NSW prisons to learn from Vic riots

The head of NSW prisons is seeking a briefing from his Victorian counterpart after a violent riot in a Melbourne prison was quelled overnight.

It's been speculated that anger over a pending smoking ban sparked the riot at the Ravenhall Correctional Centre.

With just six weeks until smoking bans are introduced at NSW prisons, Corrective Services NSW Commissioner Peter Severin says he wants to make sure similar scenes don't occur in NSW.

"I want to ask what were the issues that caused it to be so extensive as it seems to have been," he told ABC on Wednesday

Mr Severin said he needs to know more about what happened in Victoria and what lead to the incident.

"It's certainly enough time to address any concerns," he said.

NSW prison authorities had spent the past year working on a solid plan to help prevent fallout when the ban is implemented on August 10, he said.

"We will use our intelligence and direct communication with the inmates and staff alike to detect any potential copycat situation.

"We're going to be proactive in pursuing issues and if need be we will react to it."