All good things must come to an end.
For years, CBD has dined out on the trials and tribulations of Scots College’s garish new student centre, that grand monument to private school excess modelled on a Scottish baronial castle.
The student centre under construction.
But after many delays and millions in cost blow-outs that could rival the North Sydney Olympic Pool, the John Cunningham Student Centre is set for a grand opening next month, some 18 months after Prince Edward laid the “foundation stone” at the Bellevue Hill campus.
Suffice to say it’s a sentimental moment for this column. We’ve enjoyed writing about the castle, known by some parents as headmaster Ian Lambert’s vanity castle, and we’ll now have to find another $40,000-a-year private school to make fun of.
Our own feelings aside, after all that foot-dragging and obfuscation, some parents are a little disgruntled about being asked to cough up $75 to attend a dress rehearsal the day before the grand opening. Given the castle cost around double the $29 million originally proposed, every cent counts, we guess.
Turns out that event will be a Tattoo to celebrate the College’s Scottish heritage, with performances for parents of junior students the day before the opening, and one of seniors the day of.
The grand opening itself will be invitation only. So far, CBD has not been invited.
Rebel without a cause
This week, controversial neurosurgeon Charlie Teo agreed to pay a settlement to the family of a patient who died after he attempted to operate on her inoperable brain tumour.
Teo was previously found guilty of unsatisfactory professional conduct over the operation, effectively rendering him unable to practice surgery in Australia.
But Teo, who has been jet-setting around the world to operate in countries where he faces no restrictions, still has plenty of mates in high places. Tickets just went on sale for the aptly named “Rebel Ball”, a black tie fundraiser for the surgeon’s Charlie Teo foundation to be held at Sydney’s White Bay Power Station in May. At $500-a-head, only rich rebels need apply.
In years past, Teo’s events have drawn a motley crew of celebrity supporters, including former Australian cricket captain Steve Waugh, Labor powerbroker and long-luncher Graham “Richo” Richardson and Melbourne cleanskin Mick Gatto, with items including an exclusive two-day adventure with Gina Rinehart up for auction. Of course she’s in the mix.
At the 2023 edition, Teo made headlines after he went on a spray at the Health Care Complaints Commission, calling the tribunal that ultimately found him guilty of unsatisfactory professional conduct “f---ing bullshit”.
We can’t wait to see what he comes out with this year.
Horrible histories
The seat of Hotham in Melbourne’s south-east isn’t necessarily on anyone’s watchlist at the next federal election, with Housing Minister Clare O’Neil holding the seat with a margin of over 10 per cent.
Still, you never know what can happen if the swing is on. O’Neil is up against Liberal Harmick Singh, former spokesperson for the Victorian Sikh Gurduaras Council, who launched his campaign in Oakleigh on Tuesday night.
The guest of honour was Geoffrey Blainey, who is John Howard’s favourite history professor and well known for his role in Australia’s culture wars, who just turned 94 this week. Among Blainey’s greatest hits are coining phrases like “the tyranny of distance” and the “black armband” view of history.
Blainey gave a speech, and the event was well attended, we’re told.
Readers may also recall that Blainey was a figure of controversy in the 1980s for his views on immigration, after he criticised the nation’s high intake of migrants from Asian countries. Blainey’s comments sparked a debate over the so-called “Asianisation” of Australia.
Fast-forward 40 years and now Blainey is helping a candidate of Asian heritage, giving a speech at what we hear was a well-attended event. Perhaps his views have mellowed with age.
As for how the veteran of the history wars ended up there, well, the chair of the Liberal Party’s Hotham branch, Tim Warner, happens to be Blainey’s son-in-law. He referred CBD to the party’s Victorian head office, who unsurprisingly didn’t respond to our queries.
Skivvy season
The nation’s petrol-heads and corporate box set are headed to Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix this weekend, and there’s already been plenty of action off the grid.
Taking the heat: Lando Norris in Melbourne.
F1 driver Lando Norris got in some good conditioning for the warm weather expected at Albert Park by wearing a black turtleneck top to a pre race party for fragrance Ralph Lauren Red.
The McLaren driver was steadfastly devoted to the sponsorship deal by wearing the skivvy to showcase the brand’s ‘purple’ range. That’s despite the 32-degree temperature during the party at the Stokehouse restaurant in St Kilda, which was so hot that one attendee fainted.
Norris told the crowd driving an F1 car was “pretty warm”.
“It’s probably like wearing another one of these turtlenecks,” he quipped. “It is very tough.”
Norris’ teammate at McLaren is home town hero Oscar Piastri, but Norris was quick to reject host Lauren Phillips’ suggestion this made him an honorary Australian.
“I don’t feel the support because they are all supporting for Oscar normally,” he said.
Norris couldn’t resist a quick competitive dig at his teammate.
“Because I’ve beaten him, so it doesn’t help these kind of things.”
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