NSW government failing to measure or reduce gambling harm, damning audit finds
The state's auditor general has also said the NSW government is doing 'relatively little' to assess whether pubs and clubs are identifying and preventing gambling harm at their venues.
The report assesses government conduct from 2019 to mid-2024 across Labor and Coalition governments, but is likely to add to political pressure on the Minns government. Last week, a leading charity accused it of not doing enough to prevent serious harm caused by pokies.
The Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport's 'strategy for regulating gaming machines is not based on a clear understanding of current levels of gambling harm and it does not set any targets for reducing harm associated with gaming machines,' the audit report said.
'The department does not have benchmarks, targets or other performance measures in place to assess outcomes against key measures of harm minimisation.
'There have been no evaluations of its compliance programs to measure their impact on harm minimisation outcomes. As a result, the department does not know whether its regulatory strategy is effective in minimising gambling harm.'
Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email
The audit report said gambling harm appears to have increased despite the government's efforts.
'Calls to the GambleAware helpline increased by 8.5% in 2023–24 and gaming machine losses have increased in each of the last three years,' the report said. 'The results of the 2024 NSW Gambling Survey did not indicate a reduction in the level of gambling harm in NSW.'
The report confirmed revenue from gambling taxes would increase from $2.47bn this financial year to $2.91bn in 2027-28.
'The forecast increase in gaming machine profits is due to expected increases in the use of gaming machines,' the report said.
The chair of the state's independent liquor and gaming authority, Caroline Lamb, supported all recommendations from the audit.
'We propose to take a more structured approach to stakeholder engagement and acknowledge our responsibility, in conjunction with hospitality and racing, to ensure licensees meet their statutory obligations,' Lamb said.
The state's gaming minister, David Harris, said the government 'takes harm minimisation seriously and has implemented a number of initiatives'.
These initiatives include reducing the cash limit on new machines from $5,000 to $500, banning external signage at venues, putting more responsible gaming officers in venues and investing $100m in a gambling harm minimisation fund.
But Wesley Mission's chief executive, Stu Cameron, believes these 'limited reforms' are 'clearly not having an impact'.
'While we didn't need an audit to know the system is broken, as frontline services have been saying this for years, now it is in black and white: the NSW government has done next to nothing to reduce gambling harm while clubs and hotels pocket billions.'
In November last year, an independent panel advising the government on gambling reform wrote a 'roadmap' for overhauling the state's regulation of poker machines and limiting harm. The Minns government is yet to formally respond to the report's recommendations, which were contested by some panel members.
Labor had promised to force poker machines to be made cashless by 2028, but a pilot of a gaming scheme attracted only 32 participants.
The project was subsequently criticised by the Australian Hotels Association – whose members operate poker machines – which questioned the evidence base for further action.
'The research findings of the cashless gaming trial are embarrassing and not credible,' an AHA spokesperson said after preliminary results of the trial were released.
ClubsNSW said the cashless gaming trial had a 'significantly low uptake' and said calls for it to become mandatory were based on 'no economic modelling' about its potential impacts.
'With only 14 genuine and active users participating in the trial, such a low adoption should necessitate a cautious, measured, voluntary approach to implementation of account-based gaming, rather than a short timeframe for a statewide, mandatory rollout,' ClubsNSW said in December last year.
The shadow minister for gaming, Kevin Anderson, said 'gambling losses continue to skyrocket in NSW while the independent panel's report gathers dust on the desks of the premier and minister'.
'The Minns government must urgently respond to the recommendations in that report to give the community and the industry certainty of the path forward.'
