14th Nov 2023, 4:30 PM – Representatives Interactive Gambling Amendment (Credit and Other Measures) Bill 2023 - Consideration in Detail - Methods of payment

The majority voted against amendments introduced by Banks MP David Coleman (Liberal), which means they failed.

What do these amendments do?

Mr Coleman explained that:

We support this bill and the measures it takes in relation to credit cards, digital wallets and digital currency, but we do have a particular concern relating to the power that the bill gives to the minister to ban methods of payment that are not specified in the legislation. I've moved amendments to remove this power from the minister.

Specifically, clause 15 states in proposed paragraph 15C(4A)(d):

a method of a kind determined by the Minister by legislative instrument for the purposes of this paragraph

Basically, that says a minister could, in the future, effectively ban any method of payment that they chose. We don't think that's appropriate because it gives a very wide latitude to the minister. Given that the method of payment would be a legal form of currency, it's a substantial thing to stop Australians from having the right to use that currency, and it's something that should properly come before the parliament rather than being via the minister.

Amendment text

(1) Schedule 1, item 15, page 6 (line 24), omit "currency;", substitute "currency.".

(2) Schedule 1, item 15, page 6 (lines 25 and 26), omit paragraph 15C(4A)(d).