The state’s liquor and gaming watchdog has put the majority owners of Wests Tigers on notice following the latest boardroom dramas engulfing the club.
The Holman Barnes Group, the Tigers’ 90 per cent shareholder, has sacked four independent Wests Tigers directors including chairman Barry O’Farrell, a move that has clouded the future of chief executive Shane Richardson.
“Liquor & Gaming NSW is not currently investigating any matters involving Western Suburbs Leagues Club or the Holman Barnes Group,” said a spokesperson for Liquor & Gaming NSW.
“However, we are monitoring these latest developments involving the board.
“Registered clubs must operate with the highest standards of integrity in the interests of their members as required under the Registered Clubs Act.”
Only 24 hours earlier, Inner West Council mayor Darcy Byrne, who was pivotal in securing state and federal funding for Leichhardt Oval upgrades, called for Liquor and Gaming NSW to “investigate and intervene” in the club’s administrative issues.
Pointing to the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority’s previous investigation of disharmony and board directors being dismissed, Byrne said: “If this doesn’t demonstrate that there is a problem with governance in that organisation, then nothing will.”
@joel-helmes I'm a lawyer by profession and was interested in learning a bit more about this Liquor and Gaming angle so I did some research which I will share for those interested. I personally feel as thought outside intervention from the regulator or the NRL is our only way out of this mess.
Liquor & Gaming NSW has to apply to the Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority under section 41A of the Registered Clubs Act for an administrator to be appointed. The Parramatta Leagues club situation in 2016 (for salary cap breaches albeit) is the last notable instance where a section 41A appointment was made. The response from the ILGA to L&G to the application at that time is attached.
July 2016 - L&G make the application to ILGA under section 41A under pressure from the NSW State Govt (namely then Deputy Premier of NSW Troy Grant who is now Chair of International Rugby League)
The outcome of that investigation is not made clear online. If L&G are monitoring the latest developments that could pre-empt another investigation.
I'd have thought terminating 3 board members was on its own enough to invoke section 41A. Since then we have had another board member disposed of in Julie Romero. There's been multiple internal investigations commissioned by HBG into her situation not to mention Supreme Court applications brought by Wayde and Andreacchio in relation to their dismissal.
The state’s liquor and gaming watchdog has put the majority owners of Wests Tigers on notice following the latest boardroom dramas engulfing the club.
The Holman Barnes Group, the Tigers’ 90 per cent shareholder, has sacked four independent Wests Tigers directors including chairman Barry O’Farrell, a move that has clouded the future of chief executive Shane Richardson.
“Liquor & Gaming NSW is not currently investigating any matters involving Western Suburbs Leagues Club or the Holman Barnes Group,” said a spokesperson for Liquor & Gaming NSW.
“However, we are monitoring these latest developments involving the board.
“Registered clubs must operate with the highest standards of integrity in the interests of their members as required under the Registered Clubs Act.”
Only 24 hours earlier, Inner West Council mayor Darcy Byrne, who was pivotal in securing state and federal funding for Leichhardt Oval upgrades, called for Liquor and Gaming NSW to “investigate and intervene” in the club’s administrative issues.
Pointing to the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority’s previous investigation of disharmony and board directors being dismissed, Byrne said: “If this doesn’t demonstrate that there is a problem with governance in that organisation, then nothing will.”
@joel-helmes I'm a lawyer by profession and was interested in learning a bit more about this Liquor and Gaming angle so I did some research which I will share for those interested. I personally feel as thought outside intervention from the regulator or the NRL is our only way out of this mess.
Liquor & Gaming NSW has to apply to the Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority under section 41A of the Registered Clubs Act for an administrator to be appointed. The Parramatta Leagues club situation in 2016 (for salary cap breaches albeit) is the last notable instance where a section 41A appointment was made. The response from the ILGA to L&G to the application at that time is attached.
July 2016 - L&G make the application to ILGA under section 41A under pressure from the NSW State Govt (namely then Deputy Premier of NSW Troy Grant who is now Chair of International Rugby League)
The outcome of that investigation is not made clear online. If L&G are monitoring the latest developments that could pre-empt another investigation.
I'd have thought terminating 3 board members was on its own enough to invoke section 41A. Since then we have had another board member disposed of in Julie Romero. There's been multiple internal investigations commissioned by HBG into her situation not to mention Supreme Court applications brought by Wayde and Andreacchio in relation to their dismissal.
Thanks for the info, you would think there would be enough happenings in recent years in regards to the HBG operations that an investigation or an enforcement undertaking is a real chance.
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@mercy-rule I believe Richo also required some undertakings from HBG in relation to the creation of the ‘independent’ wests Tigers board and his level of overarching control.
HBG has failed undertakings within a year
Richo is free to do as he will
Of course he is. I'm not disputing that. What I am offering is how I would view his decision to quit if that's what happened.
Well done Darcy Byrne for his role in organising/supporting the protest rally at Pratten Park with a march, then, to Wests Ashfield. A pollie who genuinely represents his people. There's not enough of them. I'll be there and encouraging others to do the same.
