CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS

Mr ZAPPIA (Makin) (16:29): Based on the most recent polling, cost of living remains the most pressing issue for Australians, with around 75 per cent of people putting it at the top of the list of issues that matter to them. Another survey has 3.7 million Australians living in poverty, whilst 122,000 are homeless. Between 35 and 70 per cent of Australians are reportedly under financial stress.

Welfare groups face increasing requests for food assistance, and every day governments come under increased pressure from people who are struggling with housing, health, aged-care needs, energy costs and other general living expenses. In the relatively wealthy country that Australia is—a land of opportunity to which so many people from overseas wish to come—why are so many people struggling?

There are multiple views on that. However, two issues that I believe directly contribute to Australian poverty are gambling and illicit drug use. According to the most recent figures, $32 billion is spent annually on gambling in Australia, with Australians rated as the biggest gamblers in the world per capita.

That figure equates to $1,500 per adult each year, while over 70 per cent of Australians reportedly participate in some form of gambling. It is also estimated that 10 per cent of the income of low-income households is spent on gambling, and, according to one analysis, three million Australians experience some form of gambling harm. With illicit drugs, it is estimated that one in 20 Australians has an addiction or substance misuse problem and that around $11.5 billion is spent annually on illicit drugs.

Some 3.9 million Australians recently used an illicit drug, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Both gambling losses and illicit drug use are increasing. In particular, online gambling has increased by over 60 per cent in recent years and cocaine use has surged by 69 per cent in a single 12-month period.

Illicit drug use and problem gambling are both having devastating effects on Australian families. We cannot continue to respond to these issues in the way we have to date if we are to overcome the financial stresses facing too many Australian families and the demands on the federal budget. Additionally, much of the gambling and drug expenditure ends up overseas, so the money doesn't even circulate within the Australian economy.

Gambling and drug addiction are both, and often together, directly the cause of poverty, homelessness, suicide, divorce, financial stress, crime and other social problems. I welcome the Albanese government's latest gambling reforms, which I believe will make a difference to Australian gambling rates. However, if we are to address poverty we must also reverse the continuing rise of gambling and illicit drug use, which, in addition to adding to the burdens of government, have devastating impacts on individuals, families and communities.