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Skycity casino has made a new enemy out of an old friend with Maori Party leader Pita Sharples joining calls for a Government inquiry into loan sharks and alleged criminal activity there.
Dr Sharples worked for the casino as a cultural consultant when it opened but yesterday said SkyCity had been getting "slack" and he was concerned about possible corruption throughout all six casinos.
"Make no bones about it, the Maori Party supports any inquiry into corruption at the casino," Dr Sharples said.
"Accusations have been levelled at two casinos - let's look at the lot of them."
A Weekend Herald investigation uncovered loan sharks working inside SkyCity casino and raised allegations about money laundering. Similar allegations have been raised by two former executives at Christchurch casino, in which SkyCity has a 40 per cent stake.
An Internal Affairs investigation into the Christchurch allegations has been handed to Minister Rick Barker who has not ruled out extending it to include SkyCity. He is due to comment on the report this week.
Dr Sharples' announcement means the Maori Party have sided with the Greens in calling for a public inquiry into the allegations of loan sharks and criminal activity at casinos.
"Loan sharks are causing our people a lot of difficulty," he said. "The damage they are doing in the streets outside the casino giving quick money at exorbitant rates to Maori who can't afford to pay it back."
Dr Sharples said he always feared the problems gambling would cause but had helped set up SkyCity casino from 1993-96 because it was going ahead anyway. He had placed long-term unemployed in jobs and helped get Maori art in prominent places.
Dr Sharples said he had noted SkyCity was making several cutbacks in staffing and the conditions of its workers.
It "had slipped a bit" and was not as "worker focused" as when it began.
Dr Sharples said the Maori Party would not have supported the introduction of casinos.
The Weekend Herald has found that loan sharks operated in the casino, including in the VIP room. It has also disclosed that loan sharks taking passports are feared to be behind a spate of "lost" Chinese passports that could have been used for identity fraud.
