The electorate chairman of a National MP has been taken to task by an arm of the Catholic Church for giving select committee evidence in support of the SkyCity convention centre deal. Seamus Donegan appeared before the committee of MPs on behalf of the Catholic Church’s Justice and Peace Commission. The problem is that the Church’s Justice Read more
Posts Tagged ‘SkyCity deal’
SkyCity costs greater than benefits, MPs told
Friday, September 20th, 2013The Law Society says it appears the costs of the SkyCity convention centre deal outweigh the benefits to the public. SkyCity is to build a $402 million centre in central Auckland in exchange for an extension of its casino license and being allowed to operate more gaming machines and tables. The bill allowing the deal Read more
Auckland Justice & Peace Commission concerned about gambling
Friday, September 6th, 2013
The Gambling (Harm Reduction) Amendment Bill passed its final reading on Wednesday night. In its original form, the Bill would have required gaming machine proceeds to be solely distributed locally. It would also have forced machine operators to track players and provide pre-paid cards. But these provisions were scrapped during the select-committee stage, to ensure the Read more
Confused reporting of Catholic position on SkyCity Casino deal
Tuesday, September 3rd, 2013
On Monday, the Chair of Auckland’s Catholic Justice and Peace Commission, Peter Garrick, had to issue a clarification of a report on National Radio about the Catholic church’s views on the Sky City International Convention Centre. The National Radio report said that a commissioner with the Justice and Peace Commission of the Catholic Church, Seamus Donegan, told the New Read more
Proposed SkyCity deal potentially devastating for Pasifika people
Tuesday, July 16th, 2013
The National Party’s two Pasifika MPs are being urged to ‘do the right thing’ and vote against legislation for the SkyCity convention centre deal. Under a deal with the Government, the casino operator will build a $400 million centre in Auckland in exchange for a 27-year extension to its licence and the right to have Read more
SkyCity deal is no way to run a country
Tuesday, February 26th, 2013
Whitewash is the only word to describe the deputy auditor-general’s report on the Government’s relationship with SkyCity. The report dumps all the blame on civil servants. But its description of events makes it very clear the prime minister, his office, his Tourism Ministry, and the Ministry of Economic Development spent a year trying to stitch Read more