Gambling deal inches closer as Anthony Albanese and Angus Taylor continue talks on Tuesday evening

A deal on gambling reforms is inching closer as Anthony Albanese and Angus Taylor continue face-to-face discussions on Tuesday evening to iron out amendments to Labor’s package.

The leaders were locked in talks from 5pm with further discussions expected on Wednesday, as betting inducements remaining the primary sticking point in proposed changes to reduce online gambling harm.

Labor hopes to pass the reforms during this sitting fortnight, with a deal looking increasingly likely with the Coalition in coming days rather than the Greens, who had pushed for a broader ban in line with the Murphy report.

The Prime Minister outlined the gambling reforms during a National Press Club address in April, however, they were watered down from recommendations in the landmark 2023 “You Win Some, You Lose More” Murphy Report.

Rather than a total, comprehensive ban across media, Mr Albanese’s approach was more of a partial ban with strict limits and timeframes.

After a damning inquiry both the Greens and Coalition want a crackdown on predatory inducements, such as bonus bets, targeted promotions, and sign-up offers to encourage or keep people betting.

A two-day Senate inquiry over the winter break had detailed severe harm from targeted gambling inducements, including allegations about predatory practices including offering drugs to VIP punters.

Another point of friction has been a proposed opt-out mechanism, described as a “triple lock”, to give people control over their online feeds from targeted gambling adverts.

The Greens have called for the proposed online safeguard to be flipped to an opt-in model.

However, Shadow Communications Minister Sarah Henderson last week raised expressed that it could lead to “serious privacy concerns”.

Coalition MPs were split over the reforms on Tuesday, with five backbenchers pushing in the joint-party room to strengthen the laws, while four urged caution against going too far.

The Greens remained confident there were still in the negotiations, privately insisting that Labor is shifting positions in places it previously said it wouldn’t.

The party, however, has accused Labor of still taking advice from the gambling industry in the shaping of its reforms and its approach to negotiated amendments.

It has privately suggested that Labor may be gauging what the industry is willing to accept before drafting amendments.

As of mid-Tuesday morning, the Greens hadn’t yet been presented with any revisions.

It comes as the Opposition leader Angus Taylor also looked close to deals with Labor on NDIS and the media bargaining laws.

At a joint-party rev-up as Parliament returned from the winter break on Tuesday morning, Mr Taylor homed in on Labor’s economic performance, accusing the Government of breaking promises through “toxic taxes”.

Mr Taylor attacked Labor for causing “home grown” high inflation and spruiked the Coalition’s plan to use natural resources to lower energy prices, cap migration based on housing supply, boost housing availability, and properly fund defence.

“We have the team that can drive the change this country needs to fix our economy and protect our way of life,” he said.

The Opposition also used Question Time to challenge Labor’s Federal Budget changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax reforms, highlighting falling property prices since the shake up in May.

Mr Albanese hit back by pointing to comments from Barefoot Investor Scott Pape, saying even the prominent financial commentator had acknowledged Australia’s housing market had become increasingly unaffordable.

“The Barefoot Investor, someone who’s well known, not always part of a cheer squad for the Government, wrote in the Herald Sun: Average house prices have increased by more than 400 per cent since 2000, partly on the back of taxpayer-funded landlord welfare,” Mr Albanese said.

Mr Albanese argued the long-term rise in property prices had made the traditional Australian dream of home ownership increasingly difficult to achieve.

“I don’t want to be a prime minister who leads a country that sees growing inequality, that sees the opportunity for people to get into their first home as being defined on whether mum or dad can help them.”