New South Wales‘ Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA) has announced it will hold public hearings to discover whether allegations of campaigns to influence its inquiry into the Sydney’s The Star Casino’s managing director Sid Vaikunta – and claims against him of sexual harassment – are true.
The ILGA chairman, Chris Sidoti, said yesterday that Ms Furness, who has been conducting the inquiry in camera, will hold “limited public hearings” next week into the new matters, a report by The Australian reveals.
The move follows previous reports that Premier Barry O’Farrell’s communications director, Peter Grimshaw and his girlfriend (who was a human resources manager at the casino) mounted a covert media campaign over months against The Star and Vaikunta.
Emails and texts between Grimshaw and his lover leaked to The Australian also show how Gaming Minister George Souris agreed to protect the identity of Grimshaw’s girlfriend from the media and O’Farrell.
As a result, it’s thought that Grimshaw is likely to be called to give evidence in the Inquiry as well as Souris and his press secretary, Norm Lipson.
According to the leaked texts, Grimshaw told his girlfriend that a person called “Norm” – believed to be Lipson – had suggested to “sew it up”, the other woman who brought allegations of sexual harassment against Vaikunta should lay a complaint with police, even if she subsequently withdrew it.
Other allegations reported in the last few weeks reveal current and former Star employees are claiming management ignored sexual harassment of the casino’s staff by high-rollers. However, the casino is denying these claims.
