Off The Record: The legal battle between companies owned by concert promoter Phil Rankine and finance whiz Ed Peter

This week, we reveal the legal rocket between one of Adelaide’s top hoteliers and the man who brings stars like Elton John to town, plus uncover an SA link to the architect of Scott Morrison’s election win.

This week, we reveal the legal rocket between one of Adelaide’s top hoteliers and the man who brings rock stars like Elton John to town; uncover an SA link to the architect of Scott Morrison’s election win; and drop in on a long-awaited lunch date for senior SA Liberal Simon Birmingham.

Legal rocket for finance wizard

A couple of Adelaide A-listers have found themselves in a court tussle which, is at its core, entertaining.

Elton John will play in Adelaide in December.

Now that that terrible pun is out of the way, we can reveal that Federal Court documents show that Space Touring, owned by Phil Rankine, and Duxton Entertainment, one of the business vehicles of Ed Peter, appear to have had a disagreement about a debt.

Rankine, who is Adelaide’s pre-eminent concert promoter, bringing acts such as Bob Dylan, Florence and the Machine and the upcoming Elton John tour to Adelaide, has asked the Federal Court to set aside a “creditor’s statutory demand for debt” served on his company by Duxton on March 19.

Peter is a financial wizard who, since coming to Adelaide in recent years, has set up two listed companies dealing in agricultural areas. But he’s probably better known for his wine investments, including Kaesler, and ownership of the award-winning Crafers and Uraidla hotels.

Ed Peter of Duxton Capital. He also owns the Crafers Hotel and Uraidla Hotel.

Managing director at Space Events Phil Rankine with promotional posters for acts he has brought to Adelaide. Picture: Bianca De Marchi

Duxton Entertainment, which has a number of shareholders in addition to Peter, including Duxton employees, was set up in May last year. Space Touring, of which Mr Rankine is sole shareholder, was started in September.

Duxton politely declined comment as the matter was before the courts.

Rankine, also well known for appearing on season one of The Block with ex-wife Amity Dry, did not return calls.

— Cameron England

Key Liberal election strategist’s little-known SA link

The man hailed as the architect of Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s stunning federal election victory had a little-known South Australian connection in his early years in politics.

Liberal Party federal director Andrew Hirst has worked for four federal leaders — John Howard, Brendan Nelson, Malcolm Turnbull and Tony Abbott. But Hirst, who was born and bred in Canberra, cut his teeth in Federal Parliament about 15 or so years ago, working for the greatly respected former SA Senator, the late Jeannie Ferris .

Andrew Hirst at the Liberal Party's 60th Federal Council last year. Picture: John Feder/The Australian

Hirst was a Canberra-based media adviser for Ferris, who herself was a former Canberra Times journalist, lobbyist and political adviser.

A former National Farmers’ Federation public relations director during Ian McLachlan’s presidency, she became chief of staff for primary industries ministers Dale Baker and Rob Kerin in the 1990s.

Jeannie Ferris in her office at Parliament House in Canberra in November 2006.

Ferris was then a Liberal senator for SA for almost 11 years and also was Government Senate Whip for almost five years. She died of ovarian cancer in April 2007, aged 66.

Liberal Right powerbroker and former finance minister Nick Minchin, who was a close Senate colleague of Ferris’s, told Off the Record that she was a great political communicator and Hirst would have learned a lot about effective messaging.

“The thing he could have learned the most from her is that, even though she was from the conservative side of the party, she had a fantastic capacity to work with everyone across the spectrum of the party and earn their respect and trust,” Minchin said.

“Jeannie was always very pragmatic, which I think he (Hirst) would have gained from too.”

Network like a lord mayor

Former lord mayor Martin Haese might have moved back into the corporate sector but he hasn’t forgotten his network of supporters.

Haese, now Business SA’s chief executive officer, issued an email this week belatedly explaining his decision, announced last September, not to seek a second term as Lord Mayor.

He explained that, as well as his Business SA role, he had been appointed as chair of the Premier’s Climate Change Council — announced last December.

Along with all these helpful updates, Haese was touting for information, of sorts. His email invited people to “stay in touch by joining my network today”.

There was a link to Haese’s personal website, at which respondents can complete a form asking for the usual name, email etc — but also for their field, industry or area of interest.

There are ten boxes to tick, including science, manufacturing, retail, public service and hospitality.

It’s hard to criticise a civic and business leader for seeking to expand his network and, at least, Haese is pursuing a systematic and assertive approach. But we reckon he’s already got our details.

Stephen Yarwood with his wife Emily and children Megan and Oliver after he was re-elected as Lord Mayor in 2014. Picture: Noelle Bobrige

Business friends

Another former lord mayor who has taken a more blatant and unashamed approach to self-promotion is Stephen Yarwood.

The self-styled futurist this week shared on Facebook a picture of his flight from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to Canberra. “Only person in Business Class?!” Yarwood posted.

Yarwood’s LinkedIn declares him the project lead strategy and development at NEOM Bay, a $500 billion planned megacity, focusing on luxurious living.

Jim Birmingham and Diana Birmingham with their son Senator Simon Birmingham and his wife Courtney Morcombe after the senator’s maiden speech to Federal Parliament in 2007.

Keeping mum waiting

It was a case of better late than never this week for Liberal campaign spokesman Simon Birmingham.

He finally got to take his mother, Diana (pictured above), out for a Mother’s Day lunch — this past Tuesday.

Birmo was flat out during the campaign with the Canberra gallery, delivering lines day and night.

Even Prime Minister Scott Morrison got to take his mum, Marion, to the Liberal campaign launch in Melbourne on Mother’s Day.

Senator Don Farrell (left) talking with Senator Mathias Cormann in the Senate Chamber, at Parliament House in Canberra.

Red faces

It was either going to be a celebration or crying into their fine wine.

Labor Right powerbroker Don Farrell’s annual wine launch is on this weekend at Sevenhill.

The long-planned event has always been close to the heart of the affable Farrell, better known as The Godfather of SA’s dominant Right faction.

But it might also be a farewell of sorts to Farrell, whose deputy Senate leadership spot is in doubt as the Left gains an ascendancy with Anthony Albanese’s leadership. The Don, though, is a resilient operative.

Former South Australia premier Jay Weatherill ... so much for those hopes of a diplomatic posting. Picture: Sam Wundke/AAP

No way, Jay

WAS that the sound of a suitcase being unzipped? Before the election Off the Record reported on rumours that ex-premier Jay Weatherill was being lined up for some sort of overseas posting courtesy of his old chums Penny Wong and Mark Butler.

Of course, that hinged on Wong and Butler becoming ministers in a new Labor government. After Bill Shorten’s ignominious defeat by PM Scott Morrison, Weatherill is at long odds to be packing any bags for quite a while. Especially, if his old sparring partner Josh Frydenberg has any say in it.