Chanticleer

Crown has lost the nation’s trust - but maybe not its licence

Closing submissions at the Victorian royal commission exposed Crown as a company that has lost the trust of the community. But pragmatic politics means its still some way from losing its licence.

Jul 21, 2021 – 5.00am

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There were so many jaw-dropping moments in the closing submissions of counsel assisting Victoria’s royal commission into Crown Resorts on Tuesday that it was hard not to emerge from the 2½-hours of hearings a little punch-drunk.

Within moments of getting to his feet, Adrian Finanzio, SC, had declared Crown unsuitable to hold its Melbourne licence due to “grave, systemic breaches of the law” and “sustained breaches of trust and confidence”.

James Thomson is senior Chanticleer columnist based in Melbourne. He was the Companies editor and editor of BRW Magazine.