Premier Dominic Perrottet is urging Victoria to follow suit and embrace his plan to transition NSW to cashless poker machines to curb harm and reduce money laundering.
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While he had not read the NSW government's plan for cashless poker machines, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said he sympathised with Mr Perrottet's comments calling pokies a tax on misery.
The Victorian government had no plans to implement cashless gaming, Mr Andrews said.
"For a percentage of the community, a small percentage of the community, there is misery in that, there is real harm, and that's why they've always been our focus," Mr Andrews said on Tuesday.
"But for others it's a legitimate form of recreational activity and a highly regulated form of recreational activity.
"People are free to make their own choices but for those for whom there is a real problem, a wicked problem, we have to support them."
Mr Perrottet unveiled his $344 million pokies reform policy on Monday in response to a damning report from the NSW Crime Commission, which found billions in dirty cash were being funnelled through gaming machines every year.
Mr Perrottet welcomed the comments from his Victorian counterpart, saying policy for the public good could cross the political divide.
Last year the Liberal and Labor premiers worked together on a joint plan to establish a universal year of free pre-kindergarten across both states.
"When you work together, to share information, and sharpen the policy direction, you can make a real difference to people in NSW and Victoria," Mr Perrottet said on Tuesday.
"It's not about what party you're from, it's about how you look after your people."
Mr Perrottet also called on NSW Labor to support the gaming industry reforms.
"This is not a time for politics. This is a time for doing what is right."
Under the government's plan, cashless gaming would be rolled out on 2000 of the state's more than 90,000 poker machines this year, with all machines cashless by the end of 2028.
Labor leader Chris Minns backs some of the government's measures, including banning VIP signs and a government plan to buy back 2000 machines over five years.
This would add to the opposition's plan to cut the number of machines in NSW by 7500 over five years.
Labor also backed a statewide exclusion register and banning political donations from pubs and clubs, but resisted a full implementation of cashless gaming without a trial.
Defending Labor's position to hold a 12-month trial of cashless gaming, Mr Minns said evidence suggested cashless gaming without spending limits could increase gambling harm.
"We want to make sure that any changes or reforms don't adversely affect or in fact, increase the amount of problem gambling in the state," he said.
Mr Perrottet also admitted he was wrong last week when he said his Catholic faith didn't affect his political views.
It comes after former ClubsNSW chief executive Josh Landis was fired for linking the reforms to Mr Perrottet's religion, which the premier described as "incredibly inappropriate and offensive".
"My faith has provided a strong sense of social justice in looking after the vulnerable,'' the premier said.
"That's something that inspired me to run for public life, that's not something I'm ashamed of."
Australian Associated Press
