rigorousintuition.ca

More gangsterism.........

Via: crikey.com.au

http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/09/07/mystery-murder-and-mcgurk/

MPs to examine Michael McGurk’s corruption tape - Claims that Sydney businessman Michael McGurk was shot dead because of a tape recording linking senior Labor politicians to allegations of bribery will be investigated by a State Parliamentary inquiry - Sydney Daily Telegraph

McGurk murder mystery widens - The captain of the Socceroos, Lucas Neill, and the former NSW planning minister Craig Knowles, have been caught up in the aftermath of the murder of Sydney bagman Michael McGurk - Sydney Morning Herald

McGurk ‘would have blackmailed Medich’ - Labor party powerbroker Graham Richardson last night claimed murdered businessman Michael McGurk attempted to use the existence of a secret recording to blackmail his former business associate Ron Medich for millions of dollars - Sydney Daily Telegraph

A murky past with many identities - In death the life of Michael Loch McGurk is becoming increasingly mysterious. Apart from using four birth dates, McGurk is not his real name. In the early 1990s Michael Rushford, a salesman, arrived at ECC lighting in inner Sydney. Hot on his heels were Customs officers with a deportation notice because Rushford, who was in his mid 20s, had overstayed his visa. Rushford flew to New Zealand via Fiji and returned with a new passport and a new identity - Michael McGurk - Sydney Morning Herald

McGurk was ‘forceful’ in chasing the money - A former business associate of murdered father-of-four Michael McGurk said yesterday the 46-year-old was a “confrontational” and “very forceful” man known for his aggressive tactics in chasing money - Sydney Daily Telegraph

How a quiet bush block turned into a goldmine - The developer Ron Medich stands to gain millions from a western Sydney site he bought 13 years ago for a pittance from the CSIRO, confidential documents obtained by the Herald show. The revelation comes as a former federal minister, Graham Richardson, said slain standover man Michael McGurk was using a tape to blackmail Mr Medich - Sydney Morning Herald

Let the truth be exposed - Sydney Daily Telegraph editorial says the death of Michael McGurk has lit up Sydney’s great big elephant in the room: That something stinks about the way property deals are done in this town. If the tape proves to be bona-fide, then let’s have an open inquiry into the matter.

Not another episode of Underbelly - Sydney Morning Herald editorial says the fact that a Sydney man has been shot dead in his driveway in front of his son a week after he had warned of such an eventuality is a disgrace to NSW and a spur to more vigorous action against guns and gun crime.

The versionfrom Labor party fixer Graham Richardson is interesting, "believe nothing they say but believe they say nothing without reason". Richo says the tape was garbled and inaudible at crucial times, which if true makes it nearly worthless; but he would surely be keen to downplay evidence of corruption by his nearest and dearest mates, quite possible even by him.
I am reminded of the recent 'Ute-gate' email fabrication fizzer, which hinged on an email that supposedly proved our Labor Prime Minister & Finance minister were crooks. that went nowhere as the Liberal partys mate in Treasury Godwin Grech was shown to have fabricated the crucial evidence. Now we have NSW Labor under pressure from a new but unseen smoking gun... they're as crooked as a dogs hind leg, but i doubt the tape is real.

single shot to the head in front of his son with no other witnesses and no leads on the killer who escaped on foot,

i reckon that is a pretty clean job, someone paid well for it

smiths wrote:i reckon that is a pretty clean job, someone paid well for it

Maybe someone who could surely afford it?

Michael McGurk was due to face the Supreme Court today over a property dispute involving some of Australia's wealthiest businessmen.

But the interest in Mr McGurk goes back much further. Arson charges against him were dropped two weeks ago over the fire-bombing of a house in Wolseley Road Point Piper in the Sydney's eastern suburbs, the richest street in the country.

The house that was fire-bombed was sold by property developer Ron Medich to Adam Tilley, a friend of the Packer family's. When Mr Tilley couldn't finalise the purchase Michael McGurk was brought in by Mr Medich to collect the debt. That's when the house was fire-bombed.

