Former premier Daniel Andrews had secret meeting with casino owners in New York

Former Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews personally requested a meeting with Crown Casino’s US owners after his sudden resignation in September, during which he canvassed consultancy opportunities.

Former Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews met with Crown owners during a secret meeting. Picture: James Ross

Daniel Andrews met with Crown Casino’s US owners in a secret meeting as part of a New York visit after his sudden resignation.

The Saturday Herald Sun can reveal the former Premier personally requested the meeting with US private equity giant Blackstone, who acquired the casino in an $8.9bn takeover last year.

Sources with knowledge of the meeting said it was a prime networking opportunity that also canvassed potential consultancy opportunities.

Blackstone, the world’s largest alternative asset manager, confirmed the meeting after inquiries by the Herald Sun.

“We can confirm that a meeting took place in New York as part of former Premier Andrews’ broader trip,” she said.

“Blackstone did not have any conversations with Mr. Andrews about any type of employment with Blackstone or Crown at the meeting.”

Daniel Andrews spotted in the arrivals line at JFK airport

But no further details have been revealed by Blackstone on the nature of the meeting.

Mr Andrews refused to comment on the meeting but said it was one of a number of business meetings he conducted while in New York last month.

It is understood the former Premier is not subject to the same restrictions in relation to his post political career.

A ministerial code of conduct precludes former ministers from working on any projects they were involved with for 18 months after leaving the ministry.

A senior government source said there was no suggestion Mr Andrews had breached the code of conduct in any way.

But another senior source said the meeting was a “bad look”, especially given Mr Andrews’ personal involvement with decisions about the casino.

Daniel Andrews’ last day was on September 27. Picture: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images

Revelations about the meeting comes as a Special Manager appointed to monitor the casino is due to hand down its final report on whether the facility is suitable to retain its license.

In 2021 the Andrews government allowed Crown to keep its gaming license despite a Victorian royal commission finding it guilty of “disgraceful” conduct.

A 652-page report described some of Crown’s conduct as “so callous that it is hard to imagine it could be engaged in by such a well-known corporation”.

The Royal Commission found Crown unsuitable to operate the casino, but stopped short of cancelling its license, implementing a special manager to oversee operations.

Mr Andrews said at the time the government would terminate Crown’s licence in two years unless the special manager found it was fit to hold a licence.

“The conduct that we have seen has been so appalling that this is warranted,” he said.

In August, Blackstone received regulatory approval to expand its operations in China.

In 2019, it clinched its first build-to-rent project in a deal worth more than $300m with the family of prominent Melbourne property developer Max Beck, a confidante of Mr Andrews.

Blackstone signed a contract with Beck Property Group, run by Mr Beck’s son, Sam, to build the next stage of its $1.5bn Caulfield Village mixed-use project.

Asked to comment on the meeting Crown referred the query to Blackstone.