Sobering sight: Former NSW politician faces up to his future
The Sauce: Which former pollie took a look into his future … and didn’t like what he saw? And we can tell you the words of wisdom imparted by breakfast radio king Alan Jones’ to new Liberal MPs last week.
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They say a year in politics can feel like a decade, and perhaps this shot is why Mike Baird retired as NSW premier at the tender age of 48.
The NAB executive last week transformed himself with the FaceApp old-age face craze — and didn’t like what he saw.
In a Facebook post, the 51-year-old wrote: “Apparently I won’t scrub up so well in a few decades.”
He wisely didn’t use the app on his wife Kerryn’s face in the picture, adding “KB of course will look exactly the same”.
ALAN’S WORDS OF WISDOM
There is nothing like a swish poolside party to brighten up the dreary Sydney winter.
And not since the glory days of the late-1990s, when lobbying firm Parker & Partners ruled the roost, has there been a gathering of heavy-hitters like those who packed into the state-of-the-art Woollahra abode of lobbying firm Strategic Political Counsel founder Michael Kauter and husband, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital transplant physician Professor David Gracey, on Wednesday night.
Held to welcome new Liberals Wentworth MP David Sharma, Reid MP Fiona Martin and senators Hollie Hughes and Andrew Bragg, the midweek bash attracted an eclectic mix of political, business, media and medical types, including quantum physics professor and Australian of the Year, Michelle Simmons, Golden Century owners Linda and Eric Wong, indigenous leader Warren Mundine, CommBank corporate affairs head Andrew Hall and 2GB talkback host Alan Jones.
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After a performance by singer Matthew Manahan, star of upcoming musical Hair, Jones took to the floor to deliver his words of wisdom to the newbie MPs.
Noting Hughes’ and Martin’s interest in mental health, “which is terrific”, Jones warned their foremost priority needed to be the economy.
“You can’t have any of this if the economy is crook,” he said.
Also noting the country’s population growth and the lack of anyone prepared to “exercise limits on that”, Jones declared it a matter of political survival.
“Unless you grow the cake and unless there are members of parliament prepared
to prosecute the instruments which will be responsible for that growth, we cannot survive politically,” he warned.
As for ScoMo, the political fluidity of voters made it a “very, very” difficult time for anyone entering parliament, Jones said.
Thanks to Bill Shorten’s unpopular policies, voters had put their faith in the Morrison government to give them a better deal.
“The downside is, when people invest in you this tremendous trust, there is an equal expectation — and you’ve got to meet that expectation,” Jones said.
We’re sure he’ll be watching ScoMo’s progress closely.
POLLIE PARTY
Across town, another group of past and present pollies gathered at The KittyHawk French restaurant and cocktail bar to farewell long-serving public servant Andrew Cappie-Wood.
With a career spanning more than 40 years, it was no surprise to see representatives from both sides of politics crammed into the Phillip Lane venue.
Cappie-Wood, whose most recent post was as secretary of the Department of Justice, has also been the head of the ACT public service, and led the departments of Housing, Education and Training, Ageing, Disability and Home Care, while also holding down positions in the Department of Planning.
Police Minister David Elliott, who recently moved on from the Corrective Services portfolio, joked that he was responsible for the retirement, “or at least turning him to drink”.
Others at the event included former Labor ministers Carmel Tebbutt and Andrew Refshauge, Health Minister Brad Hazzard and Corrective Services NSW Commissioner Peter Severin.
RIVIERA ROMP
Life away from Canberra certainly suits Julie Bishop, who celebrated her 63rd birthday on Wednesday on the French Riviera.
The former foreign minister posted photos of herself wining and dining at St Tropez’s legendary Club 55 which regularly hosts celebrity A-listers.
Bishop was joined by beau David Panton and friends including former model and boutique owner Wendy Marshall.
Sitting at a long table for 12 enjoying lunch in the sun, Bishop wrote that it was a “fabulous way to celebrate” with her girlfriends “and a few boys too”.
Earlier in the week, Bishop was spotted enjoying the London summer.
The Sauce understands Bill Shorten also chose to escape his political woes in the UK last week after holidaying in Bali earlier this month.
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