The Australian star bigger than Kylie Minogue you’ve never heard of

She’s by far a bigger star than Kylie Minogue, has more than 70 million Instagram followers, is one of the world’s most downloaded artists, and by the time she flies out of Sydney this weekend, she will have performed for more than 50,000 people – but Australia’s Roseanne Park is virtually unknown to most of her compatriots.

From left: Lisa, Jennie Kim, Rosé, and Jisoo of Blackpink perform at the Coachella Festival in 2019. Credit: Amy Harris/Invision/AP

Raised in Melbourne, she is better known to her fans simply as Rosé, one of the four members of the all-girl K-pop group BlackPink.

She’s been travelling with a 200-strong entourage since the band arrived for their Australian leg of a sold-out world tour.

From Melbourne to the Met Gala: Rosé on the red carpet at the New York soirée in 2021.Credit: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

Sahara Herald from local tour promoter Frontier said ticket demand for the BlackPink concerts was “huge”, and all four shows across Sydney and Melbourne sold out in “a matter of seconds”.

“They tend to keep to themselves when they are not performing. They don’t tend to promote where they will be because their fan base is fanatical – they will track them down anywhere and turn up in droves,” she told PS this week.

While Rosé has Korean heritage, her upbringing was decidedly Australian, but she was encouraged to audition for the K-pop agency YG Entertainment – one of Korea’s “big three” music companies – by her father.

Within two months of passing the audition, the then 16-year-old was on a plane to Seoul to begin training.

It was a busy schedule that sounded like something out of Squid Game: she had lessons for vocals, dance, guitar and Japanese and Korean languages. Throughout her four years of training, the group had to constantly prove themselves to the label’s boss, Yang Hyun-suk, known as YG.

In a rare interview in 2017, Rosé told the Herald: “We would have these tests at the end of every month with YG and we would prepare a dance and song performance as a group and individually.”

Since then, she has graced the red carpet with the world’s biggest stars at the Met Gala and featured on the cover of Vogue Hong Kong magazine.

Murdochs and weddings

Heaven knows what the Parisians made of all those cashed-up Aussies this week who descended on the city of light for the wedding of chicken heiress Tamie Ingham and her hubby, celebrity chef Guillaume Brahimi.

As PS foreshadowed last week, it was quite the affair, with a line-up of stars usually found on the Sydney cocktail circuit rather than among the masterpieces inside the Musee Rodin.

Aussie posse in Paris: Tamie Ingham (third from left) and new husband Guillaume Brahimi during this week’s wedding celebrations.Credit: Instagram

No sign of any cost of living crisis for the likes of Karl Stefanovic, who was master of ceremonies as his wife Jasmine Stefanovic undertook bridesmaid duties.

Radio star Michael Wipfli and enthusiastic social media sharer wife Lisa gave their Instagram feed a workout, while keeping a lower profile were Seek founder Paul Bassat and outgoing AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan.

Sadly there was no sign of James Packer, while his former wife Erica Packer flew solo. Fashion queen Nicky Zimmermann beamed as former publishing moguls turned hoteliers Deke and Eve Miskin mingled with Grant Kenny.

Tom and Hoda Waterhouse caught up with influencer Caro Tran, party boy fashionisto Michael Lo Sordo caught up with many of his customers, as Melbourne Cup winners Fran and John Ingham added a dash of old Sydney establishment to the festivities. Also on the list were Lachlan and Sarah Murdoch, Vogue Australia director Edwina McCann, sports manager Leon Spellson, Lavazza coffee heiress Amanda Valmorbida and her socialite husband Tim Holmes a Court.

Gosh, it appears the only ones missing were Pip Edwards and Julie Bishop.

Lachlan and Sarah Murdoch have a new superyacht to sail.Credit: Edwina Pickles

While the happy couple embarks on their honeymoon, PS hears the Aussie posse, or at least a sizeable contingent, is heading to the Mediterranean, with a dozen or so joining the Murdochs as they take their shiny new $150 million tinnie out for a maiden spin.

Lachlan Murdoch’s new superyacht is ready to sail.Credit: Ruben Griffioen / Superyacht Times.

The 59.7-metre sailing yacht has been in development for around five years and was built by the Dutch outfit Royal Huisman. Dubbed Project 404, it has been shrouded in secrecy, but in photos published online by SuperYacht Times, the provenance of the vessel has become much clearer.

Making a splash: Sarissa emerges from the shipyards in the Netherlands in February.Credit: Ruben Griffioen / Superyacht Times

Plastered over its stern is Sarissa, the same name as Murdoch’s other sailing yacht, which is a smidge smaller at just 42 metres.

Last month the vessel undertook extensive sea trials and has since been moored in Palma de Mallorca, though its destination is unclear.

The high-performance sloop’s construction began in 2019, with her design kept a tightly guarded secret until the first preview of her Alustar aluminium hull in 2020.

Also known as MM597, the yacht has been designed by Malcolm McKeon Yacht Design and features ultra-luxe interiors by French designers Studio Liaigre.

According to SuperYacht Times, it features a “reversed bow” and “sleek profile with powerful hull lines”.

Her “huge transom opening” gives access to an “expansive beach club area”, while her extra-large portholes flood her interiors with plenty of natural light. Apparently, she can sleep 12 guests and has about another dozen on the crew.

Stalking charges, AVO dropped

Simone Holtznagel is dating celebrity PT Jono Castano.Credit: Sonny Vandevelde

Sydney model, red carpet regular, Playboy pin-up and social media influencer Simone Holtznagel has had her fair share of time in the spotlight, from appearing bedraggled on reality television shows to posting selfies to her 115,000 Instagram followers.

