John Newman’s death continues to haunt Australian politics. Explosive new evidence reveals his assassination was not simply a targeted criminal gang murder, he was also the victim of a political assassination, extending as deep as the local council!
The Mayor at the time of Newman’s murder was Mr Nick Lalich, a man with a long history of political involvement. The man convicted of the murder was Phuong Canh Ngo, the first Vietnamese-born Australian to be elected into government. During this time, Lalich and Ngo had more than just politics in common.
Inside sources reveal that to this day, Nick Lalich and Phuong are close friends. Only a few weeks ago, Lalich visited Ngo in prison – one of many visits over the years. Their friendship extends as far back as the late 1980’s, and Lalich has always spoken very highly of Ngo. In an interview conducted on 22 January 2003 archived with Fairfield City Heritage Collection, several times, Lalich refers to Newman as “arrogant” and “rude”. It’s evident that Lalich hasn’t buried the hatchet, nor does he have any empathy for Newman, even after his cold-blooded murder.
As cited in The Daily Telegraph 3 September 2014, “‘In the morning Ngo would sit on the board of the Area Health Service, go to councils meetings and present a respectable veneer,’ Mr Kaldas said. ‘At night he sat in his headquarters, the Mekong Club and controlled the 5T gang who were behind most of the heroin flooding southwest Sydney at the time as well as extortion rackets and a fair few murders.’”
When it comes to Ngo, however, Lalich has always spoken very highly of him and a supporter of his actions. In 1994, Fairfield wanted a ‘sister city.’ With the support of councillors Lalich and Anwar Koshiba, Ngo advocated a city from Taiwan while Newman, in keeping with official party policy, promoted China. Newman accused Ngo, Lalich and Koshiba of accepting capital backing from the Taiwanese community and Embassy. Newman made a public statement that they should not be re-elected to the council, and the local community supported Newman. On 1 June, the ALP State Electoral Council condemned Ngo and Lalich, stating that they would both be expelled if they continued to breach ALP policy regarding China.
The Ngo Report 140409 documented, “Mr N(guyen) made a statement to the Commission on 1 November 1999, which he said contained incidents he had not previously disclosed: [Mr T(ran)] said, “Let’s go down to the ground floor. When we’re down on the ground floor, we’ll just walk up to him and shoot him”. Both [Mr T] and I walked down to the ground floor level and we saw there were too many people near John Newman and I saw Lalich speaking with Newman. [Mr T] said words to the effect, “Oh s###, there is Nick Lalich we had better go or he may recognise me and say hello”. Both [Mr T] and I then walked back to the Club…. About midnight [Mr T] and I met with Phuong (Ngo) at his home. [Mr T] said words to the effect, “We saw too many people and then we saw Nick Lalich, that is why we had to walk off”.” This statement begs the following immediate questions: if they encountered each other that night, why would Lalich say ‘hello’ to an employee of the Mekong Club employee – are they well acquainted? Are they mates, is this why the shot wasn’t attempted at Newman that night? Why is Lalich important to Tran and Ngo – so important that they thwarted their entire plans for the first attempted murder of Newman? Whilst these questions are speculative, further investigations reveal the long-standing friendship between Lalich and Ngo.
In the Newman trial, a man approached to perform the hit on Newman is verified as Mr Charlie Chiha. Mr Chiha refused the hit and gave evidence for the prosecution of the approach. In the Legislative Council Hansard – 05 April 2006, a video of a meeting at the Ramada Inn between Nguyen and Chiha is shown as evidence, and Chiha is described as “wired up.” Chiha’s friendship with Ngo is clear from this moment and his relationship with Lalich will become apparent. It’s at this point, we start to see the web of the associations connecting Lalich and Ngo.
13 years on from the 1994 ‘sister city’ movement, a development in Fairfield called Linbar Towers was underway. An article in the Fairfield Champion, dated 19 September 2007, revealed the Linbar Towers development was approved by Fairfield council, despite numerous illegal building works. At that time, Fairfield council only allowed six-level developments. Approval was granted for a variation to the development, and a seven-level development was approved by council. Consider there have been numerous previous developments denied for much less, such as requesting a variation to marginally increase the floor spaces in homes or duplexes, even as little as a 4% increase. However, Linbar Towers had an eighth floor slab laid without council approval. When a construction project is built, the council is onsite seven times to check the works carried out are as per council approval. At the framing state, it was ‘missed’ that the development had eight levels. At the concrete stage, council notices there is concrete laid for an eighth floor slab, and a report is conducted about the illegal works with a recommendation made, in accordance with council legislation.
The recommendation was to demolish the development; however, Lalich moves an amendment at the council meeting to refute the demolition. His basis is due to undue financial pressure on the three developers: George Bitar, Messers Joseph, and Badi & Charlie Chiha – the same Charlie Chiha from the Newman trial. What is the relationship between the three associates Ngo, Lalich and Chiha? Is it coincidental that three are closely involved with multiple contacts that involve mutual associates?
Former Councillor Zaya Toma said, “Nick Lalich will be remembered for his support of developers and over-development of Fairfield with little benefit to the local community that happened under his term as Mayor. He ignored advice from staff to help developers and gave them more concessions than ordinary local citizens would get.”
It’s interesting to note in Lalich’s Valedictory Speech to Parliament on 16 November 2022, Lalich doesn’t recall Newman’s good memories or qualities, nor does he strongly condemn Ngo’s actions, but rather defends Ngo’s position in politics at the time by stating, “John feared that Phung Ngo would have the support to take his seat at the next preselection, although the local understanding was that Phung Ngo never wanted to serve in the Legislative Assembly and instead was aiming to run as a member of the Legislative Council where he felt he could work on a much broader canvas looking after the interests of his community across the entire State and not being confined to one lone electorate.” He then adds a token throwaway line “Whatever the reason, it was a stupid, cold-blooded and callous thing to do, and it reverberated throughout Cabramatta for many years.”
In response to Lalich’s valedictory speech, Former Deputy Commissioner of Police Mr Nick Kaldas says, “Mr. Lalich’s comments regarding the cold-blooded murder of John Newman in my opinion bear no resemblance to the evidence produced and accepted by the Supreme Court. Ngo was found guilty. A subsequent Royal Commission strongly backed that decision.”
Upon pondering the many questions raised pertaining to Lalich’s network of connections, there are distinct relationships between Lalich, the murderer Ngo and Charlie Chiha. This trio, alongside Ngo’s team from Mekong Club, forms a web of widespread associates. It’s only a matter of time until all is revealed, divulging how far the web has been cast.
Original article: https://keepingnewslocal.com.au/exclusive-new-evidence-of-a-complex-networking-web-the-john-newman-case-opens-pandoras-box/