In Australia, Gambling Help online is available on 1800 858 858. The National Debt helpline is at 1800 007 007.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
25 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Netanyahu lashes out at Albanese as ‘weak politician who betrayed Israel' as diplomatic row escalates
Benjamin Netanyahu has launched an extraordinary broadside against Anthony Albanese, labelling Australia's prime minister 'weak' in a social media post, hours after local Jewish groups called for calm in diplomatic relations. 'History will remember Albanese for what he is: A weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia's Jews,' read a post on X from the account of Israel's prime minister, on Tuesday evening Australian time. Albanese's office was approached for comment. It came shortly after Australia's peak Jewish group urged composure on Tuesday as Israel's foreign minister warned of 'additional measures' against Australia amid a diplomatic 'tit-for-tat' over visa cancellations. 'There are real-life consequences here and we want to see the countries work through any issues before things get out of hand,' said Alex Ryvchin, the co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australia Jewry. The Israeli foreign minister, Gideon Sa'ar, accused the Albanese government of 'choosing to fuel' antisemitism after cancelling the visa of the far-right Israeli politician Simcha Rothman ahead of his planned speaking tour in Sydney and Melbourne later this week. Sa'ar also announced he would revoke the visas of Australian representatives to the Palestinian Authority, in a move labelled 'unjustified' and 'undermining international efforts towards peace and a two-state solution' by Australia's foreign minister, Penny Wong. The escalating diplomatic row followed Australia's decision earlier this month to recognise a Palestinian state at the UN general assembly in September after new commitments by the Palestinian Authority. The opposition leader, Sussan Ley, said while the prime minister deserved respect it was a 'two-way street' and accused Albanese of making 'bad decisions'. 'It is up to Anthony Albanese to explain how he is going to repair this relationship which is now in tatters as a result of his failures of leadership,' she said. Rothman's visa was cancelled by the home affairs department on Monday, citing 'an unacceptable risk' to order in Australia and concern the member of Netanyahu's governing coalition would make 'inflammatory statements to promote his controversial views and ideologies'. In a Hebrew-language video message shortly after his statement, Sa'ar warned Australia was 'persecuting Israel' and his government would 'take additional measures'. But Jewish groups in Australia called for cooler heads to prevail in light of the countries' 'extensive economic, scientific and cultural ties'. Ryvchin said both countries should end the 'diplomatic tit-for-tat that erodes the goodwill and cooperation built up over decades'. 'Calm heads need to take control of the situation otherwise there will be a risk to some $2bn dollars in bilateral trade, extensive investment in Australian start-ups, vital security cooperation and the Israeli-made medicine and medical technology that we all rely on,' he said. The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council said while it did not agree with many of Rothman's views, it found the decision to cancel his visa to be a 'disturbing precedent'. 'It is very disappointing that Australia and Israel have regressed from a close friendship to unproductive diplomatic jousting, which of course was started by unwarranted and hostile actions by the Australian government,' the council said in a statement. Sign up: AU Breaking News email The president of the Zionist Federation of Australia, Jeremy Leibler, told the Jewish Independent website on Tuesday that Rothman's views were 'out of step with mainstream Israeli opinion and with the values of most Australian Jews'. But he criticised the decision to ban him, saying: 'It is one thing to disagree strongly with an elected representative of a democracy and ally, it is quite another to deny them entry on that basis. Australia ought not to set such a precedent.' The progressive Jewish Council of Australia supported the decision but questioned why Rothman had been granted a visa in the first place. 'As with Russia, members of Israel's ruling coalition parties should already be subject to sanctions by the Australian government, including Rothman,' its spokesperson, Bart Shteinman, said. 'Israel's aggressive decision to retaliate to Rothman's visa refusal by expelling Australian diplomats to the Palestinian Authority is a major escalation in hostilities against Australia. 