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Helen Coonan

May

Immigration Minister Andrew Giles: in keeping with modern practice, Anthony Albanese will not let him walk.

Giles scandal shows we disdain bureaucracies until we need services

Slashing the capabilities of government departments means that in the real world, dodgy characters escape scrutiny and genuine needs go unanswered.

  • Laura Tingle

May 2022

Star Entertainment Group’s board grill gets fired up.

Star Entertainment’s Gerard Bradley an old hand

With the directors’ club drowning in red tape these days, it’s understandable that due diligence should take a back seat.

  • Michael Roddan

September 2021

Helen Coonan: 46 meetings in FY21 alone

Crown’s directors must be thoroughly sick of each other

While some of Crown’s board have been accused of insufficient regulatory scepticism or curiosity, none could be accused of not ... well, turning up. 

  • Myriam Robin
The NSW probe found Ken Barton was “no match for what is needed at the helm of a casino”.

Crown’s huge golden parachutes revealed

Former Crown Resorts chief executive Ken Barton has walked away from the beleaguered casino giant with a colossal golden handshake.

  • Lucas Baird and James Thomson
Ziggy Switkowski will step down as RMIT chancellor to focus on his new role at Crown.

Switkowski resigns from RMIT as union claims scalp

Ziggy Switkowski is to step down as the university’s chancellor. It follows an open letter calling for his resignation.

  • Julie Hare
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Incoming Crown Resorts chairman Ziggy Switkowski’s recruitment may not be enough to stave off a loss of the casino group’s Victorian gaming licence.

Can Ziggy save Crown Melbourne?

Crown Resorts’ financial calculus will have paid off handsomely if the casino giant is allowed to retain its Melbourne casino licence.

  • Karen Maley

August 2021

Incoming Crown chairman Ziggy Switkowski.

Switkowski to replace Coonan at Crown

Former Telstra CEO Ziggy Switkowski will take on the job of steering Crown Resorts through its regulatory storm, succeeding Helen Coonan as chairman.

  • James Thomson
Karl Bitar in 2010 when he was national secretary of the Labor Party.

Karl Bitar leaving Crown Resorts

The executive decks have been reshuffled at Crown Resorts and Qantas Airways.

  • Joe Aston
Optimism is growing that Crown will retain its Melbourne casino licence.

Crown’s investors double down on their bets

The gaming giant committed a big tactical blunder in not appointing a new chairman earlier because it undermines the credibility of its commitment to reform.

  • Karen Maley
Victorian gaming royal commissioner Ray Finkelstein was not impressed with Crown’s mercy plea.

‘Fink’ deflects Crown’s plea for mercy

The royal commission is coming down to a question of how big the casino operator’s punishment for past sins should be – and the nuclear option is on the table. 

  • James Thomson
Crown Resorts executive chair Helen Coonan.

Coonan to exit by month’s end as Crown pushes to retain licence

Confirmation of Helen Coonan’s early departure followed the resignation on Tuesday of the company’s Melbourne CEO Xavier Walsh.

  • Elouise Fowler and Hannah Wootton
Helen Coonan will leave Crown by the end of the month.

Finkelstein investigating Crown casino and hotel separation

Helen Coonan to leave Crown by month’s end; Crown’s Melbourne CEO Xavier Walsh has also stepped down; Victorian government has announced a new dedicated gambling regulator. Read how closing submissions to the Victorian royal commission unfolded here.

  • Updated
  • Hannah Wootton and Elouise Fowler
It is clear counsel assisting Victoria’s royal commission believes the casino giant is unsalvageable.

Crown Resorts investors are spooked

While investors are spooked, analysts are telling them to hold their nerve.

  • Elouise Fowler

July 2021

Burswood Limited director and Seven West Media WA boss Maryna Fewster.

Director tips bucket on Perth casino leadership

The woman who leads the Kerry Stokes media empire in WA and and sits a Crown-controlled board calls for independent leadership of the Perth casino.

  • Brad Thompson
Crown executives’ bonuses are at risk.

Crown directors’ bonuses in doubt as BEAR considered for casino execs

The banking executive accountability regime should apply to gaming executives to ensure Crown’s lawbreaking is not repeated, royal commission lawyers say.

  • Elouise Fowler and Hannah Wootton
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Crown Resorts executive chairman Helen Coonan was slammed in closing submissions to the commission.

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

The royal commission has shown Crown has lost the community’s trust. But pragmatic politics means it’s still some way from losing its Melbourne licence.    

  • James Thomson
Crown stopped a review that suggested it wasn’t complying with its new anti-money laundering controls.

Crown ‘not fit to run Vic casino’

Crown Resorts should be stripped of Victoria’s sole casino licence and axe executive chairman Helen Coonan and Crown Melbourne CEO Xavier Walsh, inquiry told.

  • Elouise Fowler and Hannah Wootton
James Packer

How James Packer killed his golden egg-laying goose

Crown Resorts’ long-standing habit of grudgingly doing the minimum to comply with its legal and social responsibilities looks set to cost the billionaire dear.

  • Karen Maley
Helen Coonan’s performance before the royal commission last week failed to inspire confidence that she was overseeing a huge cultural shift at Crown.

Writing is on the wall for Coonan

Crown Resorts will probably offer up some corporate scalps now that it realises there is a huge risk it will be found unfit to operate its Melbourne casino.

  • Karen Maley
Despite losing trading desk and research staff, UBS retained its No.1 spot and a big lead in Australian equities market share.

Barrenjoey, UBS really give a Gonski

For all of Australia’s maturation as a capital market, Sydney is no less clubby.

  • Joe Aston

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/person/helen-lloyd-coonan-39o