jili tutorial

Star Brisbane Manager Raised Sky Deck Safety Alarms Before Fatal Fall

By jili tutorial · September 2, 2026

Star Brisbane Manager Raised Sky Deck Safety Alarms Before Fatal Fall

Safety Concerns Raised Months Before Incident

Internal warnings about safety hazards on the 23rd-floor Sky Deck at The Star Brisbane were lodged by a resort manager several months before an employee died in a fall from the rooftop. The Star Brisbane, part of the multibillion-dollar Queen’s Wharf development, opened in late 2024 at a cost of nearly US$2.6 billion. Just months after opening, manager Jon Kruk reported “major” concerns regarding a gap between the safety glass partition panels and a handrail balustrade on the Sky Deck. According to a joint investigation by The Australian Financial Review and The Sydney Morning Herald, Kruk warned that the gap could be easily climbed through.

Fatal Fall and Subsequent Safety Talks

Kruk’s warnings were issued eight months before a 24-year-old Philippine chef, who worked in Star Brisbane’s room service department, used the same safety gap to maneuver past the partition and leap to her death. Internal documents leaked to the media outlets indicate that the suicide prompted urgent remedial safety discussions, but a permanent fix has still not been implemented.

Casino CEO Responds to Media Reports

Star Entertainment CEO Bruce Mathieson dismissed the Sky Deck safety revelations as “selective reporting” and defended the casino giant’s leadership. He noted that he and partner Bally’s Corporation took control less than nine months ago, and the new ownership group is actively working to address 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.

Star’s Ongoing Regulatory and Financial Troubles

The reporting is another black eye for 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 addressed incidents where customers were allowed to convert rewards points into cash, a self-excluded person was permitted to gamble on at least nine occasions, and customers gambled 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.

Financial Losses Mount

Star remains in financial disarray. The company reported a US$219.9 million loss for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026. Group revenue fell 2.2%, although the company recently completed the sale of a majority stake in The Star Brisbane for pennies on the dollar to generate much-needed funds. Star noted that narrowing losses were achieved through aggressive cost-cutting measures and signs of improving business at The Star Gold Coast.