Wilkie has no luck on Fed action at Crown

THE major federal parties have been accused of dodging their responsibility to investigate serious money-laundering allegations against Melbourne’s Crown casino.

Independent MP Andrew Wilkie is demanding an independent inquiry into whistleblowers’ allegations that Crown illegally modified machines to increase gambling losses, ignored drug use and domestic violence, and let gamblers get around moneylaundering laws.

“The allegations that I tabled (in Parliament) yesterday were most serious and a parliamentary inquiry is needed to get to the bottom of them,” Mr Wilkie said yesterday.

“That the Labor party and the Liberal party are both sidestepping the issue shows that they continue to grovel to the poker machine industry.

“The allegations include money-laundering, and that is a serious federal offence.”

Mr Wilkie has written to the Australian Federal Police and says he wants a criminal investigation alongside an independent inquiry.

Federal Government frontbencher Mitch Fifield said any inquiry was up to Victoria, adding casino regulation was not a federal responsibility.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten hosed down the prospects of a Senate inquiry, saying the Upper House was not a police force.

“These are very serious allegations but I believe that the police in Victoria and the gambling regulator in Victoria is best positioned to deal with state law,” he said.

Senators Nick Xenophon and Jacqui Lambie also want an independent inquiry, as do the Greens.