But it was put to Magistrate Glenn Bartley on Thursday at the Downing Centre that 59-year-old Sydney man Benjamin Reeves’ “beady” eyes made the 29-year-old unsettled, alleging he “stared at me” and had made “eye contact” on several occasions at venues in Sydney over a period of months.

Benjamin Reeves outside Downing Centre on Thursday.Credit: Bianca De Marchi/AAP

Having pleaded not guilty to stalking with the intention of causing Holtznagel fear of physical or mental harm, Reeves was informed on Wednesday – the day before his hearing – that police would withdraw the charge, along with the apprehended violence order restraining him from approaching her.

But shortly after leaving court and winning costs in the matter, and after his lawyer described his client as being “vindicated” by Thursday’s outcome, Reeves was slapped with a fresh charge of allegedly breaching a second order – a personal violence order (PVOs come into play when neither party has a domestic relationship).

It will be alleged the PVO breach took place on Wednesday night when police say Reeves was seen at a Circular Quay location being visited by Holtznagel as part of the Vivid festival.

Earlier on Thursday, during an argument for costs, Reeves’ lawyer Steven Boland argued the alleged encounters pertaining to his initial stalking charge were nothing more than “coincidences”.

CCTV footage of an alleged encounter at Bondi’s Ravesis Hotel was played in court, after Holtznagel accused Reeves of staring at her for “40 seconds”.

The video showed Reeves walking into the venue and heading directly up a staircase. Reeves’ solicitor refuted any suggestion his client had “stared inappropriately or hid behind a bush”.

Another video showed Holtznagel sitting at a table of five, enjoying champagne, laughing and kissing her boyfriend, celebrity fitness instructor Jono Castano.

Reeves is seen in most of that footage talking to two other men away from Holtznagel’s table as another of his friends is warmly greeted by Holtznagel’s party.

After viewing CCTV footage the magistrate wasn’t convinced of the claims, describing Holtznagel’s allegations as “demonstrably unreliable”.

Magistrate Bartley said the proceedings against Reeves were initiated without reasonable cause and were not investigated properly by police. He ordered the prosecution to pay Reeves’ legal costs of $36,000.

A former CEO, Reeves has claimed media coverage of the matter cost him his job and ruined his career.

Reeves is suing The Daily Mail website in the Federal Court for defamation over a report from September 2022, which alleged he stalked Holtznagel and had an apprehended violence order taken out against him by another woman.

Reeves was CEO of the Australian Association of Graduate Employers until he was terminated when the article was published.

According to a statement of claim filed with the Federal Court, Reeves had held the CEO role for 16 years and expected to continue in this role until his retirement.

It also claimed he was asked to leave his triathlon training club after its members felt uncomfortable with his presence there.

While Reeves spent Thursday at court, according to her social media updates, Holtznagel and Castano spent the day aboard a superyacht, eating oysters and sipping cocktails.

Jenner house

Taking 15 or so French 19th-century gilt overmantel mirrors with you from your mansion in Potts Point to Paris is akin to bringing bananas to Coffs Harbour.

The 1871-built Jenner House was designed by colonial architect Edmund Blacket for Australia’s retail dynasty family, the Horderns.

So it’s little wonder the extraordinary collection of mirrors owned by luxury car salesman Terry Mullens and wife Wendy are about to be sold off, along with a fascinating horde of other goods and chattels, including several sets of flash wheels, ahead of their departure from historic Jenner House on Macleay Street.

The sale follows Title Deeds’ revelation last week that the handsome property had sold for around $30 million to local billionaire Peter Freedman.

Shapiro Auctions is doing an onsite timed auction at Jenner House from Monday 26 June at 2pm.

The six-bedroom landmark Regency Revival-style marine villa was designed by colonial architect Edmund Blacket and has long been regarded as one of the suburb’s most significant houses, dating back to 1870 when it was built for the Hordern retail dynasty.

Sun and Sarris

It’s been three months since embattled “food sultan” Stan Sarris told PS he and his wife, the once influential publishing figure Judy Sarris, would “soon” return to Sydney.

This was after Cameron Gray of DW Advisory, who was appointed liquidator on December 16 of the collapsed GT Wine magazine advised in his March report to creditors he had reported “Mr Sarris’ misconduct” to corporate watchdog ASIC after claiming Sarris “failed to deliver all records and property of the company despite our demands”.

The liquidator’s report claimed the business had traded while insolvent “possibly” from as early as 2017, saying: “we would estimate an insolvent trading claim against the director [Stan Sarris] in excess of $2 million”.

The report also raised allegations of “phoenixing” when another of Sarris’ companies, Winecraft Pty Ltd, started publishing an “almost the same” publication called The Wine Magazine after the licence agreement with Gourmet Traveller’s parent company was abruptly terminated.

Sarris denied it was the same business, but the liquidator informed creditors “based on the evidence in our possession, we do not agree with Mr Sarris’ position.”

An ASIC spokesman said it was unable to comment, however it is understood ASIC sent a warning letter to Sarris in January this year reminding him of his obligation to assist liquidators.

Stan Sarris with friend and blogger Vicky Munch, bottom left, and wife Judy Sarris, in Portugal recently.Credit: Instagram

We’re yet to hear of their arrival home, but according to the couple’s circle of social media friends, they appear to be living the good life in sunny Portugal.

Soaking up the rays and good vino, the couple look right at home with the locals in Loule, a pretty market town in the Algarve region.

Shots of the couple dining al fresco under the night sky have certainly caused much discussion among some of the business’s creditors – many of them once long-term loyal employees – who have been left out of pocket by the company to the tune of $3 million.

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