Only in Australia

With the country currently riveted to the TV series Underbelly, about Melbourne gangsters killing each other in restaurants all over the city – it’s based on fact – it should come as no surprise to hear that a former underworld boss, Mick Gatto, is trying to track down the assets lost by “friends and associates” in the collapse of local stockbroker Opes Prime.

Mr Gatto was charged with killing Melbourne hitman Andrew “Benji” Venjamin and walked free after pleading self-defence. He now, rather improbably, runs an industrial mediation company, according to The Australian, and has set off to find Opes Prime’s funds in Singapore and the Middle East.

“I reckon it’s over $1bn and I have a good record of tracking things down,” he said. “You can run but you can’t hide, and you can quote me on that.”

Some days, I think: “Only in Australia.”