Shame on Labor for weak gambling reform

The government and opposition rarely agree on anything, yet they fell over backwards to water down the obnoxious commercials of the big gambling companies by placing the onus on humble Darby and Joan to opt in or out (“ Good luck with gambling self-policing ”, August 19). It is even more galling when you consider the fulsome praise both sides poured on the late Labor MP Peta Murphy for her campaigning efforts against these unwelcome advertisements and their likely deleterious effect on children. Ray Alexander, Moss Vale

Anthony Albanese is content and his conscience clear now that kids can only see gambling ads before 5am and after 8.30pm. The truth is that many will not be tucked up in bed as he seems to imagine, but will still be watching, often with their families. Can he picture the fuss if they’re forced to leave before the game ends? And will parents be happy with their viewing being interrupted? I think not. Is it okay with the PM that teens will still see gambling and sport as natural partners. Ah, but you can opt out, he says. Only if you’re bothered – why not make it opt in? I’d like to hear your convincing reasons, prime minister. You have scored a savvy political win, but it’s obvious you didn’t put the people first. Many of us will not celebrate such a “win”. Jennifer Fergus, Croydon

It is rare for me to consider joining a protest against the government, but I am enraged that the many gambling reforms recommended in the Murphy report have been ignored. The decoupling of gambling from sport must be absolute. Yes, this will inflict fiscal pain for a short time in some areas, but the benefit to society outweighs this. It’s time to rally against the proposed legislation and show our government how badly they are misreading community sentiment. Australian society will be irreversibly harmed if the proposed legislation goes through. Shame on the Labor Party, my party. Bronwyn Cooper, Drummoyne

Ah, kids – they grow up so fast these days (“ Sydney casinos fined millions after 16-year-old’s gambling, drinking spree ”, August 19). I suppose Crown and Star casinos could argue they were doing the boy and the wider community a service by keeping him off the streets, while helping him with his maths homework (algebra and statistical probability come to mind). And also helping to keep families together – his mum was there, apparently. Bless them. What a boon to society these fun parlours are, welcoming young people in and building them into the gambling addicts of tomorrow. Well done, Star and Crown, and your directors and shareholders – take a bow. Prime minister – any comment from you as you skirt around tougher gambling laws? Patrick McGrath, Potts Point

As a former state librarian of NSW, I have to object in the strongest possible terms to the removal of Adam Johnson’s book How to Sell a Genocide from the shelves of Waverley Library at Bondi Junction (“ Sydney council pulls book critical of Israel from library shelves ”, August 19). Our public libraries are at the core of our free and democratic society.