January 12, 2023 — 5.00am
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NSW Labor leader Chris Minns faces a high-profile challenge in his marginal seat of Kogarah from gaming industry whistleblower Troy Stolz, who says he is contesting the March election to highlight his opponent’s failure to back poker machine reform.
Stolz, who worked for the lobby group ClubsNSW as an anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing auditor, will run as a “reform pokies independent” in Minns’ seat. It is Labor’s most marginal on 1.8 per cent, although redrawn boundaries means it is on 0.1 per cent.
The whistleblower, who exposed lax money laundering compliance in poker machine venues, said: “Chris Minns is in the pocket of pubs and clubs. He is backing vested interest and is failing his community.”
Minns has supported a trial of a cashless gaming card, which was a recommendation from the NSW Crime Commission to combat money laundering, but has stopped short of supporting the universal removal of cash from poker machines.
Premier Dominic Perrottet is determined to reform the state’s gambling industry and has widespread support for a cashless gaming card from NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb, the peak union body UnionsNSW, churches, leading charities and the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.
Former prime minister John Howard has also thrown his support behind Perrottet’s cashless gaming card proposal, describing it as a “courageous and wise”...
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