A former Brisbane nightclub owner who once portrayed himself as a mafia boss has told an inquest trouble started when he refused to pay protection money to police in the 1970s.
Antonio "Tony" Bellino was testifying at an inquest into the fatal firebombing of the Whiskey Au Go Go nightclub in Brisbane on March 8, 1973.
The 82-year-old, who owned the Pinocchio's club at the time, said police warned him in late 1972 that Sydney mafia were going take over Brisbane.
But officers said they couldn't do anything about their arrival, unless it was in response to criminal actions by the Sydney gang, Mr Bellino told the Brisbane Coroners Court on Thursday.
Mr Bellino referred to a "crook cop" named Glen Hallahan who asked for $30 a week protection money.
When Mr Bellino and his brother refused to pay fights were started regularly at the club.
He told of one fight when people were armed with knuckle dusters, knives and guns, and a fire started in the club's storeroom.
Mr Bellino attributed the trouble at the club to having refused Mr Hallahan's demand.
But he didn't report anything because "the coppers, they're all the same, they're all together", Mr Bellino told the inquest.
During other court proceedings Mr Bellino was described by a judge as being "obviously content to portray himself as 'mafia don'".
But on Thursday, Mr Bellino told the inquest: "I'm not a mafia man. I'm just a businessman."
However, he said he protected himself and his club including putting his hand on a gun tucked in his belt after being warned John Andrew Stuart - who was later convicted of the Whiskey attack - wanted to "blow up" Pinocchio's.
Mr Bellino had been told Stuart made the threat because he was cranky for previously refused entry for wearing thongs to the club.
Stuart and another man hurriedly left his club because "they knew they'd get shot", Mr Bellino said.
The inquest was told about a book authored by Don Cameron called Time for Truth: Antonio Bellino tells it as it is.
Mr Bellino said he had never read the book - which he claimed was being made into a movie - but had supplied some information while Mr Cameron also did his own research.
Stuart and James Richard Finch were convicted in 1973 of the firebombing murders, but there has long been speculation others were involved.
The inquest was reopened after the firebombing was mentioned in the trials of Garry Dubois and Vincent O'Dempsey, who were convicted over the deaths of Barbara McCulkin and her two daughters.
Those trials heard the killings may have been motivated over fears Mrs McCulkin would try to implicate O'Dempsey in the firebombing.
Coroner Terry Ryan is set to determine whether Finch and Stuart were the only people who caused or contributed to the deaths of the 15 people who died from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Other people were able to escape the club after two drums of fuel were thrown into the downstairs foyer and set alight about 2am.
The inquest continues in May.