The Source: AFL heavyweight Travis Auld set for Melbourne GP top job

AFL heavyweight Travis Auld may have missed out on footy’s top job, but he looks set to be the main man at Albert Park.

Travis Auld is in the driver’s seat for the Melbourne GP job. Picture: Getty

Putting the squeeze on Victoria’s movers, shakers and headline makers.

AFL executive Travis Auld is in the driver’s seat to be the next Melbourne Grand Prix boss.

While no contract has been signed and the Australian Grand Prix Corporation and State Government are yet to agree to terms with Mr Auld, it is believed he is the preferred candidate to replace long running Albert Park chief Andrew Westacott.

The AFL has also not signed off on his departure and league sources on Wednesday said they were unclear about whether he was staying or going.

But the AFL’s chief financial officer and manager broadcasting, clubs and fixtures is believed to have impressed in interviews and framed as top pick in the past fortnight.

In a statement, a Victorian Government spokesperson said: “The recruitment process for the Australian Grand Prix Corporation CEO is continuing and we’ll have more to say on this soon.”

The Herald Sun in December revealed Mr Westacott would conclude his tenure as chief executive on 30 June, after 12 years in the job.

Under the Australian Grands Prix Act 1994, the organisation is required to seek approval from the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events on the proposed appointee.

This has not taken place as of late Wednesday afternoon.

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‘Australia’s largest city’: Council CEO’s first day howler

New City of Melbourne chief Alison Leighton had a rough day one in the job on Tuesday.

She is the replacement for Justin Hanney who quit last year in the fallout of a donations saga after he received thousands of dollars in anonymous funds for a yacht race without declaring it.

Leighton has been filling in since October, but was on Tuesday announced as the full time replacement — on a lazy $464,299 a year, and another $49,751 in super, if you don’t mind.

New City of Melbourne CEO Alison Leighton. Picture: Nicole Garmston

But eyebrows headed north after Leighton declared “as Australia’s largest city, I look forward to supporting Council to deliver on what matters most to our growing community, (blah, blah, blah)”.

Largest city? To be fair, Melbourne’s greater population surged ahead of Sydney’s last year.

But dig down to council level. Melbourne isn’t even in the top 10 biggest councils in Victoria, much less Australia.

Brisbane has 1.2 million residents, and Sydney close to 220,000.

Here in Melbourne? On June 30, 2022, an estimated 159,810 people were living in our city.

Leighton’s day one also featured the threat of Supreme Court action over the council’s decision to close the city’s only floating nightclub.

We trust that Leighton’s day two will be just as interesting.

Scientology bond unbreakable for Cruise, Ceberano

It has been mission impossible for the average fan to meet Tom Cruise on his Australian tour for his new movie.

Not so for old mate, and fellow Scientologist, singer Kate Ceberano, pictured here arm-in-arm with the Hollywood star.

After the premiere of Mission Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One in Sydney, she spoke of Cruise as “my friend. For more than 30 years. Thank you for your endless talent and generosity”.

Ceberano has sung at birthday parties for Cruise, now 61, both in Melbourne and overseas.

Between spots of playing down their long-term kinship, Ceberano has spoken about Cruise as “her idol”, saying that she “worship(s) the ground he walks on”.