Media reports allege Australian politics infiltrated by Italian mafia

Two Australian media organisations reported on Monday (Jun 29) that Australian politics has been infiltrated at high levels by the Italian mafia.

SYDNEY: -- Two Australian media organisations reported on Monday (Jun 29) that Australian politics has been infiltrated at high levels by the Italian mafia, although there was no suggestion of direct links between lawmakers and the criminal syndicate.

A year-long investigation by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Fairfax media found one element of the Calabrian mafia, known as 'Ndrangheta, had used a number of well-known donors to parties on both sides of the Australian political divide to legitimise its activities.

The report said a man with "deep mafia associations" met then-prime minister John Howard and other top party officials at a fundraising event for the conservative Liberal Party in the early 2000s. There was no suggestion that Howard knew of the man's alleged criminal links.

Full story: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/media-reports-allege/1947466.html

-- Channel NewsAsia 2015-06-29

Politicians can be attracted by donated dollars. This stuff may have been a bit more crooked than some of the other donations, but only a bit.

You cant get any better criminal organisation than the Australian government. their biggest problem is all they do is talk so their bound to get busted sooner or later.

One hand washes the outer, around the world. Politicians need money to get elected, criminals

need friends in high places.

Name a government that has not received donations from self interest groups, including dodgy sources, often laundered with good money. It's impossible to know and once its happens no one wants to admit it happened. This is different from the mafia elements being the government itself which we have gotten used to in Thailand!

What a surprise......Is this news?

When do you know a politician is crooked, when he denies it.

"There was no suggestion that Howard knew of the man's alleged criminal links"

​...and no suggestion that Howards minders and ASIO was anywhere other than out to lunch 15 years ago!!!

So his full real name is Antonio.

Maybe the mafia has heard about their criminal ancestry .

Maybe that's an improvement,,,You can rely on the Mafia that they do what they say ,the government,,,they never do and never keep a promise !

Can one of you Aussies explain 'conservative Liberal Party?' Bit of a oxymoron there.

Anything to keep Billiar off the front page as he self destructs.

Can one of you Aussies explain 'conservative Liberal Party?' Bit of a oxymoron there.

The Australian Liberal Party's policies are based on the British Conservatives Party's principles of governance..in short to enhance encourage the facilitation of wealth through free enterprise...right wing ideology for the ruling classes by the ruling classes!

Maybe that's an improvement,,,You can rely on the Mafia that they do what they say ,the government,,,they never do and never keep a promise !

Virtually took the words out of my mouth.

I do not know if there is any truth in OP.

But if there is - Mafia may bring back the concept of 'fairness' into politics. The concept of 'honour' to the politics. And, God forbid! - the concept of 'retribution'?

P.S. Not even mentioning the concept of 'Family'. Today's concept of 'family' petered out into two consenting 'persons' no matter of what gender with adopted 'kids'

abused on a shared basis with Gov't paying (our money) for the pleasure.

Give me Mafia anytime.