27 July 2007

Greens call for inquiry into casino-related criminality

The Green Party has welcomed the belated recognition in two Department of Internal Affairs reports released yesterday that organized crime, money laundering and problem gambling have all now got a firm foothold inside New Zealand casinos.

"It would be more profitable for casinos to provide an environment where their customers can be safe, rather than chase profits within operations that help to breed criminality and social problems. The casinos have had long enough to clean up their act - it is now time for Government to prevent the cancer spotlighted in these reports from spreading any further," the Greens Gambling Spokesperson Sue Bradford says.

"I am pleased the DIA openly admits that gambling -related loan sharking is often linked to organised crime and money laundering, and that loan sharks facilitate problem gambling. Having connected those dots, it is very disappointing that the DIA then fails to support a public inquiry into the full extent of the problem.

" A public inquiry is the only way the victims of casino -related criminal activity can have the confidence to come forward confidentially and within a safe environment, to reveal what they know.

" The sad reality is that casinos in New Zealand have become linked with serious subsequent criminal activity - intimidation, blackmail, kidnapping, recruitment for prostitution and violence. The DIA reports also acknowledge New Zealand's powers to combat money laundering through casinos need to be beefed up.

" Internal Affairs Minister Rick Barker seems paralysed by the problems involved. It is just not good enough for the report to split legal hairs between loan sharking and money lending at usurious rates, or for the Police to consider money lending 'a cultural activity associated with the Asian community' that occurs away from the casino's surveillance systems.

"Is the Minister saying that he won't or can't do anything because this is an Asian problem ? Other ethnic groups, such as the Tongan community, are also cited in the report as being vulnerable to loan sharking and money lending. In any case, cultural differences neither excuse subsequent criminal activity nor condone a 'hands off' response by the Police and Government.

"I also note that the DIA report includes information that Kiwicasino ( a web based interactive gambling site) has been found to be in contravention of the Gambling Act. When can we expect to see a decision on Race O - another Internet interactive gambling site ? Especially when on 27 February, the Minister advised the House that its investigation into Race O would take only 4 weeks," Ms Bradford says.

ENDS