NSW: Gaming watchdog chief resigns

AAP General News (Australia)
04-26-2000
NSW: Gaming watchdog chief resigns

By Linda Silmalis, State Political Correspondent

SYDNEY, April 26 AAP - The head of New South Wales' gaming watchdog resigned today
after saying on national television she was sorry a convicted heroin supplier had been
banned from Star City Casino.

NSW Casino Control Authority head Kaye Loder told ABC TV's Four Corners on Monday night
she was sorry police had banned Duong Van Ia, who had been one of Sydney's biggest heroin
traffickers.

She stepped down from the role hours after Premier Bob Carr warned she would be sacked
if she did not resign.

According to casino records, Van Ia, who was sentenced to eight years' jail in 1998
for supplying heroin, gambled $94 million in just six months at Sydney Harbour in 1996,
including $24 million in one month.

Ms Loder had told Four Corners the money had been going back into state revenue via the casino.

"I'm sorry to see the money go out of NSW, but I'm speaking personally for myself,"

Ms Loder said.

"If you have a legal casino, at least you regulate the gambling that is available and
the state obtains some benefit from the revenue.

"If that money is coming from heroin deals and is going into casino gaming and is coming
back to the state in the way of revenue, it's a matter of debate about whether or not
that's a good thing, or an acceptable thing."

Mr Carr said he had been surprised and appalled by the comments.

"I sought her resignation ... because I found her comments on Four Corners were unacceptable,"

Mr Carr told reporters in Sydney.

"We don't want to see people who've made money out of this inhuman trade in addictive
drugs be able to put their money, ill-gotten as it is, immoral as it is, through the casino.

"It's clearly intolerable to me to have the person who chairs the casino control authority
saying that it's somehow acceptable, that it's somehow the lesser of the available evils,
to have money accrued through heroin dealing put through the roulette."

Under state laws, police and the CCA can ban patrons from the casino.

According to NSW Gaming and Racing Department figures for September 1995 to February
this year, 2,089 people had been given permanent bans with 28 of those issued under police
orders.

The reasons for the bans ranged from offences such as leaving children in the car to
evidence of drug money laundering.

Mr Carr said the comments did not suggest the laws required tightening.

"No-one's suggested that the powers in the legislation are inadequate," Mr Carr said.

State opposition leader Kerry Chikarovski said a report into casino operations was
needed to reassure the public the venue was not a laundromat for drug money.

She also said the government needed to ensure the vacated role of CCA chief would be
filled by someone chosen on merit and not from within party ranks.

"Kaye has been a longstanding member of the Labor Party; she has been involved with
the Labor Party for many years," she said.

"What we need to see from the premier is people being appointed on merit, not because
they happen to be a Labor mate."

A spokesman for NSW Gaming and Racing Minister Richard Face said while no decision
had yet been made, it was most likely the position would be advertised.

AAP ls/sb/jnb/br

KEYWORD: GAMBLE NIGHTLEAD

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