This Monday saw an announcement by The Star that David Foster would no longer serve as Chairman of the Board. Anne Ward has taken on the position in his stead.
The Star is currently undergoing its second regulatory inquiry by the New South Wales Independent Casino Commission (NICC). The probe commenced this February and is currently led by Adam Bell SC, who was also in charge of the 2022 inquiry that ended with The Star being deemed unfit to hold an NICC licence and the company being mandated to pay an AU$100 million fine. Nicholas Weeks was also appointed as the independent manager who would monitor the company’s operations.
During a Monday hearing tied to The Star’s situation, Ms Ward confirmed that Mr Foster’s replacement was a decision reached by the Board without input from the then Chair himself. The move was not entirely unexpected given last week’s revelations that Mr Foster had expressed intentions to “abolish” the NICC due to his belief that there are discrepancies between how casinos and pubs are regulated.
It was clarified on Monday that Mr Foster will remain an interim member of The Star’s Board as the Group continues to search for a permanent CEO. In addition, he will not step down from his executive roles at The Star’s subsidiaries before suitable replacements have been found.
Mr Foster Discussed a Possible Class Action Against the NICC with Ex-CEO Robbie Cooke
As previously reported by Casino Guardian, the NICC made it clear in March that most inquiry-tied hearings would be public, and it was precisely during such a hearing that text messages between Mr Foster and Robbie Cooke, who used to serve as The Star’s CEO, were revealed. The said messages contained Mr Foster’s remarks on the NICC’s potential abolishment.
Mr Foster defended himself by claiming that the “heat of the moment” comments were poorly worded and that he regretted them, but insisted that they reflected neither his “actual activities and focus” nor his relationship with the NICC and Mr Weeks. He previously stressed that his main point was centred around the “uneven playing field” in New South Wales when it came to gambling regulation with regard to casinos, pubs and clubs. According to Mr Foster, he had even spoken about this with the NICC’s Chief Commissioner, Philip Crawford.
It should be noted, however, that this was not the first time Mr Foster came under fire for questionable remarks regarding the NICC. During another hearing held earlier this month, Mr Foster and Mr Cooke were revealed to have discussed the possibility of “getting rid of” Mr Weeks and taking legal action against the NICC. Mr Weeks addressed this by claiming he found their actions “extraordinary” given their positions and The Star’s licensing situation.
Not long after these events unfolded, The Star’s Sydney-based rival, the Crown Sydney, was given the NICC’s approval to begin operating as a fully regulated establishment in New South Wales once more. If the inquiry into The Star ends on a positive note this time around, its own Sydney casino resort might follow suit.
- Author
Daniel Williams
