Kate Seselja overcame a pokies addiction that almost led to her taking her own life, and has been advocating for gambling reform for more than a decade.
Ms Seselja said Anika Wells told her it wasn't her that needed convincing about gambling reforms, it was the wagering companies, television networks and sporting codes that generate revenue from gambling during a meeting in August 2025.
"I was flabbergasted to get the response of it's not us that needs convincing, you just need to convince the vested interests to change what they're doing to people," Ms Seselja told AAP.
"To be asked if I had tried to have meetings with them, as a lived experience advocate, was horrific.
"To have that level of disconnect to the reality of gambling harm faced by millions of Australians, to suggest that people with lived experience go meet with these predators, made me lose belief in the political system."
The meeting was also attended by fellow advocate Anna Bardsley from the Gambling Harm Lived Experience Experts (GHLEE), who corroborated the exchange.
Ms Bardsley said it wasn't the first time she had heard that rhetoric from other politicians and their staff.
"I find it remarkable it's their job to regulate gambling in Australia and they think us talking to the AFL or other companies would make a difference," Ms Bardsley said.
Ms Wells' office didn't deny the comment was made, telling AAP the minister welcomed the opportunity to meet with the two advocates to listen to their experience with gambling harm.Â
A spokesperson pointed to measures Labor had taken, including introducing self-exclusion register BetStop, banning credit cards for online gambling and changing warning taglines after ads.
"The Australian government takes seriously our responsibility to protect Australians, particularly young and vulnerable people, from the harms of online gambling," the spokesperson said.
Ms Seselja said staff from the communication minister's office told her to just keep fighting for reforms during a subsequent meeting in March.
"I actually broke down and lost it at the staffer, because I said to her, if you're not going to do your job, then resource GHLEE to do it, people are dying and no one is stopping the carnage," she said.
"I've been working for 10 years in unpaid advocacy, fighting for the lives of others, and you have all the resources to stop Australia from being the nation most harmed by gambling in the world and are choosing to do nothing with it."
National Gambling Helpline 1800 858 858
Lifeline 13 11 14
beyondblue 1300 22 4636
