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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-06-14 Daily Xml
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Adelaide Casino

The Hon. C. BONAROS (14:51): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Attorney, representing the Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs, a question about the Adelaide Casino.

Leave granted.

The Hon. C. BONAROS: Late last month, the Liquor and Gambling Commissioner announced he had directed SkyCity Adelaide Casino to handpick its own independent monitor to review its progress in strengthening its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing enhancement programs, something which many commentators have said is akin to putting the fox in charge of the hen house.

The move follows legal action launched by AUSTRAC, alleging criminals have laundered almost $4 billion at the Casino over the past six years, legal action which prompted an independent investigation by the Hon. Brian Martin KC to be put on hold. AUSTRAC's 800-page statement of claim in the Federal Court contains, as I have said previously, an extensive list of disturbing allegations including:

the Casino provided services to 59 customers for whom high money laundering/terrorism financing risks were indicated;

the Casino made around $74 million in losses from those 59 customers;

one customer was an immediate family member of a person holding a prominent public position in a foreign government body; and

many customers engaged in large cash transactions and transacted with cash that appeared suspicious, including in bags, garbage bags, cash bundled together with rubber bands or irregular straps, cash that was dirty and cash that appeared to have been buried.

Indeed, buried—dirt. My questions to the minister are:

1. Does the minister have concerns that the Casino's handpicked independent expert will not have the necessary transparency or accountability expected from the community?

2. Why wasn't the appointment made by the state government and separated from any association with the Casino, and the costs incurred passed on to the Casino?

3. Did the commissioner seek approval and/or input from the minister before directing the Casino to make its appointment?

4. Given the seriousness of the allegations raised by AUSTRAC and the fact that this legal action will take years to complete and the significant public interest in the report, will the minister release an interim report into Mr Martin's stalled investigation to allow South Australians to know what has been discovered to date? If not, why not?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (14:54): I thank the honourable member for her questions and recognise her passion and ongoing advocacy in this area. I would be more than pleased to refer those questions to the minister in another place as requested and bring back a reply for the honourable member.

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