LNP politicians to block coast casino proposal

Sunday 26th of November 2017

Members of the Liberal National Party in Queensland have pledged their opposition to having a casino built on the Sunshine Coast, and have vowed to fight any attempt to secure a license, according to Sunshine Coast Daily.

Last week, Kawana MP Jarrod Bleijie said LNP Members of Parliament and candidates were given assurances from LNP Leader Tim Nicholls that he would back the anti-casino stance “100 percent”.

"We do not support a casino here, and don't believe it is what people want,” said Mr. Bleijie.

"We would not encourage the council to apply for a licence and would do everything to reject it if they go down that path.

"This is not the Gold Coast. If the vision is light rail to a casino, we don't want it.”

The latest pledge comes a week after it was reported that Cambodia-based NagaCorp sent a high-level delegation to Australia's Sunshine Coast, suspected to be scouting for IR development opportunities in the Maroochydore City Centre.

According to the news outlet, the delegation from NagaCorp travelled to the coast for a two-and-a-half hour fly-in, fly-out visit.

Included in the visiting party was NagaCorp owner Dr Chen Lip Keong and Timothy McNally, who serves as the chairman. Also part of the party was Gary Andrews, business development director of China Railway Engineering Corporation and Paul Steelman, founder of Steelman Partners.

Mr. Bleijie has urged the City Council to disclose the details of the meeting with NagaCorp and about the Sunshine Coast official’s casino plans.

Bleijie added that a new casino could result in a further 1,000 slot machines being installed in the area.

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