Revealed documents lead to further calls for transparency at Barangaroo

Revealed documents lead to further calls for transparency at Barangaroo

By Joe Bourke

 

Previously secret documents revealing provisions associated with the approval of James Packer’s license to operate the $1.2 billion casino resort at Barangaroo from 2019 have been made public, leading to fears of organised crime, corruption and money laundering in Sydney.

The provisions deal specifically with Mr Packer’s business partner Lawrence Ho’s father, Stanley Ho, who has been accused of having close ties with Triad crime gangs.

The requirements say that Crown will “ensure that it prevents any new business activities of a material nature between Stanley Huang Sun Ho or a Stanley Ho associate and Crown, any of Crown’s officers, directors or employees or any Crown subsidiary.”

Mr Ho, nicknamed the “King of Gambling”, held a monopoly on the Macau gambling industry for 40 years, but authorities in many countries believe him to be an organised crime figure with links to corruption and the Chinese Triads.

Greens MP John Kaye is responsible for the publication of the documents, and said that the O’Farrell and Baird government’s attempts to keep the documents secret were potentially bad for the state.

“It’s more than a bit secretive. It’s hiding a really profound issue. An issue that goes right through the heart of the integrity and safety of NSW. We were never told that there were concerns that the casino could be a gateway for organised crime, money laundering, prostitution, drugs, and racketeering from Asia to be washed into the legal economy.” Mr Kaye said.

Earlier in the year, the NSW gambling regulator called the Casino’s approval “one of the fastest assessments of a casino applicant in history.”

Mr Kaye said that this process was “dodgied up” and not subject to proper public debate.

“Casinos have been associated with organised crime. Jurisdictions around the world are working overtime to stop the further penetration of organised crime, yet the Baird and O’Farrell government were very enthusiastic about another casino. In fact they dodgied up the whole process, even creating a separate, unsolicited proposal process simply to get this casino through without having an honest discussion about the potential impacts it would have on community safety.” Mr Kaye said.

The Independent Senator for South Australia Nick Xenophon has also called for a better explanation on the topic.

In a media release from the 13th of November, he said “I’m calling on NSW Liquor and Gaming Authority to explain – on the record – why Stanley Ho or any of his associates are banned from being part of the Sydney casino deal.

“James Packer’s Crown group of Casinos is spreading around Australia like a rash. The Australian people deserve to know what kind of figures James Packer is associating with in his casino businesses,” he said.

Mr Kaye said that the handling of this issue has left a cloud of concern over the Barangaroo project and emphasised the need for more transparent action in the future.

“The Government clearly has tried to hide at least two documents from us so far. How many more have they successfully hidden? What other deals have been cut with James Packer and Crown Casino that may or may not prejudice the future of New South Wales but were deemed necessary by the Baird and O’Farrell government to get this casino up and running?
It is time for  a new generation of openness and honesty from both the casino regulator and the Coalition Government of New South Wales,” Mr Kaye said.

 

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