Australian Football League boss Andrew Demetriou insists he will work with the Federal Government and Independent MPs to help address problem gambling and won't be involved in any advertising campaign against proposed poker machine restrictions.
The emphatic statement offered a glimmer of good news for the Government, whose ministers spent much of yesterday rejecting growing speculation that Prime Minister Julia Gillard's leadership is threatened.
The footy code's chief executive said the push for mandatory pre-commitment on pokies was not the way to tackle problem gambling, but joining an advertising campaign against the legislation was not on his agenda.
High-profile AFL identities have attacked the Government's plan to introduce the gambling changes, with Collingwood president Eddie McGuire describing the proposal as a ''footy tax''.
The comments led to Mr Demetriou moving to quash suggestions the AFL was part of a coordinated strategy against the plan and that it would join the National Rugby League and Clubs Australia in an advertising campaign.
''I've never spoken to anybody from Clubs Australia. I've never spoken to the NRL about this issue,'' he said. ''The AFL is not involved in any campaign. We haven't got the ads ready to go.'' Mr Demetriou said he did not believe the proposed changes to the law would have the desired effect, but it would impact on clubs' revenue streams.
He was willing to work with the Government and Independents Andrew Wilkie and Senator Nick Xenophon who are behind the push for legislative changes. ''We'd rather do it in a collaborative fashion. Not through campaigns. Not through ads,'' Mr Demetriou said.
Families Minister Jenny Macklin welcomed the news, saying the AFL had demonstrated that it agreed with the Government that there was a responsibility towards gamblers.
''We have a duty of care to make sure we do everything possible to support people as they deal with poker machine addiction,'' she said.
The debate, however, was a welcome diversion from talk Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd is preparing a comeback to the prime ministership Ms Gillard took in a bitter coup. Mr Rudd and Ms Gillard have denied any such move, but with the Government facing dire polling results, speculation is rife that change is imminent.
A host of Government ministers came to Ms Gillard's defence yesterday, describing her as an excellent leader whose job was safe.
Treasurer Wayne Swan said, ''Julia Gillard is an outstanding Prime Minister, an outstanding leader. She will lead us to the next election and beyond.'' Finance Minister Penny Wong agreed, saying the Prime Minister was ''very secure''.
Trade Minister Craig Emerson described as ''trash journalism'' a report in the Daily Telegraph that Opposition Leader Tony Abbott was expecting a snap election with Mr Rudd leading the ALP.
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