Casino tender guidelines changes before packer bid

Government guidelines on bypassing competitive tendering were changed just before billionaire businessman James Packer put forward his proposal for a $1 billion hotel and casino in Sydney, it has been claimed.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that a clause specifying that independent evaluations were needed before a scheme could be allowed to avoid going to tender was removed on August 17.

That was exactly a week after NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell met Mr Packer to discuss the proposed "six-star" hotel and VIP gaming resort at Barangaroo, and two weeks after Mr Packer officially put forward his plan, the newspaper said.

It says guidelines in the Working with Government document requiring evaluation by the relevant government agency to confirm there would be better value for money in avoiding a tender process have now been replaced by the Public Private Partnership Guidelines, which do not include that requirement.

A spokesman for Mr O'Farrell told the Herald the changes were "minor administrative changes to keep the document up to date and relevant".

The plan has reached the second stage of the state government's "unsolicited proposals" process. A more detailed proposal from Crown Ltd is to be considered by the government panel, and if that is approved and a binding offer made, all that stands between Mr Packer and his casino dream is a vote in NSW parliament.

 ninemsn.com.au 1 Nov 2012

Government corruption with businesses is a common criminal occurrence, that does not get reported on enough by the corporate media.

Discounts, favours and other bribes are exchanged between politicians and law makers to suit the corporate elite.

Criminal charges should follow these revelations, but as always, we are talking about a group of people that are untouchable by the law.