PM denies accusation of gambling lobby influence

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has denied an accusation the gambling lobby has influenced his government after an independent federal MP called for an anti-corruption investigation.

Independent MP Andrew Wilkie penned a letter to the National Anti-Corruption Commission alleging unnamed members of the government are acting “so egregiously” on gambling reform that “all reasonable limits on government behaviour have been exceeded”.

Wilkie acknowledged that the National Anti-Corruption Commission does not have powers to investigate the government but said: “If this doesn’t ‘cross the line’, then I dread to think what would.”

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Albanese acknowledged the concern raised but rejected the assertion that the government had been improperly influenced.

“There’s been no allegation of wrongdoing against any individual,” he told parliament on Wednesday.

“To question people’s motives is, I think, undermining the civil debate that is required on these issues.

“We’ll continue to promote the legislation that is before the parliament today. It hasn’t been influenced, from certainly my position, has not been influenced by the way that is suggested.”

Albanese said he expected there to be amendments but hoped to receive the support of the entire parliament.

The prime minister is understood to have met with Opposition Leader Angus Taylor for a second time in days on Tuesday to reach an agreement to pass the bill this sitting fortnight.

The Greens and independents have been pushing for Labor to go further with its reform, arguing the bill in its current form fails to adopt key recommendations of the late Labor MP Peta Murphy’s 2023 landmark report on gambling.

The Coalition joined their call after a two-day inquiry into the bill heard evidence of Australians losing loved ones to gambling and allegations of unnamed gambling companies offering drugs to problem gamblers.

“It was an opportunity, I think, for the government to establish a real piece of social legacy for the people of Australia, that is an opportunity that it has failed to to take up on,” independent MP Monique Ryan told reporters on Wednesday.

“Know that there are people in this parliament who will keep fighting this war, even if we’ve lost this battle,” independent MP Kate Chaney said alongside Ryan.