Deputy Chief Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith has backed a federal backbencher's call for Labor to strengthen its gambling harm prevention laws in a break from the party's national position.
Alicia Payne, Labor's federal member for Canberra, on Friday said she supported an opt-in approach to gambling advertising and had been pushing in caucus for a tougher approach to the "predatory" industry that was designed to addict people.
"I really hope that we can pass this legislation. And as I've said, I would love it if we could strengthen it," Ms Payne told ABC local radio.
The federal government is working to secure support in the Senate to pass its changes, which would put a limit on gambling ads between 6am and 8.30pm.
Betting industry advertisements would also be banned from live sports broadcasts, as well as from stadiums and player jerseys under the proposed changes.
But the Coalition, Greens and others on the crossbench have said the bill will not do enough to stamp out gambling harm.
Ms Payne said she would "like to see the strongest possible action on gambling harm at all times".
"I think anything that we can do to stop people falling into this, and help people get out of it is something that we should do," she said.
Ms Payne said she did not support walking away from legislation that would make "significant steps in the right direction".
Ms Payne said she had been pushing within Labor caucus for the federal government to go further in adopting the recommendations of the Murphy report.
The landmark 2023 report from a parliamentary inquiry led by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy examined gambling harm and made 31 recommendations.
The recommendations included a total ban on all online gambling inducements and inducement advertising.
Ms Stephen-Smith backed Ms Payne's intervention on Friday, writing in a social media post she was proud to have Ms Payne pushing for gambling action.
"I'm pleased Alicia is speaking up for her community and representing Canberrans' genuine concern about gambling harm," Ms Stephen-Smith told The Canberra Times.
"She's been clear that the legislation currently before the Parliament could be improved but that it should be passed.
"We're also very conscious of the harm caused by problem gambling at the territory level and [Gaming Minister Marisa] Paterson will be bringing further reforms to the Assembly in the coming months."
Independent senator David Pocock said he was working with fellow crossbenchers to put forward amendments.
"Every non-government senator thinks that this bill is not strong enough. It's not going to protect young Australians. It's not going to stop the normalisation of gambling," he told ABC radio.
with AAP
