Off the Record: Following the campaign money and new hands at the wheel at Bridgewater Mill
In this week’s Off the Record, we follow the money in the federal election, new hands at the wheel at Bridgewater Mill and an intriguing new face on the board of the Adelaide Festival Centre Trust.
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In this week’s Off the Record we follow the campaign money in the federal election, new hands at the wheel at Bridgewater Mill and an intriguing new face on the board of the Adelaide Festival Centre Trust.
Take the money and run
It’s one of the most critical battles of an election campaign — the war between the major parties to pump cash into their coffers.
In the early days of the federal campaign, both Labor and Liberal South Australian divisions are in quite healthy financial shape, according to senior party sources.
The Liberals have been boosted by three $500 a head fundraisers in the fortnight before the campaign kicked off on Thursday.
Energy Minister Angus Taylor was busy, attending a dinner at PKF Adelaide’s Flinders St boardroom with Boothby MP Nicolle Flint on March 27, then backing up the next morning for a breakfast at Mt Lofty House with Mayo candidate Georgina Downer.
She too was quite busy, also attending a dinner on March 27 with Education Minister Dan Tehan at the Arkaba Hotel, part of the Hurley Group — a family company run by prominent Liberal backers Peter Hurley and Jenny Hurley.
Both parties report that a more predictable election date than the 2016 double dissolution has given them greater fundraising certainty, plus a shorter campaign will not drain resources.
Labor types were chuffed with the turnout for Opposition Leader Bill Shorten’s Budget reply speech, particularly those who shelled out to enjoy a Parliament House dinner.
While it’s likely this cash will be deployed in battleground states like Queensland, Labor sources have been pleased with the interest shown in their events.
As we reported in February, 80 people paid $150 per head on a Monday night to hang out at Deloitte’s Waymouth St offices with Labor’s South Australian federal front bench team of Penny Wong, Mark Butler, Don Farrell and Amanda Rishworth.
That week, the Liberals attracted 550 people to a fundraiser at Adelaide Oval.
Perhaps they have more cash now than in 2016, when the-then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull donated $1.75 million of his own cash to fund the Liberal campaign.
Marketing the old school tie
Two powerful old uni mates caught up this week when Treasurer Josh Frydenberg ventured to the Adelaide Central Market with Supreme Court Justice Sam Doyle
The pair were at Oxford together in the late 1990s, where the Treasurer completed a master of philosophy degree in international relations and Justice Doyle, the son of former Supreme Court Chief Justice John Doyle, studied law.
Both secured scholarships to the English university.
On Tuesday, Frydenberg wielded a buzz saw at building site event but also grabbed a coffee and juice with the Judge.
Frydenberg branded the market “terrific”.
Visiting Adelaide in 2016 to attend Justice Doyle’s swearing-in ceremony, Frydenberg told Off the Record: “From uni days, we’ve become great mates. We never talk politics.”
The pair, who jogged together at uni, now talk often about footy — the minister backs Carlton and the judge Adelaide.
Wheel still spins at Bridgewater Mill
One of the state’s iconic venues is under new management — but it’s not being sold.
The Bridgewater Mill in the Adelaide Hills was bought by wine entrepreneur Warren Randall in 2015 from the giant Japanese drinks group Kirin.
But Randall is now leasing the Mill to catering group Taylor & Holmes, a family outfit run by Kate and Greg Hobby, along with their daughter Tori Hobby.
Randall, who also owns Seppeltsfield in the Barossa Valley, was keen to point out the Mill was very much staying in his hands.
“Absolutely no intention to sell the Mill. In fact, the opposite, a strong intent to develop it,’’ he said.
But the Hobbys have big plans to regenerate the place. A new chef, Ben Fenwick (formerly of The Pot) has been installed. Greg Hobby said he wants to make the Mill a place where locals will feel comfortable and people from the city will want to “make the short trip up here’’.
“We want people to have the best experience they can have with great food and warm service,’’ he said.
The Mill is an 1860 flour mill. It was bought and renovated in 1986 by a consortium led by former Petaluma winemaker Brian Croser.
Selling Festival into China
An interesting name popped up this week as a new member of the Adelaide Festival Centre Trust. The name was Maggie Zhou.
But who is Maggie Zhou and what is her connection to Adelaide?
Zhou is Australian managing director of a company called Alibaba. Alibaba is a Chinese company, but is one of the largest internet companies the world.
Its activities range across e-commerce, travel, payments, cloud computing and entertainment. Last year it had 636 million customers.
It is also listed on the New York Stock Exchange and is valued at around $500 billion. It’s founder Jack Ma is China’s richest man and worth around $50 billion.
Zhou was Ma’s executive assistant before heading to Australia and has been with the company since its early days.
In SA, companies such as Treasury Wine Estates and Jurlique use Alibaba platforms to sell into China.
Zhou is Melbourne-based, and a Victorian government business ambassador, but is believed to be a frequent visitor to Adelaide for business reasons.
Trust chairman Michael Abbott told Off the Record Zhou’s appointment would help build the international profile of the OzAsia festival.
“Maggie’s appointment also recognises that the AFC has become a national hub for Asian-Australian Cultural engagement,’’ he said.
Zhou said would not be accepting any sitting fees for her work as a trustee.
“I look forward to contributing to the Centre by growing its appeal to Chinese visitors and building the awareness of Adelaide and South Australia in the Asian region,” she said.
Too cool
Former Adelaide Lord Mayor and incoming Business SA boss Martin Haese has too many friends!
That’s not something you can say about too many ex-pollies, but in this case it's true.
Haese hit the “friend” limit on his personal Facebook page this month and has asked people to follow him on another profile, presumably without an upper limit.
He’s also changed his old profile to “Martin Kinnear” (his middle name) so don’t be confused if you see that name pop up.
Wrong spot
Both the ALP and UAP got a bit confused about geography ahead of the election campaign kick-off this week.
Clive Palmer’s UAP distributed leaflets in Sturt for Suellen Wrightson who’s taking on former prime minister Tony Abbott in the Sydney seat of Warringah.
Sturt candidate Hedley Harding blamed an overeager volunteer.
Brochures for Boothby Labor candidate Nadia Clancy ended up in letterboxes on the eastern side of Goodwood Rd — unfortunately just outside Boothby.
Bad dates
Unexpected windfalls are few and far between in the media business these days.
But The Advertiser won out when the State Government advertised governing board positions for its 10 newly created local health networks on November 10 last year.
There was just one little hitch for prospective applicants.
Expressions of interest for the positions closed eight days earlier, on November 2.
It’s been labelled an “administrative error” by Health Minister Stephen Wade.
Off The Record hopes no one had their hopes dashed.
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