By Kishor Napier-Raman and Stephen Brook
Two Qantas A380s were spotted at Sydney Airport about 3.30pm on Sunday, both heading for London.
One was the regular Qantas QF1 London service. The other? That turned out to be a second Qantas A380 chartered by the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church.
The church, once known as the Exclusive Brethren, is a secretive religious sect that has assets worth hundreds of millions of dollars – enough to book the occasional return-to-London A380 at a cost that could be as high as $5 million.
Plymouth Brethren Christian Church global leader Bruce Hales (left, front) preaching in the United States.Credit: Matthew Absalom-Wong
Qantas does regular business with the Brethren, a costly undertaking given the airline has to take a massive A380 out of service. Oh, to be so religious and so wealthy.
CBD isn’t sure how the church’s strict traditional values (it denies being anti-gay) line up with Qantas’ flashy desire for equality, as evidenced by its sponsorship of a Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras float. Mardi Gras, on the one hand, charter for extremely conservative religion on the other.
Sources tell us that the church was planning a universal occasion in Sydney but that global leader and Sydney accountant Bruce D. Hales apparently needs knee surgery.
The alternative plan is for 26 different fellowship meetings scheduled for next weekend, including in Paris, Edinburgh, Norwich, Indianapolis, Paparoa, Trinidad and (sound of a short straw being drawn) Warrnambool.
That is a lot of meetings and a lot of air travel. A Qantas spokeswoman said the airline did not discuss commercial charters.
A church spokesman was a little more forthcoming: “I’m surprised to hear our flight plans are of interest, given the abundance of plane-related news in Australia at the moment,” the spokeswoman said.
“Yes, I can confirm that many members of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church are travelling from around the world to attend a series of church conferences. As part of this, a company has been engaged to organise several trips to and from Sydney, as well as transfers, a bit of sightseeing and the like.
“For trips like this, we generally use a combination of commercial and charter flights, determined by what is most cost-effective and convenient.”
Did any of the Brethren flock make it into the Chairman’s Lounge? That, as they say, is an unknown unknown.
Kim’s multiverse
Kim Williams revealed the next move for Muster Dogs narrator Lisa Millar.
So prolific are the media interviews, speeches, public appearances and book signings of ABC chairman Kim Williams, it’s as if the national broadcaster needs multiple universes to maintain his schedule. They’ve made a movie about him, we think it’s called Everything Everywhere All at Once.
Williams gave the Menzies Oration at Federation University in Ballarat last week and is lined up to speak at the National Press Club in Canberra on November 27. Don’t miss it. Well, you won’t be able to miss it. Not allowed.
But one fascinating detail from midway through his Menzies Oration caught CBD’s attention. Williams let the cat out of the bag regarding the new job for one of Aunty’s most popular presenters, Lisa Millar.
The former ABC News Breakfast presenter will take over from retiring ABC stalwart Heather Ewart as the lead presenter of Back Roads next year, Williams said.
CBD hears that the ABC was holding off on formally announcing this until next year, after Ewart’s run of programs (she has quite a few in the can) were broadcast.
It is no secret that Millar has been dividing her time between Muster Dogs and Back Roads since jumping off the breakfast couch a few months ago, but even she wasn’t ready for the Williams announcement.
It could have been an amusing question to ask outgoing ABC managing director David Anderson at parliament’s Senate estimates on Tuesday, but the ABC boss is unwell. Subbing in his place is acting managing director and chief financial officer Melanie Kleyn. Microwave the popcorn for 11.45am.
Long lunch
To Melbourne’s beautiful Royal Botanic Gardens and a stylish marquee on the shores of the Ornamental Lake for the grandness of the Australian Hotels Association’s (AHA) pre-Cup Day national board luncheon. CBD would have settled for a surf ‘n’ turf and a slab in the backyard, but readers now fully understand that is not how lobby groups and politicians interface in the Australian polity.
AHA chief executive Stephen Ferguson was vexed and gave Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and parliament grief for having the unmitigated temerity to schedule a sitting on Melbourne Cup Day. It is the “most culturally important day outside Anzac Day”, he told guests. Truly.
Lunch made for strange seating combinations, such as Premier Jacinta Allan next to Sky News commentator and former Tony Abbott chief of staff Peta Credlin; Endeavour Group chairman Ari Mervis beside Tabcorp chief executive Gillon McLachlan; Herald and Weekly Times chair and Tourism Australia board member Penny Fowler alongside former Albanese and Dan Andrews staffer-turned-TikTok lobbyist Sabina Husic, whose brother Ed Husic is the federal industry and science minister.
In what might be regarded as a communications snafu, the AHA mailed out the guest list with dietary requirements to every attendee a few days before the event. Thus, we know the dietary requirements of Victorian opposition spokesman for sport and major events Sam Groth are “no mushrooms”.