NEWS
25 October 2021
Victorian final royal commission report into Crown imminent
By Peter Lynch

The inquiry, headed by former Federal Court judge Ray Finkelstein QC, will decide whether the operator is fit to retain its Victorian licence.

Finkelstein handed his report to Victorian Governor Linda Dessau AC on 15 October, but the state government has since been considering the findings and recommendations before releasing it publicly.

Crown this morning issued a statement on the ASX, alerting shareholders of the report’s imminent release. The update included a statement from the Hon. Melissa Horne MP, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Gaming & Liquor Regulation, which read: “The final report of the Royal Commission into the Casino Operator and Licence will be tabled in the Victorian Parliament tomorrow.

“The Victorian Government thanks Raymond Finkelstein AO QC for the extraordinary amount of work that has gone into the Royal Commission. The Government will not be making any further comment regarding the Royal Commission until the report is tabled.”

Crown’s barrister Michael Borsky QC admitted fault on behalf of the operator for its extensive failures which were revealed throughout both the Victorian inquiry and the recent New South Wales inquiry. The latter, overseen by Patricia Bergin, found the company facilitated money laundering and partnered with junket operators with links to organised crime.