Holes in the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into Crown Casino are big enough to drive a truck through.
On the first day of hearings today it was evident the role of the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation (VCGLR) and Victoria Police will still not be named as a key focus of the Royal Commission’s investigation.
That the terms of reference do not put Victoria’s own Regulator under the microscope raises serious questions on the Royal Commission’s blind spots.
The Labor Party’s cosy relationship with Crown Casino is well known. This ‘fast-tracked’ Royal Commission must not be used as a mechanism by Daniel Andrews to avoid taking action on the serious allegations uncovered by NSW’s Casino Inquiry.
The Andrews Government must also explain how the conflict of interest with solicitors provided to the Royal Commission by Corrs Chambers Westgarth will be resolved.
One of Corrs Chambers Westgarth’s major clients, Blackstone Group, which currently owns a share of about 10 per cent in Crown, on Sunday launched an $8 billion takeover bid for Crown Resorts.
This is the Royal Commission Daniel Andrews didn’t want to have, which is why it must be a full, thorough and transparent process.
