Comments on: Mafia scandal should make O’Farrell and Turnbull very nervous …

By: kay

kay — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

So is this why Vanstone was able to extract the highly sought after Ambassador post to Italy from the Howard government as her prize for leaving politics? - threatened to expose the dirty, hypocritical and entirely cynical dealings of the Liberal Party and scuttle their chances at the 2007 election? and how do we know this isn't just the tip of the iceberg of what they don't want us to know.

And NSW people - are you really getting the politicians you deserve? Labor and Liberal parties in that state (at least) are evidently such thoroughly corruptable and despicable operators that I doubt anything other than a complete delete-replace and reformat is going to be enough to get rid of these political bugs. And that means not only the political-electoral institution and its regulations but the party institutions as well.

And the AFP I don't think we need any more evidence that they're well overdue for a damn good spring-clean. How about a Federal corruption commission for a start. What is Kev et al doing about that? And while they're at it, they can spring-clean the bloated national security institutions too - and perhaps even introduce them to some innovations in 20th (let alone 21st) century public service ethics practices.

And politicians and commentators worry about the 'unhealthy' cynicism of the public...

By: Jeffrey

Jeffrey — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

My contacts who, with reasonable plausibility speak with apparent authority of police and security matters, suggest that this was a case of allowing the individual in to (a) put a lid on the Calbrians suspicions that they were infiltrated and (b) get him where he could easily be found and picked up. It is at least far more plausible than the idea that Vanstone, whatever her faults, would knowingly reward a crook for a donation to the Liberal Party. And I am sure Bernard Keane could put Mr Yusuf right on that one.

By: Darren

Darren — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

It is not surprising that the Liberal Party would take funds from this mob - or anybody else - after all it is only the Tories who take funds from the tobacco industry

By: AGAP

AGAP — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

The AFP have reopened the original investigation based on new information from the reporter

By: lenny

lenny — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Al Grasby was the infiltration the Mafia were seeking. He even got a state funeral even though he was corrupt as hell. Vandstone was useless and her ex portfolio is a poison chalice, cashed up crims “pay to stay” and lard arse said ok. And now for the lady who loves a pearl necklace, Bishop, when in power she was obnoxious obfuscator now in opposition she has proven to be useless, she was given the job as deputy to combat Gillard and failed now another demotion. Bishop wont quit not as long as she doesn’t have to do any housework, not to mention the pension. Now she has the same attributes as Magdalen…….