Son of mafia boss did work experience at Australian embassy, investigation claims

A number of links have existed between the Italian mafia and senior Australian politicians, it has been alleged.

The relationship between the two groups was so close that the son of a "key mafia figure" completed work experience at the Australian embassy in Rome, despite the same office having investigated his father over alleged criminal activity for a number of years, it has been claimed.

The links have been made as part of a year-long investigation by local media, the newspaper Fairfax and ABC’s Four Corners.

The investigation says that the ‘Ndrangheta mafia, which is one of the world’s most powerful criminal gangs and a global drug trafficking group, has had close contact with a number of senior politicians including the prime minister.

On one occasion, it is alleged that a man with deep mafia connections met then prime minister John Howard at a fund raising event. However, it makes it clear that there was no suggestion that Mr Howard knew of the man's alleged criminal links.

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On another, it is claimed that the son of an alleged mafia boss was given work experience at the Australian embassy in Rome. Shortly before his internship, Italian authorities had been sharing sensitive information about his father’s alleged criminal activities through the embassy. Federal police in Australia are now investigating whether the work placement constituted a security breach.

It has also been alleged that a number of key Australian political figures, including government ministers, lobbied for mafia boss Frank Madafferi to be granted an Australian visa on humanitarian grounds. Mr Madafferi was imprisoned for his role in a murder plot and drug trafficking ring soon afterwards. However, there is no suggestion that any of the politicians were aware of this criminal activity when they were lobbying for him to obtain a visa.

The ‘Ndrangheta is a mafia group based in Southern Italy which takes its name from the Greek for courage or loyalty. It is one of the most powerful mafia groups in the world and operates on a tight clan structure.

Last year, a study by Demoskopika claimed that it had an annual turnover of £44bn, suggesting it made more money than McDonalds and Deutsche Bank combined.

In February of this year, Italy's most senior anti-Mafia prosecutor, Franco Roberti, revealed that more than 100 people with alleged mafia links has been arrested as part of moves to clamp down on the group's activities.

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The possible security breaches are all alleged to have taken place whilst former government minister Amanda Vanstone was the ambassador to Italy. Ms Vanstone also served as Immigration minister under the Howard administration, until 2010.

Federal police say that: “there is no suggestion that Vanstone acted corruptly” but that they have concluded that: “members of the Italian community, including ‘Ndrangheta members and their families and associates, are likely to have ingratiated themselves within her office.”