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Appendix N
Commission hearings
- The Commission hearings were held at the Fair Work Commission, 11 Exhibition Street, Melbourne. Most witnesses who resided in Victoria attended in person. The remainder, along with those residing interstate or overseas, gave evidence via video link. On some days, the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions required hearings to be held remotely.
- Hearings commenced on 24 March 2021 and concluded on 3 August 2021. In all, 66 witnesses were called to give evidence. Most witnesses gave evidence at public hearings. On some occasions, however, the hearings were held in either closed or private session.
- There were several reasons for closed hearings and private hearings. Some witnesses were frightened of the possible consequences of giving evidence against Crown, or were ashamed of their circumstances. Others gave evidence about matters that were the subject of legal professional privilege, evidence that might have been the subject of public interest immunity, evidence concerning ongoing regulatory inquiries or evidence that might adversely affect the interests of other parties. It was decided none of this evidence should be disclosed publicly. Finally, the Commission heard certain evidence about the casino’s operating systems that might be the subject of exploitation by criminal elements. It was decided that this evidence plainly ought not be disclosed either.
- The following table lists hearing dates, topics and witnesses. All hearings were public, unless otherwise indicated.
Date | Witness name and employer | Topic |
|---|---|---|
3 May 2021 | Ahmed Hasna (private hearing) | Responsible gambling and gambling addition |
| 3 May 2021 | AZ (private hearing) | Crown Rewards loyalty program |
4 May 2021 | Elizabeth Mitchell (private hearing) | Responsible gambling and gambling addiction |
| 4 May 2021 | Ian (Stuart) McDonald (private hearing) | Self-exclusion programs at Crown |
| 4 May 2021 | BZ (private hearing) | Crown Rewards loyalty program and the role of hosts |
5 May 2021 | Binbin Du (private hearing) | Responsible gambling and gambling addiction |
6 May 2021 | DZ (private hearing) DY (private hearing) Carolyn Crawford (private hearing) | Responsible gambling and gambling addiction |
7 May 2021 | Acting Assistant Commissioner Michael Frewen, Crime Command, Victoria Police (closed hearing) | Crime and investigations |
10 May 2021 | Assistant Commissioner Christopher Gilbert, Intelligence and Covert Support Command, Victoria Police (closed hearing) | Crime and investigations |
17 May 2021 | Timothy Bryant, Team Leader, Investigations, Compliance Division, VCGLR | Relationship between Crown and the regulator China arrests |
18 May 2021 | Jason Cremona, Manager, Licensing Management and Audit Team, VCGLR | Money laundering VCGLR Sixth Casino Review Recommendation 17 |
20 May 2021 | Dr Murray Lawson, Director, Risk Advisory Practice, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu | Junkets |
| 20 May 2021 | Nicholas (Nick) Stokes, Group General Manager Anti-Money Laundering, Crown Resorts Limited | Junkets and money laundering |
| 20 May 2021 | EZ (private hearing) EX (private hearing) EY (private hearing) | Responsible gambling |
21 May 2021 | Nick Stokes (cont.) | Junkets and money laundering |
| 21 May 2021 | Crown Melbourne Employee 1 (closed hearing) Crown Melbourne Employee 2 (closed hearing) Crown Melbourne Employee 3 (closed hearing) Crown Melbourne Employee 4 (closed hearing) Crown Melbourne Employee 5 (closed hearing) Crown Melbourne Employee 6 (closed hearing) | Responsible service of gaming |
24 May 2021 | Katherine Shamai, Partner, Risk Consulting, Grant Thornton Australia Ltd | Money laundering |
25 May 2021 | Neil Jeans, Principal, Initialism (part closed hearing) | Money laundering |
26 May 2021 | Neil Jeans (cont.) Lisa Dobbin, Partner, Australian Financial Crime, Deloitte (part closed hearing) | Money laundering |
27 May 2021 | Alexander Carmichael, Managing Director, Promontory Financial Group (closed hearing) | Money laundering |
| 27 May 2021 | Crown Melbourne Employee 7 (closed hearing) FZ (private hearing) | Responsible service of gaming |
1 June 2021 | Sonja Bauer, Group General Manager, Responsible Gaming, Crown Resorts Limited | Responsible service of gaming |
2 June 2021 | Sonja Bauer (cont.) | Responsible service of gaming |
3 June 2021 | Sonja Bauer (cont.) | Responsible service of gaming |
