The Source: Melbourne loses a lord with death of Robert Baden-Powell

Melbourne has lost a lord, with the death of the Fourth Baron Baden-Powell of Gilwell. But in some happier news, it’s gained another.

Michael Baden-Powell was the grandson of Scouts founder Robert Baden-Powell. Picture: AAP

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

Melbourne has lost a lord.

Michael Baden-Powell, 82, was a former insurance agent and the grandson of the bloke who founded the Scouts in 1910, Robert Baden-Powell.

The Fourth Baron Baden-Powell of Gilwell was born in Rhodesia, grew up in Britain, then met and married Joan, an Aussie girl, in London.

They migrated to Australia in the 1970s, where they had three boys.

Michael, who is being remembered for his passion and energy, assumed the peerage after his older brother, Robert, died in 2019.

The good news is that Melbourne has gained a lord.

Michael’s son, David, who is also heavily involved in scouts, can now add the Fifth Baron Baden-Powell of Gilwell to his business card.

Robert Baden-Powell founded the Scouts in 1910.

Pulford joins rush of ex MPs landing cushy jobs

Joining the rush of former state government ministers landing cushy jobs, one-time employment minister Jaala Pulford has signed on as a special adviser to the Sayers Group.

This gig perked interest because of Premier Dan Andrews’ supposed tightness with Luke Sayers, amid chronic rumours that they will do something together when Andrews leaves Spring St, and when Sayers returns from Italy, assuming the former PwC boss ever does.

Pulford is also a collaborator, alongside former premier’s department secretary Chris Eccles, on the new Dux Project.

It’s being headed by former Jobs department secretary Simon Phemister who, like Eccles, is best known for his hotel quarantine, er, fame.

Premier Daniel Andrews with Jaala Pulford. Picture: Luis Ascui

The project draws on the “depth and breadth of their collective experience” to design programs for public purpose leaders.

It must be good — the “Leadership Excellence” program is $12,500, plus GST.

“Participants will take a deep dive into their own leadership approach, reputation, and the legacy they will — or want to — leave,” says the ritzy website, which oddly makes no mention of hotel quarantine.

Perhaps, like so many government witnesses at the hotel quarantine inquiry, the website just forgot.

The ins — and deep freezer outs — at Dan’s birthday bash

Birthdays only happen once a year.

And it’s only right to acknowledge that on Thursday the balloons and party poppers will honour Premier Daniel Andrews (and George W. Bush).

So The Source has decided to investigate who would — and who would not — be invited to Andrews’ 51st birthday party, if he chose to have one.

It follows a Herald Sun column for Andrews’ 50th birthday, which concluded that Albo, the Fox family, the unions and the ALP’s then new frontbench would be invited, while Brett Sutton, Karen from Brighton and the ALP’s old frontbench would not receive a call-up.

Here’s who we think would — and would not — make Dan’s birthday guest list.

Twelve months is a long time, especially given the exponentially increasing size of Andrews’ “freezer”, where people are silently sentenced to lonely eternity when Andrews doesn’t take their phone calls anymore.

So who’s in? And who’s out?

Brett Sutton shouldn’t expect an invite to Dan’s birthday bash.

IN

Harriet Shing: For protecting the government from pesky questions about integrity and corruption as head of parliament’s integrity and oversight committee. Can apply blocking skills to door bouncer duties should the likes of former health minister Jenny Mikakos turn up to the party demanding to be heard.

Harriett Shing has demonstrated her loyalty to Dan.

China: For embracing transparency about trade and student opportunities, so long as the western media cannot write about it.

The “new” frontbench: For being so conspicuously invisible for so long that no one can name any of them — especially the ministers for education, environment, health and planning, whoever they are.

OUT

Ian Cook: The owner of I Cook, for being so mean during the state election campaign. Cannot attend the party, and definitely cannot cater for it.

Peter Marshall: The firebrand head of the United Firefighters Union, for describing Andrews as arrogant. Snap-frozen after being dispatched to Dan’s freezer late last year. Zero chance of release.

Peter Marshall has found himself in the famous Dan freezer.

Robert Redlich: The former head of IBAC, who claimed that partisan politics may have intruded into the workings of the above-mentioned parliament’s integrity and oversight committee. What gall, to claim that his investigations of alleged corruption within the Andrews government were being stymied by the Andrews government.

Deborah Glass: The Ombudsman who kept pointing out outrageous shortfalls of government policy and implementation. Doomed to perish in Dan’s freezer alongside Peter, Jenny and Gladys.

Philip Lowe: The Reserve Bank head who provided look-over-there cover for Victoria’s unique debt and cost-of-living pressures by raising interest rates with the grim satisfaction of someone who has paid off their own mortgage. Has been superseded by fresher distractions, such as Jonny Bairstow.

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