14 August 2006
Skycity Strengthens Its Host Responsibility Team
SKYCITY has appointed three further senior public health and addiction treatment specialists to its responsible service
of alcohol and gambling harm minimisation team.
Shannon Hanrahan has been appointed SKYCITY's Host Responsibility Manager - Group. Shannon was previously employed by
the Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand (ALAC) as Host Responsibility Programme Manager and Project Manager, Liquor
Licensing. He will oversee the strategic development and implementation of SKYCITY's group-wide host responsibility
programme. This includes staff training, identification and management of problem gambling, and responsible service of
alcohol.
Clinical addiction specialist Linda Poynton has been appointed Host Responsibility Manager - Auckland. Ms Poynton was
most recently Clinical Manager for Higher Ground Rehabilitation Trust in Parnell. The Higher Ground Drug Rehabilitation
Trust is a 30-bed accredited residential facility for the treatment of drugs and alcohol addiction. In her new role, she
will manage and implement host responsibility at SKYCITY Auckland.
Ann McMurray was formerly the Regional Manager - Wellington/Auckland for the Problem Gambling Foundation, and also
National Manager for the Community Justice Project. She has joined SKYCITY and brings to the team specialist gambling
counselling and addiction treatment experience. Her role is to work closely with customers, staff, third parties and
treatment providers to help SKYCITY improve its strategies for the identification of actual and potential problem
gamblers.
Debbie Edwards joined SKYCITY late last year from the Ministry of Health where she was Project Leader for Problem
Gambling. Her appointment as Manager - Harm Minimisation is helping SKYCITY develop leading policies and frameworks for
harm minimisation. Ms Edwards works with health care providers (including problem gambling services), government
agencies and researchers, alongside the SKYCITY Host Responsibility team.
"SKYCITY has always acknowledged that gambling and alcohol can cause harm to a small percentage of the population. We
put a great deal of time and resource into ensuring our customers have safe and positive gaming experiences," says Peter
Treacy, Group General Manager - Regulation and Legal.
"Host responsibility is a challenging and evolving area, particularly in the area of problem gambling. By hiring top
executives from the treatment providers and the health sector, we believe we can take our existing host responsibility
programme to even higher levels. Our aim is to be world-leading in the field of host responsibility and these people are
an investment in that ambition."
SKYCITY's host responsibility programme has been developed in conjunction with the Department of Internal Affairs and
independent treatment providers, including the Salvation Army, Abacus Counselling, and Gambling Helpline. It is highly
regulated and independently assessed by the Gambling Commission.
"We regard host responsibility as critical to the long term sustainability of our business. It is the right thing to do,
in addition to being a legal requirement, " Peter Treacy says.
"We welcome the expertise bought by the new additions to the team. Their experience in the alcohol, drug and gambling
dependency sectors will be a huge asset and we look forward to their contribution towards SKYCITY remaining a safe and
fun place to be."
ENDS