Page 92 of volume one of the Bergin report into Crown’s planned gambling mecca for Sydney, released in the past week, gives a sweet insight into how casino business is done in this country.“In around February 2012 Mr James Packer met with then NSW Premier Mr Barry O’Farrell OA, at the home of media identity Mr Alan Jones,” the inquiry report reads. “Mr Packer outlined his vision to build a $1 billion-plus hotel, casino and entertainment complex at Barangaroo.
It is not clear why, if O’Farrell wanted a six-star hotel, he didn’t put that project out to tender. Instead, the entire casino licence for the Barangaroo site was granted without a tender process. Paul Keating was an obstacle. The former prime minister had a longstanding interest in the important Barangaroo site, and he was initially opposed to the Packer proposal, in Kitney’s telling. But Packer convinced him, according to Alan Jones. “Paul suddenly saw this bloke had something ... Keating saw the vision,” Jones told Kitney for his book.
O’Farrell met Packer again in August 2012 to give the billionaire a tip about an obscure “unsolicited proposal process” set up by his government for infrastructure projects. A week after that meeting, the government policy was “updated”. If the proponent could show their idea was “unique”, there would be no need for a competitive tender. The way was cleared.
JacquelineMaley It’s sometimes hard to discern behaviour between big business, politicians and local councils . Blurred lines .
JacquelineMaley Australia became the richest per capita country on the planet because we kept crime down. Not because of Allan Jones and his loony escapism. Money laundering puts a hole in the Real economy. It should be an act of treason (because it is).
JacquelineMaley Up Yours Alan Jones and keep your horses out of the Opera House. Just because Nero made one of his horses a Senator, does not mean that all Australian's are gullible.
PercyKaren JacquelineMaley So what's going to happen to the Big Loofah?
PercyKaren JacquelineMaley Didn't Ros Packer ease it through with a $500,000 'donation' to NSW Liberal Party?
JacquelineMaley An eyesore which is out of symmetry with city structures such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
JacquelineMaley What do you expect from the ethnic Anglo-Saxon community like Packer and Jones? How are they richer than the rest of us?
JacquelineMaley I'd been more concerned if Packer had approached Labor MPs Phuong Ngo and Eddie One for lunch with the Premier.
JacquelineMaley No casino - Easy fixed SOCIAL HOUSING to take all those evicted from The Sirius, Millers Point & Macquarie Park GladysB VictorDominello
JacquelineMaley PackersPecker.... a big cockup...
JacquelineMaley He’ll find another way, things will be ok for them. The self-important nobodies will beat their chests in front of their friends but have really achieved very little 😁