Anthony Albanese could prove his moral courage with bold action to battle gambling harm | Jenny Ware

Barely weeks after being elected prime minister in 1996, John Howard’s leadership, political courage and integrity were put to the test on the issue of gun ownership following the tragic mass shooting at Port Arthur. It was a test he passed – Australians have lower rates of gun ownership than our counterparts thanks to gun reform, and have not been the victims of the mass shootings and other horrific events that have occurred in other parts of the world, especially the US.

Howard had to stare down many of his voter base and convince his Coalition partner and those in the regions that reform was necessary for the long-term safety of Australians.

Anthony Albanese has, so far, missed a similar opportunity to demonstrate strong leadership, moral courage and political conviction on a national social and health epidemic: the impact of online gambling on those experiencing gambling harm.

More than 16 months after the parliamentary committee (of which I was a member) handed down a bipartisan and unanimous report, “You win some, you lose more”, including 31 recommendations, Albanese and his communications minister, Michelle Rowland, are yet to respond.

As a committee we heard evidence from those with lived experience of gambling harm, including families suffering financial ruin, homelessness and, most devastatingly, Australians living with suicidality – as well as the families of some who had taken their own lives as a result of gambling harm.

The report recommended that a national regulatory framework be established to address the problem through a public health lens.

Many of those who gave evidence are bewildered as to the delay from the Labor government.

Only a couple of weeks ago Anna Bardsley, who gave evidence at the inquiry, made a trip to Canberra to meet with the prime minister. She was not given time with the PM. But she and her three colleagues met me.

Anna’s colleagues spoke about having committed extraordinary theft to feed their gambling habits and one had served a prison sentence. Another spoke about first gambling at the age of seven as well as the social impacts online gambling has had on his Asian Australian community.

The next day, the Liberal MP Keith Wolahan and I asked questions of Rowland in question time about the likely timing of a response to the report and which recommendations she did not support. She failed to answer.

Australians love a punt. We spend approximately $25bn on legal wagers each year, with close to 40% of the population gambling weekly. We are the only nation that stops for a horse race to the extent that Victoria has a public holiday in its honour. We outspend citizens of every other country on online gambling.

It has been said that gambling is a family disease. One person may be addicted but the whole family suffers.

Most Australians gamble responsibly – that is, they bet with money they can afford to lose, for entertainment, often with friends in a social situation for a bit of fun.

But the proliferation of online gambling has changed the nature of the old “gambling larrikinism” of our character and culture.

Online gambling is antisocial. It is accessed through a phone and wagering service providers that have clever algorithms, AI and marketing tools to entice those who have a win or a loss to keep going. It can now be conducted with a couple of taps on a mobile phone.

The proliferation of online advertising has saturated our sports viewing. Young children are now subject to hearing about “odds” rather than commentary about the game.

Australians are concerned about gambling harm. I have received hundreds of emails from my constituents imploring change to gambling advertising. Other MPs across the country have no doubt received similar pleas.

As with 1996, we have an opportunity to change the national narrative, this time on gambling harm.