Star Entertainment and Queensland government accused of lacking transparency over casino giant’s remediation plan

The Star was found unsuitable to hold a Queensland casino licence in 2022, after an independent review found "major failings" from the company. Last year, the embattled entertainment group had its temporary licence suspension in Queensland deferred until May after Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath approved its remediation plan.

Ms D'Ath said it was up to The Star to release its plan in full, which included 100 initiatives and about 640 milestones across management and operations to be implemented over a multi-year period.

"The remediation plan is a Star Entertainment Group document which can only be distributed by them," she said in a statement.

"I believe Star should be transparent, because it has to rebuild confidence and trust with the public."

The ABC asked The Star for the full plan but was instead directed to information on its corporate website including the latest annual report, an investor presentation and ASX announcements.

On its website, where there is limited detail about its Queensland remediation plan, The Star states, "we want The Star to be known for being transparent, accountable and trustworthy."

'Raises profound issues'

Alliance for Gambling Reform chief advocate Tim Costello said the public deserved to have access to the full plan given The Star's history.

"It raises profound issues around transparency and the Queensland public can really have no confidence that Star is actually reforming itself," he said.

"The licence it holds is a public licence. It's owned by the people of Queensland and to retain that licence, to prove they should be given that licence back, they should be transparent."

Mr Costello also hit out at the attorney-general for not releasing more detail about the document.

"No other business in Queensland would be treated with the sort of kid gloves that Star is getting treated with," he said.

"Really you have to assume the state government has said 'Star is too big to fail, we will let Star get away with being untransparent.

"For the attorney-general not to actually be reassuring the public that here is what they're doing, this is the remediation, what do you think, winning back the confidence of the public.

"Then you really have to conclude, this is a bit of a joke."

Ms D'Ath also extended the special manager Nicholas Weeks's appointment until the end of this year and has previously said The Star could face fines up to $5 million for not complying with its remediation plan. Shadow attorney-general Tim Nicholls said the lack of transparency from The Star and attorney-general undermined public confidence.

"There are serious questions to be answered about Labor's decisions to allow Star to continue holding a casino licence in Queensland," he said.

"Labor has refused to reveal why a further extension to the licence suspension has been offered or what is in the remediation plan, which raises serious integrity concerns for the government.

"It speaks to Labor's wrong priorities when they're more focused on hiding the details of this plan, instead of openness and transparency."

The Star 'committed to being a better company'

A spokesperson from The Star said it was committed to being a better company.

"We are on a journey to restore our suitability and our remediation plan will track and hold us accountable to the multi-year program we are committed to delivering," a spokesperson said.

"We are committed to being a better company, operating with the highest levels of integrity in all that we do and we continue to focus on earning back the trust of regulators, governments, shareholders, guests, team members and the community."

The Gotterson report said Star had serious deficiencies with its anti-money-laundering program, actively encouraged banned high rollers from other states to gamble in Queensland, and was not forthcoming or transparent with its banker or the regulator.

In response, the state government ordered Star to pay $100 million in fines, appointed a special manager and gave the company a year "to get its house in order" or its casino licence would be temporarily suspended for 90 days. 

Weeks out from the one year deadline, Ms D'Ath announced last year the licence suspensions for The Star Gold Coast and Treasury Brisbane casinos had been deferred until May 31.

Queen's Wharf project delayed again

Meanwhile, The Star's Queens Wharf project in Brisbane has been delayed for a fifth time, with the $3.6 billion precinct now expected to open in August.

Last year, The Star announced the staged opening was expected in April after delays due to construction pressures, but the time frame has again been pushed back by several months.

The Queen's Wharf project was first announced in 2015 and will include a new casino, four luxury hotels, more than 50 restaurants and bars, and 1,500 residential apartments across the 12-hectare site in the Brisbane CBD.

The project is being delivered by the Destination Brisbane Consortium (DBC) which Star holds a 50 per cent stake in, while Far East Consortium and Chow Tai Fook Enterprises hold 25 per cent each.

The revised timeline was announced in an ASX statement in December, informing shareholders that DBC had reached a settlement in the Supreme Court with Multiplex Constructions over cost blowouts and delays on the project.

The Neville Bonner Bridge — which was completed last year — will be included as one of the facilities to open in the first stage, along with the casino gaming floor, The Star Grand Hotel and several restaurants.