Karl Bitar seems to have made it his life’s work to symbolise the decline of the Australian Labor Party. Spinning for Crown says more about the party than the man.
Crown
Crikey Says: Bitar Crowns our gambling dependence
The fact that Karl Bitar has transitioned seamlessly from running the Labor Party to become lobbyist-in-chief for James Packer’s gambling operations is a smack in the face for the integrity of the political system.
Foster’s super premium brew not so super
Laboratory tests have revealed that Foster’s super premium $90-a-bottle beer has been found to contain brettanomyces, an unwanted yeast characteristic which an expert has described tastes like a “dry stable”.
Expansive James Packer goes the full half hour
The man who used to like two-minute chairman addresses went on for half-an-hour at yesterday’s Crown AGM, boasting of PBL’s recent performance and making some pre-emptive attacks against the anti-pokies lobby.
Fourteen more join the billion dollar loss club
The numbers are in and it’s now official: 2008-09 was the worst profit season in Australian history. Who would have ever thought 14 different companies could lose more than $1 billion in a single financial year?
James still stuck in Kerry’s shadow
For most of his life, Kerry Packer had a reputation for being a bit of a Midas when it came to investing. Shame his son James Packer didn’t inherit the same touch.
James Packer’s giant spring clean out
James Packer appears to be in the middle of a personal and professional cleanout, sparked in part by the global financial crisis. He’s flogged off his horses, boat and stake in Seek, the online classifieds company.
Crown gambling punts on the margin
James Packer’s Crown gambling operation is now also in the finance business, writes Glenn Dyer.