Last week Mr McGurk told Sydney Morning Herald journalist Kate McClymont that he was worried that a person had been hired to kill him. ..
http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/conten ... 676566.htm

So McGurk may have firebombed a house belonging to a mate of the Packers.. and then is killed. But its all about a tape see, Labor party corruption see, nothing to do with the Packers, possibly our richest family.

sorry cpt, but since this thread was already covering it, i thought i'd just add your excellent pulling together of some threads (the rug) here


Here's the first article I read:

Wealthy developer gunned down on Sydney street

Quote:

SYDNEY (AFP) – A millionaire Australian property developer who once tried to sue the sultan of Brunei was gunned down in front of his young son outside their exclusive Sydney home, police said Friday.

Scottish-born Michael McGurk, 45, was shot once in the head by a lone gunman as he stepped from his luxury Mercedes in the harbourside suburb of Cremorne with his 10-year-old son on Thursday night, said Superintendent Geoff Beresford.

Beresford would not confirm claims McGurk had feared a hitman was on his trail and had approached police to ask for protection, but said the developer appeared to be the victim of a callous and "very targeted" act.

"We are very open-minded at the moment but what I can confirm is the deceased is very well-known to the police," he said.

"This gentleman did have a lot of associates that are also known to us, and those inquiries are well and truly under way."

Beresford said McGurk's young son was "very close" to his father as he was shot, and though unhurt, had been "very traumatised" by what he saw.

McGurk's mother-in-law Noreen McDonald said her grandson had come running into the house screaming "Mummy, mummy, mummy, quickly, daddy".

"She raced out. He was bleeding all over the place and passed away," McDonald said.

McGurk, who in 2007 unsuccessfully tried to sue the Sultan of Brunei over an alleged eight million US dollar agreement to buy a 400-year-old gold-lined miniature Koran, was alive when police arrived but died a short time later.

McGurk claimed to have bought the matchbox-sized Islamic artefact from a former colonel in the KGB secret police, and said the sultan reneged on a deal to buy it as a gift for his third wife.

The well-known developer was due to appear in Sydney's Supreme Court on Friday over a property dispute, and lawyer Mark Johnson told the judge his client had been murdered.

"He was a charismatic, intelligent, generous bloke," Johnson said outside the court, adding that the murder was "awful, unspeakable."

Local media said McGurk had, until two weeks ago, been facing assault and arson charges related to the fire-bombing of a waterfront mansion on Wolseley Road, Point Piper, which is Australia's most expensive street.

Prosecutors dropped the billionaires' row case against McGurk last month, but he reportedly told journalists there was a hitman on his trail.

Warren Mallard, a private investigator who had worked for McGurk, said he had worked a number of "bizarre" cases for the developer, involving people who did not play "by the rules".

"I would imagine ... that there are a lot of people that may have had what they thought was reasons to do him in because of the nature of the work and the business that he was involved in," Mallard told commercial radio.

"I'd imagine it's a bit of a needle in the haystack in relation to the cast of suspects," he added.

Neighbours said McGurk's home had been under sporadic police surveillance.


That last sentence becomes a bit more relevant later.

This link will search Google News for his name and show you all the various threads of this incident:

michael mcgurk

Things like:

Quote:
"New revelations about Mr McGurk's role as a loan shark and standover man have emerged, with the case threatening to reverberate through the state's political and business elites.

Sydney entrepreneur Jim Byrnes said Mr McGurk had told him that he had a tape recording of a conversation capable of bringing down the NSW Government and was concerned for his life."


Quote:
"Apart from using four birth dates, McGurk is not his real name. In the early 1990s Michael Rushford, a salesman, arrived at ECC lighting in inner Sydney. Hot on his heels were Customs officers with a deportation notice because Rushford, who was in his mid 20s, had overstayed his visa.

Rushford flew to New Zealand via Fiji and returned with a new passport and a new identity - Michael McGurk."


Quote:
"Private detective Warren Mallard said yesterday McGurk had hired him to go to a property near Bathurst to ensure the owners had vacated. McGurk had acquired the property when the owners fell behind in their repayments.

Mr Mallard said he was aghast to find that the owners had been devil worshippers who had a pit filled with blood and surrounded by bones."


