Latest news with #CrownPerth
The Age
4 days ago
- Automotive
- The Age
Labor says the $217m Burswood racetrack will drive an ‘economic boost'. So, will it?
A community group lobbying for an end to plans for a $217 million racetrack and amphitheatre on the Burswood peninsula has hit back at claims the development would be a boon to the local economy, pointing to similar developments in other states they say proved the opposite. Australian Hotels Association WA chief executive Bradley Woods was among the latest to jump on board with the plans, following the thumbs-up from Crown Perth chair John Van Der Wielen. In an opinion piece in The West Australian, Woods claimed the proposed track would bring with it 'significant benefits' to the economy, and critics had 'resorted to caricatures and stereotypes to undermine the initiative'. But Save Burswood Park Alliance co-chair Robin Harvey said while 'the roar of V8 Supercars may thrill motorsport fans', the aftermath was 'far from exhilarating'. 'The legacy of these events is not one of prosperity but of disruption, disillusionment, and economic disappointment,' she said. 'As the Cook government moves to invest hundreds of millions of dollars to host a V8 Supercars event in Burswood Park, we must learn from the hard lessons of other cities.' Harvey said the events shifted economic activity, rather than created it, giving the example of a 2017 Supercars event in Newcastle, NSW, which was hailed as a success with a $36 million boost to the local economy. However, a separate independent review found the real figure was less than half that amount. She also said there had been a proposal to bring Supercars back to Canberra in 2023, after the original Canberra 400 racetrack was abandoned after two years in the early 2000s.
Sydney Morning Herald
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Sydney Morning Herald
Labor says the $217m Burswood racetrack will drive an ‘economic boost'. So, will it?
A community group lobbying for an end to plans for a $217 million racetrack and amphitheatre on the Burswood peninsula has hit back at claims the development would be a boon to the local economy, pointing to similar developments in other states they say proved the opposite. Australian Hotels Association WA chief executive Bradley Woods was among the latest to jump on board with the plans, following the thumbs-up from Crown Perth chair John Van Der Wielen. In an opinion piece in The West Australian, Woods claimed the proposed track would bring with it 'significant benefits' to the economy, and critics had 'resorted to caricatures and stereotypes to undermine the initiative'. But Save Burswood Park Alliance co-chair Robin Harvey said while 'the roar of V8 Supercars may thrill motorsport fans', the aftermath was 'far from exhilarating'. 'The legacy of these events is not one of prosperity but of disruption, disillusionment, and economic disappointment,' she said. 'As the Cook government moves to invest hundreds of millions of dollars to host a V8 Supercars event in Burswood Park, we must learn from the hard lessons of other cities.' Harvey said the events shifted economic activity, rather than created it, giving the example of a 2017 Supercars event in Newcastle, NSW, which was hailed as a success with a $36 million boost to the local economy. However, a separate independent review found the real figure was less than half that amount. She also said there had been a proposal to bring Supercars back to Canberra in 2023, after the original Canberra 400 racetrack was abandoned after two years in the early 2000s.
West Australian
09-07-2025
- Business
- West Australian
John Van Der Wielen: ‘Culture of accountability' is key in Crown Perth's new era
Crown Perth is preparing to celebrate its 40th birthday on 30 December. Fittingly, it hits this milestone during the most transformative chapter in its history. Many will vividly remember the fanfare that accompanied the opening of Burswood Island Casino in 1985. It was Australia's largest casino and the third largest casino in the world, making it a notable new addition to Perth's skyline. It epitomised sophistication and Perth's aspiration. Built on a former landfill site, its transformation into a world class resort captured the imagination of the public and reflected Perth's ambition to be seen on the global stage. WA was riding a wave of economic optimism; the casino's arrival was a bold statement of the State's progress and prosperity. Over the past four decades, the complex has been expanded, renovated and renamed. In recent years though, a critical but less obvious shift has taken place. The findings of the Perth Casino royal commission in 2022 laid bare failures which demanded sweeping reform. The report marked a clear turning point. Crown has since navigated one of WA and Australia's largest corporate transformations. In response to the royal commission, Crown Perth embarked on comprehensive reform, leaving no area of the business untouched. The scope of the remediation was significant, and it was clear timely action was important. Delays or inaction would have impacted the business, but more importantly, the thousands of team members, contractors, suppliers, charities and community partners who depend on Crown Perth. Blackstone's acquisition of Crown Resorts in June 2022 sent a clear signal — the company was backed by an owner fully committed to the scale and seriousness of the transformation required. Over the next three years, a refreshed local board and a new, WA-based senior executive team brought local insight and a renewed culture of accountability. Between October 2022 and April 2025, Crown Perth's remediation was supervised by a government-appointed independent monitor, who had full oversight. I am a great believer that your focus becomes your reality — and our total focus has been on remediating the past to set the right culture and tone for the how an integrated resort should operate today. The numbers alone speak to the scale of the collaboration and Crown's transparency. Over the course of the monitorship, Crown Perth produced more than 8300 documents and 106,000 pages of information for the independent monitor. Crown Perth's