Council throws ritzy party for Labor mayor who quit amid legal drama

The Grand Roxy ballroom in Brighton-le-Sands is the kind of venue usually booked out for extravagant weddings. In fact, the Roxy’s website makes the suitably grand claim it is “the best wedding venue in Sydney”.

But next Friday, the venue will host a different celebration – a soiree, or “civic dinner”, to celebrate the retirement of former Bayside mayor Bill Saravinovski, who abruptly quit before last month’s council elections after 40 years in local government.

CBD readers will recall that Saravinovski’s decision not to recontest came shortly after the Office of Local Government referred a matter involving him to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal for determination.

The matter remains tightly suppressed, with a hearing scheduled for the day before Bill’s big bash. And while Saravinovski insists he quit for health reasons, Labor powerbrokers on Sussex Street weren’t thrilled at the prospect of him running while the NCAT matter was ongoing.

Bayside’s media team, which happens to be run by Christine Stamper, wife of Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig, confirmed council – and therefore ratepayers of Ramsgate and Rockdale – would foot the bill for an event we hear will cost in the tens of thousands of dollars.

The council declined to answer further questions on the appropriateness of the affair.

However, CBD hears the event was never approved in council meetings, and not all councillors even scored an invite. But we reckon Saravinovski’s successor as mayor, Edward McDougall, who happens to be Lands and Property Minister Steve Kamper’s chief of staff, will.

We’re also expecting Bill’s replacement on the Labor ticket – his son Christopher Saravinovski – to be around. Saravinovski the younger enjoyed an eventful campaign, fronting Sutherland Local Court decked out in a Summernats hoodie to successfully appeal against a licence suspension after he copped a speeding fine and caused a crash in a McDonald’s car park.

He was convicted and fined $201 for the “McDonald’s incident” after failing to show up for a later court date, where the magistrate criticised his “relatively poor [traffic] record”. Which is rough for a lad who campaigned on a platform of stopping hooning.

CUMMINS FOR CANBERRA

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese jetted off to Laos on Wednesday, but the man with the job John Howard once called the most important in Australia was in Parliament House.

While some of the Australian men’s Test stars were warming up for this summer’s blockbuster India series by representing their states in the Sheffield Shield opener, captain Pat Cummins was working the corridors of power, appearing at an event organised by the parliamentary friends of cricket.

David Pocock with Australian men’s cricket captain Pat Cummins and former women’s captain Meg Lanning at the Parliamentary Friends of Cricket event at Parliament House on Wednesday night.Credit: Instagram

The skipper was spotted posing for a picture with former Wallaby turned Senator David Pocock and former women’s captain Meg Lanning. Pocock and Cummins have worked together on climate change initiatives in the past and both are noted for bringing a more socially conscious vibe to the once staunchly apolitical world of national captaincy.

While still a Wallaby, Pocock was known for his outspoken advocacy for environmental issues and same-sex marriage. He retired from rugby to focus on conservation work before his successful 2022 Senate run.

Cummins’ concerns over Cricket Australia’s (now defunct) sponsorship deal with Alinta Energy led to much grumbling among the conservative commentariat that the Test captain had “gone woke”. He responded by retaining the Ashes in England, winning the World Cup and being named the ICC’s men’s cricketer of the year.

On Wednesday night, party night during a sitting week, Cummins further proved he belongs to a new generation of captain, being spotted dining at Onzieme in Kingston – a small plates and natural wine sort of place for the chic Millennial set.

Once upon a time, an Aussie captain would be more at home at the Kingston Hotel (aka “The Kingo”), a watering hole of choice for the inmates of Parliament House where, until recently, you could cook your own steak on the communal barbecue.

JAYNE, SET, MATCH

The Australian Open launch on Thursday in front of hundreds of tennis fans included grand slam winners Lleyton Hewitt, Casey Dellacqua, and Todd Woodbridge, as well as Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley – but not Tennis Australia chair Jayne Hrdlicka.

AO 2024 looks like being the swansong for Hrdlicka, whose third term expires next year.

Hrdlicka, who has run Virgin Australia since it was bought out of administration by Bain Capital in November 2020, said in February she would leave the airline without giving a reason or a timeline for her exit. At the time Tennis Australia confirmed that she would remain chair.

In welcome news delivered at the cavernous Lume, which showed off Rod Laver Arena, guests heard that one of the Open’s more controversial aspects, the “party court” – a courtside bar with viewing platforms, will be expanded.

“There was a lot of talk about that,” Tiley told the crowd. “We were 100 per cent sure it was going to work,” he said before pausing and dropping a truth bomb. “Not really – but it did. This year it’s going to be bigger.”

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