ClubsNSW has appoints acting CEO amid pokies fight after Landis sacking
A temporary replacement for dumped former clubs CEO Josh Landis has vowed to continue the fight against Dominic Perrottet’s poker machine reforms.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
An RSL club president will take over as the acting CEO of ClubsNSW to lead the organisation while the lobby group looks for someone to take over permanently from sacked boss Josh Landis.
Sallianne Faulkner has been appointed as ClubsNSW Acting CEO, effective immediately.
Ms Faulkner was elected to the board of ClubsNSW in 2018, and elected as Deputy Chair in June 2019.
She is the President of Ramsgate RSL, a role she has held since 2014.
In her first comments as acting CEO, Ms Faulkner said the industry “faces challenges on multiple levels”.
She indicated the lobby group has serious concerns with Premier Dominic Perrottet’s signature cashless gaming card reform and instead work on “sensible reform”.
“I look forward to working with whomever forms Government in March and working on sensible reform — reform that is informed by evidence and ensures long-term industry viability for our communities, our staff and our club members,” she said.
“Clubs must be able to continue to provide community facilities and support, critical to the regional areas and metropolitan suburbs across NSW,” Mrs Faulkner said.
Announcing the appointment in a statement, ClubsNSW chairman George Peponis said Ms Faulkner has extensive experience in community, business and sporting sectors.
Mr Peponis said Ms Faulkner would be leading the organisation through an “important transition period”.
“Sallianne is a widely respected and skilled business and community leader with more than a decade of experience in the club sector,” ClubsNSW chairman George Peponis said.
“She possesses the right combination of integrity, compassion and intelligence that is well suited to leading a large and complex organisation like ClubsNSW.”
ClubsNSW sacked Mr Landis as its previous CEO after he said the Premier’s “Catholic gut” was driving his approach to a cashless gaming card.
Mr Perrottet initially said those comments were offensive, before acknowledging that his faith has informed his policy position.
‘Massive fraud’: 14,300 businesses investigated over Covid grant rorts
Shock figures have laid bare the extent of fraudulent claims made to a Covid-19 era business grant program with police investigating thousands of cases that rorted the system at the expense of NSW taxpayers.
Fit for a Queen, but end of line as Bankstown makes way for Metro
Make way for the Metro: No less than Queen Elizabeth II happily travelled it, but it’s the end of an era as Bankstown rail line with the last heavy rail passenger trains to run between Campsie and Birrong early Saturday.