4 June 2021 | Nicolas Emery, Chief Marketing Officer, Crown Resorts Limited | Responsible service of gaming |
| 4 June 2021 | Dr Sarah MacLean, Associate Professor, Social Work and Social Policy, La Trobe University Shane Lucas, CEO, VRGF | Responsible gambling |
7 June 2021 | Mark Mackay, Executive General Manager, Gaming Machines, Crown Melbourne Limited (part closed hearing) | Taxation and responsible service of gaming |
8 June 2021 | Peter Lawrence, General Manager, VIP Customer Service, Crown Melbourne Limited | Responsible service of gaming |
| 8 June 2021 | Rosa Billi, Branch Head, Research and Evaluation, VRGF | Responsible gambling |
| 8 June 2021 | Manorani Guy, President, Victorian Working Group on International Student Employability (VicWISE) GZ (private hearing) | Gambling addiction |
9 June 2021 | Cara Hartnett, Partner, Risk Advisory, Deloitte Victoria Whitaker, Partner, Risk Advisory, Deloitte | Risk management and culture at Crown |
| 9 June 2021 | Anne Siegers, Chief Risk Officer, Crown Resorts Limited | Risk management, China arrests and junkets |
10 June 2021 | Anne Siegers (cont.) | Risk management, China arrests and junkets |
18 June 2021 | A Police Officer in the Organised Crime Intelligence Unit, Victoria Police (closed hearing) | Crime and investigations and money laundering |
21 June 2021 | Mark Mackay (recalled) | Taxation, responsible service of gaming |
| 21 June 2021 | Sonja Bauer (recalled) | Responsible service of gaming |
22 June 2021 | Nigel Morrison, Non-Executive Director, Crown Melbourne Limited and Crown Resorts Limited | Taxation and legal advices |
| 22 June 2021 | Andrew Maher, Partner, Allens Linklaters (closed hearing) | Legal advices (taxation) |
23 June 2021 | Crown Melbourne Employee 8 (closed hearing) Crown Melbourne Employee 9 (closed hearing) Crown Melbourne Employee 18 (closed hearing) Crown Melbourne Employee 10 (closed hearing) Crown Melbourne Employee 15 (closed hearing) | Crown Towers Hotel financial transactions |
24 June 2021 | Security Officer 1, Private Security Company (closed hearing) Security Officer 2, Private Security Company (closed hearing) | Junkets |
25 June 2021 | Robin (Craig) Walsh, Executive Director, Security and Surveillance, Crown Melbourne Limited | Security and surveillance at Crown Melbourne (including criminal influence and money laundering) |
28 June 2021 | Michelle Fielding, Group Executive General Manager, Regulatory and Compliance, Crown Resorts Limited (part closed hearing) | Regulatory compliance (including taxation and money laundering) |
29 June 2021 | Richard Murphy, Partner, MinterEllison (closed hearing) | China arrests, overseas operations and legal advices |
1 July 2021 | Steven Blackburn, Group Chief Compliance and Financial Crime Officer, Crown Resorts Limited (part closed hearing) | Money laundering, Crown Towers Hotel financial transactions and responsible service of gaming |
2 July 2021 | Jan Williamson, General Manager, Legal, Crown Melbourne Limited (part closed hearing) | Legal advices (including taxation, overseas operations and Crown Towers Hotel financial transactions) |
5 July 2021 | Xavier Walsh, CEO and Director, Crown Melbourne Limited (part closed hearing) | Taxation, risk management, junkets, money laundering |
6 July 2021 | Nick Weeks, Executive General Manager, Transformation and Regulatory Response, Crown Resorts Limited | Remediation plan and reform |
| 6 July 2021 | Stephen McCann, CEO and Managing Director (pending probity), Crown Resorts Limited | Transforming culture, taxation |
| 6 July 2021 | Alan McGregor, CFO and Interim Company Secretary, Crown Resorts Limited | Responsible service of gaming, money laundering and taxation |
7 July 2021 | Sarah (Jane) Halton, Non-Executive Director, Crown Resorts, Director and Chair, Crown Sydney (part closed hearing) Antonia Korsanos, Non-Executive Director, Crown Resorts Limited, Chair of Crown Melbourne Limited (part closed hearing) | Risk management, culture, governance, China arrests, taxation |
8 July 2021 | Helen Coonan, Executive Chairman, Crown Resorts Limited, Chair, Crown Resorts Foundation Limited and Director, Crown Melbourne Limited | China arrests, relationship with the regulator, responsible service of gaming, taxation, governance |
9 July 2021 | Robyn McKern, Partner, McGrathNicol | Money laundering |
| 9 July 2021 | Elizabeth Morris (Arzadon), Managing Director, Kiel Advisory Group | Culture within Crown, transforming organisational culture |
Reviewed 25 October 2021