Labor’s gambling policy ‘weak’ but politically smart, expert says

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet’s support for a cashless gaming card for pokie machines has made him an unlikely ally of the state’s top union official, while Labor’s cautious approach has put it in the same corner as the Nationals.

Those fault lines may seem surprising, but both sides’ positions make sense for their respective strategies heading into the state election in March, a political expert says. 

Labor Leader Chris Minns has so far only committed to a limited trial of the cashless cards, which theoretically would curb problem gambling and illegal money laundering using pokie machines. 

Meanwhile Perrottet was moved to support the cards after a damning report from the NSW Crime Commission last year found the machines were a major tool for money laundering crooks.

“It’s a very small risk for the Coalition,” Sydney University politics professor Rodney Smith told Crikey.

“They need good publicity, and they’re getting a lot of it from this. The Coalition is in minority government and needs to win seats. It needs to do something to hold on to the media and public attention and be able to say, ‘We’re a government that does stuff’.”

Labor, on the other hand, can’t afford to make unnecessary enemies after a decade in opposition, Smith said. 

He said the risk of a strong campaign from clubs and hotels against the cards could end up hurting Labor at a moment when the party needs all the momentum it can get. 

“It looks weak, but it may be better than the option of taking a strong stance,” he said. 

Ryan Park, a senior Labor frontbencher, last week insisted the party’s position was “clear” and said a problem gambling policy would be presented to voters before the March 25 election.

“Chris Minns has outlined very, very clearly that we are not opposed to a cashless card, in fact, what we have said is we want an expanded trial to include pubs and clubs to make sure we have a broad evidence base to ensure the reforms we put in place will actually work,” Park told The Sydney Morning Herald. 

His comments came after the state’s top union official split with Labor on the issue by backing the cards. 

Unions NSW secretary Mark Morey told the same newspaper the “time for talk is over” on pokies reform, saying it should be a “no-brainer”. 

The premier’s position has put him at odds with many Nationals MPs in his government who are sceptical of the cards, and even set him apart from his transport minister, David Elliott.

Elliott, who has a background working for the clubs industry, this week said he would recuse himself from cabinet discussions on the matter because his son works for a gambling technology firm. 

Smith said he believed the gaming cards wouldn’t be a major vote mover in the election, and that crucial seats would instead be won on issues like infrastructure, health, education and the environment.

“I don’t see it as an issue that will sway votes,” he said.