Hawke’s Bay: One conviction so far after claim of ‘network of corruption’ of gaming funds

• Thirteen months after charges, one conviction has been secured in the Hawke’s Bay gaming machines case.
• The Department of Internal Affairs filed 46 charges, alleging corruption involving venue operators and community organisations.
• Four accused remain on active charges, with court appearances set for 2025.

The charging 13 months ago of eight people the Department of Internal Affairs alleged were linked in a gaming machine “network of corruption” in Hawke’s Bay has led to one conviction so far.

In a statement on January 18 last year, the DIA said the people had been charged with offences under the Gaming Act 2003 and Crimes Act 1961 after an investigation it said found collusion between “Class 4″ venue operators, corporate societies and grant recipients.

It alleged misappropriation of the pokies’ grant funds, theft of gaming machine proceeds and offering benefits to secure machine venues with improper conditions.

Casino rooms are common to bars and clubs around New Zealand for the purpose of providing a funding avenue for community causes worth hundreds of millions of dollars since 1988, despite opposition from anti-gambling groups.

The DIA said people in management positions at several community organisations and in the gaming sector abused their positions to “fraudulently obtain or misappropriate hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant funding and other benefits”.

In response to recent questions from Hawke’s Bay Today, DIA director of gambling regulatory services Vicky Scott said the Department filed 46 charges in total, and while seven accused had appeared in court, one had left New Zealand before charges were filed, and, with a warrant issued for his arrest, has not returned.

Three, each of whom faced one charge, have had their matters “resolved”, with one pleading guilty and being sentenced to four months’ community detention and 60 hours’ community work.

She said the other four are still on active charges, due to appear on different dates in 2025 with the hope all matters will be resolved by the end of the year.

One has pleaded not guilty and faces a trial before a judge alone, and at least two of the four are set to next appear in Napier District Court on April 17.

Doug Laing is a senior reporter based in Napier with Hawke’s Bay Today, and has 52 years of journalism experience, 42 of them in Hawke’s Bay, in news gathering, including breaking news, sports, local events, issues, and personalities.