Packer grilled at Crown inquiry

On Wednesday morning James Packer took to the stand in the Independent ­Liquor and Gaming Authority inquiry to provide information on the many downfalls of his Crown Resorts empire. 

Mr. Packer agreed that he was in part responsible for the failures of ethics, risk management processes and corporate governance at Crown in the time leading up to the arrest of staff in China in 2016.

However, he also put blame on Robert Rankin and Rowen Craigie, his chairman and chief executive at the time, who he said had let him down in the time that he was living overseas.

According to the evidence that was presented, the management team did not keep the board ­informed of the increasing risks of Crown’s high-roller strategy in China. No-one took on the responsibility to make sure information was passed on and that people were held accountable.

Packer had said to the inquiry commissioner ­Patricia Bergin, that his focus was always the numbers: “If you look at our financial budgets and forecasts they never pleased me because we always missed,” he said.

“That was right up the top of my list of important things. I don’t think it would be fair to say I was always being pleased by people.” 

Bergin had expressed concern about Mr Packer’s control over Crown following his Board departure in March 2018. 

Mr Packer left the Board citing mental health issues. However, it seems he hasn’t been too far away from the release of sensitive information.

On Wednesday, emails were presented to the inquiry revealing the amount of information Packer had received over the past 2½ years as a non-Board member. 

Mr Packer has also been accused of making threats to Crown’s senior executives.

He replied: “No, I was frustrated, I was frustrated because I had been saying for the good part of the financial year that the executives were being too optimistic,’’ before adding: I might have just been being dramatic.” 

Packer was asked by counsel if he continued to act as though he was in charge of Crown by telling executives what to do.

“I expected them to listen to me and push back if they disagreed,’’ Packer replied. 

Packer was then asked if he was acting as though he was still a Crown director.

“I was under the impression I could communicate the way I was communicating,’’ he replied.