Unbiased senator David Pocock says he was kicked out of the Australian Parliament Sports activities Membership after he questioned its sponsorship hyperlinks with Accountable Wagering Australia, the primary foyer group for the playing business. He was later invited again after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reportedly mentioned everybody needs to be welcome to play, however Pocock decided not to return.
Why I've been banned from enjoying parliamentary sport… pic.twitter.com/QA7KfXLYul
— David Pocock (@DavidPocock) October 10, 2025
The membership runs pleasant video games between MPs, their employees, public servants, and journalists throughout sitting weeks. Pocock says most individuals concerned didn’t know that Accountable Wagering Australia was one of many membership’s sponsors, and that it had reportedly acquired a $2,500 donation from them. He mentioned he hadn’t seen the membership publication and didn’t learn about it when he joined.
The Every day Mail reports that membership CEO Andy Turnbull denies any lobbying occurs on the sector, saying they registered the membership simply to be “on the protected aspect” since members embrace MPs and company sponsors.
The senator, who has been vocal about playing reform, beforehand known as an investigation into politicians receiving sporting event tickets as gifts from prime leagues “deeply regarding.”
Pocock raises issues over sports activities membership alleged ties to playing foyer
“One thing most individuals most likely don’t know is that each morning when Parliament is sitting, members and senators from all sides of politics play totally different sports activities collectively, early within the morning earlier than Parliament begins,” the previous Wallabies captain had mentioned in a video posted on X.
“It’s a variety of enjoyable and a good way to get to know folks and get some train in earlier than what will be very lengthy days up in Parliament, it helps construct relationships throughout the political aisle, and I feel that’s actually essential in our democracy.”
Pocock mentioned he was shocked to find that the membership allegedly “takes cash from huge companies in return for entry to morning sports activities, and in flip, the politicians and their employees that take part,” together with teams like Responsible Wagering Australia.
“In consequence, the Parliamentary Sports activities Membership has been registered on the lobbying register for a few years, one thing most of us had no concept about,” he mentioned. “I solely came upon as a result of they modified their title.”
Pocock additionally identified that the membership’s president is Prime Minister Albanese, a scenario he described as “very awkward.”
“[This] places him in a really awkward place, as he’s successfully the president of a lobbying agency, which I feel most Australians would have issues about,” Pocock mentioned. “It appears actually nuts that it’s arrange this manner.”
After talking up each privately and publicly about his issues, Pocock mentioned the membership selected to maintain its playing sponsor.
“[The] membership has determined to not inform these lobbyists that they will’t come, to not cease taking cash from firms and relatively deal with what sport is and will be about right here at Parliament,” he mentioned. “However as an alternative, they’ve kicked me out of the membership. They’ve advised me that I can’t be a member and am not welcome to attend fixtures operated by the membership.”
Pocock added: “I assume it goes to point out how normalized the affect of individuals just like the playing business has change into on this place.
“Whenever you elevate questions on that, relatively than coping with what looks like an enormous problem to me and lots of people I communicate to, you get booted from the Parliamentary Sports activities Membership.”
Accountable Wagering Australia represents main betting firms similar to Sportsbet, Ladbrokes, and bet365. To date, neither the membership nor RWA has made any public remark about Pocock’s removing.
ReadWrite has reached out to the RWA for remark.
Featured picture: David Pocock through X / Canva
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