Home › Historical › Waterfront: Graft, corruption and violence - Australia's crime frontier from 1788 till now

Waterfront: Graft, corruption and violence - Australia's crime frontier from 1788 till now

by Duncan McNab

A history of crime and power along Australia’s ports

Regular price $27.59 USD
Regular price $30.66 USD Sale price $27.59 USD
Save 10%

Paperback New English

Delivery to your door
In stock·Dispatches in 1–2 business days
Standard shipping* from $4.35
Standard shipping transit* 5–8 business days after dispatch

Faster options are available.

Rates and delivery estimates depend on your destination and item quantity. Estimates are informational only; the final shipping method and rate are selected at checkout.

Secure checkout
American Express Apple Pay DiscoverGoogle Pay Mastercard PayPalVisa
30-day eligible returns Returns & refunds policy

AlbakiReads Editorial

A history of crime and power along Australia’s ports

Spanning from the arrival of the First Fleet to contemporary drug smuggling, Waterfront traces the long relationship between Australia’s ports and organised crime. Duncan McNab brings together episodes involving criminal syndicates, waterfront unions, political influence, official inquiries and efforts to curb wrongdoing. The book frames the waterfront not simply as a point of trade, but as a contested arena where access, labour and international connections have created opportunities for illicit profit. Its broad historical scope links colonial-era figures and gold-rush activity with later investigations and modern port-based crime, presenting a continuing account of corruption and conflict around a crucial national industry.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • True-crime readers interested in Australian criminal history
  • Readers of investigative accounts of corruption, unions and organised crime
  • Those interested in the history of Australia’s ports and maritime trade

Themes

Organised crimeCorruptionWaterfront unionsAustralian historyDrug smuggling

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

Ever since the First Fleet dropped anchor, Australia's ports have been our opening to the world. They are also the breeding ground for many of Australia's most notorious criminals, and a magnet for local and overseas criminal syndicates. WATERFRONT is the story of the crimes, the politics, the characters and the corruption in our nation's ports.

 

From the time of Phillip and Bligh to today, from the gold rushes to modern-day drug smuggling, a criminal element has always found ways to profit from the rise and dominance of waterfront unions. After a century of Royal Commissions, reports, denials and crackdowns, crime and wrongdoing in Australia's ports remains organised, entrenched and incredibly profitable.

 

Investigative journalist and former police detective Duncan McNab lifts the lid on the intriguing and chequered history of Australia's waterfront.Covering Eddie McGuire's many triumphs, feuds, his missteps, his successes, the turnaround of his beloved Magpies and his seemingly unstoppable rise, this is the inspiring and unique story of the ultimate working-class boy made good.

Shipping & returnsShipping options, delivery timing, and our return policy.

In-stock items normally dispatch within 1–2 business days. The ZIP-code estimator on this page is informational only; the final shipping method, price, and availability are confirmed at checkout for your full order.

For the initial delivery estimate we use these transit windows after dispatch: Standard 5–8 business days, Expedited 2–4 business days, and Priority 1–2 business days. Holiday delays are not included.

Eligible items can be returned within 30 days in accordance with our return policy.

Customer reviews