'If it needed any further demonstration, Israel is not interested in maintaining a relationship with the Australian government and cares little what strong words or statements it issues.' The department cited Rothman's previous statements as part of its decision to revoke the visa they approved on 8 August. These included his claim in May that children within Gaza are 'enemies' who should not be allowed to flee into Israel as 'you don't let them conquer your country with refugees'. In another example cited, Rothman was reported to have said the idea of a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine had 'poisoned the minds of the entire world' and was the 'first step toward the destruction of the state of Israel'. The department said that if it was publicly known that Rothman had entered Australia with the government's permission, it 'may encourage others to feel emboldened to voice any anti-Islamic sentiments'. The right-leaning Australian Jewish Association, who invited Rothman and organised the speaking tour, said it would host an online event with Rothman on Sunday evening, stating, the 'show will go on'. Sa'ar's decision to revoke the visas of three Australian diplomats – who are based in East Jerusalem and work in the West Bank – is expected to complicate Australia's work with the Palestinian Authority. The foreign affairs department is working to remove the affected representatives. The best public interest journalism relies on first-hand accounts from people in the know. If you have something to share on this subject you can contact us confidentially using the following methods. Secure Messaging in the Guardian app The Guardian app has a tool to send tips about stories. Messages are end to end encrypted and concealed within the routine activity that every Guardian mobile app performs. This prevents an observer from knowing that you are communicating with us at all, let alone what is being said. If you don't already have the Guardian app, download it (iOS/Android) and go to the menu. Select 'Secure Messaging'. SecureDrop, instant messengers, email, telephone and post If you can safely use the tor network without being observed or monitored you can send messages and documents to the Guardian via our SecureDrop platform. Finally, our guide at lists several ways to contact us securely, and discusses the pros and cons of each.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Mining giant BHP's profits slump to five-year low - but record output cheers investors
Mining giant BHP posted its weakest annual underlying profit in five years on Tuesday after oversupply concerns and slowing Chinese demand weighed on iron ore prices. Prices for iron ore, the FTSE 100-listed miner's top-earning commodity, have been relatively volatile this year, with futures trading at $112 per tonne in October 2024 compared with around $101/t at time of writing. Futures have been under pressure from additional supply from Australia, Brazil and South Africa, as well as weaker Chinese steel consumption, which has kept prices well below the $140/t seen in January 2024 and Covid-era highs touching $220/t. BHP, the world's largest listed miner, reported an underlying attributable profit of $10.16billion for the year ended 30 June, missing forecasts of $10.22billion and down from $13.66billion last year. It marked the group's lowest profit since 2020. BHP announced a final dividend of $0.60 per share, down from $0.74 a year earlier and taking the total annual payout to $1.10 - the miner's weakest dividend since 2017. But BHP shares rose on Tuesday morning as boss Mike Henry cheered 'record production' and a 'strong performance' despite a 'backdrop of global disruption'. The group met full-year production guidance across all assets, setting new records in copper and iron ore output. Henry said BHP would 'continue to invest in growth', earmarking $11billion in capital and exploration to be spent over each of the next two years He added: 'The global economic outlook is mixed. Growth is expected to ease to 3 per cent or slightly below in the near-term amid shifting trade policies, yet demand for commodities remains strong, particularly in China and India. 'We remain confident in the long-term fundamentals of steelmaking materials, copper and fertilisers, which are critical to global growth, urbanisation and the energy transition. 'Backed by a diversified portfolio of large, long-life assets, disciplined low-cost operations and a strong balance sheet, BHP is well-positioned to deliver enduring value through the cycle.' BHP shares were up 1.9 per cent to 2,024p in early trading in London, where the group has its secondary listing. Shares in BHP's primary market of Australia also rose. Adam Vettese, market analyst for eToro, said: 'BHP offers resilience and defensive attributes that appeal to long term investors, even as near-term profits are hit by commodity weakness. 'Investors will need to accept some short-term pain for the longer-term opportunity, but BHP's scale, asset quality and strategy underpin a compelling investment case as the energy transition accelerates.' Matt Britzman, senior equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, added: 'What sets BHP apart is its enviable cost base.
