By Kishor Napier-Raman and Stephen Brook
It was back to the floor for News Corp scion Lachlan Murdoch on Thursday. The media nepo baby rolled up his sleeves and attended the news conference of his beloved Sydney tabloid The Daily Telegraph.
Given the internal politicking at News Corp reaches papal conclave levels of opacity, CBD cannot surmise if this is a vote of confidence in Murdoch’s favoured editor Ben English, or the boss keeping tabs after a few embarrassments at the tabloid, including the infamous stunt gone wrong attempted sting at Cairo takeaway in Newtown.
Rolling up his sleeves at the Daily Telegraph: News Corp boss Lachlan Murdoch.Credit: Emily Najera/The New York Times
Like father, like son. Rupert Murdoch was not above pulling a boss move such as turning up to the newsroom of The Australian over the Christmas break, installing himself at a vacant sub’s desk, and wondering out loud why all his editors were holidaying.
And CBD hears this is not young Lachlan’s first news conference rodeo.
CBD was charmed to hear about the blissful ignorance of youth demonstrated by some younger Daily Telegraph staff members on a previous Murdoch visit. Apparently, some of the Zoomer cadets didn’t even know who the great man was!
English told CBD it was hardly remarkable that the person who chairs the company came into the office.
Fair point.
“He always drops in when he’s in town,” English said.
News Corp policy is that staff are expected to be in the office at least three days a week. Nice to see that extends – albeit occasionally – to the company chairman himself.
British celebrity chef Nigella Lawson pays a visit to Potts Point Vietnamese restaurant Lady Chu.Credit: Instagram
Ladies who lunch
CBD’s favourite outspoken restaurateur, Nahji Chu, has enlisted a celebrity ally in her fight against the joyless, overzealous council bureaucrats.
On Thursday, her Potts Point Vietnamese restaurant, Lady Chu, welcomed to lunch British chef Nigella Lawson, who’s in town to host a series of dinners for Vivid Sydney.
“Sometimes a goddess just wants dumplings, drama and zero judgment before 3pm,” Chu posted on her Instagram story.
She later deleted that original Instagram, before re-adding the same pic, with the caption:
“Goddess came for lunch. Left high on herbs and hotter than a court case in couture”.
CBD reckons a long lunch with the pair would be one for the history books.
Chu is currently in a regulatory fight with the council over, among other things, placement of her pot plants on the Roslyn Street footpath.
Her now viral, expletive-laden rant at a couple of hapless council rangers, first reported in this column, kicked off a fierce debate about red tape clogging Sydney’s dining scene, and caused Lord Mayor Clover Moore to post a lengthy rebuke on Instagram. Moore’s protegee, state member for Sydney Alex Greenwich, has stepped into play peacemaker, while Chu remains steadfast, saying she is happy to go to jail in her fight over council rules.
He’s not dead yet!
Now to Victoria’s Central Highlands, and the (not so) hallowed halls of Ballarat Grammar School.
Regular readers will recall this newspaper has published a series of disturbing stories of strapping and institutional bullying at the prestigious private institution over recent months.
The school, which traces itself back to 1877, has a storied cohort of alumni, including one-time premier Henry Bolte, ABC presenter James Valentine, opera singer David Hobson and AFL star Tony Lockett. The private school’s war cry and school song is Boomalacka, which is also the name of school magazine, which has lately been generating interest for all the wrong reasons.
The autumn 2025 edition of biannual community magazine Boomalacka features an obituary for former staff member Chris Gardner, who was geography teacher from 2002 until 2007. There’s even a photo.
Aw. What a heartfelt way to commemorate the passing of an ex-teacher. Except there’s one teeny problem … Gardner isn’t dead. And was rather taken aback by the news of his unfortunate demise.
“Unfortunately, without any communication or consultation with my family, Ballarat Grammar School has announced my death to the school community,” says a Facebook post written by a very much alive Gardner.
“As you can imagine, I am quite upset about this!”
The erroneous obituary and photograph were quickly wiped from the online version of the Boomalacka.
At this point we feel duty bound to point out a) CBD has, ahem, form in this regard and b) in the best traditions of mainstream media, our own sins would never stop us pointing out the misdemeanours of others.
“The school acknowledges and sincerely apologises that a former member of staff was mistakenly listed in our autumn school magazine obituaries section,” a contrite Ballart Grammar spokeswoman told CBD.
“The school has contacted the person incorrectly listed, along with a member of his family, to personally apologise for the mistake and the impact it caused.
“The headmaster has also offered a formal letter of apology and to place a correction in the next edition of the publication and will continue to communicate with the gentleman to rectify the mistake.”
But in CBD’s eyes, while we are pleased to hear that Mr Gardner is alive and kicking, the magazine’s reputation is perilously close to DOA.
With Gemma Grant.
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clarification
This story originally referred to a “News Corp source”. It has been updated to say the quotes were from Daily Telegraph editor Ben English.