Victorian government rebuffs Crown’s attempt at ‘interference’

Hannah Wootton, Patrick Durkin and Elouise Fowler

Jul 9, 2021 – 5.21pm

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The Victorian government has rebuffed the advances of Crown Resorts for an urgent meeting, after a letter seeking to pre-empt the findings of the royal commission and warning 12,000 jobs were at risk backfired and heaped pressure on chairman Helen Coonan to resign.

The letter, sent last week, warned gaming minister Melissa Horne of “severe consequences” for Crown shareholders, thousands of employees and Victoria’s state coffers if the casino giant were allowed to fail.

Hannah Wootton is a Rear Window columnist, based in Melbourne.

Patrick Durkin is Melbourne bureau chief and BOSS deputy editor. He writes on news, business and leadership.

Elouise Fowler is a journalist for The Australian Financial Review based in the Melbourne office.