Crime & Scandals

Star Brisbane Manager Raised Sky Deck Safety Alarms Before Fatal Fall

Posted on: September 1, 2026, 10:25h.

Last updated on: September 1, 2026, 11:36h.

Written by

Devin O'Connor Devin O'Connor is a senior reporter for Casino.org, covering politics, casino business, and gaming news. Devin came on board with Casino.org in 2014...
Click for more

Key Points

A Star Brisbane manager warned of a dangerous Sky Deck safety gap months before a worker used it to jump to her death
Star CEO Bruce Mathieson defended the company, calling the report “selective” and citing ongoing safety and regulatory reforms
The revelations add to Star’s troubles as the company reported a $219.9 million loss for fiscal 2026

Internal warnings over safety hazards at The Star Brisbane’s 23rd-floor Sky Deck were raised by a resort manager months before an employee suffered a fatal fall from the rooftop.

Star Brisbane Sky Deck safety — The view looking down from the Sky Deck at The Star Brisbane. Star management reportedly raised safety concerns about the 23rd-floor amenity before an employee committed suicide by jumping over the safety partition. (Image: Shutterstock)

Located in the heart of the multibillion-dollar Queen’s Wharf development, The Star Brisbane opened in late 2024 at a cost of nearly US$2.6 billion.

Just months later, Star Brisbane manager Jon Kruk reported “major” concerns about a gap between the safety glass partition panels and a handrail balustrade on the Sky Deck that could be easily climbed through.

The revelations were made through a joint investigation by The Australian Financial Review and The Sydney Morning Herald.

Kruk’s warnings came eight months before a 24-year-old Philippine chef, who worked in Star Brisbane’s room service operations, used the safety gap to maneuver past the safety partition and leap to her death.

Internal documents leaked to the media outlets reveal that the suicide expedited remedial safety talks, but a permanent fix has still not been implemented.

Star CEO Scolds Media for Report

Dismissing the Sky Deck safety revelations as “selective reporting,” Star Entertainment CEO Bruce Mathieson defended the casino giant’s leadership. Mathieson noted that he and partner Bally’s Corporation took control less than nine months ago, and the new ownership group is actively working to overturn a legacy of slow regulatory and operational reform.

Across the three properties, the work that has been done to review the effectiveness and efficiency of the Star’s financial crime and safer gambling processes and practices … is ongoing and evolving. It’s disappointing to see such selective reporting of our confidential corporate information, without context,” Mathieson said.

The reporting is nonetheless another black eye on Australia’s second-largest casino operator.

In late May, Star was fined A$10 million (US$7.2 million) by the New South Wales (NSW) Independent Casino Commission for “systemic failures” in The Star Sydney’s financial crimes risk department.

The fine also dealt with customers being allowed to convert rewards points into cash, allowing a self-excluded person access to gamble on at least nine occasions, and allowing customers to gamble for more than 12 hours straight without a government-mandated break.

In 2022, Star was fined AU$200 million by the NSW and Queensland governments for failing to protect their gaming floors against money laundering.

Star Losses Pile

Star remains in financial disarray, reporting this week a US$219.9 million loss for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026.

The company, which recently completed its sale of a majority stake in The Star Brisbane for pennies on the dollar to generate much-needed funds, said group revenue fell 2.2%.

However, the company reported narrowing losses through aggressive cost-cutting measures and signs of improving business at The Star Gold Coast.