SkyCity asked for taxpayers to pay for the marketing and promotion of the international convention centre. The Auditor-General’s report into the Government’s handling of the SkyCity deal revealed the promotional incentive was sought by the casino in September 2010. However, the Government has ruled out the annual payment. The 2009 feasibility study into the convention Read more
Claud Cockburn, the perceptive British journalist, once remarked with characteristic assurance that Catholics could never run a book on the papal election. It would be blasphemy, he said, because Catholics believe that the Pope is chosen by the Holy Spirit. I found the comment intriguing. It was factually counter-intuitive because Catholics I knew were prepared Read more
Samoa will have its first casino in six months after two licences have been granted, one to beach resort, Aggie Grey’s, and another to Chinese company ETG. Reverend Maauga Motu, general secretary of Samoa’s National Council of Churches, told Radio Australia’s Pacific Beat less fortunate Samoans are likely to be hardest hit by the development Read more
A nun with a gambling addiction is facing criminal grand larceny charges for embezzling funds from two parishes in upstate New York. She reportedly stole $NZ155,000 and spent it at casinos while working as a pastoral associate. Continue reading
Churches in French Polynesia have spoken out against suggestions that the Sofitel Maeva Beach Hotel, which is due to close in November, be turned into a casino. Church leaders have told the local press that they doubt a casino will benefit tourism, warning of negative outcomes for the poor. A Tahiti-based businessman, Franck Falletta, has Read more
The Mana Party has led a protest against a South Auckland fast food shop that is operating pokie machines despite not having a licence. About a dozen people waved placards outside the Galaxy Takeaways shop in Otara last Saturday morning. The shop’s 18 pokies have been operating without a licence since it was revoked by Read more
The Prime Minister of Samoa, Tuilaepa Fatialofa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi, well known for his light hearted comments to the media, is suggesting that the country’s National Council of Churches was acting in a similarly jocular manner when it warned of the perils of casinos and gambling in Samoa. Last week the Chairman of NCC, Reverend Read more
Two casinos have been approved by the government of Samoa. One is expected to be on the main island of Upolu and the other on the beautiful Savaii. A $400-500 million resort at Sasina village on Savaii has also been approved. But the Chief Executive officer of the South Pacific Development group says he had Read more
One Hundred Sands has been granted a licence to operate a second casino, with Suva being hinted at as the likely location. In December 2011 One Hundred Sands Limited, which is a subsidiary of a US company, was given permission by the Fijian Government to operate the country’s first casino. The 290 million Fiji dollars (114.29 Read more
There has been trend of increasing incidence of children abandoned at SkyCity Auckland over the last three years: 19 in 2009, 46 in 2010 and 54 in 2011. These figures were provided to Fairfax Media by Internal Affairs under the Official Information Act. In the latest incident 5 children whose ages ranged from 5 months Read more