
• the quality of and access to protective online gambling education programs;
• the impact of current regulatory and licensing regimes for online gambling on the effectiveness of harm minimisation and consumer protection efforts;
• the appropriateness of the definition of ‘gambling service’ in the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (Cth), and whether it should be amended to capture additional gambling-like activities such as simulated gambling in video games (e.g. ‘loot boxes’ and social casino games);
• the appropriateness of current gambling regulations in light of emerging technologies, payment options and products;
• the effectiveness of protections against illegal online gambling services, including casino style gambling such as online blackjack and slot machines;
• the effectiveness of current gambling advertising restrictions on limiting children’s exposure to gambling products and services (for example, promotion of betting odds during live sport broadcasts), including consideration of the impact of advertising through social media, sponsorship or branding from online licenced gambling operators; and
• any other related matters.

Further information about the inquiry, including published submissions and hearing transcripts, will be available on the inquiry webpage.

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THE Joint Standing Committee on Treaties will hold a public hearing on Wednesday September 14, 2022 into the Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the United States of America on Access to Electronic Data for the Purpose of Countering Serious Crime (Australia-US Cloud Act Agreement).

The Australia-US Cloud Act Agreement would allow Australian authorities to seek an Order under Australian law to obtain the electronic data of a Covered Person where it relates to a serious offence, directly from communication service providers that operate under the jurisdiction of the US, and vice versa.

Committee Chair, Josh Wilson MP said, "The Committee looks forward to hearing from representatives from the Attorney-General’s Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as it progresses its inquiry into the Australia-US Cloud Act Agreement.

"The Australia-US Cloud Act Agreement would enliven the International Production Order regime of the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979 (TIA Act) and the Committee will be interested in exploring the interface between the agreement and the TIA Act."

Public hearing details

Date: Wednesday 14 September 2022
Time: 11.55am (approx) – 1.45 pm AEST

The program for this hearing is also available online.

Further information on the inquiry can be found on the Committee website.

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ROYAL MELBOURNE Institute of Technology (RMIT) casual staff will not be paid on the national day of mourning to mark the death of Queen Elizabeth II, in a decision that puts the university at odds with most of the sector.

The National Tertiary Education's request for RMIT to pay all staff one the one-off public holiday has been rejected.

In Victoria, the University of Melbourne, Monash University, Australian Catholic University, Deakin University and La Trobe University have all made a common sense agreement not to shortchange casual staff.

But RMIT has advised the union casuals will not be paid for the day.

Casual staff members at RMIT will receive no compensation for cancelled classes and workshops.

NTEU Victorian assistant secretary Sarah Roberts said RMIT's actions were unfair.

"RMIT management's pathetic excuse that they are not legally required to pay casuals for this public holiday is an insult to hard-working casual staff," she said.

"The death of a monarch shouldn't result in workers missing out on a day's pay -- money that some people desperately need to put food on the table.

"This decision is especially galling given RMIT is Australia's only higher education institution with the right to use 'Royal' in its name and the monarchy's coat of arms."

"This terrible call highlights just one of the problems caused by the scourge of insecure work in universities.

"The national day of mourning has created an unforeseen an anomaly which many of Australia's leading universities have fixed after listening to the NTEU.

"Not only do casual staff have to endure precarious employment, now they don't get paid on a day which their permanent colleagues do. It simply doesn't pass the pub test."

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THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics will hold a public hearing with the Governor of the Reserve Bank (RBA), Mr Philip Lowe, on Friday September 16, 2022 — the first public hearing for the Economics Committee this Parliament.

Committee Chair, Dr Daniel Mulino MP, said that with “Australia experiencing its highest inflation in 20 years, household budgets are feeling the pressure”.

“Australians have also seen interest rates rise for the past five months, which not only affects mortgage holders and families but small businesses and investment, too," Dr Mulino said.

“In this context, continuing scrutiny of our monetary policy settings remains important, particularly in view of the need to learn from past decisions,” Dr Mulino said.

“Accordingly, the committee will probe the recent decisions of the RBA regarding interest rate policy, the challenges of tackling our high inflation, and the RBA’s approach to returning inflation to the 2-3 percent range over time.

“The committee hearing will thus complement, not replicate, the work of the Independent Review of the Reserve Bank” announced by the Treasurer in July," Dr Mulino said.

Dr Mulino noted that the first independent review of the Reserve Bank in four decades would be conducted in the face of challenging economic circumstances, the likes of which Australia had not seen for generations.

“Ensuring the RBA remains fit for purpose in the longer term is critical.”

Public hearing details

Date: Friday 16 September 2022
Time: 9.30am – 12.30pm
Location: Main Committee Room, Parliament House, Canberra

The hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live. 

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