Tony Abbott heading to SA for blitzkrieg tour,
Why is Tony Abbott coming to town – and are you buying what Steven Marshall is selling? Plus, some big moves in the world of spin merchants, in this week’s Off The Record.
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In this week’s Off the Record we find out why Tony Abbott is coming to town and ask, are you buying what Steven Marshall is selling? Plus, some big moves in the world of spin merchants and a fresh coronavirus cloud over Port’s China game.
Abbott to blitzkrieg state
Former prime minister Tony Abbott will prove the adage of two degrees of separation during a lightning speaking tour of South Australia this month.
In a schedule more befitting a PM in office, Abbott will speak at a lunch at Leasingham’s renowned O’Leary Walker Wines before hitting the road for a cocktail event at Unley’s Tomich Wines.
The Clare Valley winery is a favourite of the Liberal Party, because of its close ties to former prime minister John Howard’s long-serving media chief Tony O’Leary.
The famously gruff spin doctor is the brother of David O’Leary, who established the eponymous winery in 2000 with Nick Walker.
Howard officially opened the winery before a 500-strong crowd in August, 2003, the year the-then $3.5 million venture had its first crush.
Federal Labor powerbroker and wine producer Don Farrell is also friends with David O’Leary and partner Liz Heidenreich, who made Farrell Wines 2012 Edward cabernet sauvignon while working at Sevenhill Cellars.
The now-retired Tony O’Leary, a former Channel 10 political journalist, started working for Howard in 1995, when the latter was opposition leader, and remained with him throughout his prime ministership from 1996-2007.
He went on to work for two other Liberal prime ministers – Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull.
Abbott’s SA blitzkrieg, on February 19, is part of a national tour run by the Liberal-aligned Menzies Research Centre, at which former Advertiser journalist and The Weekend Australian editor Nick Cater is executive director.
Abbott is belatedly launching his book Abbott: The Defining Speeches, which was published in October last year.
As prime minister from 2013-15, Abbott was not popular in SA, if opinion polls were any guide, particularly because of his determination to build submarines in Japan and the announcement of Holden’s Elizabeth plant’s death knell coming under his watch.
But he is said to be more popular in regional areas and guests are expected to include Barker MP Tony Pasin, Senator Alex Antic and, possibly, former premier John Olsen.
Premier confronts another big issue
With their high-vis vests and holding a magazine above their heads, Big Issue sellers are among the more noticeable inhabitants of the city’s streets.
This week, the sellers received some high-profile help. Premier Steven Marshall took to Rundle Mall to sell The Big Issue, a magazine sold by the homeless, marginalised and disadvantaged in society to help them generate their own income.
Marshall was only one of a number of helpers. Anglicare SA chief executive Peter Sandeman was out there, as was BHP’s head of business partnership supply for Olympic Dam Nathan Flaman, Urban Development Institute chief Pat Gerace and the Property Council’s Daniel Gannon.
Big Issue chief Steven Persson said “by standing with the vendors, they are sending a message to the community that vendors are legitimate business people who are working hard to change their lives’’.
The vendors buy the magazine for $4.50 and sell it for $9. More than 13 million have been sold around Australia since it started in 1996.
Spinners on the move
Two of the more influential roles in Adelaide media management are in flux with both Santos and Business SA losing experienced operators.
Santos is understood to be going through the process of replacing Daniela Ritorto, who is looking to move back into media and MC roles.
The former SBS, BBC World News and ABC journalist, and partner of federal Labor MP Mark Butler, has a stellar resume including hosting duties at the BBC in London across a number programs.
And Business SA is on the lookout for a new director of media and communications with Verity Edwards soon to join the gang at Hughes PR.
Edwards is a former journalist with The Australian, The Messenger and Channel 7 and will join a team with clients ranging from Adelaide Airport to ASC, builder Cedar Woods and SkyCity Casino.
Oil’s well
If you thought you saw an oil rig making its way past Kangaroo Island and heading towards Gulf St Vincent this week, you weren’t imagining things.
But it wasn’t an undercover operation launched by Norwegian outfit Equinor to start drilling the Great Australian Bite.
It was actually a semi-submersible drilling rig called Ocean Monarch that had left the Bass Strait after being shut down last year when a worker was injured.
Its destination is unknown but it won’t be operating in SA waters.
X factor
The resurgent Nick Xenophon – now acting for Chinese-owned Huawei – returned to political speak after we pointed out his past criticisms of the communist nation.
Mr X used his Xenophon Davis firm’s Twitter account to respond. “My statements then are consistent with my statements now. People and businesses are entitled to be treated equally before the law. Not attacked with smears and mob chants.”
Fair enough on the latter points, given he’s arguing Huawei’s case, but we’re not so sure about the first.
Power goes viral?
Port Adelaide must be getting more than a little nervous about its Shanghai game against St Kilda on May 31 being derailed by the coronavirus epidemic sweeping China.
Formula One bosses are trying to postpone the Chinese Grand Prix, scheduled for Shanghai on April 19 but teams have rejected two alternative dates.
F1’s managing director Ross Brawn has conceded staging the race in April “looks very difficult” but says the final decision will rest with the Chinese promoter and authorities. At least the Power has Adelaide Oval as backup.
