SkyCity Adelaide

In reply to the Hon. C. BONAROS ().6 July 2022).

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Attorney-General, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector): The Minister for Consumer and Business Affairs has advised:

In accordance with Part 11 of the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006, I am prevented from disclosing the details of the AUSTRAC investigation.

It would therefore be inappropriate make any comment about potentially high-risk or politically exposed persons.

AUSTRAC does not comment on specific individuals or intelligence that may be relevant to an ongoing investigation.

The commissioner has appointed former Supreme Court Justice, the Hon. Brian Ross Martin AO QC to undertake the investigation.

The powers that parliament has prescribed for the purposes of conducting an investigation under section 22(2) of the Casino Act 1997 are broad. They allow Mr Martin to:

require any person to provide information, verified by statutory declaration, relevant to the investigation,

require any person to appear before Mr Martin for examination on matters relevant to the investigation, and

require any person to produce to Mr Martin any documents or other material relevant to the investigation.

The Casino Act also creates an offence for any person who:

fails to comply with a requirement made by Mr Martin, or

refuses or fails to take an oath, or to answer a question when required to do so by Mr Martin.

Parliament has provided the commissioner and by delegation, Mr Martin, powers not dissimilar to those applicable to a royal commission.