CASINO LOSES FACE WITH HIGH ROLLER

The Minister for Gaming, Mr Face, will ask the chairwoman of the NSW
Casino Control Authority to explain her "disturbing" remarks that she
was "sorry" a high-roller gambler and heroin dealer was banned from
the Sydney Harbour Casino.

A spokesman for Mr Face said the minister was surprised to hear Ms
Kaye Loder tell the ABC's Four Cornerson Monday night that she was
"sorry to see the money go out of NSW" after the Police Commissioner,
Mr Peter Ryan, banned high-roller Duong Van Ia from the casino in
September 1997.

Ms Loder dismissed as a "matter of policy for others to decide" the
possibility that money from heroin deals could be laundered through
the casino.

That money, she said, returned to the State Government in the form of
revenue and "it's a matter of debate whether or not that's a good
thing, or an unacceptable thing".

Yesterday, Mr Face's spokesman said Ms Loder would be asked to explain
her comments, because the Casino Control Authority was meant to
regulate gaming and "has no role in promotion".

"He [Mr Face] finds it most disturbing," the spokesman
said.

"Government policy is we will not tolerate the laundering of money
through the casino.

"The loss of money at the casino has nothing to do with the
authority.

"That's why we found the comments so strange."

Ms Loder could not be contacted yesterday.

Duong Van Ia, known to police as Van Duong, had a gambling turnover of
$94 million over six months in 1996, according to documents obtained
by Four Corners.

After being banned by Mr Ryan, in a swoop that vetoed 30 high-profile
gamblers from the casino, Van Duong went to interstate casinos until
1998 when he was arrested for supplying $75,000 worth of heroin in
Cabramatta and later jailed for eight years.

The Rev Harry Herbert, a member of the Casino Community Benefit Fund,
said Ms Loder's role was to "control" criminality associated with the
casino.

"She is not there to manage the casino," he said.

"I was a bit taken aback by her comments. It ought to be of concern if
criminals are using the casino to launder money."