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
Perth's water supply at ‘high risk' from Alcoa bauxite mining, expert study finds
Alcoa's plan to vastly expand its strip mining of forest near Perth's dams poses a high risk to the water supply for the city's 2.3 million people, according to global engineering consultancy GHD. The US aluminium producer commissioned the detailed analysis as part of its bid for approval to mine an additional 67 square kilometres of jarrah forest for bauxite – the source material for aluminium. GHD identified 22 pathways for Alcoa's mining to contaminate dams inland of Perth and concluded that all but one of them presented a high risk. The triple threats to the water supply are contamination of the dams by pathogens from sewage, hydrocarbons from oil spills (both from Alcoa's mining) or simply excessive soil washing into the dam, which makes the water unclear, rendering water treatment plants ineffective. Sign up: AU Breaking News email Extensive reporting has documented how Alcoa's wholesale clearing of the forest and tardy rehabilitation after mining have increased the open area at risk of significant runoff, while its preventative drainage works have a history of frequent failures. The GHD study of Alcoa's expansion reinforces concerns of the state-owned Water Corporation, which regards contamination of its reservoirs from Alcoa's current mining as certain. The utility faces a bill of $3.25bn if it has to upgrade water treatment plants for all dams where Alcoa is now mining. If the crucial Serpentine Pipehead dam is contaminated, more than 100,000 households could be consuming contaminated water within six hours. Within weeks, Perth and Western Australia's south west could face water restrictions. The WA Forest Alliance director, Jess Boyce, said the study showed there should be an immediate ban on mining in reservoir protection zones, which extend two kilometres around dams, and a complete phase-out of mining in water catchments over the next few years. 'This move would not only protect critical drinking water supplies for WA but also strong forest habitat for threatened plants and animals, including black cockatoos and quokkas, all of which are suffering in a changing climate,' she said. Even without mining, the highly biodiverse northern jarrah forest ecosystem is at risk of collapse from hotter and drier conditions with more fires, according to a 2022 assessment by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Boyce called for a transition package for affected communities. The WA government has a $547m transition package under way at the coalmining town of Collie, where it will shut two coal-fired power stations by 2029. Alcoa depends on WA, where it employs about 4,000 people. It extracts three-quarters of its global bauxite production from the jarrah forest that is then processed into alumina – the feedstock for aluminium smelters – at refineries at Pinjarra and Wagerup. For six decades, the $12bn company has mined the jarrah forest shielded from regular environmental oversight by a legislated agreement with the state. However, it is now facing unprecedented scrutiny on two fronts. The northwards march of its mining has reached the edge of Serpentine Dam that supplies almost a fifth of Perth's water, and alarmed government authorities. Now it wants access to the forest on the other side of the dam. WA's independent Environmental Protection Authority will assess both Alcoa's current mining and its proposed expansion after public comments on its plans close on Thursday. GHD's damning finding appeared on page 103 of one of 68 documents appended to 23 main reports Alcoa submitted to the EPA. As well as concerns about the water supply, Alcoa is having to defend its record of not completing rehabilitation fn a single hectare of the 280 square kilometres of forest it has cleared since 1963. In late 2023, the WA Labor government stepped in to allow Alcoa to keep mining while the WA EPA assessed its current operations. It did so despite warnings from Water Corporation and its Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, which wrote that Alcoa's plan 'lacks the clarity and coherence necessary' and rejected it 'in its entirety'. GHD followed a guideline from WA's environment regulator to assess the risk to the water supply from Alcoa's mining. It identified seven pathways for pathogens to enter the water supply, each with catastrophic consequences, defined as a major impact on a large population, but these would be rare, occurring only in exceptional circumstances. An Alcoa spokesman said the guideline recommended consequence levels of 'catastrophic' for pathogens, and 'major' for hydrocarbons and turbidity. 'Under the risk framework, this level of consequence is deemed to have a minimum risk level of 'high', regardless of the likelihood,' he said. Alcoa planned numerous measures to reduce the risks from its expansion, including avoiding mining within 2km of reservoirs and improving drainage works to stop runoff into the dams. GHD concluded these measures reduced the likelihood of 20 of the risks to 'rare' and one to 'unlikely.' 'Alcoa intends to continue its more than 60-year history of operating without negative impact to Perth's drinking water supply,' he said. The EPA is likely to release its advice to the WA environment minister, Matthew Swinbourn, in 2026, who will then decide the conditions placed on Alcoa's mining based on social and economic factors as well as environmental protection.
