Latest news with #Gobbo
The Age
7 days ago
- Business
- The Age
Dorinda's digital detox
The realtor involved in the sale remained tight-lipped about the whole situation. But a little birdie reminded us that it's a difficult market out there. And that sales like these often come down to only one or two serious buyers. Loading When you put it like that, this is a pretty good outcome. Plus, we think the transaction should be classed as a win for someone who didn't technically exist in the land titles registry for a while and therefore couldn't sell any property, thanks to the power of an unprecedented special police order. CBD enquired whether newly freed drug kingpin Tony Mokbel, another of Gobbo's former clients, had expressed any interest in the property. No? Maybe he's been too busy sticking to his curfew and shopping at Northland's Myer. Instead, our source said of the buyer: 'It's just everyday mums and dads. It's normal people. There's no story … [it's] no one of any note.' What a shame. And for those who were worried that Lawyer X might be left out in the cold, never fear. She still maintains a respectable portfolio of properties across Melbourne's south-east. Any of them would provide an ample place to reside. That is – if she ever manages to emerge from hiding. Butt out, Parliament House CBD brought word last year that the Department of Parliamentary Services was planning to review the Big House's smoking policy, and we were told at the time that the shift was a response to the introduction of automatic doors near parliamentary chambers. The latest draft was dropped last week, and the new policy greatly reduced the number of designated smoking areas in the parliamentary courtyard. If approved, they'll bring the federal parliament's restrictions broadly in line with new rules in countries like France and Spain. The department told us consultation on the changes was closing on Tuesday. 'Any changes will be balanced with work health and safety obligations for all people who work and visit Australian Parliament House,' they said. But we also hear that a major driver of the new policy is Senate President Sue Lines, who takes a far dimmer view of smoking than one of her recent predecessors, Liberal Scott Ryan. He used to be seen sparking up in the Senate president's courtyard. That said, Lines is probably on the right side of history. Lung lollies are practically extinct in parliament, where anyone under 35 has switched to the also restricted vapes (despite Health Minister Mark Butler 's best efforts to ban a product available at every convenience store in the country). And practically no pollie will even admit to being partial to a dart any more. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he's never smoked. Ever. Notable exception – firebrand independent senator Lidia Thorpe. Ex-NSW premier Dom Perrottet used to admit to a sneaky vape. Others known to have indulged include Labor's Karen Grogan and Jo Ryan. CBD would often get a heady aroma outside the Nationals party room. And former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce was certainly partial, although the big fella is now on a health kick, quitting booze after being found sprawled on a Canberra pavement and having recently undergone surgery for prostate cancer. Loading
Perth Now
16-05-2025
- Perth Now
Date locked in for drug kingpin's appeal hearing
Drug kingpin Tony Mokbel's long-awaited appeal hearing has been set down for four days in September. Mokbel, who was bailed in April, grabbed a coffee with his lawyers and then smiled and joked with them inside the Victorian Court of Appeal ahead of his case on Friday morning. During the 15-minute directions hearing, Judicial Registrar Deirdre McCann set down the four-day appeal to start on September 2. Mokbel did not speak during the brief hearing but he was free to sit in the body of the courtroom, rather than in the dock. The gangland figure is seeking his drug trafficking and importation convictions to be overturned because he was represented by barrister-turned-informer Nicola Gobbo. Ms Gobbo, a registered Victoria Police informer from 2005 to 2009, was acting as Mokbel's lawyer for four years before he fled to Greece in 2006 and continued to advise him when he was extradited in 2008. Mokbel pleaded guilty to two counts of trafficking a drug of dependence for trafficking MDMA and methamphetamine in April 2011, after striking a deal with prosecutors. He did not find out about Ms Gobbo's status as an informer until the High Court lifted gag orders in 2018. NSW Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Fullerton in November found police had perverted the course of justice in a "joint criminal enterprise" with Ms Gobbo to take down Mokbel. She handed down the damning findings against the police and prosecutors as she ruled on legal questions relating to Mokbel's appeal. Those findings spurred Mokbel into applying for bail in April, after serving 18 years of his 26-year jail term. Two appeal judges and a Supreme Court judge determined the strength of his appeal was one of the reasons why he should be released back into the community. Mokbel has been following 30 bail conditions since his release on April 4, including daily police reporting, an 8pm to 6am curfew and wearing a GPS monitoring device. His bail was also secured by a $1 million surety put up by his sister Gawy Saad. The judicial registrar on Friday extended Mokbel's bail to his September appeal hearing and also made orders for the parties to provide all material to the court by July 4. The composition of the Court of Appeal bench that will hear the appeal is yet to be decided. Mokbel ignored questions from reporters as he left court on Friday with his barrister Julie Condon KC.
