Legislative Council: Tuesday, June 08, 2021

Contents

SkyCity Adelaide

The Hon. F. PANGALLO (14:48): Supplementary: my question is to the Treasurer. Has the government been in talks with SkyCity about the AUSTRAC investigation? Why hasn't the commissioner for business and consumer affairs been able to detect any of the concerns by AUSTRAC or any other irregularities that could raise an alarm in his office's own inspections?

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer) (14:49): The advice from the commissioner is that AUSTRAC is the appropriate agency to investigate anti-money laundering and counterterrorism financing breaches. They have the capacity to do so. He has, as I indicated earlier, indicated he will put his review on hold until they have concluded theirs.

The commissioner obviously has ongoing responsibilities in terms of their operations—that is, the Casino's operations—in terms of gambling regulation, which is controlled by the state. The ongoing responsibilities of the commissioner, as outlined by this parliament through legislation and other government arrangements, continues, so that will continue. But in relation to money laundering and counterterrorism financing breaches, the appropriate agency is not the commissioner, it's actually AUSTRAC.