Background

At the Ministerial Council on Gambling (MCG) meeting held on 21 April 2001, it was agreed to form a working group to develop a national gambling research program. Representatives from all Australian jurisdictions would form the working group to be known as the MCG Research and Evaluation Working Group. The benefits of a combined multi jurisdictional group devoted to developing a national gambling research program and commissioning research to provide a better understanding of problem gambling at a national level were clearly articulated. The Council agreed that the working group would seek to monitor current research programs within the Australian jurisdiction and facilitate new research initiatives on a national basis.

The working group is now known as Gambling Research Australia (GRA).

At their first meeting, the GRA identified the need to address the following:

• Establish a GRA Secretariat
• Build a website to act as a clearinghouse for all Australian gambling research as well as other gambling research issues and information
• Develop a Gambling Research Australia Program
• Agree upon a means of joint funding for the Research Program.
  

The agreement that the Commonwealth Government would assist with the funding for the National Gambling Research Program was formalised with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Commonwealth of Australia and the State of Victoria in 2002. This funding agreement commenced in the financial year 2001-02.

A further agreement in the form of a National Memorandum of Understanding between all the jurisdictions, including the Commonwealth, was formalised in late 2003.

Victoria’s Minister for Gaming offered Victoria to act as the GRA Secretariat.

Membership of Gambling Research AustraliaGRA is comprised of Departmental Officers of member jurisdictions of the Ministerial Council on Gambling, including a representative from the Community and Disability Services Ministers' Advisory Council Gambling Working Party. The Working Party members represent all the Australian jurisdictions and are drawn from the following State, Territory or Commonwealth government authorities:

Jurisdiction	Location within Government
Commonwealth	Policy and Research, Department of Families, Housing, Community Services & Indigenous Affairs</a>
State & Territory representatives:
New South Wales	Department of the Arts, Sport and Recreation, Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing, Sydney</a>
Australian Capital Territory</a>	ACT Gambling and Racing Commission
Queensland	Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing, Queensland Office of Gaming Regulation, Queensland Treasury
Victoria	Department of Justice, Office of Gaming and Racing, Members & Secretariat
South Australia	Independent Gambling Authority and the Community and Disability Services Ministers' Advisory Council (CDSMAC) Gambling Working Group
Western Australia	Department of Racing, Gaming & Liquor
Tasmania	Department of Treasury & Finance
Northern Territory	Licensing Regulation and Alcohol Strategy, Department of Justice