Minister's Words To Gambling Reform Advocate 'Stunning'.

Communications Minister Anika Wells is under fire from a host of supporters and crossbenchers for informing a former gambling addict to encourage betting business about reforms, not her.


Kate Seselja overcame a pokies dependency that practically led to her taking her own life.


Ms Seselja stated Ms Wells her throughout a meeting in August 2025 it was not the minister who needed convincing about betting reforms but the wagering business, television networks and sporting codes that generated income from gambling.


"I was flabbergasted," Ms Seselja told AAP.


"To be asked if I had actually attempted to have meetings with them, as a lived experience advocate, was dreadful.


"To have that level of detach to the reality of betting damage dealt with by millions of Australians, to recommend that individuals with lived experience go meet with these predators, made me lose belief in the political system."


Fellow advocate Anna Bardsley from the Gambling Harm Lived Experience Experts (GHLEE), who also went to the conference, supported the exchange.


Ms Wells' workplace did not deny the remark was made, stating the minister invited the chance to consult with the 2 advocates to listen to their experience with gambling harm.


A representative pointed to Labor government steps including the intro of the self-exclusion register BetStop, a ban on charge card for online betting and modifications to warning taglines after ads.


"The Australian government takes seriously our responsibility to safeguard Australians, particularly young and vulnerable people, from the damages of online gaming," the representative said.


Independent MP Kate Chaney branded the minister's comments a betrayal of Australians experiencing gambling harm, saying they were "shocking but sadly not surprising".


"Being informed to lobby the gaming market yourself, after a decade of vigorous advocacy and almost losing your life to addiction, is an extensive failure of management," she said.


Ms Seselja said staff from the interaction minister's workplace told her to keep combating for reforms during a subsequent meeting in March.


"I actually broke down and lost it at the staffer, because I stated to her, if you're not going to do your job, then resource GHLEE to do it," Ms Seselja said.


"People are passing away and no one is stopping the carnage."


Independent senator David Pocock explained Ms Seselja's recount as deeply unpleasant, while independent MP Monique Ryan attacked the federal government for stopping working to take responsibility for the problem or withstand beneficial interests.


Alliance for Gambling Reform chief supporter Tim Costello branded the remarks and inaction on the concern "a complete failure of federal government", adding he was gobsmacked the federal government had actually not reacted to a betting harm report launched practically 1000 days ago.


The landmark report into betting damage bied far in June 2023 by late Labor MP Peta Murphy advised a phase-out of advertising, curbing inducements and an overarching national harm-reduction framework.