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Summary
- Crown PRC has submitted final report to WA government
- Government yet to release findings to the public
- WA parliament will discuss report shortly
The Crown Perth Royal Commission (PRC) delivered its final report on 4 March 2022, almost a year after its establishment.
The PRC was the third state inquiry into Crown’s casino and resort operations. The report was finished four months after its original November 2021 deadline. The West Australian (WA) government is yet to confirm when the findings will be published.
PRC Inquiry Follows AUSTRAC’s Legal Action Against Crown
The PRC inquiry is the latest in the string of investigations into Crown’s alleged malfeasances that included criminal infiltration and money laundering. The reporting deadline was extended at the behest of commissioners Neville Owen, Lindy Jenkins, and Colin Murphy, who had a busy schedule during the inquiry.
On March 1, 2022, financial intelligence agency AUSTRAC commenced legal action against the group after its investigation. AUSTRAC served Crown Perth and Crown Melbourne with a lengthy statement of claim outlining 547 alleged breaches of Australia’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws. Each infringement can attract a penalty of up to $22.2 million.
The agency alleged that Crown used its private jet to fly in overseas punters citing an ill-monitored incident in 2016 when 12 people landed in Perth carrying massive amounts of cash. A customer whose junket had a turnover of $310 million at Crown Perth between 2016 and 2017, was an undetected high-risk customer until early 2019. Another customer who lost almost $28 million at Crown Perth had courted arrest over bribery charges.
If AUSTRAC’s case in the Federal Court is successful, the total fine levied on Crown might endanger its acquisition by American equity giant Blackstone Inc. WA’s Gaming and Wagering Commission (GWC) and other state regulators are yet to approve the pact. The deal will be affected if the WA government decides to implement any recommendations of the PRC.
A spokesperson from the Department of Local Government, Sport, and Cultural Industries said that Blackstone is currently undergoing a probity investigation by the GWC to ascertain its suitability to run a casino.
WA Government to Consider Report Before Tabling it in Parliament
Copies of the report have been handed over to WA Premier Mark McGowan and Governor Kim Beazley. However, there is no confirmation as to when the government would publish it. Racing and Gaming Minister Tony Buti said that the government would table the report in the WA parliament after considering it for a brief period.
