Australia’s first political assassination: hitman, the Mafia, and a body stuffed into a bin

AUSTRALIA’S first political assassination involved a hitman and the Mafia and ended with an innocent father of three young children dead.

Anti-drugs campaigner Donald (Don) Mackay with wife Barbara & children Paul (19), Ruth (16), May (13) & James (3) taken months before he was murdered in 1977. Picture: Mackay family

AUSTRALIA’S first political assassination involved a hitman and the Mafia and ended with an innocent father of three young children dead.

It’s been 40 years since NSW politician Donald Mackay, 43, went missing from the car park of a hotel in Kooyoo Street, Griffith, on the evening of 15 July, 1977. But the case is far from closed with police this week renewing their appeal for information regarding the Mafia murder.

His body has never been found, but extensive police investigations and a 1984 Coronial Inquest concluded that Mr Mackay died of wilfully inflicted gunshot wounds.

Three bullet casings were found and blood was smeared on the door of his locked van.

The white mini-van from which Donald Mackay disappeared at Griffith in July 1977.

This photo of anti-drugs campaigner Donald (Don) Mackay with wife Barbara and son James, 3, was taken the week before he was murdered in 1977.

Since then, three men have been convicted of conspiring to murder the once-Liberal party candidate while a Royal Commission named six others who may have ordered the brutal killing.

Police have never been able to charge the hit man who pulled the trigger despite exhaustive inquiries, including a coronial inquest which found the father of four died of gunshot wounds.

Mr Mackay is believed to have been murdered in his rural hometown for telling police the whereabouts of marijuana farms owned by the Australian-born mafia.

Anti-drug campaigner Donald Mackay was murdered in Australia’s first political assassination.

Mafia insider, Gianfranco Tizzoni, testified that he paid Melbourne hit man James Frederick Bazley $10,000 to carry out the murder.

He said he acted as a middle man for notorious crime figure Bob Trimbole who had agreed to organise the contract killing on behalf of Griffith crime figures. Police allege Tizzoni was present during the murder and that he helped dispose of the body.

Trimbole and Tizzoni have since died.

In 1986, Bazley was sentenced to life over a double murder, nine years for the conspiracy to murder Mr Mackay and a further four years for a $270,000 armed robbery.

He has always maintained his innocence and was released from prison in 2001.

Aerial pictures of the site where police searched a farm in Maude Road, Hay for the remains of Donald Mackay in 2013.

NSW Police said they were fully committed to finding answers for his desperate family.

“Donald Mackay was a highly-respected member of the community and became well known throughout Australia as an anti-drugs campaigner, and his murder — Australia’s first political assassination — shocked us all,” Griffith Local Area Commander, Detective Superintendent Michael Rowan said.

“This is further compounded by the fact his family has not been able to lay his body to rest.” Detectives attached to Strike Force Fitr have urged anyone with information to come forward.

“Investigators remain in contact with the family and I can’t tell you the pain they feel for not knowing where his body is,” Det Supt Rowan said in a statement.

“It’s hard enough to know justice hasn’t been served but never having the opportunity to lay your loved one to rest and say a proper goodbye is heart- wrenching.”

The NSW government’s reward for information that leads to Mr Mackay’s remains was increased to $200,000 in July 2012.

— With AAP

Originally published as Australia’s first political assassination: hitman, the Mafia, and a body stuffed into a bin