Michael: It's been a year since a damning report into the harm of online gambling was handed to the government. Despite Australia being the worst in the world for gambling losses, independent MP Kate Chaney, who sat on that committee, is unhappy that the Prime Minister, one year on, has failed to act on any of the report's 31 recommendations. She joins us now.

Michael: Good morning, Kate.

Kate: Good morning, Michael.

Michael: It does seem odd, doesn't it, that a year down the track nothing's been done about this report?

Kate: Yes, I was so hopeful 12 months ago that the people we'd heard from who experienced problems with gambling and saw ads everywhere would finally get some relief and the government would do something about this, but we're still waiting.

Michael: One of the key recommendations was a ban on the advertising of online gambling. Your committee recommended it not just come in all at once, but be staged over several years. As far as you know, is that even being looked at within government circles?

Kate: Well, it's very hard to know because the government has not announced anything on how it's going to respond to this report. It's meant to do that within six months. Today marks 12 months since that report. I was really impressed that we had this recommendation in the report that had support from across the political spectrum about a phase-out of gambling ads over a four-year period. It's what the community wants, and I'm really disappointed that the government hasn't implemented it yet.

Michael: Peter Dutton, the opposition leader, is on record saying that if the Coalition was elected, they would ban gaming ads within a couple of hours of the start of broadcast sporting matches. Do you think that sort of policy will be popular with people whenever the next election is?

Kate: What we heard from experts is that partial bans don't work, and the advertising just moves to different time slots. But Peter Dutton's support on this issue shows that there is really broad community support. The government now has to make a decision between listening to the community and listening to the money and the power of the gambling companies, the media companies, and the sporting codes that benefit from it. I think it will be an issue at the next election if the government doesn't do something about it, but I'm still hopeful that they will.

Michael: Tim Costello, a prominent anti-gambling campaigner, was on the couch last week. He reckons the reason the government isn't doing anything about it is that they're fearful they'd suffer a campaign against them in the next election from the gaming companies. Do you agree with that?

Kate: Quite possibly, but we need governments that are willing to stand up to vested interests and make decisions in the interest of the country. The government needs to be brave on this. There is broad community support, and they can't afford to be cowed by the gambling companies that make political donations to both sides, as well as the media and sporting codes making a lot of money from gambling.

Michael: So you're still hopeful there'll be some action if not today or the next few weeks, at least before the next election?

Kate: I will keep putting pressure on the government to respond to those recommendations this year. Every day that passes, more people are losing money to online gambling. We are the biggest losers in the world with 25 billion dollars a year. I don't think it's something that can wait until the next election.

Michael: A very serious issue. I want to finish with something not so serious. Peter Malinauskas, the South Australian Premier, revealed that he needs at least seven cups of coffee to get him through a parliamentary sitting day. Do you have any crutches to get through sitting days yourself?

Kate: I don't drink caffeine, so I actually drink decaf tea bags, which is really wimpy. Me on caffeine is not something anyone wants to see. Humor is what gets me through parliamentary sitting days. You've got to laugh sometimes, don't you?

Michael: Kate Chaney, always a pleasure. Thanks for joining us.

Kate: Thanks, Michael.