By Kishor Napier-Raman and Stephen Brook
Now that the tennis is done and hostilities have been suspended in the Australia Day culture war, it’s time for the year to begin in earnest.
That also means it’s time for the true start of the conservative social calendar – former prime minister Tony Abbott’s annual “back to work” drinks, hosted at his taxpayer-funded office in the MLC Centre at Martin Place.
The Liberals have plenty of work to do in the early half of 2025 with a federal election looming, but thanks to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s dismal recent performance, the mood at Abbott HQ was veritably “buoyant”, one guest told CBD.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, the man largely responsible for that buoyant mood, was guest of honour on the night alongside his wife Kirilly.
The guest list was completed by a who’s who of the Liberal Party’s right wing and relics from Abbott’s brief time in The Lodge. Former Liberal federal director Brian Loughnane (aka “Mr Peta Credlin”) was there, along with former ABC chair and Abbott’s old business advisor Maurice Newman.
Colourful Sydney criminal barrister Margaret Cunneen and vitamin mogul-cum-conservative donor Marcus Blackmore were also spotted. Fresh from losing yet another preselection contest, anti-voice campaigner Nyunggai Warren Mundine showed up, along with his father-in-law, superannuated conservative pundit Gerard Henderson. From Macquarie Street – state Liberal MPs James Griffin, Damien Tudehope and Alister Henskens.
By CBD’s rough calculations, Abbott’s office space, with views over Sydney Harbour, costs the taxpayer around $6500 a week to maintain, one of the many handy perks afforded to former prime ministers. We’re glad to see it’s being put to good use.
Jobs for John
When former state Liberal MP John Ajaka was forced out of his job as chief executive of troubled Liverpool Council last year, he achieved the unusual feat of uniting both the unions and Ray Hadley in his support.
Happily for Ajaka, he’s since landed on his feet, joining the board of property developers ALAND Group (better known as the shirt sponsors of the Parramatta Eels) as a non-executive director.
“I’m very excited by John’s appointment to the board, which will further enhance our strong strategic direction, focus and leadership across the ALAND Group,” founder Andrew Hrsto said in a statement.
It gives Ajaka another hat to wear in what’s becoming a busy post-political career – he’s chair of disability and aged care provider MyGuardian and the NSW Rugby League Foundation.
Wedding of the Year
Last year, the billionaire Pratt family’s sprawling Raheen estate in Melbourne’s Kew played host to a surprise gig by pop has-been Katy Perry, attended by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan and her predecessor Dan Andrews.
The latest lavish celebration at Raheen was a family affair. On Friday, Bella Geminder, granddaughter of the cardboard empire’s late patriarch Richard Pratt, tied the knot with partner Jose Luiz Falk in the Melbourne society wedding of the year.
The newly married Bella Geminder and Jose Luiz Falk celebrate with their guests.
The daughter of rich-listers Fiona Geminder and Raphael Geminder wedded Falk before Rabbi Gabi Kaltmann, who shared happy snaps on his socials with the likes of sleepwear magnate Peter Alexander and Noiseworks frontman Jon Stevens.
Stevens is in a relationship with Bella’s aunt, Heloise Pratt. She and her siblings Fiona and Anthony Pratt, now based in the United States to leverage his close relationship with President Donald Trump, each have a stake in family legacy packaging company Visy.
Pratt was unable to attend Friday’s wedding. Meanwhile, also absent was Heloise’s ex-husband Alex Waislitz, who she is locked in a legal battle with after accusing him of using the couple’s shared assets to provide “loans” to his singer-actress fiancee, Rebekah Behbahani
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