Independent Member for Clark, Andrew Wilkie, will discuss the Victorian Government’s outrageous decision to allow Crown to keep its Melbourne casino licence, despite the Royal Commission finding it’s unsuitable to hold the licence.
“What does Crown actually have to do to lose its licence?” Mr Wilkie asked. “People should be going to jail, not getting what is effectively a two-year good behaviour bond, not after being found to have acted illegally, dishonestly and unethically.
“Australians saw first-hand the crimes at Crown and we have every right to be angry and appalled by the Victorian Government’s response to the Royal Commission. Sure the Government is putting in place some changes at the casino. But frankly Crown is so morally bankrupt that no amount of tinkering around the edges is going to change a thing.
“This response is the best result the Victorian Government could give to James Packer and Crown. The company keeps its Melbourne licence for another two years, the share price jumps up sharply, Mr Packer may keep his stake and the casino gets to keep trading.
“The Victorian Government didn’t want to have this Royal Commission but was shamed into it by the NSW Bergin Royal Commission. Moreover, a Royal Commission is only as good as its terms of reference and the decision by the Government to exclude any investigation of government and politicians, or indeed the government-controlled regulator, ensured that none of the people who enabled or condoned Crown’s criminality will be held to account.”
Key aspects of the damning evidence presented to the Royal Commission came from whistle-blowers who initially provided the evidence to Mr Wilkie, including vision of an Aldi bag full of money being laundered on the floor of a Crown Casino junket room.
“The Victoria Government might think this is over. I can assure them it’s not, given the current corrupt culture at Crown,” Mr Wilkie said.