By CATHY ARONSON
The Casino Control Authority will not appeal against a High Court decision that revoked the proposed Hamilton casino's licence because one of its members showed apparent bias.
The authority and Riverside Casino lost the judicial review in Hamilton in May after Justice Fisher ruled that authority member Michael Cox showed apparent bias in his support of the licence.
Casino opponents, including the Anglican Church, community groups and Hamilton mayor Russ Rimmington, hailed the ruling as a victory for the people.
Riverside Casino lodged an appeal with the Court of Appeal last month.
Authority chief executive Trevor Garrett said yesterday that it did not need to appeal because Riverside was already challenging the decision.
He said money was one reason the authority had decided not to appeal. The High Court costs had been close to $200,000.
"It's a substantial amount of money to do it all again and the authority is not swayed by the view that there is greater strength in bigger numbers. The courts will decide."
Mr Garrett said the decision would not affect Riverside's case.
Casino spokeswoman Sonya Haggie agreed, saying it would not weaken a strong case.
The authority had also faced criticism from Consumer Affairs Minister Phillida Bunkle, who asked Mr Cox to resign in May because "the authority's credibility is now seriously undermined."
Mr Garrett said Mr Cox's term had expired last year and he would leave when a new appointment was made.
The authority would wait on the Appeal Court decision before it reviewed members' conduct, but it was constantly reviewing and refining its procedures.
Mr Garrett said the criteria that governed the authority might be changed if the Gaming Law Reform Bill was passed.
The bill is due to come before Parliament in October and may also extend the moratorium on casinos, which expires on October 15.
Mr Garrett said that if the moratorium was extended, the authority had a legal opinion that suggested Riverside's original application could be reheard.
Casino opponents' spokesman Dave Macpherson said that if the authority was independent it would not have considered being part of the appeal.
Casino authority backs off appeal
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