Big names turn out for Harry Triguboff’s 90th bash

Former prime ministers and business executives front gala party celebrating property developer Harry Triguboff’s 90th birthday at Sydney Town Hall.

Big names in the business and political world turned out for Harry Triguboff's 90th birthday party at Sydney Town Hall. Picture: Mark Goldstein

Around 420 senior business executives, federal politicians, as well as former prime ministers Scott Morrison and John Howard, fronted a gala party celebrating property developer Harry Triguboff’s 90th birthday at Sydney Town Hall on Saturday night.

But it was not just federal Coalition politicians attending the party, former state Labor party minister John Della Bosca, was also a guest at the knees up recognising the extraordinary life of the China-born Mr Triguboff, who is worth around $24bn, and whose Meriton apartment towers dominate the skylines of Sydney and south east Queensland.

Harry Triguboff on Saturday night. Picture: John Stensholt

Federal Coalition leader Peter Dutton and his wife Kirilly as well as shadow social services minister Michael Sukkar and his wife Anna Sukkar, were also among the attendees who were served chilli margaritas and Moet et Chandon along with former Coalition politician Bruce Baird, once deputy leader of the NSW Liberal Party.

Business executives included trucking magnate Lindsay Fox and his wife Paula attended along with Charles Goode, a former ANZ chairman and prominent company director.

Former Meriton employees including Peter Spira, a long time general manager of Meriton, and Andrew Antonas, who has since gone on to forge a successful career running Matrix, were among the guests.

Mr Morrison and his wife Jenny, who were seated next to Mr Triguboff and his wife Rhonda, made the long trip up from the Sutherland Shire to the Sydney CBD to attend the party.

Entertainment included four Chinese dragons, a nod to Mr Triguboff’s place of birth in Dalian, China, as well as school boy bagpipe players from his former school, Sydney’s Scots College.

Party guests including Mr Triguboff danced along to music by singer songwriter Samantha Jade, who won the fourth season of the X Factor. The lavish four course meal included trout, wagyu beef, puddings, pavlova and cheese boards.

Scott Morrison and his wife Jenny sat next to Triguboff and his wife Rhonda.

The extended Triguboff clan including nephew Michael Triguboff and grandson Daniel Hendler will soon head to Israel to continue the birthday celebrations with friends and family in Tel Aviv.

Mr Triguboff’s daughters Sharon and Orna made moving tributes to their father describing their childhoods growing up in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

Mr Triguboff, who apart from Sydney and the Gold Coast, has also developed residential apartment towers and serviced apartments in Brisbane, Melbourne and Canberra, said he plans to continue running Meriton at an advanced pace and has a number of towers under development.

To date Meriton has developed about 76,000 apartments. It owns 4000 apartments and is building more units which it will own on the Gold Coast. It also manages 4000 apartments for investors and is the largest owner of serviced apartments or hotels in Australia controlling more than 5000 rooms down the eastern seaboard.

Originally published as Big names turn out for Harry Triguboff’s 90th bash