governance frameworks have been rebuilt, financial crime controls overhauled, and risk and compliance systems strengthened. Creating and embedding cultural improvements wasn't just about satisfying regulators. It was about setting a new standard that would endure. Later this year, world-leading responsible gaming measures will be implemented to help guests play within their means. From December 2025, every player using an electronic gaming machine will set time and loss limits, ensuring they do not gamble more than they intend. At Crown, our work continues. It's often said turning 40 is a coming-of-age moment and that is certainly true for Crown Perth. As we reflect on this milestone, we do so with humility and gratitude — and we face the future stronger, wiser and safer — knowing the best is yet to come. For 40 years, Crown has proudly helped shape WA's landscape, literally and figuratively. And we are just getting started. John Van Der Wielen is the chairman of Crown Perth
The Age
08-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Age
WA news LIVE: Car crash causes power blackout in Perth's south
Latest posts Latest posts 9.30am Car crash causes power blackout in Perth's south One wrong move behind the wheel saw thousands of homes in Perth's south plunged into darkness last night after a car smashed into a power transformer. The incident occurred around 8pm after a Honda Accord travelling along Leach Highway in Rossmoyne veered off the road, hitting a fixed power transmission box. The crash cut power to more than 11,000 homes. It also forced a local IGA to shut up shop and for traffic light signals in the surrounding suburbs of Booragoon, Willetton and Mount Pleasant to also be cut. Despite the transmission box being extensively damaged, Western Power were able to reconnect homes to power within two hours. The driver of the car, a man in his 20s was uninjured. 9.30am Across the nation and around the world Here's what's making news across the nation and around the world: Australia's healthcare watchdog will crack down on the country's booming medicinal cannabis industry, amid what it described as poor prescribing practice and surging patient demand. The Reserve Bank of Australia has shocked economists (and many home owners) after voting to keep rates on hold, despite widely expected cuts. It marks the first time the RBA board has been openly split over the direction of interest rates. We can exclusively reveal that during the final deliberations of the Erin Patterson murder trial, a hotel booking blunder meant jurors, police, prosecutors, and media were housed together, leading to havoc. 9.30am Today's weather A foggy start to the day before the sun comes out later on (not that it will warm up much more, mind you). 9.30am Good morning readers, and welcome to our live news blog for Wednesday, July 9. Making headlines today is news from the Burswood peninsula, where controversial plans for a $217 million racetrack and amphitheatre have received the blessing of neighbour Crown Perth. During a press conference on Tuesday, Crown Perth chairman John Van Der Wielen described the project as 'really exciting'. However, it is still unclear whether the state government will need to purchase any land off Crown to fulfil its election promise – now dubbed the Perth Entertainment and Sporting Precinct. Hamish Hastie has the full story. You can read it here. Meanwhile Charli Grant has saved the Matildas from further embarrassment, the defender bundling in a stoppage-time goal to lift Australia to a 3-2 victory over Panama at HBF Park in Perth last night.
Sydney Morning Herald
08-07-2025
- Automotive
- Sydney Morning Herald
WA news LIVE: Car crash causes power blackout in Perth's south
Latest posts Latest posts 9.30am Car crash causes power blackout in Perth's south One wrong move behind the wheel saw thousands of homes in Perth's south plunged into darkness last night after a car smashed into a power transformer. The incident occurred around 8pm after a Honda Accord travelling along Leach Highway in Rossmoyne veered off the road, hitting a fixed power transmission box. The crash cut power to more than 11,000 homes. It also forced a local IGA to shut up shop and for traffic light signals in the surrounding suburbs of Booragoon, Willetton and Mount Pleasant to also be cut. Despite the transmission box being extensively damaged, Western Power were able to reconnect homes to power within two hours. The driver of the car, a man in his 20s was uninjured. 9.30am Across the nation and around the world Here's what's making news across the nation and around the world: Australia's healthcare watchdog will crack down on the country's booming medicinal cannabis industry, amid what it described as poor prescribing practice and surging patient demand. The Reserve Bank of Australia has shocked economists (and many home owners) after voting to keep rates on hold, despite widely expected cuts. It marks the first time the RBA board has been openly split over the direction of interest rates. We can exclusively reveal that during the final deliberations of the Erin Patterson murder trial, a hotel booking blunder meant jurors, police, prosecutors, and media were housed together, leading to havoc. 9.30am Today's weather A foggy start to the day before the sun comes out later on (not that it will warm up much more, mind you). 9.30am Good morning readers, and welcome to our live news blog for Wednesday, July 9. Making headlines today is news from the Burswood peninsula, where controversial plans for a $217 million racetrack and amphitheatre have received the blessing of neighbour Crown Perth. During a press conference on Tuesday, Crown Perth chairman John Van Der Wielen described the project as 'really exciting'. However, it is still unclear whether the state government will need to purchase any land off Crown to fulfil its election promise – now dubbed the Perth Entertainment and Sporting Precinct. Hamish Hastie has the full story. You can read it here. Meanwhile Charli Grant has saved the Matildas from further embarrassment, the defender bundling in a stoppage-time goal to lift Australia to a 3-2 victory over Panama at HBF Park in Perth last night.
