MP targets Melbourne’s Crown Casino

Independent MP wants to launch an inquiry into Melbourne’s Crown Casino for allegedly tampering with poker machines.

Australia.- Melbourne’s Crown Casino has been recently accused of tampering with poker machines and even not addressing drug use and family violence within its premises. In spite of regulators assuring they’ll “thoroughly investigate”, Independent MP Andrew Wilkie is promoting a parliamentary inquiry into the gaming venue and accuses the Liberal and Labor parties of aiding Crown by refusing to work towards that process.

In addition to Wilkie, Greens senator Lee Rhiannon is urging the Senate to investigate but they are allegedly getting blocked by other members of the parliament. However, they have Nick Xenophon on their said, an anti-gambling campaigner who asserted: “The first step is to allow these whistleblowers to come forward under protection of parliamentary privilege to a Senate committee process. Ultimately I believe that this will need an independent inquiry with judicial powers to actually make sure that these allegations are properly and thoroughly investigated.”

As Crown denied any wrongdoing, other legislators highlighted the Victorian’s regulators responsibility on investigating the issue. Cabinet Minister Mitch Fifield stated: “When you’re talking about casinos, when you’re talking about venue-based poker machines, these are matters that fall squarely within the jurisdiction of the states.”

There are two clear stances on the issue: those who want the Senate to launch an inquiry and those who believe the investigation has to be conducted by “the jurisdictions that actually have the legislative authority and the legislative responsibility,” which seems to be the way its going to be as there’s not enough support for the first option.