Lawyer X debacle continues

The early release from jail of Melbourne gangland drug lord Tony Mokbel on $1m bail on Friday is the latest chapter in Victoria Police’s shameful unprofessional use of the Lawyer X . Mokbel, 59, had served 18 years for three drug convictions and was not due for release until 2031. He had been in jail since he was arrested in Greece in 2007 after fleeing Australia on a yacht midway through a drug trial.

The Victorian Court of Appeal found his bail application met a “truly exceptional” threshold. He had been misled and deceived by his former barrister, Nicola Gobbo, dubbed Lawyer X, the court found.

Justice where it’s due. The blame for Mokbel’s release lies squarely with the former senior ranks of Victoria Police and Ms Gobbo. The police recruited her as a secret informer after she approached them while representing underground figures in the gangland wars.

Mokbel’s release, on strict conditions, will further undermine Victorians’ confidence in the justice system. This week, Acting Chief Commissioner Rick Nugent announced he was leaving the role after just 41 days. The Allan government appointed him following the resignation of commissioner Shane Patton, who lost a no-confidence vote of police officers. The state’s crime rate is at its worst since 2016, with more than 600,000 crimes committed in 2024, up by 82,200, or 15.7 per cent, from 2023.

Mokbel has joined a growing list of ex-gang war criminals who have been freed early because of the Lawyer X debacle. As Victorian editor Damon Johnston, who was editing the Herald Sun when it broke the Lawyer X story, writes: “A handful of men including Faruk Orman, serving 20 years for murder, are now free. And more are appealing for freedom based on Gobbo.”

No police commanders or officers, past or present, extraordinarily, are in jail or facing charges over the scandal. Accountability must be restored to Victoria Police as soon as possible.