Vanstone’s mob connectionsWhy did former Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone grant a Visa to an alleged member of the Italian mafia? Perhaps it has something to do with the tens of thousands of dollars his supporters have donated to the Liberal Party…
Amanda Vanstone
Crikey Says: Overheard: Silvio, Kevin and Amanda
Crikey has secured an advance transcript of this Thursday’s meeting in Rome between Prime Ministers Berlusconi and Rudd and Australia’s Ambassador to Italy, the Hon Amanda Vanstone.
Australia Council strikes as @kathyinvenice tweets
Staff at the Australia Council are striking, angry over reduced conditions and wages, writes Nicholas Pickard.
Your Say: Daily Mail readers' feedback: Fitzgibbon, Israel and La Diva Vanstone
Bernie Ecclestone — just a smaller version of Napoleon, according to one Crikey reader.
Your Say: Daily Mail readers' feedback: The Fitzgibbon affair and Cousinsmania
Crikey readers debate the seriousness of Joel Fitzgibbon’s China excursions.
On questioning the “viability” of remote Aboriginal settlements
“Remoteness” alone is not the core problem for Indigenous Australians, writes Mark Moran.
Mafia scandal should make O’Farrell and Turnbull very nervous …
And just when you thought things couldn’t get any worse, it now seems the Federal Police have been investigating links between the Liberal Party organisation and a local franchise of the Calabrian mafia, writes Irfan Yusuf.
Vanstone’s underworld ministerial discretion
Surely a terror suspect not accused of any violence but merely of giving his cousin a SIM card is a greater potential threat to our security than a suspected mafioso, writes Irfan Yusuf.
Vanstone may have to walk over mafia visa
If the John Howard Liberals took money from the Exclusive Brethren then why would alleged Mafia dollars be refused? asks Barry Everingham.
Tips and rumours
Rumour in the form of a question. How did Eddie McGuire as President of Collingwood and a board member of Athletics Australia manage to convince both parties and the State Government that Collingwood is the rightful owner/tenant of the Olympic Park Athletics venue? A conflict of interest? I doubt it, it was in the Collingwood […]
Amanda gives Rome a makeover
We now know why Amanda Vanstone has been dilatory in doing what what she’s basically paid for - she’s been too busy replacing the traces of class and flair created by the wife of her predecessor, Tanya Woolcott, writes Barry Everingham.
New Immigration Minister doesn’t want to play “God”
New Immigration Minister Chris Evans seems intent on rapid change within his department, reports Sophie Black.
Groundhog Day in indigenous affairs
It’s Groundhog Day again in Indigenous affairs. The “Aborigine problem” has been re-listed for another chat at the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting. I think I speak on behalf of all movie-goers when I say, “Sylvester Stallone should have stopped at Rocky II,” writes Chris Graham.
National Indigenous Council knackered?
New Year’s Eve 2007 marks the end of the term of the current membership of the Howard Government’s hand-picked National Indigenous Council. This fortuitous piece of timing may allow the Rudd government to finesse the NIC out of business, writes Graham Ring.
Bomber for GG and other rumeurs diplomatique
Crikey’s mole deep in the bowels of DFAT is, he/she assures us, not the only serving officer celebrating last Saturday’s result, in particular the removal of Lord Downer of Baghdad and Kabul.
Amanda Vanstone a big splash on the Tiber
Amanda Vanstone’s first official engagement in Italy was to open the L’Isola del Cinema festival of Australian film last Friday evening. Crikey’s intrepid correspondent reports from the scene.
The secret lusts of Peter Costello
The Treasurer’s bedroom confession.
