Off the Record: Wealthy attend 88 O’Connell Street launch, Mark Young retires, Frances Bedford’s new challenge
In Off the Record this week, the wealthy attend 88 O’Connell Street launch, airport boss retires and a veteran politician chases a new seat.
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A solid cluster of Adelaide’s wealthier citizens turned up for the lavish launch of the redevelopment of the former Le Cornu site at North Adelaide, Eighty Eight O’Connell, on Thursday night.
A solid cluster of Adelaide’s wealthier citizens turned up for the lavish launch of the redevelopment of the former Le Cornu site at North Adelaide, Eighty Eight O’Connell, on Thursday night.
A large marquee was packed with 500 invited guests eating freshly shucked oysters, grilled chicken skewers and baps with duck while sipping sparkling white wine, gins, sauvignon blanc and grenache between taking tours of a new display apartment.
Word is there were quite a few off-plan sales of the 160 apartments which will be built in three high-rise towers on top of a three-level podium.
They aren’t cheap, starting at $500,000 for a one-bedroom apartment, between $700,000 and $1.6m for a two-bedroom apartment, between $1.8m and $2.3m for three bedrooms or from $3.8m to $10m for a penthouse.
The event was enthusiastically opened by Premier Steven Marshall, who was introduced on stage by MC David Penberthy.
Among those listening in the seated section was one of the residents leading a legal challenge against the $250m project, a joint venture between Adelaide City Council and Adelaide-based property company, Commercial & General or, as is it better known, C & G.
The company’s executive chairman, high-flying developer Jamie McClurg, Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor and the project’s lead designer, Woods Bagot principal Rosina Di Maria, then joined Penbo on stage for a question and answer session.
In classic Penbo style, the FiveAA breakfast radio host and newspaper columnist advised everyone that it was a Covid-safe event so they needed to wear masks if they did not have a drink in their hands.
“So grab yourself you a drink and stay lubed up,” he told the throng.
Among those who took his advice, with many opting for water, were Frances Wong, Jing Lee, Oren Klemich, Kel Spencer, Anthony Toop, Bruce Djite, Penny Riggs, Nikki Heywood-Smith, Albert Bensimon,Tanya Powell, Ali Clarke, John Charlton and Geoff Thiel.
Adelaide City Council was well-represented, with chief executive Clare Mockler, city shaping associate director Tom McCready and councillors Alexander Hyde, Mary Couros, Arman Abrahamzidaeh, Jessy Khera, and Franz Knoll in attendance.
Not present were North Adelaide residents and councillors Anne Moran and Phillip Martin, who has been recuperating from an unexpected stay in the Ashford Hospital.
HIGH FLYER
Brenton Cox has been announced as the new managing director of Adelaide Airport, taking over from Mark Young who announced earlier this year he’d be retiring from the role after a 21 year stint.
Mr Cox has been the airport’s executive general manager finance and corporate since 2013 and has a depth of international experience as well, having worked with Macquarie Airports and Macquarie Capital in London and Sydney.
He also sits on the boards of the SA Property Council, SA Freight Council, is the chair of Seymour College Board’s Finance, Risk and Compliance Committee and is on the Adelaide University Business School Advisory Board.
Airport chair Rob Chapman said Mr Cox was a great fit for the role.
“Mr Cox has played a key role in managing Adelaide Airport’s expansion and significant passenger growth pre-COVID, and subsequently the airport’s response to COVID over the past 18 months,” Mr Chapman said.
“He led a number of business changing initiatives including securing the first loan in Australia that incentivised a borrower to further improve its sustainability performance against a set of Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria.
“Mr Cox has demonstrated a clear vision for the growth of Adelaide Airport as we emerge from the pandemic, from an aeronautical, property and business development perspective.”
Mr Young will stay with the airport until December 10 to assist with a smooth transition.
CHANGING AIM
Also on the move is veteran politician Frances Bedford, who is making an announcement this weekend about her future.
Bedford joined the Labor Party on November 11, 1975 - the day former prime minister Gough Whitlam resigned.
She spent decades as a Labor MP before quitting to become an independent at the 2018 election, keeping her long-held seat of Florey in the northeastern suburbs.
Bedford issued a media statement from her Clovercrest office on Friday, saying boundary changes would dramatically change the seat at the state election next March.
“The changes have turned the Florey of 2018 into the old seat of Playford – retaining only a small part of Para Vista – and taking in the suburbs of Para Hills, Para Hills West, most of Mawson Lakes and even Parafield Airport,” she said.
“This new Florey is a 16 per cent ‘safe Labor’ seat and poses the same hard challenge I faced to see off Jack Snelling.”
Bedford went on to invite media to attend a press conference on Sunday where she will announce the seat she will contest.
The most likely target is Newland, held by Liberal MP Dr Richard Harvey. While the other nearby seat of King – held by Liberal MP Paula Luethen – is held on a knife-edge, Bedford has made no secret she is keen to unseat Harvey, who she calls “Dr Who”.
Reporters who attend her media conference are guaranteed to receive one of her famed red velvet and lemon frosted cupcakes.
COMEBACK TRAIL
While on northeastern politics, former Tea Tree Gully councillor and mayoral contestant Paul Barbaro wants to return to the civic chamber at Modbury.
The disability advocate has started campaigning in a by-election to replace Alicia Schlueter, who was forced to resign for missing three council meetings without explanation.
Barbaro was a political opponent of mayor Kevin Knight, with the pair regularly clashing at meetings.
He challenged Knight at the council elections in November, 2018, before moving to Port Adelaide, where he unsuccessfully contested a by-election to replace Port Adelaide Enfield deputy mayor, Labor Party staffer Michael Iammarone
Barbaro successfully sued Knight for defamation earlier this year over comments he made about him at a council meeting in 2018, receiving $20,000 in damages.
The payout came as Knight was under immense internal pressure to stand aside over a report into allegations of sexual harassment.
Knight since has remained as Tea Tree Gully mayor, despite three votes of no confidence by councillors, being stripped of his role as principal spokesman, stopped from presiding over citizenship ceremonies and losing his mayoral office.
He has kept his annual mayoral allowance of $85,000 though.
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