More document delays at Star inquiry 'very unfortunate'

Fresh documents have been produced in an “unfortunate” development that has again delayed a second probe into Star’s Sydney casino licence.

Counsel assisting the inquiry Caspar Conde was questioning Star’s chief risk officer Scott Saunders when the documents were produced on Monday.

“I understand they ought to have been produced earlier and importantly they may bear upon Mr Saunders’ examination,” Mr Conde told the inquiry, led by Adam Bell SC.

Mr Saunders had been questioned about his role identifying and managing risks and reporting them to executive management.

He told the inquiry new processes took effect in March to make it easier for team members to understand their responsibilities.

“In the past, it’s been a little bit ad hoc, to be honest,” Mr Saunders said.

Mr Bell is chairing his second inquiry into Star’s suitability for its lucrative Sydney casino licence following concerns about long-term reform at the company.

The casino’s licence was suspended in 2022 after the first inquiry, which featured revelations of illegal gang-linked junkets in gaming rooms and Chinese debit-card transactions disguised as hotel expenses.

The delay due to the production of additional documents was “very unfortunate”, Mr Bell said as he briefly adjourned proceedings on Monday.

He earlier sought an explanation from Star for breaching a summons after a large number of documents forced an adjournment on Wednesday, adding he would consider whether an offence had been committed in the company’s failure to provide the material before the inquiry’s deadline.

That development came as Star’s former chief financial officer Christina Katsibouba described a culture of secrecy and isolation among the casino operator’s leadership.

She resigned in December after forming the view her position had become untenable, claiming former chief executive Robbie Cooke urged her to keep details about the firm’s dire financial situation from the board so as not to “scare” them.

But Mr Saunders told the inquiry he was not familiar with Ms Katsibouba’s claims of being asked to book losses in the wrong month, besides what he had read in media reports.

“I have no context around how that matter actually came about,” he said.

Mr Cooke is scheduled to appear before the inquiry during the week.

Star’s share price has plunged more than 18 per cent since the second inquiry’s public hearings began.