An Abbott government would also scrap a trial of controversial measures designed to curb problem gambling on Australia's poker machines. Earlier this month the Coalition released its problem gambling policy, which focuses on improving counselling for problem gamblers as well as gradually introducing voluntary precommitment and banning online bookmakers from offering credit. Under the Coalition's plan an industry advisory council, comprising representatives of clubs and gaming venues, will report to the minister quarterly. It will develop a plan for counselling and support for problem gamblers. Chairman of the Churches Gambling Taskforce Tim Costello was ''very disappointed and disturbed'' by the policy.

''This is Dracula in charge of the blood bank,'' Mr Costello said. ''There is no question they are going backwards on pokies reform. ''The pokies lobby shouldn't have such power over Coalition policy.'' Monash University public health expert Dr Charles Livingstone said the industry had a vested interest in making sure reforms did not hurt profits. ''Gambling is the new tobacco, and governments will eventually realise that you cannot work with people with such a massive interest. 'This is Dracula in charge of the blood bank' - Tim Costello

''The industry always focuses on it being the problem of individuals, not a problem caused by the machines,'' Dr Livingstone said. Pokies reform was one of the largest issues in the hung Parliament, with independent Andrew Wilkie threatening to bring down prime minister Julia Gillard's government unless a mandatory precommitment scheme - a system to force all punters to preset how much they were willing to lose on the pokies - was rolled out. The proposal was vehemently opposed by the pokies and clubs lobby, which mounted a vocal campaign against Labor MPs in marginal seats. The Coalition also opposed the scheme. After Peter Slipper quit the Coalition, Labor dumped the proposals and legislated to offer punters the option to preset how much they would lose. It also began work on a trial of the mandatory scheme in the ACT, which the Coalition will not continue. Mr Wilkie said he was ''disappointed but hardly surprised'' that the opposition would overturn poker machine reform.

''The fact is, we need better and more powerful ways to address problem gambling, and that must include changes to machine design,'' he said. Greens gambling spokesman Richard Di Natale, who pushed for a $1 maximum bet limit on all pokies, lashed the industry's close involvement. ''At least Labor tried, when push came to shove they caved in, but what you see from the Coalition is them effectively becoming cheerleaders for the pokies industry,'' Senator Di Natale said. Loading ''You now have an industry advisory council made up of the pokies industry that is writing the Coalition's problem gambling policy. The fox is well and truly in charge of the hen house.''

Families Minister Jenny Macklin said: ''Any plan that doesn't tackle pokie addiction is not a credible plan''.