In response,Rowland read a written statement saying she complied with donation disclosure rules.

“We’re committed to reducing harms from online gambling,” she said.

Rowland was strongly defended by minister and government leader of the House Tony Burke,who said crossbench MPs had not made the case that Rowland breached the rules.

He told parliament there was no evidence Rowland had favoured wagering firms in her decision-making and she had,in fact,done the opposite by leading the government’s harm-minimisation agenda in the face of industry lobbying.

“The minister for communications is a person of extraordinary ability and impeccable integrity,” he said. “I have known the minister for many,many years.”

Although Rowland was not a minister at the time of the Sportsbet donations,Sharkie accused her in parliament of breaching clause 3.21 of the ministerial code of conduct,which states:“Ministers must not seek or accept any kind of benefit or other valuable consideration either for themselves or for others in connection with performing or not performing any element of their official duties as a minister.”

Tim Costello,chief advocate for the Alliance for Gambling Reform,called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to remove Rowland from her portfolio.

The prominent anti-gambling advocate claimed his organisation had been unable to secure meetings with Rowland,a claim this masthead could not immediately confirm.

“To now discover she was taking funds from Sportsbet means we have all lost confidence in her,” he said in an interview with this masthead. “She should step down.”

Waters said in a statement it was untenable for Rowland to continue regulating some areas of gambling,which she does through her oversight of the Interactive Gambling Act and the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

Sportsbet and the online gambling peak body are lobbying Rowland on matters related to the act and the media authority.

“It is clearly untenable for the minister to remain as gambling regulator when she has such a cosy relationship with betting agencies,despite our donations laws being so weak that they have not been broken,” Waters said. “These donations are an insult to voters and gambling reform advocates across Australia.”

Daniel said she did not intend to humiliate Rowland or engage in a witch-hunt.

“This is about ethics,” she said in parliament. “This is one of the most hot-button issues I discuss whenever I raise it.”

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