NOT SO WISE GUY
CRISIS OVER LIB’S ‘LOBSTER MOBSTER’ MEET
A BRAWL has erupted in the Liberal Party over Opposition Leader Matthew Guy’s decision to dine on lobster with alleged mafia figure Tony Madafferi.
Mr Guy has sensationally asked the state’s anti-corruption commission to probe the dinner, saying he has nothing to fear from an investigation other than accusations of poor political judgment.
But some Liberals have already questioned Mr Guy’s judgment, after he failed to check who was attending the April 12 event at the Lobster Cave in Beaumauris, organised by prominent Liberal and fruit and vegetable grower Tony Lamattina.
The Opposition Leader was defiant yesterday, saying he has “broken no laws” and the only thing he could be accused of was lacking political nous.
“I believe I have done nothing wrong,” he said.
“It has been inferred that I went there seeking money. That is completely and utterly false. I did not go there seeking money.
“If there is a judgment issue with me attending a function and staying at a function with Tony Madafferi I accept that.”
Mr Madafferi is accused by police in court documents of being a mafia figure with “close involvement with serious criminal conduct, including drug importation, murder and extortion”.
The Victorian Liberal Party was in damage control yesterday, but said it had checked its records to ensure it had not received a disclosable amount from any members of Mr Guy’s dining party since the Opposition Leader was elected to State Parliament.
Disclosable donations are any amounts provided to a party in a single payment that are more than $13,500.
In a day of drama, Mr Guy said yesterday when he arrived at the dinner he didn’t know who the man introduced to him by Mr Lamattina was other than “cousin Tony”.
Most of Mr Guy’s party room said they believed their leader and that he should be able to “ride out” the crisis, but some Liberal Party members have already attacked the handling of the issue.
Some Liberals said it showed a lack of judgment.
One senior member contacted members of the party’s administrative committee saying people were calling to say they were “considering resigning from the party or not assisting with fundraising ... for the next election because of the perception of corruption due to headlines regarding Matthew Guy’s alleged involvement with mafia ties”.
Deputy Premier James Merlino said Mr Guy had shown he had “neither the character or judgment to be the next premier of Victoria”.