The Star Brisbane employee tragically jumped to her death from the Sky Deck on the 23rd floor, following concerns raised by a resort manager about safety issues with the rooftop’s handrail and glass partition.
Situated in the Queen’s Wharf development, The Star Brisbane was launched in late 2024 at a cost of nearly US$2.6 billion. Shortly after opening, manager Jon Kruk expressed “major” concerns about the gap between safety glass partition panels and a handrail balustrade on the Sky Deck.
The information was brought to light through an investigation by The Australian Financial Review and The Sydney Morning Herald.
Kruk’s warnings were delivered eight months before a 24-year-old Philippine chef from Star Brisbane used the safety gap to access the safety partition, resulting in a tragic outcome. Although remedial safety discussions were hastened following the incident, a permanent solution has yet to be put in place.
Star CEO Responds to Media Coverage
In response to reports on the Sky Deck incident, Star Entertainment CEO Bruce Mathieson criticized the news as “selective reporting.”
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 commented.
Despite efforts to revamp operations, Star Entertainment continues to face challenges, with recent fines issued by the New South Wales Independent Casino Commission for “systemic failures” at The Star Sydney.
Moreover, Star reported significant financial losses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, amounting to US$219.9 million.
Star Continues to Navigate Financial Challenges
Despite financial setbacks, Star Entertainment has taken steps to cut costs and improve business prospects, following the sale of a majority stake in The Star Brisbane to boost funds.
The company indicated a 2.2% decline in group revenue, although losses have been reduced through cost-cutting measures.