Mick Gatto. The premier's decision comes after Opposition Leader Matthew Guy was criticised for remaining at a lobster dinner with alleged mafia boss Tony Madafferi. Police have banned Mr Madafferi from Crown Casino and he has been accused in court of being a member of Melbourne's mafia. However, he has never been charged with any crimes and denies wrongdoing. Victorian Attorney-General Martin Pakula told 3AW the fundraiser was a public event and tickets cost nearly $300.

Illustration: Ron Tandberg. "The premier was there with hundreds of other people," he said. Mr Pakula said Mr Andrews had not wanted to risk talking to Mr Gatto. "He probably didn't want to be in the same room as him and risk having him come up to him and have a conversation with him." A spokesman for Mr Shorten said he arrived just before he gave a speech and left straight afterwards.

"Bill wanted to pay tribute to the remarkable work of Father Bob Maguire," he said. "This night was about Father Bob and no one else." Mr Gatto said he was invited to the birthday event because of the fundraising he'd done on behalf of the Father Bob Maguire Foundation in the past. "Father Bob supports me and I support him," Mr Gatto said. "All this is causing the focus to shift from why we were actually there – raising money for homeless and underprivileged people – to what politicians were walking in and out of the room. It's not like I met or spoke to them."

A foundation spokesman said "anyone was welcome" at Father Bob's birthday celebrations. "It's a public event. We don't discriminate against anyone who wants to celebrate the good work Father Bob has done over the years". Mr Gatto has previously raised nearly $100,000 for Father Bob's charitable foundation.