Casper The Ghost
First Grade
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Agreed....
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Except the rest of the play shows that the fault was always in the stars and that everything that tyrannical Caesar, conniving Cassius or noble Brutus did just made their fates even worse
The emperor, the pokies and a dramatic fall from grace
Tom Reilly
May 20, 2011
The player ... Denis Fitzgerald during his days as ruler of the Parramatta club. Photo: Tim Clayton
Questions remain about the dealings of former Parramatta Eels supremo Denis Fitzgerald, writes Tom Reilly.
DENIS FITZGERALD is known as "the Emperor" of Parramatta. For three decades he was a giant in Sydney's west, running both the football and leagues clubs of the Eels.
Whether Fitzgerald gave himself his imperial nickname or it was bestowed upon him is a matter of debate; certainly the former Australia Test prop from the '70s revels in the moniker, often using it to sign off emails.
And up until two years ago the emperor tag was wholly accurate. A friendly board, chaired by his long-time friend Alan Overton, meant his position as Parramatta chief executive was never challenged. His special status seemed sealed when he was made an officer of the Order of Australia for services to rugby league in 2004.
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The poker machines at Parramatta leagues club. Photo: Brendan Esposito
Even when the leagues club announced losses of more than $9 million in 2008 and was forced to beg the state government for tax exemptions on its pokies earnings - despite wagering profits of almost $50 million - there were no dissenting voices among directors.
But then, in April 2009, came a board coup that toppled Overton - another Order of Australia officer - and five other directors. It was a dramatic shift of power and brought a Caesar-like downfall; within weeks, the bespectacled Fitzgerald, one of the most recognisable officials in league for a generation, was gone.
The Herald has learnt Overton's signature was on a $39,000 cheque drawn from a Parramatta account which was sent to a law firm representing Mr Fitzgerald in a private defamation case against News Ltd, publisher of The Daily Telegraph.
There are some who question whether Overton should have allowed club money to be used to pay Fitzgerald's legal bill. The Herald understands the cheque was paid after Overton was voted off the board.
Overton last night said: "I certainly did nothing illegal."
"I've led a good honest life and I always acted in the best interests of the club," he said.
The Herald does not suggest Overton acted improperly. Two years on he is poised for a return to the Eels. On Sunday members will vote on whether to make him an honorary life patron of the club in recognition of the 23 years he chaired the board.
But there is unlikely to be any such rapprochement for Fitzgerald, as issues continue to arise of dubious corporate governance during his time in charge of the club.
The Herald has obtained financial documents which show Fitzgerald acquired a substantial number of shares in one of Australia's biggest poker machine provider, Aristocrat, which was subsequently awarded a lucrative contract with Parramatta Leagues club at "the emperor's" encouragement.
Forms lodged with the NSW Office of Liquor Gaming and Licensing show in 2005 he held Aristocrat shares worth more than $1.3 million.
At that time he also had another $1.2 million of holdings in companies which had a commercial relationship with the club; including E Bet gaming systems, the brewer Foster's, Tabcorp and Westpac.
By 2008 the value of Fitzgerald's Aristocrat shares were worth $1.6 million. And it was in that February Parramatta directors decided, despite the losses of the previous year, to replace E Bet as the provider of its poker machines and accompanying IT software.
After discussions between Fitzgerald, the club's IT manager, Shane Richards, and gaming manager, Hugh Perrottet, with Aristocrat, representatives of the gaming company were invited to give a presentation to the board.
During that meeting on February 28, Warran Jowett and Jason McQueen of Aristocrat made a presentation to the board. After the pair left a vote was taken on whether to approve switching to Aristocrat, a deal that would cost the then struggling club more than $2 million.
Board minutes show Fitzgerald did not state his financial involvement in the company, nor did he remove himself from the room when the vote was taken. In fact, the record states: "The chief executive recommended to the board acceptance of Aristocrat's GMS proposal."
Following Fitzgerald's suggestion, the deal was quickly carried. Aristocrat was paid $1,874,183 upfront for its hardware and were guaranteed an annual fee of more than $200,000. Perhaps more importantly, it gave the company a showcase for a new wagering products.
When the Herald asked Fitzgerald last night why he failed to make that disclosure, he said "no comment." He repeated that response to all further questions.
That he supported Aristocrat's technology, without apparent reservation, appears to go against the advice of the club's IT manager. In December 2007 Mr Richards had given his critique of Aristocrat's offering.
He was dismissive of the "untested" technology the company was offering, and said he "would not like to see it installed here first as a test."
He added the Aristocrat system would be "a move backwards from where we are now".
By the time of the report, Fitzgerald already had a relationship with Aristocrat.
Further documents lodged with the Office of Liquor Gaming and Licensing show he enjoyed a nine-day trip to Macau for the for the G2E Asian Gaming conference in June 2007.
Overton also had his trip to the same gaming conference paid for by Aristocrat. And in June 2008 the gaming company again paid for Fitzgerald to attend the conference in Macau.
