The NZ Herald continues its look at the festering corruption within the gaming machine swindle. David Fisher reports on a
former gaming chief executive:
Mr Wevers said attempts to reform the industry failed as those involved
"reverted to behaviour to maximise returns to venues" and trusts. "There
were a whole of lot of people and lawyers assisting them who were
looking at ways to avoid the law."
Fisher also talks to
convicted gaming fraudster Noel Gibbons:
Counties Manukau Bowls Inc (now in liquidation) became the beneficiary
of an ever-increasing level of grants once Gibbons worked out how to get
into the pub business, care of investment structure devised by people
he knew in trotting circles.
You'd have thought reform would have begun after the
great Gold Times court case way back in 2005, which highlighted the broad grey areas where fraud might flourish. Te Ururoa Flavell's Bill is a belated start, drawing much needed scrutiny on the industry. But larger reform is needed to tidy up this Pleasantville Mafia family.
