Victoria Police Arrest Mick Gatto in Construction Sector Probe
Mick Gatto, a 70-year-old construction industry mediator, was arrested by Victoria Police alongside a woman in her 70s as part of an investigation into alleged financial offences in the construction sector.
Arrest Details
Victoria Police confirmed the arrest of a man and a woman, both in their 70s, at a property in Mount Martha on Wednesday. Police executed a warrant at the location as part of Taskforce Hawk's investigation.
The man arrested has been identified as Mick Gatto. Both individuals are currently being interviewed by detectives from Taskforce Hawk in connection with alleged financial offences. Paul Svilans, a lawyer for Gatto, had no comment when contacted.
Taskforce Hawk
Taskforce Hawk is a Victoria Police unit established to investigate criminal activity in the construction industry. Gatto describes himself as a construction industry mediator.
Related Legal Proceedings
Gatto has initiated defamation proceedings in the NSW Supreme Court against Sydney barrister Geoffrey Watson. Gatto alleges that Watson defamed him during a segment of Nine's 60 Minutes, which aired on March 16, 2024.
Watson's Allegations
Watson was appointed by the then-CFMEU national secretary Zach Smith in 2024 to investigate alleged criminal wrongdoing. Mark Irving, KC, who was appointed as administrator to the CFMEU's construction and general division, also tasked Watson with investigating violence within the union's Queensland operations as part of a state commission of inquiry.
In his report, tabled in the Queensland Royal Commission into the CFMEU, Watson alleged Gatto held a "malignant influence" on the CFMEU and received millions of dollars from builders to prevent site shutdowns. Watson described a "Gatto extortion model" and accused Gatto of running a "terror campaign."
During the 60 Minutes interview, when asked about Gatto's role in the construction sector, Watson stated: "Well, he's right at the top. He's the master. Now, everything flows from him. He sits at the centre of the web. This web is spreading all over the construction industry in Victoria."
Gatto's Defamation Claims
Gatto's legal representatives allege that the broadcast conveyed several false and defamatory statements, including that Gatto "is responsible for the corruption and serious criminal conduct that has spread within the CFMEU" and "uses extreme violence and intimidation to obtain money from people within the construction industry."
Specifically, Gatto's lawyers allege that Watson's remark during the interview, stating "When I started conducting this inquiry, it felt to me like I was watching an episode of The Sopranos," implied that Gatto is a "murderous member of the mafia." Gatto was not directly referenced in the Sopranos comparison.
Gatto has denied any ties to criminal gangs and stated he is "not above the law." On February 18, Gatto denied allegations in Watson's report that he had damaged the building industry and the Victorian economy.
Previous Legal Challenges
In 2021, Gatto lost a defamation lawsuit against the ABC concerning a 2019 article titled "Gangland figure Mick Gatto threatened to kill police Informer 3838, court told." The Victorian Supreme Court ruled in favor of the ABC, concluding that the alleged meanings were not conveyed. Gatto's subsequent appeals were unsuccessful.
Background
Mick Gatto, 70, is a former boxer and debt collector who describes himself as a "mediator." He was acquitted of murder in 2005 on grounds of self-defense after shooting Andrew Veniamin. In 2002, he denied accusations of being a "standover man" during an appearance before the Royal Commission into the Building and Construction Industry.