The Star chairman John O’Neill resigns ahead of inquiry grilling

The Star Entertainment Group’s executive chairman John O’Neill has resigned ahead of a public grilling at an inquiry into the casino outfit’s Sydney casino licence.

The crisis-stricken company announced on the ASX late on Friday afternoon that O’Neill had tendered his resignation and would “step down from the board with a departure date to be agreed”.

“Mr O’Neill informed fellow directors late today of his decision,” the statement said. “Mr O’Neill will transition his chair and executive responsibilities in an orderly manner.”

O’Neill is the latest senior figure to resign from The Star since the explosive inquiry into its operations began in March, joining chief executive Matt Bekier and chief financial officer Harry Theodore on the casualty list.

The former Australian Rugby Union and Football Federation Australia boss had been Star’s chairman since 2012 and took on the executive chairman role on April 1 after Bekier resigned two weeks into the inquiry, which was launched in response to reports by this masthead last year.

O’Neill was due to give evidence to the inquiry on Monday this week and was scheduled to be its final witness, but the hearings were postponed until this coming Monday without explanation.

Directors Gerard Bradley and Sally Pitkin have also flagged they will leave the board in the coming months with the company promises to accelerate its board renewal.

The inquiry has examined how Star ignored the criminal links and likely money laundering activities of its major “junket” high-roller tour partners, and its abuse of Chinese bank cards to facilitate $900 million of banned gambling transactions, which it then lied to its bank NAB about.

More to come