**Title: David Pocock Removed from Parliament Sports Club Over Gambling Critique**

Independent senator David Pocock has been expelled from the Australian Parliament Sports Club after he publicly criticized its sponsorship by a gambling industry lobby group. Pocock, a former Wallabies captain, raised concerns about the appropriateness of the club's ties to gambling companies during a Senate Estimates hearing earlier this week.

The Australian Parliament Sports Club organizes social sporting events for politicians and journalists. It offers corporate memberships, reportedly costing $2,500, to various organizations, including Responsible Wagering Australia, which represents major gambling companies like SportsBet. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese serves as the club's president.

During the Senate hearing, Pocock questioned the implications of the Prime Minister's role, referring to the club as a "lobbying firm" and asking how this aligns with the ministerial code of conduct. Foreign Minister Penny Wong, representing the Prime Minister, defended the club, stating it is not a traditional lobbying organization. She remarked, "For you to come in here and try and get a grab up by asserting what you just asserted, it really is not the way you generally play politics."

Pocock expressed his concerns about the normalization of gambling advertising in sports, stating, "You've got young Australians who are being advertised [to] to the point that they think gambling is just a normal part of watching sport, surely we can do better than that as a country."

Following his public remarks, Pocock was informed by the club's chief executive, Andy Turnbull, that he was no longer welcome. Turnbull stated that Pocock's actions had damaged the club's reputation and that it was inappropriate for him to remain a member. "You have chosen not to do that and in doing so have become the first person ever to politicize the most apolitical operation in the parliament," Turnbull said in a message to Pocock.

Pocock expressed disappointment over his removal, emphasizing that it highlights the influence of vested interests in Parliament. He stated, "Being kicked out of the club for raising concerns around gambling lobbyists buying access to the club shows the influence vested interests have here in Parliament and just how normalized this has become."

The club has faced scrutiny for its corporate sponsorships, particularly as the government has been under pressure to reform gambling laws. Pocock has been a vocal advocate for stricter regulations, including a complete ban on gambling advertisements during sporting events.

Turnbull confirmed that the club had registered as a lobby group out of caution but indicated that it would be deregistered following guidance from the Attorney-General's department. He maintained that the club has always taken an agnostic approach to corporate sponsorship.

The situation has prompted other independent members, such as Allegra Spender and Monique Ryan, to resign from the club, citing similar concerns about its connections to the gambling industry. Spender stated, "To see the Parliamentary Sports Club operating as a front for a gambling industry that spreads so much misery, breaks my heart."

The Parliamentary Sports Club organizes various sporting events throughout the year, including competitions between parliamentarians and journalists. Despite the controversy, Turnbull emphasized that the club aims to foster relationships across the political spectrum and provide a positive environment for its members.