Tell me if you don’t think there’s something a little dodgy going on here (and be aware that when I say a little dodgy I’m being facetious).
In 2000, a suspected criminal figure with Italian ties, Francesco Madafferi, is slated for deportation by the Immigration Department. In 2003, a new Minister for Immigration is appointed, Amanda Vanstone. In 2004, Madafferi’s brother (no cherub himself, a suspected crime figure in Calabria) donates $15,000 to the Liberal Party at a fund raiser organised by Italian businessmen. In 2005, Vanstone decides to not deport the suspected criminal and instead grant him a visa. In 2006, the Liberal Party receives a donation of $7500 from the same source group of Italian ‘businessmen’. Amanda Vanstone is now the Australian Ambassador to Italy.
I know I’m not the brightest match in the box, but joining the dots on this one isn’t too hard. Vanstone should be sacked and an inquiry opened. I know that it’s hard to police political donations and lobbying, but this is just too blatant to ignore.
And to top it all off, Madafferi was one of the people charged in Melbourne last month as part of the world’s largest seizure of ecstasy. If Vanstone had done her job instead of (is it callous to make a food joke here?) taking a little cream off the top, the Police would have had one less Melbourne Mafioso to worry about. Shame Amanda, shame.
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