Thursday, 3 August 2023

Constituency questions

Eastern Victoria Region

Tom McINTOSH (Eastern Victoria) (12:42): (309) My question is for the Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation in the other place. Each year hundreds of thousands of Victorians experience harm as a result of gambling. Individuals who turn to the pokies because of anything from loneliness to more significant mental health issues find themselves with a habit with significant financial implications. My question, Minister, is: how will the state government ensure that Victoria has the strongest gambling harm preventions in the country? I am sure many of us in this building have friends or family members who have sacrificed not only money but time, relationships and good mental health because of gambling. We know this does not just happen in isolated incidents. It is estimated that 330,000 Victorians are affected by gambling harm yearly. What is more, this costs our state around $7 billion each year. I am proud to be part of a government that is taking the issue of gambling harm seriously and is prioritising reforms that will save lives and livelihoods.