Brad Hazzard, Dominic Perrottet get credit for Hollywood movie Ticket to Paradise

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard was given a special shout out by producers at the premiere for George Clooney and Julia Roberts’ new movie, The Sauce reveals. Here’s why.

It is not often — if ever — that Australian pollies get a shout out from film producers, let alone those premiering a movie featuring two of the biggest stars in Hollywood.

But that is exactly what took place when the producers of Ticket to Paradise premiered their rom-com starring Academy Award winners Julia Roberts and George Clooney in Sydney last week.

Addressing the audience, the film’s producers paid special thanks to NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard and former head of Screen NSW, now Screen Australia head of content, Grainne Brunsdon, for enabling the production to proceed.

Hazzard, along with then-treasurer Dominic Perrottet and then-premier Gladys Berejiklian, came under sustained attack throughout the Covid-19 pandemic over their government’s efforts to lure international film productions to Australia in an effort to keep the local industry afloat.

Jobs and businesses were saved, not only in NSW but around the country, because cameras kept rolling on productions such as Thor: Love and Thunder and TV series Nine Perfect Strangers.

Julia Roberts and George Clooney filming Ticket To Paradise in Australia.

In addition to the in-person shout-out at the premiere, the film’s producers were also appreciative enough to include both Hazzard and Perrottet in the film credits.

Credit where credit’s due.

STADIUM CRITIC WANTS SOUTHS TO ‘COME HOME’

He was one of the ardent critics of the Allianz Stadium upgrade, so it was with some surprise that a letter from former Labor leader Michael Daley lobbed in the in-tray of Premier Dominic Perrottet, requesting the South Sydney Rabbitohs should be allowed to “come home”.

Based at Accor Stadium at Homebush, Souths want to relocate to Allianz from next year, after the state government scrapped plans to upgrade the Sydney Olympic Park venue.

However, the Roosters have also made it abundantly clear they have no desire to share the Moore Park stadium as a home ground with any rival NRL club, let alone their long-time foes.

In the correspondence to the Premier, Daley included an email to him from a Maroubra constituent who wrote about how appalled she was about the decision to deny Souths a captain’s run on the new stadium prior to the game against the Roosters on September 2.

“I and a large number of South Sydney Rabbitohs supporters are hoping that there could be some way this decision could be overturned by the NSW state government, as the stadium belongs to all people of NSW, not just a privileged minority,” the supporter — whose name we’ll keep private – wrote. “If there is some way that you could help, it would be greatly appreciated by thousands of Rabbitohs supporters.”

Being a staunch critic of the $830 million Allianz Stadium redevelopment has not stopped Michael Daley making a plea about the ground to the Premier.

In forwarding the email to the Premier, Daley attached his own cover letter, writing “Premier: (constituent) is correct – let the Rabbitohs come home please.”

When The Sauce contacted the Maroubra MP to ask if he had changed his tune about the stadium upgrade, Daley said he remained of the view that some of the $830 million spent on the project could have been better used elsewhere.

The request for Souths to relocate to the newly built stadium was because of the government cancelling the Accor upgrade, he said.

“It’s got nothing to do with the upgrade (of Allianz),” Daley said.

“My view remains that they could have still done a fantastic job for less than $830 million.

“But the Rabbitohs have been betrayed and dudded by the government who have cancelled the (Accor) upgrade and they need to come home.”

DOBBED IN

Health Minister Brad Hazzard may be at pains to remember a former student of his by the name of Ian Carragher — but the former North Sydney Boys High old boy vividly remembers his former science teacher.

In a submission to the parliamentary inquiry into the state’s critical teacher shortage, Carragher — who himself went on to become a maths teacher — wrote about a chat he had with Hazzard in the playground during his final year at high school in the mid-70s.

Does Brad Hazzard have some valuable insight into why NSW cannot attract and keep teachers? Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

“He was a young, first-year teacher who had done an excellent job during that year,” Carragher recalled.

“He said to me — and I’m paraphrasing here — ‘this is crap, I’ve done four years training at university and they are paying me this lousy salary. I’m leaving at the end of the year to do law’.”

Carragher said he raised the incident in the hope the former science teacher — turned lawyer turned veteran Liberal MP — could become a part of the inquiry “as he can offer first-hand information about one of the myriad of reasons that people are leaving, or failing to even consider, the teaching profession”.

Mr Hazzard said that while he appreciated the accolade for being a good teacher, he said he would never have discussed salary with a student.

“These comments allegedly made 48 years ago are complete rubbish,” he said.

“Firstly I would never have discussed salary with a student and secondly, I loved science teaching.

“I left because in those days teachers were promoted primarily on seniority and not on merit.”

Mr Hazzard added that he actually earned “far less as a new solicitor” than he had been earning as a teacher. “ It took a few years to catch up,” he said

CLIMATE 200

A Friday night phone robo-poll has set tongues wagging, given the questions to voters about how they would feel if a Climate 200-backed candidate — a.k.a. a “teal” — were to run at the upcoming state election.

Targeting the northern beaches, the poll questioned voting intentions, the performances of Premier Dominic Perrottet and Labor leader Chris Minns, the importance of “integrity” in the wake of the John Barilaro trade post scandal, and election priorities.

The final few questions asked how voting intentions might change should a “Climate 200” candidate such as independent MP Zali Steggall were to run.

While the major parties are watching closely what groups such as Simon Holmes à Court’s Climate 200 might get up to in the lead-up to the March election, NSW electoral laws limit the size of donations to non-registered parties to $3300 per donor.

This means prospective “teals” may not have the same level of financial backing as some of their federal counterparts did at the May election.

SMOKED OUT

Labor leader Chris Minns has rarely — if ever — had a misstep on Twitter.

But on Friday the state Opposition Leader was forced to delete a tweet after an uproar from some of his followers.

Minns had been trying to make the point that instances of domestic violence and sexual assault were rising. The claim was based on the latest Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research data for June.

But in making the point, he perhaps unwisely compared the sexual assault data to smoking.

NSW Labor Leader Chris Minns has apologised for a tweet about domestic violence rates. Picture: NewsWire / Monique Harmer

“A woman in NSW is more likely to be sexually assaulted than to smoke,” Minns tweeted.

“Unacceptable.”

Among those to retweet the post was Minister for Women Bronnie Taylor, who declared the comparison as “irresponsible”.

“Smoking is a choice. Being sexually assaulted is not,” she tweeted.

The tweet was soon deleted, with Minns apologising.

“Obviously it was meant to highlight the high rates of sexual assault in the community,” he said.

“But in retrospect, it wasn’t a good comparison. Lesson learned and of course I apologise for that.”

Got some Sauce? Contact [e-mail]

Originally published as Brad Hazzard, Dominic Perrottet get credit for Hollywood movie Ticket to Paradise