Chinese beef up security at national day function in Brisbane amid protest fears

WITH violent protests in Hong Kong, Chinese consular staff in Brisbane were taking no chances at a celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

CHINESE WALLS

CHINESE consular staff were on high alert for a Hong Kong-inspired protest at the Brisbane celebrations for the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic earlier this week. The cream of the city’s business and political community had to go through metal detectors manned by security guards before being allowed into the function room at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Security screening at the Chinese National Day celebrations on Wednesday night.

A sign warned people that “weapons, laser pointers, fireworks, banners, signs, placards or banner poles” were not permitted at the function. Fireworks? Apparently some people walk around with penny bungers in their pockets to liven things up if they get boring.

Your diarist has been to a few of these events in the past couple of years and it’s the first time guests have been greeted with such heavy security.

No fireworks permitted along with a range of other items at Chinese National Day in Brisbane.

Consular staff were obviously worried about a repeat of the violence that broke out at a anti-Communist Party rally in support of Hong Kong demoracy at the University of Queensland in July. In the end, the function went off without a hitch with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Chinese consul general Dr Xu Jie helping to cut a huge 70th birthday cake. Guests were given red scarves on entry to add to the festive occasion.

INTO THE LIGHT

KEITH DeLacy believes he has finally broken with his political past after picking up the Australian Institute of Company Directors Queensland (AICD) gold medal on Thursday night. DeLacy (illustrated), a former State Labor treasurer who went on to a illustrious career as a company director and chairman, revealed to the crowd attending a gala dinner in his honour at Howard Smith Wharves that he had “dark and sinful past”.

Keith DeLacy was awarded Queensland’s AICD gold medal this week.

“I was a politician and they are rated by the public up there with Nigerian scammers,” DeLacy confessed. “This award is final confirmation that I did make a successful transition from politician to company director - or as some might say from the darkness to the light.”

SOUNDING OFF

YOUR diarist was lucky enough to be sitting next to the talented Katie Noonan at the Keith DeLacy shindig. After performing a number of songs, Katie came off stage carrying a small black case. When asked what was in the mysterious case, she told your diarist it was her personal microphone made by a German company. “It’s the same company that made the microphones for Adolf Hitler for his speeches,” she informed him. Katie certainly makes a prettier noise than the mad screeching of the infamous Nazi.

Brisbane singer Katie Noonan.

GOING BANANAS

BRISBANE Markets is putting a brave face on its 2019 financial results claiming they reflect “the ongoing sound performance of the underlying operation.” But according to our spies among the mangoes and pineapples at Rockea “while the words were positive the numbers tell a different story.” Revenues this year have fallen 4 per cent to $49.1 million with “rents still going up but service revenues sliding.” There was also no good news on the costs side of the ledger, with ongoing costs creeping up 5 per cent on the prior year, led by wages and site operating costs.

BML is a property based business, and valuations also took a modest hit – down $8.4 million to $329.6 million. The rationale for this is unclear and curiously it’s against the run of play in a falling interest rate environment. Put all this together, and net profit was down 50 per cent to $6.5 million – while the company has spent almost all of the $38.4 million it has raised from shareholders in the last 12 months and finished the year with cash of just $2.9 million on the balance sheet. Can we expect the next bout of sabre rattling from activist shareholders VGI Partners to be just around the corner?

FIRST AID

SPOTTED at Suncorp’s annual general meeting at the Sofitel on Thursday was a paramedic wandering amongst the largely senior crowd of shareholders. City Beat wondered whether he was there in case someone died of boredom during the energy sapping-three hour meeting or perhaps to administer first aid in case someone was trampled in the rush for the sausage rolls and sandwiches after the event.