Quote:
THE captain of the Socceroos, Lucas Neill, and the former NSW planning minister Craig Knowles, have been caught up in the aftermath of the murder of Sydney bagman Michael McGurk.

Mr McGurk had been approached to be a behind-the-scenes financial middleman for an $8 million bid for a Western Sydney A-League team fronted by Neill. Mr Knowles is the chairman of the team, known informally as the Sydney Wanderers.

[...]

Mr McGurk's murder came a day after the Western Sydney A League team proposal by Mr Meissner collapsed on Wednesday. Mr Meissner was supposed to supply financial details to the Football Federation but the bid's chairman, the marketing executive Ian Rowden, officially told it that the proof of working capital of about $6 million would not be forthcoming. At the same time he withdrew from his role as chairman of the bid.

Mr Meissner has had a colourful past, being a former world karate champion and professional poker player. But it was his connections to the NSW Labor Party and his convictions for assault and the theft of machine-guns that raised eyebrows. Mr Meissner's boat, Kanzen, became known as the ''Love Boat'' when politicians and organised crime figures consorted with a prostitute on it more than 20 years ago.


Quote:
The mystery surrounding the Michael McGurk murder has deepened, with revelations his lawyer complained to the police internal standards unit earlier this year about an investigation into the businessman.

Police say the lawyer made an official complaint, but then later indicated he didn't want to pursue the matter.

It comes after the Seven Network last night alleged Mr McGurk visited a police station last Thursday, the day of his death, to make a formal complaint about a police officer.

Seven says the officer was being paid by a businessman to frame Mr McGurk, but police have denied the report.


This link has ABC News' rundown of data on "McGurk" as of today:

Who was Michael McGurk?

And here's an article I just found which fleshes out some of the info:

ICAC to examine McGurk murder

Quote:
THE NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption is to investigate the murder of Michael McGurk, amid unconfirmed claims a police officer could have been involved in the Sydney businessman's death.

NSW police and the corruption-fighting body met yesterday, with the police handing over undisclosed evidence, understood to include a tape recording that allegedly contains claims of government corruption related to the property sector.

A new twist in the increasingly murky case was aired on Seven Network news yesterday, with associates of Mr McGurk reportedly saying the businessman had told them he had visited Sydney's Surry Hills police station just hours before he was murdered last Thursday.

They said Mr McGurk had feared for his life and that an influential Sydney businessman had bribed a corrupt detective to frame him. It was alleged the detective had become aware of Mr McGurk's complaint and had contacted the business associate.

But NSW police quickly issued a statement hosing down the latest claims.

They said they had no record of Mr McGurk attending Surry Hills "or any other police station" on the day of his murder.

A police spokesman said Strike Force Narrunga, which is investigating Mr McGurk's murder, was not investigating any allegation of police corruption made by Mr McGurk.

The ICAC said it was undertaking a "preliminary investigation" into Mr McGurk's murder after meeting NSW police, but would not comment further.

Former Labor heavyweight Graham Richardson has claimed Mr McGurk tried to blackmail his client, Sydney property developer Ron Medich, for $8million, by threatening to publicly release a taped conversation. Mr Richardson has dismissed the tape as inaudible at crucial points.

An associate of both Mr Medich and Mr McGurk, Sydney businessman Jim Byrnes, has reportedly said the tape related to the zoning of a parcel of former CSIRO land in Sydney's outer west. It is not suggested the men were involved in the death of Mr McGurk.

A company controlled by Mr Medich and his brother Roy bought a parcel of land at Badgerys Creek from the CSIRO in November 1996 for $3.5m.

Mr Medich's Ron Medich Properties is attempting to redevelop that land as part of a consortium with Sydney University and the local Damjanovich family.

The combined site covers 875ha and is south of the Western Sydney Development Hub, an 800ha site rezoned for development by the NSW government last month.

The Medich parcel, forming almost half of the land in the consortium, known as the Badgerys Creek Consortium, is next to the site where the state government had planned to build a second major Sydney airport.

However, plans to build the airport were scrapped.

The land owned by the Badgerys Creek Consortium is currently zoned rural but forms part of a larger area known as the Western Sydney Employment Lands Investigation Area, which the state government is considering rezoning for commercial and industrial uses.

