A STATUE TO WHAT?

When I read the first sketchy report out of Canberra I thought it was somebody’s idea of a joke. A sick joke. The ACT Government in Canberra plans to spend $72,000 to build a life-sized bronze statue  to former Labor Immigration Minister Al Grassby. The man they called ‘the father of multi-culturalism’.

If they go ahead with it it will also be a tribute to a scumbag with lengthy ties to the Calabrian Mafia in Griffith and to a sleazebag who tried to divert attention from the Mafia mobsters who killed anti-drugs campaigner  Donald Mackay. He even tried to get politicians to read gross lies in Parliament ( under privilege and protection) blaming Mackay’s brave widow Barbara for her husband’s death.

While Immigration Minister Grassby went to the Italian town of Plati which was controlled  by the Calabrian mafia. Thousands of men from there made it to Australia… including three who had either been deported from Australia or refused entry because of their criminal records. Grassby used his ministerial discretion to get them in.

Some infamous names swirled around Griffiths. Trimbole, Barbaro, Sergi. Grassby started doing favours for the mob from the minute he was elected to the State Parliament in New South Wales in 1965.

A hood named Calipari was arrested during a raid on a Mafia-style organisation and charged with having an unlicensed pistol. Grassby was a  character witness. Calipari was an outstanding member of the Italian community. So outstanding he went on to be a senior member of the Calabrian Mafia. Grassby attended mobsters’ children’s weddings. Endorsed wineries paid for with drug money.

He was paid 40,000 dollars for the smear campaign against Barbara Mackay.

And the Government in the ACT wants to put up a statue to this venal man.

Before they do maybe they should read some of the Stewart Royal Commission’s insights into the Mafia in and around Griffith. Maybe they should at least read the book Mugshots2 written by Melbourne journalists Keith Moor and Geoff Wilkinson.

And maybe ask themselves how much more pain does Barbara Mackay and her now grownup children have to go through.

Thursday, March 8, 2007

©Copyright Derryn Hinch 2007