5. SUE BRADFORD (Green) Link to this
to the Minister of Internal Affairs
Will he call for a broad-ranging inquiry into casinos and gambling in New Zealand, following last night’s One News investigation, which uncovered a loan shark operating in Skycity Casino?
Hon RICK BARKER (Minister of Internal Affairs) Link to this
I am advised that the man identified in the One News item last night has been known to the department for some time. It has been investigating his actions already. As part of Sky City’s Auckland standard operating procedures, Sky City is required to report to the Department of Internal Affairs on any undesirable behaviour and, specifically, loan-sharking behaviour. An inquiry is under way already, and officials are engaged with Sky City to establish whether the casino has met its operating requirements; if it is found that it has not, swift action will be taken.
Why on earth has action taken so long to take place, then, if the department and the police have known about this gentleman’s activities for such a long time?
The matter of conducting an investigation is left to officials, not to me. They are the appropriate people to do it, and they do it at a time and in a manner that they feel is appropriate to the information they have.
Dianne YatesWhat specific work is under way to prevent behaviour like loan sharking and money-laundering in casinos?
I have directed officials from the Department of Internal Affairs to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the issues around loan sharking so that we can take a Government approach to discontinuing such predatory behaviour. The Department of Internal Affairs has been working with the police, with justice, with commerce, and with health to ensure that we have appropriate laws and appropriate operating procedures to do our utmost to stamp out this reprehensible behaviour.
Dr Pita SharplesTēnā koe, Madam Speaker. How does the Minister explain the fact that his department’s own reports of 13 July, released by him on 26 July, identified that there have been numerous allegations leading to a call for a public inquiry, that loan sharks were operating in casino toilets, and that there was prize-draw fixing, and skimming from gaming machines; and in the months since those reports were released, why has he not announced an independent public inquiry to fully scrutinise any concerns related to the licensing, establishment, management, and supervision of casinos?
The allegations about skimming and game fixing have been investigated thoroughly by the department. It has gone through all the computer records and files and found no evidence to substantiate that. Loan sharking is set down as one of the specific behaviours that is seen as undesirable, and casinos are required to report on that behaviour to the department. Casinos that are in breach of that will have actions taken against them.
Gordon CopelandAre there existing laws and penalties sufficient to put an end to loan-sharking operations in conjunction with casinos; if not, surely it would be more efficient to impose such a ban with appropriately stiff penalties, rather than having the broad-ranging and expensive inquiry into the entire casino and gambling industry, which is proposed in the principal question?
The member asks whether more can be done; I think more can be done. The Department of Internal Affairs has made submissions to the Gambling Commission to require Skycity Casino, for example, and other casinos, to have in their policies on host responsibility, training specifically for staff on the detection of loan sharking, a requirement to specifically exclude anybody they believe to be a loan shark, and to have in place programmes to assist people who are affected by loan sharks. I am looking forward to the Gambling Commission making those requirements on casinos in New Zealand.
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I specifically asked the Minister whether there were existing laws and penalties to ban this activity, and I do not believe that he, in any way, shape, or form, addressed that part of the question.
Madam SPEAKERHow can the public have confidence in the Minister and in the department when the Minister and the department say they know what is going on, but loan sharks continue to operate with impunity inside the casinos, flagrantly breaking the law, seizing passports, and causing immeasurable pain to New Zealand individuals and families?
I do have confidence in the Department of Internal Affairs. The department has genuine good people to ensure that the law is enforced. If people have evidence that the law is being breached, or Skycity Casino is in breach of its conditions, they should report that, and the department will take swift and effective action against that.
Does the Minister believe that his proposed Gambling Amendment Bill, which contains only small policy amendments and many technical amendments, will stop the widely known longstanding illegal behaviour in our casinos and around our pokie parlours?