Star Entertainment workers face uncertain future as NICC mulls ‘next steps’
The future of troubled Star Entertainment and its 8000 workers are in limbo after the powerful NSW casino regulator raised the prospect it could cancel its Sydney licence.
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The futures of troubled Star Entertainment and its 8000 workers are in limbo after the powerful NSW casino regulator raised the prospect it could cancel its Sydney licence.
While the NSW Independent Casino Commission could extend its current supervision of The Star, a ruling that it was not suitable to retain its licence could result in the break-up of its assets and the potential loss of hundreds of jobs.
The NICC said it was now considering the three-volume report findings of the Bell II inquiry to determined the “next steps” for its future.
NSW Gaming and Racing Minister David Harris said the government awaited the outcome of the NICC’s consideration of the report and would work through any implications from its decision.
The Star employs 8000 people across its casinos, including almost 4000 in NSW, with its financial future of critical importance to the state’s economy.
“The government is committed to a safe and responsible casino industry in NSW,” Mr Harris said. “Given the NICC has not yet announced its decision, it is not appropriate for the government to comment further at this time.”
The Queensland government said Star’s Queensland casinos would continue to operate under the approved remediation plan and supervision of Nicholas Weeks and the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation.
Star this week opened the $3.6bn Queen’s Wharf integrated resort in Brisbane’s CBD two years later than expected.
Queen’s Wharf, which takes up 10 per cent of Brisbane’s CBD, has had a rocky road to completion, with lengthy construction delays, legal battles and a bruising casino inquiry. The project faced cost overruns of at least $260m.
“We note the release of the Bell II report and its findings that The Star remains unsuitable to hold a casino licence in NSW,” a spokesman for Queensland’s Department of Justice and Attorney-General said.
“We’ll continue to monitor the situation and work through any implications …”
Hunter Green IB director Charlie Green said he had been concerned for years about the debt tied up in Queen’s Wharf, which was developed by Star as part of a joint venture called Destination Brisbane Consortium and could drag down the entire company.
“There has always been a lack of transparency about the value of that investment,” Mr Green said.
The second inquiry by Adam Bell SC this year heard a litany of continuing problems at Star including fraud, falsification of gambling welfare checks and a warlike attitude to the regulator and its appointed manager Mr Weeks, who is also the manager of Star’s Queensland casinos.
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Originally published as Star Entertainment workers face uncertain future as NICC mulls ‘next steps’
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