Peter Grimshaw ... denied trying to influence the outcome of the inquiry.
The suspended communications director for the Premier, Barry O'Farrell, has denied seeking to influence the outcome of an inquiry into the Star casino last year by feeding damaging stories to a Sunday newspaper.
During the first day of public hearings of a fresh inquiry into the Star this morning, Peter Grimshaw agreed that he had provided information to Heath Aston, journalist with The Sun-Herald, published by Fairfax Media, publisher of this website.
Mr Grimshaw is a former casino employee who joined Mr O'Farrell's office after last year's election.
Advertisement: Story continues belowThe information was used for a story published in September as the five-year statutory review of the casino's licence was being finalised by gaming authorities.
It told the story of a woman who was lured to the casino via a rewards program to pick up a free wok but then lost a large amount of money gambling.
Challenged about his involvement in the story by counsel assisting the inquiry, Michael Wiggins, Mr Grimshaw said Aston approached him and that he gave Aston some information.
However he denied being the source of documents that formed the basis of the story.
"I gave him some information but not the guts of it," he said. However, he agreed he had raised the woman's experience when he gave evidence to the licence review.
Mr Grimshaw described the suggestion he was seeking to influence the outcome of the licence review as "absurd" as he did not believe the barrister conducting the review, Gail Furness, SC, would be influenced by "a couple of newspaper reports".
The inquiry heard that, in early December, Mr Grimshaw's partner told him about an "incident" in which the casino's former managing director, Sid Vaikunta, had made some "unwanted comments of a sexual nature" to her about which she was "upset and angry".
His partner had been told about another woman who had said Mr Vaikunta had made "unwanted advances of a sexual nature" towards her.
Mr Grimshaw said his partner felt that the internal investigation of the claims should be done by an independent firm.
However, it was being conducted by Louise Marshall and Larry Mullin, the chief executive of the casino company. Mr Grimshaw said both were close to Mr Vaikunta.
He said his partner was told the inquiry into the allegations was an "open-and-shut" case that would be dealt with in a couple of days. But she later began fearing there would be a "cover-up".
Mr Grimshaw was then challenged over a series of text messages between him and his partner, one of which showed he had suggested contacting John Story, the chairman of Echo Entertainment Group, the company that owns the Star casino.
Asked why he felt Mr Story should be contacted, he said: "My partner had been sexually harassed. What's wrong with ringing the chairman?"
Earlier, Mr Grimshaw was accused of being a disgruntled employee who had left the casino on bad terms after his job was restructured following Mr Vaikunta's arrival in March 2010.
He denied this, despite other text mesages revealing he and his partner referred to Mr Vaikunta as "Mr Nasty" and his partner saying it was up to him to "fix it".
Mr Grimshaw said she was being "flippant" or "mucking around".
On February 2, the Star announced Mr Vaikunta's employment had ended due to his "behaviour in a social work setting".
In his opening address, senior counsel assisting the inquiry, Michael Wigney, said that just under one-third of the evidence already given to the inquiry in private had been referred to the police.
This generally relates to suspicion of drug taking and "the presence of criminals at the casino" he said.
About two dozen people have approached the inquiry.
Evidence will also be called about the so-called "substance in the bathroom" incident, whereby a line of white powder was found in a high rollers' area but later detemined not to be illicit drugs.
Other witnesses to be called include the casino's investigations manager and a "senior Echo official", Mr Wigney said.
Didn't hear the shock jocks blowing up about this.
Star inquiry: O'Farrell PR man admits giving details to journalist
Sean Nicholls and Matthew Moore
April 2, 2012
via: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/star-inquiry-ofarrell-pr-man-admits-giving-details-...
Peter Grimshaw ... denied trying to influence the outcome of the inquiry.
The suspended communications director for the Premier, Barry O'Farrell, has denied seeking to influence the outcome of an inquiry into the Star casino last year by feeding damaging stories to a Sunday newspaper.
During the first day of public hearings of a fresh inquiry into the Star this morning, Peter Grimshaw agreed that he had provided information to Heath Aston, journalist with The Sun-Herald, published by Fairfax Media, publisher of this website.
Mr Grimshaw is a former casino employee who joined Mr O'Farrell's office after last year's election.
Advertisement: Story continues below
The information was used for a story published in September as the five-year statutory review of the casino's licence was being finalised by gaming authorities.
It told the story of a woman who was lured to the casino via a rewards program to pick up a free wok but then lost a large amount of money gambling.
Challenged about his involvement in the story by counsel assisting the inquiry, Michael Wiggins, Mr Grimshaw said Aston approached him and that he gave Aston some information.
However he denied being the source of documents that formed the basis of the story.
"I gave him some information but not the guts of it," he said. However, he agreed he had raised the woman's experience when he gave evidence to the licence review.
Mr Grimshaw described the suggestion he was seeking to influence the outcome of the licence review as "absurd" as he did not believe the barrister conducting the review, Gail Furness, SC, would be influenced by "a couple of newspaper reports".
The inquiry heard that, in early December, Mr Grimshaw's partner told him about an "incident" in which the casino's former managing director, Sid Vaikunta, had made some "unwanted comments of a sexual nature" to her about which she was "upset and angry".
His partner had been told about another woman who had said Mr Vaikunta had made "unwanted advances of a sexual nature" towards her.
Mr Grimshaw said his partner felt that the internal investigation of the claims should be done by an independent firm.
However, it was being conducted by Louise Marshall and Larry Mullin, the chief executive of the casino company. Mr Grimshaw said both were close to Mr Vaikunta.
He said his partner was told the inquiry into the allegations was an "open-and-shut" case that would be dealt with in a couple of days. But she later began fearing there would be a "cover-up".
Mr Grimshaw was then challenged over a series of text messages between him and his partner, one of which showed he had suggested contacting John Story, the chairman of Echo Entertainment Group, the company that owns the Star casino.
Asked why he felt Mr Story should be contacted, he said: "My partner had been sexually harassed. What's wrong with ringing the chairman?"
Earlier, Mr Grimshaw was accused of being a disgruntled employee who had left the casino on bad terms after his job was restructured following Mr Vaikunta's arrival in March 2010.
He denied this, despite other text mesages revealing he and his partner referred to Mr Vaikunta as "Mr Nasty" and his partner saying it was up to him to "fix it".
Mr Grimshaw said she was being "flippant" or "mucking around".
On February 2, the Star announced Mr Vaikunta's employment had ended due to his "behaviour in a social work setting".
In his opening address, senior counsel assisting the inquiry, Michael Wigney, said that just under one-third of the evidence already given to the inquiry in private had been referred to the police.
This generally relates to suspicion of drug taking and "the presence of criminals at the casino" he said.
About two dozen people have approached the inquiry.
Evidence will also be called about the so-called "substance in the bathroom" incident, whereby a line of white powder was found in a high rollers' area but later detemined not to be illicit drugs.
Other witnesses to be called include the casino's investigations manager and a "senior Echo official", Mr Wigney said.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/star-inquiry-ofarrell-pr-man-admits-giving-details-...
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