If the land is rezoned, the Badgerys Creek Consortium members stand to make substantial windfall profits.

The NSW Department of Planning released a letter yesterday it had sent to the consortium in May last year rejecting calls to have the parcel of land named a "state significant site", which would have allowed the consortium to develop the land.

The department told the consortium the site's zoning would be considered in the broader review of the part of the Western Sydney Employment Lands Investigation Area.

CSIRO spokesman Huw Morgan rejected suggestions the property had been sold to the Medich brothers at below the market rate.

He said the CSIRO had publicly offered the site for sale and had obtained two independent valuations of the land, each of which valued the site at "$3.5m or less".


(all from here http://www.rigorousintuition.ca/board/v ... hp?t=25093 )

Reports this morning suggested a man who might resemble Mr McGurk was seen by an MP telling a member of parliamentary staff he needed to see an MP but had evidence that could bring down two ministers.

"It was probably more what the guy was saying," Mr Williams said.

"What he was actually saying [was similar] to what was reported in the paper: this guy had information to potentially bring down two ministers, he was saying to a cop [in Parliament House].

"If that cop says he doesn't remember it, he's a bloody wanker."

http://www.smh.com.au/national/im-the-m ... -fevb.html

Hey smiths, no problem. I missed this one...

Did anyone pick up on the Neville Wran connection (consulting)? I was a bit young to remember but the corruption in NSW during the Wran government was supposedly at a 3rd world level. It's amazing how complacent and unaware the average Aussie is to it all.

What exactly does Graham Richardson do for Medich that makes paying him 25k a month worthwhile?

Thanks all for info. TheDuke, Richardson is slime from way back as you probably know, wikipediahas lots but the bookby Marianne Wilkinson would be better.


I didn't gather where Mr McGurk/Michael Rushford came from before , is it NZ? The 'devil worshipping' tenants ref is from The Age, the next para:

..Apart from having two identities, McGurk also had two personalities. To his family and friends he was a doting father and generous fund-raiser but in business he was ruthless and violent. ..

Wintler, I think he came BACK thru Fiji/New Zealand using the stupid immigration loophole we have. I believe he is Scottish

Something weird's afoot. I somewhat suspect that the Brunei stuff is red-herring material.

(I've found the name of the former KGB colonel who McGurk got the miniature Koran from: Inal Kochiev)

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,26 ... 21,00.html

A BRITISH millionaire has been given police protection in England amid fears for his life as Scotland Yard has become involved in investigating the execution of Sydney businessman Michael McGurk.

Prominent businessman Mark Burby was within days of flying to Sydney to meet McGurk and share information about the Brunei royal family, who had been sued in unrelated multi-million dollar lawsuits by the two men.

The Daily Telegraph reports that Mr Burby approached British police on Friday after learning of the father-of-four's murder outside his Cremorne mansion.

Mr Burby, a Channel Islands-based property developer, was told of the shooting via email from lawyers for the Brunei royal family in London, according to an associate who asked not to be named.

There is no suggestion the Sultan of Brunei or his family were involved in McGurk's murder.

"(The) murder in public in front of his child suggests whoever wanted to kill him not only wanted to silence him but also send a message," the associate said.

"We don't know what that message was or for whom it was intended but Mr Burby is very nervous."

He gave a statement to Special Branch police in Jersey. The unit investigated politically-sensitive matters and is involved in close personal protection of individuals.

It is understood the police took possession of a number of items relevant to the court cases involving McGurk and Mr Burby and spoke with a man in London who also has information which may be relevant to McGurk's murder.

Sources told The Daily Telegraph that Scotland Yard had been liaising with Sydney homicide police.

Just days before his death, McGurk had made it clear to Mr Burby that they needed to meet, the associate said. It was understood McGurk was hoping to reopen his case against the world's richest man, Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'Izzadin

Wuddaulah of Brunei, involving allegations that the Sultan reneged on a $10 million deal to buy a rare miniature Koran from McGurk's company Garsec. Meanwhile, Mr Burby had been pursuing members of the Brunei royal family - the Sultan's cousin Pengiran Ayub and his wife Damit, the Queen of Brunei's sister - after winning a £95.5 million ($50 million) judgment against them in the British Virgin Islands where they had a company.

