Crown Resorts chairman Helen Coonan acted inappropriately in my resignation: John Poynton
Chair Helen Coonan’s written demand that Crown director John Poynton resign is revealed, as he labels her action ‘intemperate’.
Former James Packer-aligned Crown Resorts director and West Australian business identity John Poynton has accused the group’s executive chairman Helen Coonan of inappropriately pressuring him to resign after the Bergin inquiry revoked Crown’s NSW casino licence in February.
Despite the head of the NSW Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA) Philip Crawford publicly declaring Mr Poynton must resign if Crown was to regain its licence, in submissions to the WA Crown royal commission Mr Poynton pointed out that the Bergin inquiry made no adverse findings against him.
He also contended that it would have been “in the best interests of the Crown Group” he remained a director to help the company navigate the WA probe and another royal commission in Victoria that were announced in the wake of the Bergin inquiry.
Mr Poynton, who also spent 16 years on the board of the Crown subsidiary with oversight of the Perth casino, Burswood Limited, said in his submission that although he was appointed to the Crown board as a nominee director of major shareholder James Packer’s Consolidated Press Holdings (CPH), he acted independently.
To further enhance his independence in the wake of the Bergin inquiry, he terminated his consultancy arrangement with CPH on February 10.
“I hoped to be part of the solution for the Crown Group and to assist in the rebuilding process,” he wrote.
“As such, I viewed it as important that, moving forward, I was considered an independent non-executive director of Crown.”
At Mr Poynton’s appearance at the WA inquiry on Wednesday, the commission heard that the consultancy agreement contained a clause requiring the provision of confidential company information to Mr Packer on demand, although he said he never provided any information under it.
Mr Poynton said that despite terminating the consultancy agreement, Mr Crawford publicly and privately pushed for his removal, telling Ms Coonan that under Crown’s own constitution Mr Poynton would not be considered an independent director until three years after the agreement’s termination.
It is understood that Mr Crawford felt it was important that no director had the perception of links to Mr Packer.
Mr Poynton told Ms Coonan that he wanted a public declaration of this from Mr Crawford to prevent the perception forming that he left due to findings against him in the Bergin inquiry.
“As far as I am concerned, Mr Crawford must explain the reasons why he is choosing to ignore the very clear findings of the Commissioner,” Mr Poynton said he told Ms Coonan on February 24.
Later that day Mr Poynton said Ms Coonan fired him, telling him in a missive that if he didn’t resign she would take action against him
“If you do not step down, Crown may have its NSW casino licence cancelled by ILGA,” Ms Coonan wrote.
“It is in the best interests of Crown Resorts for you to resign. By refusing to resign as a director in these circumstances you are breaching your duties as a director.
“If I do not receive written confirmation of your resignation by 12 noon tomorrow … I will commence steps to deal with this issue which will necessarily and regrettably find their way into the public domain as Crown Resorts complies with its continuous disclosure obligations.”
After further dialogue with ILGA and Crown, Mr Poynton resigned as a director of Crown and Burswood on February 28.
“I was denied the opportunity to defend myself and to explain to the board why I considered it to be in the best interests of the Crown Group that I remain on the board,” Mr Poynton wrote in his submissions.
“I feel strongly that the chair of Crown acted in a matter that was intemperate and inappropriate in considering and dealing with the issue.”
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