Off The Record: Tom Koutsantonis tees off on Twitter at Aus Gold Mining Group director Sally Zou
IT’S not often a Treasurer takes public aim at one of the state’s richest women, particularly one who wants to pump money into a major new mine.
- One of Adelaide’s richest men victim of memorabilia robbery
- Sally Zou is SA Libs’ largest donor
- Gloria Zou: Chinese child star to attend St Peter’s Girls’ School
- AFL club Port Adelaide to change sponsorship
IT’S not often a Treasurer takes public aim at one of the state’s richest women, particularly one who wants to pump money into a major new mine.
But the usually mining-friendly Tom Koutsantonis has teed off on Twitter at Aus Gold Mining Group director Sally Zou, who just happens to have donated $402,000 to the Liberal Party in the past financial year.
“Meet Steven Marshall’s SA Libs largest donor. Anyone surprised it’s coal?” declared Koutsantonis, also the Mineral Resources and Energy Minister, on Thursday. He posted an image from Aus Gold’s website, showing its thermal coal operations.
Mining mogul Zou responded with apparent sarcasm, expressing big thanks to Koutsantonis for the “very good job” with the “big surprise” of a free ad. “I’m so happy! Well done,” she said. “AusGold will invest in diamond, iron & copper mine in SA. Dear Minister Tom Koutsantonis, how can you help AusGold to make it happen?”
The mother of two daughters at St Peter’s Girls’ School — one, Gloria, a Chinese film and TV star — Zou moved to Adelaide last year but has a home on Sydney’s northern beaches.
Her Twitter feed reveals a wacky personality, happy to post pictures of her dog (seemingly with a diamond-encrusted collar) and Rolls-Royce emblazoned with the Australian flag.
As well as repeatedly on Twitter, her love for her adopted country has been expressed by sponsoring Adelaide’s Australia Day fireworks for the past two years.
Speaking of major Liberal donors, the year also marked a return to form for tycoon Rob Gerard, who pumped $83,000 into party coffers. It was his biggest sum since the Liberals were last in state government 15 years ago, when the-then Bowden-based Gerard Industries donated $224,000 in 2001-02. Asked about his resurgence, Gerard told Off the Record: “It was a (federal) election year, wasn’t it? You always throw in an extra few bob in an election year.’’
CLASS ACTION
THERE must have been something in the chardonnay at Adelaide University’s law school in the early 1980s.
New District Court Chief Judge Michael Evans is the latest to become a top jurist from the standout class of 1981, which also included Chief Justice Chris Kourakis and Chief Magistrate Mary-Louise Hribal.
Their peers included Senator Nick Xenophon, former Law Society president Ralph Bonig, two judges – Rauf Soulio and the late Rosemary Davey – and magistrates Bob Harrap, Koula Kossiavelos and Maria Panagiotidis.
Supreme Court Justice Tim Stanley started his academic career with the group but did not graduate with them after briefly adopting religious studies.
Perhaps their most noteworthy classmate was Attorney-General John Rau SC – the man for whom Chief Judge Evans worked directly, as solicitor-general, until his elevation.
Mr Rau, whose appointment to silk raised more than a few eyebrows last year, was tipped to take the job himself. Instead, Chief Judge Evans, who pre-emptively refused interviews, was appointed last November and will be sworn in on Tuesday. His Honour leaves behind a proud legacy at the solicitor-general’s chambers – and a chip off the old block in Rau’s office, where son William is an adviser.
OFF COURSE
EYEBROWS were raised this week when the SA Freight Council came out straight away to oppose Liberal leader Steven Marshall’sbig freight plan. Surely the SAFC would be fully behind a proposal under which billions would be spent on new road and rail networks and a brand spanking new 24-hour airport at Murray Bridge.
Perhaps that wasn’t as strange as it seemed. One of SAFC’s key members is Adelaide Airport, which is not keen on one of the key tenets of the Lib plan – a freight-only airport at Murray Bridge.
Adding to the awkwardness is that SAFC’s new independent chairman is Phil Baker, who was the airport’s long-time chief executive.
Off the Record also understands Marshall made no effort to contact Adelaide Airport chairman, and prominent Liberal supporter, Rob Chapman to give him the heads-up.
Some compared the silence with that of Otto the autopilot in Flying High.
POWER LUNCH 1
YOU know summer holidays are over when Adelaide’s powerbrokers start returning to the lunch circuit.
And few power-lunched more effectively than visiting ACT Labor Chief Minister Andrew Barr, who flitted between Waymouth St hot spots on Thursday with the state’s Labor regime leadership.
First up was Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis and his senior staff for lunch at Georges on Waymouth. But there was no hanging around for Barr, because someone important was waiting a few doors down at *press.
It was Premier Jay Weatherill, who brought an entourage, including his principal economic adviser and former Santos manager Sam Crafter. Perhaps Weatherill was figuring out how to get even more money out of Canberra.
SLAM DUNKED
NEW Seven Adelaide boss Andy Kay has been in the job only three days but the former basketball commentator has already delivered his first slam dunk, axing lifestyle program SA Life after six years.
SA Life magazine general manager Matt Smith says “changes to management and policy within Channel 7” led to the show’s demise. Presenters included Michael Keelan, Callum Hann, Kelly Golding and Briony Hume.
Seven says no jobs will be cut as a result of SA Life’s demise and production of a new local show for the Sunday 5.30pm timeslot has started. We wait for Kay’s next big play.
ORE-INSPIRING
THERE are not many plum jobs at Adelaide listed companies so there will be stiff competition for one role to stem an Oz Minerals exodus.
Corporate affairs chief Damon Hunt left last August, becoming a Malcolm Turnbull media adviser. Hunt’s junior Emma Schwartz, whose group manager communications role is advertised, then left to be a state ministerial adviser.