I was in Sydney this week with the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, who are conducting a study on gambling. The group consisted of three Conservatives, one Lib Dem and one Labour MP, and was led by committee chair John Whittingdale MP, who I used to work with 25 years ago when I was a Minister’s private secretary and he was a Special Adviser.
Because our societies and economies are so similar, it is always interesting to learn from each other’s approach. The MPs visited casinos and met Australian politicians, regulators and academics. They heard how gambling (both in mega casinos, and through the “pokies” slot machines in clubs and pubs) is a massive business in Australia, contributing around 10% of state tax revenues and providing tens of thousands of jobs. They also heard about the social effects of problem gambling on addicts and their families, and the various measures which have been put in place to address this issue. Their visit was timely because pokies is a significant issue in Australian politics right now, as the Labor Government has committed to Independent MP Andrew Wilkie that it will legislate for “pre commitment” where punters sign up in advance for an amount they are willing to bet, but there is strong resistance including from social clubs which raise a lot of their income from these machines.
There was quite a lot of interest in the Select Committee, which has become well known here through the regular televising of the hearings from its enquiry into phone hacking.
On Monday in Melbourne, I met up with our Honorary Consuls, who were there for a training session. They do a fantastic job, representing us in parts of Australia where we don’t have an office – Adelaide, Hobart, Alice Springs, Cairns and Darwin. They provide great support to British nationals and also give us access to their valuable networks of contacts in these cities.
Over the weekend I had been a guest speaker at the Melbourne Scots St Andrews Day Dinner. This was a splendid event attended by some 300 members and guests, many in kilts. They included prominent figures in business and politics. All the usual traditions were maintained – including bagpipes, whisky and haggis. Proud Australians, whether they were more recent arrivals or had ancestors who sailed from Scotland over a century ago, they clearly felt a great affection for Scotland and Britain. These kind of personal ties are a very important part of the fabric of the unique relationship between Britain and Australia.