The Age
10-05-2025
- The Age
Lawyer X Nicola Gobbo selling Melbourne apartment
Barrister-turned-informer Nicola Gobbo is selling her bayside apartment in Melbourne while in hiding, as a verdict looms in her high-profile compensation suit against the Victorian government. On Saturday, prospective buyers flocked to the first open house at the apartment, milling out onto its balconies to take in sweeping city and bay views – unaware the vendor was Melbourne's biggest supergrass. Gobbo's life as a high-profile gangland barrister came crashing down in late 2018 when it was revealed she had also been secretly spying on her clients for police as 'Informer 3838' or 'Lawyer X' at the height of the underworld war. The scandal has rocked Victoria Police and caused a string of gangland figures to appeal their convictions, including most recently drug kingpin Tony Mokbel, now out on bail. Gobbo's apartment was listed for sale this week – with a pricetag well in excess of $1 million – less than a month after she settled a lawsuit brought against her by one of her exonerated clients, gangland figure Faruk Orman. Orman had been seeking millions of dollars from his former lawyer over her secret role in his 2008 prosecution for murder, for which Orman spent 12 years in jail before being set free on appeal. The settlement deal on the eve of the trial came as a relief to some underworld figures, who might have been forced to give evidence. Loading Gobbo still owns a clutch of properties across Melbourne's south-east, though she does not live at any of them since going into hiding. Her name disappeared soon after from the land titles registry by a special police order, an unprecedented move that made her assets difficult to find in the years since, including for Orman's legal team. Her name was recently reinstated, clearing the way for the sale of her properties, but Gobbo is now living under a new identity. She is also suing the state herself for compensation, arguing police acted negligently when they 'groomed' her to become a source, putting her health and safety at risk. Her legal team expects a judgment on the case to be handed down in the coming weeks, but any potential payout for Gobbo has been capped at $1 million by special Victorian government legislation.
The Age
24-04-2025
- Business
- The Age
Melbourne gangland's relief as underworld figures dodge witness box on eve of Lawyer X trial
Exonerated gangland figure Faruk Orman has settled a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against barrister-turned-informer Nicola Gobbo on the eve of a trial that could have forced a slew of his underworld associates to give evidence. Orman had been seeking millions of dollars from his former lawyer over her key role in corrupting his 2008 prosecution for murder that resulted in him spending 12 years in jail before being set free after an appeal. The compensation trial was due to begin in the Supreme Court on Monday, with the court confirming the case was now delayed. The settlement deal will still have to be finalised by the court. Orman's decision to settle comes after a legal ruling last month that allowed the potential introduction of new evidence about his alleged involvement in the ongoing Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union corruption scandal. Orman's alleged involvement in negotiating profitable enterprise bargaining deals through questionable connections to the CFMEU were revealed last year as part of the Building Bad investigative series by this masthead, The Australian Financial Review and 60 Minutes. Gobbo's lawyers also issued subpoenas that could have compelled testimony from underworld figures including Mick Gatto, Steve 'The Turk' Kaya and Fedele 'Freddie the Bear' D'Amico. An underworld source, who cannot be publicly identified, said Orman's associates were 'real unhappy' about potentially being forced to take the stand and answer questions about their activities under cross-examination by Gobbo's lawyers. The move was made possible after a Supreme Court decision that went in Gobbo's favour last month that allowed her to access and introduce a swath of new evidence potentially disputing Orman's claims that his reputation had been damaged by her misconduct.
Sydney Morning Herald
24-04-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Melbourne gangland's relief as underworld figures dodge witness box on eve of Lawyer X trial
Exonerated gangland figure Faruk Orman has settled a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against barrister-turned-informer Nicola Gobbo on the eve of a trial that could have forced a slew of his underworld associates to give evidence. Orman had been seeking millions of dollars from his former lawyer over her key role in corrupting his 2008 prosecution for murder that resulted in him spending 12 years in jail before being set free after an appeal. The compensation trial was due to begin in the Supreme Court on Monday, with the court confirming the case was now delayed. The settlement deal will still have to be finalised by the court. Orman's decision to settle comes after a legal ruling last month that allowed the potential introduction of new evidence about his alleged involvement in the ongoing Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union corruption scandal. Orman's alleged involvement in negotiating profitable enterprise bargaining deals through questionable connections to the CFMEU were revealed last year as part of the Building Bad investigative series by this masthead, The Australian Financial Review and 60 Minutes. Gobbo's lawyers also issued subpoenas that could have compelled testimony from underworld figures including Mick Gatto, Steve 'The Turk' Kaya and Fedele 'Freddie the Bear' D'Amico. An underworld source, who cannot be publicly identified, said Orman's associates were 'real unhappy' about potentially being forced to take the stand and answer questions about their activities under cross-examination by Gobbo's lawyers. The move was made possible after a Supreme Court decision that went in Gobbo's favour last month that allowed her to access and introduce a swath of new evidence potentially disputing Orman's claims that his reputation had been damaged by her misconduct.
