Crown: Special Manager Activity Report
This is the third activity report of the Special Manager independently overseeing the Melbourne casino operator. It has been prepared by the Office of the Special Manager (OSM) to inform the public on key activities undertaken by the Special Manager for the six-month reporting period from 1 January to 30 June 2023.
As the Special Manager for the Melbourne Casino Operator, Stephen O’Bryan KC has two key complementary functions:
to independently oversee Crown Melbourne’s operations
to keep a ‘watchful eye’ on Crown’s reforms to address the significant issues and failings identified by the Finkelstein Royal Commission.1
In January 2024, the Special Manager will submit a final report to the state regulator, the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC), and the Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation. The final report will evaluate Crown’s reform efforts to assist the VGCCC in making its decision on whether Crown has ‘returned to suitability’; that is, whether it is appropriate for Crown to continue to hold the Melbourne casino licence.
Given the significant community interest in the outcomes of the Finkelstein Royal Commission and Crown’s efforts to return to suitability, the Special Manager publishes these six-monthly activity reports to provide a public update on the key activities he and the OSM have undertaken.
The content of these public reports is limited due to the ongoing, and legally and commercially sensitive nature of the Special Manager’s work. Necessarily, the Special Manager is restricted from making detailed public comment on how Crown is progressing on its reforms and efforts to return to suitability.
