Terminal cancer won’t stop whistleblower Troy Stolz taking on Chris Minns at state election

Former whistleblower Troy Stolz will campaign on gambling reform in a bid to topple the Labor leader. Terminal bone cancer won’t derail him: “We’re all gonna die at some stage.”

Troy Stolz. Picture: Twitter

The man vying to topple Labor leader Chris Minns in his ultra marginal seat in Sydney’s south said his terminal cancer diagnosis will not get in the way of a “David and Goliath” style battle at the polls.

Former gambling whistleblower Troy Stolz will stand as an independent in the seat of Kogarah against Mr Minns on a platform focused on gambling reform.

Mr Stolz has terminal bone cancer but said he “wouldn’t be the first member to die during his term” and he is committed to fighting hard in the seat that will have a wafer-thin margin of 0.1 per cent.

“We’re all gonna die at some stage. It’s a reality. I’ve been I’ve looked at it positively. I’ve been giving given early warning that my time is coming (and) I’ve been extremely lucky,” he said.

“I shouldn’t have made this Christmas just gone but the chemotherapies worked. I’ve made this Christmas and I’m aiming for next Christmas and the Christmas.

Troy Stolz has bone cancer. He’s going to contest the NSW election regardless. Picture: Troy Snook

“If I was elected, and I passed away I wouldn’t be the first member that’s passed away during you know the term. But, you know, anyone can get hit by a truck or a bus crossing the road tomorrow and that’s the reality. So I’ve just got to manage my health.”

Mr Stolz has the support of anti-gambling advocate Tim Costello and the pair called on independents all over the state to stand up in their seats — including that of Gaming Minister Kevin Anderson.

: NSW Labor leader Chris Minns. Pictures: NCA Newswire/ Gaye Gerard

Mr Stolz said he will be preferencing Labor last as a result of their failure to back Premier Dominic Perrottet’s position on cashless gaming but did not reveal how he will support the Liberal party.

He added that he was “happy to move to Kogarah” where he has not lived before to connect with the community on issues beyond gambling.

“I’ll need to spend a bit of time in the community. I’ve spent plenty of time in the community in the past … I’ll be setting up a web page, email address and I want some feedback from the community on what they want. And accordingly that’s what I need to do.”

Mr Minns said he wouldn’t respond to comments made by Mr Stolz, reiterating his party’s position was for a mandatory statewide trial on cashless cards before implementing them.

“We’re not against cashless gaming. We want to make sure that a trial proves the point. I don’t want to be in a situation where we’re looking at a bad situation and we make it worse … I don’t think that’s an unreasonable position in the run up to an election,” he said.

When pressed on whether he was concerned he would bleed votes over the stance, as well as criticism from Mr Stolz, Mr Minns said “He’s entitled to run and I wish him all the best, obviously, but I’m going to fight for my seat”.

“We’re dealing with a situation in New South Wales, where the current government introduced a second casino when no one was asking for it. They disbanded the office of liquor and gaming and racing, which was the cop on the beat. Problem gambling has doubled over the last 10 years and you can’t turn on a television without being bombarded with television ads about getting into gambling,” he said.

“So there are many problems associated with problem gambling. We know it’s a major issue. We want to make sure that evidence based responses form our policy.”