IllustrationCredit: John Shakespeare
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese clearly doesn’t share the same visceral hatred of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp as some of his predecessors.
The prime minister was spotted at the media empire’s Holt Street offices on Wednesday, where, we’re told, Albo, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong met News Corp co-chairman Lachlan Murdoch and senior editors of the media empire’s Australian mastheads.
It came just a day after Murdoch the younger launched a defamation suit against news and politics website Crikey, a move slammed by former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull as “hypocritical”.
But for those in power, some rings still need to be kissed, it seems.
Stuart Robert’s novel twist
Shadow assistant treasurer Stuart Robert’s political ascent in the last government – he was returned to cabinet after quitting the ministry in 2016 following a controversial trip to China with a Liberal party donor – wasn’t all that surprising.
After all, “Brother Stuie” was one of Scott Morrison’s closest allies in parliament, and a one-time housemate of the ex-prime minister.
But one of the enduring, unresolved mysteries of the 46th parliament was the case of Robert’s blind trust. After his 2019 re-promotion, the then-minister for government services’ register of interests declaration listed a blind trust, covering up his extensive shareholdings and investments.
It’s the same arrangement former attorney-general Christian Porter used to anonymise donations to his legal battle with the ABC, and which Albanese recently banned for his new ministers.
While Robert’s blind trust caused a bit of stir, and angry Senate Estimates questions from Labor during the last term, the arrangement is now no more.
Shadow assistant treasurer Stuart Robert’s blind trust has been dissolved.Credit: Rhett Wyman
“The blind trust has been dissolved and shares not listed on this declaration have been sold or dispensed with,” reads Robert’s latest register of interests disclosure, published this week.
So what was the trust all about?
His substantial pre-blind trust shareholdings, in 18 companies, mostly mining, have been sold off entirely. Now, Robert has shares in just five companies – including Techgen Metals, Capral, and RQ Supplements, which makes protein powder to help you get jacked.
Outside his parliamentary duties, it seems Robert has been working hard to rake in royalties from his side gig as a self-published author. His 2017 debut In the footsteps of Jesus was followed up by two releases this month – A Tale of 7 Centurions (also about biblical history) and The trial of Lieutenant General Hiroshi Tamura (released on Tuesday).
Two books in an election year – now that’s hustle culture, baby.
Kean for dinner
Everyone knows the real power in the Premier State lies not on Macquarie Street, but in the hands of Australian Rugby League Commission chair and Racing NSW chief executive Peter “Showbags” V’landys.
So it was little surprise to see NSW Treasurer and Deputy Liberal Leader Matt Kean sit down for dinner with St Peter at Merivale establishment Mr Wong on Wednesday night.
NSW Treasurer and Deputy Liberal Leader Matt Kean.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
V’landys has been locked in a war of words with the NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet over stadium funding, and while our overactive minds turned to the prospect of Kean rocking up, olive branch in hand to smooth things over, we’re told the two spent most of the evening discussing the under-performing St George Illawarra Dragons.
Meet and greet
Speaking of Macquarie Street, the most recent disclosure of ministerial diaries show who the busiest bees in Perrottet’s cabinet were during the April to June quarter.
Leading the pack were three of the ministry’s newest faces. Minister for Agriculture and Western Sydney Dugald Saunders had 110 meetings – no doubt putting together the Easter Show helped him win handsomely.
Next in line was Tourism, Arts and Regional Youth Minister Ben Franklin with 72, closely followed by Heritage and Environment Minister James Griffin on 71.
Brining up the least engaged with the public was Corrections Minister Geoff Lee, with just six, while the premier clocked a middling 21 – although his diaries reveal an introductory meeting with former British prime minister David Cameron in June, when he was in town for a conservative climate conference.
Barra gang back together
Digital NSW is set to host its showcase at Royal Randwick in November, and it could be quite an awkward reunion for some familiar faces from a recent inquiry into former deputy premier John Barilaro’s controversial New York trade posting.
Gary Barnes, who quit as boss of Regional NSW weeks after the inquiry revealed he gave Barilaro a reference for the job, is appearing on a panel with Public Service Commissioner Kathrina Lo, who lashed out at Investment NSW during the same inquiry.
One of the topics, ironically enough, is “Emerging jobs of the future,” and we can’t help but wonder if someone will be game to ask about trade envoys.
Also making an appearance is Investment NSW managing director Kylie Bell, who told the inquiry she broke the good news to Barilaro about his successful application.
But Amy Brown, who recently lost the position of chief executive of Investment NSW in light of the Barilaro affair, isn’t on the list. Perhaps her invite was lost in the ether.
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