New casino an ‘epic disaster’ for Brisbane, researcher says

Concerns were first brought to the regulator’s attention by reports from Nine newspaper mastheads and 60 Minutes.

Regardless of the inquiry’s findings, Livingstone doubted the Queensland government would revoke Star’s licence.

The “core” of QWB was expected to open in 2023.

“You’d have this bazillion-dollar white elephant on the foreshore on the northern side of Brisbane River,” he said.

The “core” of Queen’s Wharf Brisbane, described by the government as an “integrated resort”, was expected to open next year. In addition to the casino, it would include high-end retail, hotels, restaurants and a residential tower.

Livingstone, whose research specialities included gambling harm, believed the casino would be an “epic disaster” because it was “a gigantic venue for Brisbane people to lose all their money”.

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“Nobody travels around the world to go to casinos anymore because there are casinos pretty much everywhere you go,” he said.

“For the High Roller market, you’re not going to come to Brisbane… In order to get to Brisbane [from Asia] you fly over the top of two of the world’s biggest and most glamorous casinos in Singapore, and they’re gunning for your business like there’s no tomorrow.

“Most of the revenue from casinos in Australia comes from ordinary people playing pokies and there’s no reason to think that’s going to be any different in Queensland.”

At a Brisbane business lunch in March, Star’s then-chairman John O’Neill spoke about how the business was able to ride out the pandemic restrictions and closure of the international border.

“The people who are visiting our three premises at Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sydney are spending more money,” he said.

The design for the Neville Bonner Bridge connecting from Queen’s Wharf to South Brisbane.Credit:Queensland Government

“The average spend is up substantially. There’s maybe a gap between the haves and the have-nots, but the disposable income of those going out is substantially up.”

Star says it has a long-standing commitment to minimising gambling harm. Its casinos contain trained representatives who can offer help or point patrons towards professional services. Customers can also opt to self-exclude themselves from venues.

O’Neill stepped down from his role amid an inquiry into the gaming giant’s Sydney casino. It heard damning allegations of money laundering, criminal infiltration and fraud. The report is expected in weeks.

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Inquiries into Star’s competitor Crown in Victoria and Western Australia found the company was unfit to operate casinos, but neither government removed the licences.

“Obviously, if the [Queensland] inquiry finds that [Star] is not fit and proper as they are constituted, then they’re going to have to go through a period of change,” Livingstone said.

“And that’s already apparently started, arising from the Sydney inquiry. But as to whether there will interfere with the licence, that’s a really big step for government to take.”

Queen’s Wharf Brisbane is joint-venture between Star and Hong Kong-headquartered businesses Chow Tai Fook and Far East Consortium.