Griffith mayor John Dal Broi says the political influence of the Griffith Mafia is “hard to quantify” and will only ever be known to the people involved.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It comes as a joint Fairfax Media-Four Corners investigation revealed “loopholes” for Mafia integration in political donations.
Councillor Dal Broi said it was important not to shy away from Griffith’s notorious connection to Mafia history.
“But it is really hard to know what extent the (Griffith) Mafia had an influence on political affairs,” he said.
Part one of The Mafia in Australia: Drugs, Murder and Politics aired on ABC television on Monday night.
The program described how the Calabrian Mafia, also known as 'Ndrangheta, had used a number of well-known party donors to put a "legitimate public face" on its push to help obtain an Australian visa for violent crime boss Frank Madafferi.
It briefly mentioned a connection between Madafferi and Pasquale Barbaro, a Tharbogang man convicted in 2012 in relation to the seizure of 15 million ecstasy tablets, shipped from Italy to Melbourne ports in 2008 and secreted in tomato tins, and more than 100 kilograms of cocaine.
Part two of the program airs next Monday.
