Page 13: Neil Mitchell ‘roasted’ at farewell power lunch

Melbourne talkback legend Neil Mitchell’s three decades on-air has been celebrated at the ultimate power lunch, with the country’s biggest movers and shakers among the guests.

Melbourne talkback radio legend Neil Mitchell was farewelled at the ultimate powerlunch with some of the country’s biggest movers and shakers. Picture: David Crosling

The voice of Melbourne, Neil Mitchell was momentarily silenced on Friday as the broadcasting great was toasted and roasted at a spectacular power lunch recognising his three decades as host of 3AW’s morning shift.

The gathering at the Melbourne Town Hall, which Mitchell insisted must have a strict “no dickheads policy” applied to the guest list, brought together some of Australia’s most significant community, sporting and political leaders including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Federal Opposition leader Peter Dutton, deputy premier of Victoria Ben Carroll and former AFL boss Gillon McLachlan.

Neil Mitchell with his successor Tom Elliott. Picture: David Crosling

Also among the good and the great present were Andrew Dillon, Andrew Demetriou, John Pesutto, Lindsay Fox, Police Commissioner Shane Patton, Ross Stevenson, Russel Howcroft, Steve Bracks, Paul Guerra, Peter Costello, Peter Blunden, Martin Pakula, Sam Newman, Jimmy Bartel, Mick Malthouse, Tony Shaw, Garry Lyon, Georgie Purcell, Alicia Loxley, Tom Steinfort, Nick Reece, Rowland Legg, Josh Frydenberg, Lex Lasry, David Wright Neville, Stephen Beers, Tony Jones, Professor Miles Prince, Walter Mikac, Carmel Arthur, Major Brendan Nottle, Arron Wood, Mike Brady and Tom Malone.

Mitchell said former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews was not invited.

The room was a tribute to Mitchell, who moved gingerly around the event using a crutch owing to a knee injury sustained after a recent run-in with two play wrestling Boxer dogs, and his unwavering commitment to news and the betterment of the Victorian community.

Ken Ryan, Robyn Beddison and Mike Brady. Picture: David Crosling

Prime Minister Albanese, who was running late to the lunch presumably because of Melbourne’s godforsaken plague of roadworks, was seated on the top table to Mitchell’s left while Dutton was seated to Mitchell’s right.

Former Federal Treasurer Peter Costello recalled his on-air dust ups with Mitchell during his political career, describing himself as “live bait” when face with face in Mitchell’s 3AW studio.

“Neil would carve you up for the enjoyment of the audience and the continuation of his ratings,” Costello said.

“I thought he was the most dangerous interviewer in Australia. If he really wanted to get you he was nice to you, he pretended to be nice to you, and if you were taken in by that, you were dead meat for that particular day.”

Peter Costello and Gillon McLachlan. Picture: David Crosling

Prime Minister Albanese said Mitchell was a “legend” and recalled the famous end of year lunch Mitchell used to host each year for people who had been part of his morning show.

“I always enjoyed the lunches at the end of the year,” Albanese said.

“I knew about this (the tribute lunch) because I rang you up and said ‘when is the lunch?’ last year.

“One of the problems in my current office is that I can’t have as much fun, some might argue I can’t have any fun these days, at all. I enjoyed the personal interaction with you, but also enjoyed, most of the time, not all of the time, the professional interaction with you as well.”

Steve Bracks and Nick Reece. Picture: David Crosling

3AW Breakfast host Ross Stevenson. Picture: David Crosling

McLachlan described his friendship with Mitchell as a slow burn, telling of how four hours into his role as then AFL CEO he received a call from the 3AW host who forcefully explained how he had to appear weekly on his show.

“It was pretty clear, really, and I took the threat seriously,” he said, adding he when on to appear on the show more than 250 times.

“Smart, probing, experienced, relentless, well-briefed, (and) bloody hard work is probably the best description of the weekly encounter,” he said

“Neil was, and remains, the best interviewer in Australia. He always gave every interview, and therefore every issue and response, credibility.”

McLachlan said he fell into Mitchell’s trap when he slipped away in the middle of winter “for a quiet weekend getaway for a 50th in Hawaii.”

Gillon McLachlan, Andrew Dillon and Andrew Demetriou. Picture: David Crosling

“I probably should have told my head of corporate affairs that I was out of the country, so I could be properly briefed on emerging issues,” he said.

“I probably should not have gone out to lunch at the Kahala Hilton either, so when I innocently picked up Neil’s call it is fair to say I was not fully across the fact that Marvel had hired ex-army commandos and disguised them cleverly in high vis vests with the moniker ‘Behavioural Awareness Officers’ on the back.

“I had to leave Hawaii early to deal with Neil’s mess or maybe it was my mess.”

Mitchell had one last message after 36 years of radio and 55 years journalism to leave the room with.

“We are all passing through, we are all temporarily relevant, don’t take yourselves too seriously,” he said.

“We are nowhere near as important as we think. What is important is my audience, your audience, the voters, the people you work for, the patients, the clients. I think if we all remember that the world might be a better place.”