Western Australian’s Royal Commission has sent an interim report to Governor Kim Beazley today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Australia.- Former Supreme Court justices\u00a0Neville Owen<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Lindy Jenkins\u00a0<\/strong>together with former auditor-general Colin Murphy\u00a0have today sent an interim report\u00a0<\/strong>to the governor of Western Australia, Kim Beazley AC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The office of premier Mark McGowan has also received a copy of the report on\u00a0how Western Australia’s gaming regulator exercised its powers under relevant state and federal laws<\/strong>\u00a0and whether the regulator was\u00a0capable and effective in its duties<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Royal Commission is expected to deliver a final report by November 14 <\/strong>which will analyze Crown Resorts\u2019 suitability <\/strong>to continue holding a casino gaming licence for Crown Perth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Owen said: “So far as we are aware, this is the first time since the grant of the casino licence in 1988 that there has been\u00a0an inquiry into these issues<\/strong>\u00a0and given social changes in over 30 years, there is an increased importance to an inquiry of this kind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “We will be concerned with grave matters of private and public interest and we enter into this investigation with that firmly in mind.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Western Australian\u2019s regulator<\/strong> has already prohibited\u00a0Crown Resorts<\/a>\u00a0from running high-roller activities at its Perth casino.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In May,\u00a0David Halge<\/a>, former chief casino officer told the Royal Commission’s inquiry that an\u00a0anti-money laundering<\/strong>\u00a0(AML)<\/strong>\u00a0police unit\u00a0<\/strong>dismantled in 1999 could have helped\u00a0Western Australia\u2019s Gaming and Wagering Commission (GWC)\u00a0<\/strong>to\u00a0investigate potential criminal activities<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n David Halge said the AML unit comprised a single person<\/strong> whose work solely entailed investigating junket operators. Halge said explained that person analysed junket operators<\/strong> and reported any criminal activity to the GWC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He said: \u201cOnce the police unit was disbanded, I didn\u2019t need to take any report up to the commission that was brought to me<\/strong> by the inspectors concerning criminal activities or money laundering.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Halge suggested that Gaming and Wagering Commission member Barry Sargeant should be asked <\/strong>why the AML police unit was dismantled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The commission will resume with opening statements on July 16. The next witnesses are set to begin from July 19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Victoria\u2019s Royal Commission<\/strong>\u00a0has heard that a Chinese who moved to Australia in 2002 gambled at Crown Melbourne for nearly eight hours a day<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The man told the inquiry: \u201cThere were no staff or dealers or floor managers approaching the gamblers \u2026 they just let gamblers lose more and more and more.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n In May, Ai Nguyen<\/strong>, a gambling counsellor<\/a> at the Australian Vietnamese Women\u2019s Association, said Crown Resorts\u2019 24\/7 operating hours<\/strong>, its rewards system and a weak self-exclusion programme <\/strong>failed to help people with gambling problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Victorian Arabic Social Services community support group <\/strong>also said that some of its clients who used the self-exclusion programme reported that the casino allowed them to enter areas they were meant to be barred from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The government<\/a>\u00a0has approved judge Raymond Finkelstein\u2019s request for an extension to\u00a0continue up to October 15.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Finkelstein also asked for an increase in the commission\u2019s funding from AU$10m to AU$19.75m<\/strong> to continue investigating Crown Resorts suitability to maintain its licence for its Melbourne casino<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The judge leading the state of Victoria\u2019s inquiry was originally due to <\/strong>release his report by August 1<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nVictoria\u2019s Royal Commission<\/strong> hears of customer who gambled for nearly eight hours a day<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Victoria’s Royal Commission extended to October 15<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n