Deadline: Mick Gatto backs campaign to have self defence taught in schools

Mick Gatto is a man who knows the value of self defence, so it’s hardly a surprise that he’s backed a campaign to have it taught in Victoria’s schools.

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Andrew Rule and Mark Buttler with the latest crime buzz.

Gatto preaches self defence

All’s fair in love, war and politics. So we shouldn’t be surprised that the cheeky independent candidate for Werribee, Aidan McLindon, has persuaded the great persuader Mick Gatto to back his idea of teaching self defence in schools.

Deadline takes the view that self defence might be as useful a subject as many currently taught in schools, and more practical than some. At least it relates to physical fitness and requires some discipline, practice and determination.

That Mick Gatto is involved, or at least endorsing it, makes sense. Because, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, there is no greater advocate of self-defence than the former heavyweight fighter, these days a husband and grandfather who takes exception to being called a standover man because he prefers to be thought of as a negotiator and philanthropist.

Launching policy on self-defence in primary and secondary schools in Victoria with Mick Gatto today. @theheraldsun@Channel9@[e-mail]/A4kDiPq3wN

— Aidan McLindon (@aidanpmclindon) February 2, 2025

Self-defence comes first in Gatto World. This is the man who beat a murder charge over the timely shooting of hitman Andrew “Benji” Veniamin in a Carlton restaurant storeroom back at the height of the underworld war.

He beat the charge by citing self defence. The defence line being that the duplicitous Veniamin produced a loaded .38 revolver (big enough to use as a small boat anchor) from his tracksuit pants and threatened the big man with it. But, unfortunately for “Benji”, Gatto apparently grabbed the gun from him and used it to defend himself by shooting Veniamin rather dead.

Presumably, Gatto must have thought the little bloke could have had another shooter hidden about his person and so neutralised the risk. This reminds Deadline of the late, great sports writer Ron “Curly” Carter, who said of contests between big players and small ones: “Little blokes get tired but big ones don’t get any smaller.”

Of course, we will never be sure of the exact sequence of events in the back room of La Porcella that day because Veniamin ran second and his version died with him.

As for the battle for Werribee, Aidan McLindon is a lively customer who doesn’t mind a verbal stoush.

Being the brand new mayor of Whittlesea isn’t enough for Macca — he wants to be an independent member for the other outer dormitory suburb starting with W.

McLindon is chockablock with ideas. Before he came up with the Gatto-backed compulsory self-defence learning scheme, he produced a mock-up of an Australia Day flag to keep everyone happy: a union jack motif slotted inside the red, yellow and black of the Aboriginal flag. Don’t tease him or he might hit you with it.

A bird in the hand

Deadline notes with interest the police breakthrough on the Pam the Bird graffiti which is all over Melbourne.

“Innocent until proven guilty” is Deadline’s firm position (unless the lawyers are lunching all day) so we’ll say only that Jackson Gibson-Burrell is accused of daubing everywhere from City Link’s “Cheese Stick” to the clock at Flinders St station.

The man allegedly behind Pam the Bird graffiti in Melbourne. Picture: Ian Currie

Many people wondered why there was no movement sooner, with a flock of Pams descending on the city in the past two years.

Word reaches us that the inquiry run by a dedicated team of investigators ran for months and, we’re told, involved some fairly intensive surveillance work.

Pam the Bird graffiti on the iconic Flinders Street Station clock.

Pam the Bird struck again at the Novotel. Picture: Toby Hussey

It could make for some interesting viewing when things reach court, given there are Pams in some remarkable places, like near the top of the Sofitel Hotel. Meanwhile, there are indications someone (we’re not suggesting anyone in particular) was enjoying a little notoriety me-time from the whole thing.

It’s believed the 2023 Herald Sun story which revealed the whole Pam phenomenon was later reproduced on T-shirts by persons unknown.

Community opinion seems to be heavily divided over the graffiti outbreak.

Some people believe the police action is a positive development in, arguably, Melbourne’s most widespread brand of criminal damage.

Many others seem to think Pam the Birds are harmless and add something distinctive to our city.

Which is all very “Banksy” but it’d be interesting to see if the Pam fans would be so delighted if the big bird was plastered over their own shiny car or front door.

Tobacco ceasefire hopes

If any good can come of such a violent crime, let’s hope the murder of Sam Abdulrahim can persuade combatants in Melbourne tobacco wars to lay down their weapons, not to mention jerry cans and lighters.

There is no doubt Abdulrahim’s willingness to take on exiled crime boss Kazem Hamad was a large factor in the fiery events of the past 18 months.

We’re not aware of a tobacco fire since “The Punisher” was shot dead at Preston nine days ago.

That’s not to say there won’t be another one (there almost certainly will be) but plenty of people will be hoping the intensity of the conflict might ease a little.

Mourners gather to farewell Sam ‘The Punisher’ Abdulrahim before his burial at Northern Memorial Park.

This paper revealed in June 2023 that Abdulrahim had become the latest target in a wave of tobacco shop fires.

There was barely any let-up from that point as Abdulrahim took on the considerable forces of Hamad, who has been operating with apparent impunity from Iraq since his deportation.

It was a fight Abdulrahim could not win and, with his resistance now ended, there are hopes of a return to stability.

The pity is that any peace will also benefit the serious organised crime figures who have made a fortune from a black market which has been enabled by public policy ineptitude on several levels.

Good riddance, say victims’ family

One family not missing “Sam The Sham” Abdulharim are the loved ones of Muriel Hulett, the 88-year-old woman that the drug-dealer killed while driving recklessly in a Ferrari that would clearly be derived from proceeds of crime.

We know this to be true because a Hulett relative has told Deadline the family is “sickened” by the publicity Sam the Sham attracted both in life and death.

“His family did not show one ounce of remorse or sympathy” over the death of Mrs Hulett — who was a mother, mother-in-law, grandmother and great grandmother.

Furthermore, the family is furious that Abdulharim and his lawyers did a sweetheart deal with prosecutors to get a reduced sentence.

“We were told not to discuss this with anyone and not to contact the media or press regarding this.”

Now Muriel’s relatives are spilling the beans.

Dog of (media) war

One of our better sources noticed an interested onlooker at Federal Court proceedings involving media personality Antoinette Lattouf, which began on Monday.

He noted that a small, fluffy dog seated on a woman’s lap at the rear of the Sydney hearing appeared to be monitoring proceedings intently.

Lattouf is taking on the ABC for wrongful dismissal after her fill-in stint at the network ended early in December, 2023, over her social media utterances. It seems to be a lot of legal expense over losing a couple of days’ work.