WENDELL HUSSEY | Cadet | CONTACT
The big wigs in the Labor party are today coming to terms with a hectic ultimatum.
Make a difference to the society they are elected to govern or keep enjoying the fruits of long lunches, corporate boxes and a loaded ALP Punt Club.
This is the choice facing Anthony Albanese and his cabinet ministers as the debate about changes to gambling advertising stay in the news for another week – much to the annoyance of all commercial tv, radio and print channels.
The news cycle has been generated by the Labor party refusing to confirm whether they will accept the findings of the Murphy Report – chaired by the late Peta Murphy.
The report called for gambling advertising to be slowly phased over the next 3 years, to the point where it is non-existent.
Backed by politicians and figures from all sides of the political spectrum, the recommendations have drawn outrage from the gambling industry and commercial media alike.
The commercial media in particular have tried to claim that it is everyone else’s fault that their business model relies on gambling money.
The collective power of the media and the gambling industry has seen the likes of Communication’s Minister Michelle Rowland treated to a long lunch by the gambling lobby on her birthday.
On top of being incredibly sad (go out with your fucking family and/or friends Michelle), the lunch has once again raised issues about lobbyists influencing the political decision making process.
And now, they’ve done it again, by threatening to delete the ALP’s Punt Club.
“Don’t think we’ll be giving you bulk bonus bets in your betting group,” laughed a spokesperson to the ALP this week.
“You can kiss goodbye to the punt club if even think about bringing in any of these changes.”
The ALP has yet to make a call on the decision, with pressure mounting to allow their members to have a conscience vote on the issue.