The couple had dropped out of a deal to develop a chain of the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf stores across the UK.

Mr Burby had bought the UK franchise to the stores.

In another twist, Henry Gewanter, the PR middleman who was involved in handing over the scandalous details of British MPs' expenses to the media, has taken up Mr Burby's case.

He said last night that Mr Burby had been gagged by UK courts from talking about some material he allegedly had on the Brunei royal family and that he had been hoping to have the orders lifted and talk to McGurk.

"The police saw the potential seriousness and risks involved and called in the Special Branch ," Mr Gewanter said.

"He and others are obviously quite worried now about their own safety and a level of protection has been provided. I understand that they (police) are now to liaise with the Australian authorities."

Mr Burby, 40, is a well-known Jersey local and a keen pilot whose personal helicopter is used for maritime search and rescue operations.

He has vowed to pursue the Pengirans for the rest of his life.

It is believed McGurk's Koran remains locked up in a Sydney safety deposit box.

yeah damn right something weird is afoot, its getting wider by the minute

one minute he's a local property developer, then hes got multiple identities

then hes got dirt on labour politicians, then hes at the parliament talking to mps but theres no record, at police stations saying cops are after him,
involved with the packers,

and now the sultan of fucking brunei is invloved about a miniature koran from a russian kgb man,

who the hell is this man

Mr McGurk/Rushford:

Grew up in Glasgows Gorbals 'slum' apparently.

Detail on the Point Piper property dispute, from Feb:

COMPANY director Michael McGurk is facing arson and assault charges over the firebombing late last year of businessman Adam Tilley's Point Piper home.

The 44 year old from Mosman, who appeared briefly in the Waverley local court yesterday told The Daily Telegraph through his lawyer that the allegations are false.

"Mr McGurk is a respected businessman, the allegations are unfounded and they will be defended to the death," lawyer Patrick Conaghan said.

The arson charge follows a police investigation into the dawn raid on Mr Tilley's home and a spate of assaults and threats allegedly linked to Mr McGurk.

In addition to the arson charge he is also charged with assault occasioning bodily harm in relation to an attack on property valuer Stuart Rowan.

Mr Rowan needed 12 stitches in his head after being hit by an unidentified assailant with a retractable metal bar.

It is alleged Mr Rowan was asked to provide a valuation on a property near Bathurst and refused.

Mr Tilley's home was hit by at least two molotov cocktails at 5am on November 20 hurled by persons unknown.

A well known developer, Adam Tilley is the older brother of Ben Tilley, himself a former close friend and poker partner of the late billionaire and media baron, Kerry Packer.

The Daily Telegraph has learned the attacks coincide with a dispute which began after Mr Tilley and millionaire property developer Ron Medich agreed to develop a residential site in Point Piper.

Sources familiar with the dispute said Mr Medich loaned Mr Tilley almost $10 million.

As part of the agreement, if the development proceeded to sale, Mr Medich could earn as much as $20 million on his investment.

However as the property market toppled Mr Medich assigned the debt to Mr McGurk.

The link between Mr Medich and Mr McGurk is not clear but it is not the first time Mr Medich has passed a financial entitlement to Mr McGurk.
In 2007 he assigned 115.5 million options over shares in low end lender Amazing Home Loans to Mr McGurk for $1.

Mr McGurk and Mr Medich are also said to be associated through Bentley Smythe, a property development firm believed to be funded by Mr Medich.

Once in control of the Tilley debt, Mr McGurk allegedly demanded Mr Tilley repay the maximum $20 million return.

When this was refused, he commenced legal action and the matter is currently being disputed in the NSW Supreme Court

Meanwhile, Mr McGurk is on bail subject to a $100,000 surety and reporting conditions which include attending Mosman police station three times a week.

The arson and assault charges have been referred to the Downing Centre District Court where it will return on March 17.

Contact: Detective Senior Constable Ray Hetherington at Redfern Police on (02) 8303 5199

[/quote]