The Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) New South Wales branch has released its NSW Election Campaign Scorecard today, highlighting Labor’s gambling policy as a “disappointing dud” compared to the offerings of the Liberals and Greens.
The scorecard uses a traffic light system to rate each of the major political party’s responses to five public health issues – gambling harms, e-cigarettes and young people, climate change and health, junk food marketing and kids, and prioritising public health.
Associate Professor Kate McBride, PHAA’s NSW Branch President, said Labor’s failure to grasp the historic opportunity to enact a cashless gambling card was a major let-down.
“The Premier deserves credit for initiating a major policy shift on cashless gambling,” she said.
“Although the Coalition’s timetable for action is slow, this represents a fantastic opportunity to reduce gambling harm. Likewise, the Greens get a green light for supporting effective reform.
“We are extremely disappointed that Labor is refusing to realise the opportunity to protect the health and wellbeing of their communities who are being crushed by the gambling industry. Labor’s current gambling policy is a disappointing dud worthy of a red light.”
A/Prof McBride said it was also disappointing to see meaningful action from any of the parties on young people and e-cigarettes, an issue that worries both public health experts and parents.
“E-cigarette use among young people is a growing public health concern,” A/Prof McBride said.
One in three young people in NSW have used e-cigarettes, yet none of the e-cigarette policies presented by the major political parties deserve a tick of approval.
Only five green lights from a possible 15 were awarded across the PHAA scorecard.
“As well as green lights for proposed gambling reform awarded to the Liberals and Greens, other positive standouts included the Green’s policies on removing junk food marketing on state-controlled assets, and taking action on climate change to protect health,” A/Prof McBride said.
“In the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic that stopped the world, it remains unfathomable that governments continue to ignore meaningful boosts in investment in public health.”
There is still time before the election, however, for political parties to turn their scores around and back policies that will improve the health of people across NSW.
“We remain hopeful that the major parties can make positive policy announcements, our local communities are depending on it,” A/Prof McBride added.
“We must protect the health of NSW residents to help relieve increasing pressures on our health system and hospitals.”
