Souris knows nothing about casino sackings

NSW Tourism Minister George Souris says he knows nothing about the latest sackings at The Star casino and he hasn’t acted improperly.

State Opposition leader John Robertson has accused Mr Souris of breaching the ministerial code of conduct by withholding information from the premier about an investigation into The Star.

“This whole issue of the casino really does not reflect on anything I have done, which has only ever been proper,” Mr Souris told reporters in Sydney on Monday.

“I can assure you not one breach of public trust has occurred in anything that I have been involved in.

“No government decisions whatsoever have been compromised.”

Mr Souris reportedly told Premier Barry O’Farrell’s communications director Peter Grimshaw he hadn’t informed the premier that one of the alleged harassment victims of sacked casino boss Sid Vaikunta was in fact Mr Grimshaw’s partner.

Mr Grimshaw – who has been stood down by Mr O’Farrell over a separate matter – has been accused of waging a secret campaign against the casino, his former employer.

Mr Souris on Monday said his conversation with Mr Grimshaw was private.

“The conversation was deeply personal, it had nothing to do with any decision the government was considering or any matter of policy whatsoever,” he said.

“I was able to offer him a personal hearing board from which I respected the confidentiality of it.

“(The discussion) pertained particularly to very personal matters associated with his partner. The discussion had nothing to do with policy.”

Three more managers, including one who forwarded an email revealing that it allows international high rollers to gamble non-stop for more than 24 hours, have also been sacked from the casino, Fairfax reported on Monday.

“I just don’t even know anything about that,” Mr Souris said.

Mr O’Farrell said he was “concerned” about the reports concerning high rollers but trusted the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA) to investigate the claims.

“That authority is independent, doesn’t operate at the direction of government, but has shown itself proactive in the past on these issues,” he told reporters in Sydney.

“ILGA has a 24/7, 365 days a year role and it has shown itself in the past, of its own volition, sensitivity to issues around the casino, to try and ensure that the community can be satisfied that appropriate standards are being upheld.”

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