By Kishor Napier-Raman and Noel Towell
Former prime minister Scott Morrison delivered his valedictory speech to parliament on Tuesday, rocking a Taylor Swift friendship bracelet with the word “ScoMo” spelled out. We would’ve preferred he brought a lump of coal for old time’s sake.
Say what you will about Morrison’s legacy, but he managed to pack out the public gallery. Among the alumni of Morrison’s prime minister’s office, our spies spotted press secretary turned mining lobbyist Andrew Carswell, chief of staff John Kunkel, principal private secretary Yaron Finkelstein and advisers Kate Williams, Julian Leembruggen and Ben Wicks.
Joining from the Liberalverse were John Howard’s old chief of staff Grahame Morris, federal director Andrew Hirst, ex-MP Fiona Scott and Morrison’s close confidant, lobbyist David Gazard. Morrison gave a shout-out to Gazard’s absent former colleague Scottie Briggs, MIA since this masthead published his extraordinary message exchange with then-home affairs boss Mike Pezzullo where the lobbyist flexed his access to the PM.
A fair chunk of Labor’s frontbench and most of the teals were in the chamber. Notably absent from the scores of Coalition MPs and senators was rebellious moderate Bridget Archer, who supported a censure motion against the former PM over the multiple ministries scandal. No Greens in sight either.
Morrison’s friends toasted in his speech included a few who’d landed some sweet promotions during his prime ministership. There was old uni mate Adrian Harrington, promoted to chair of the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation in 2021. He and his wife Karen Harrington, who penned a gushing tribute in this masthead before the 2022 election praising Morrison’s “intense connection” with the women in his life, both got a shout-out.
Also in Canberra was Peter Verwer, Morrison’s old boss at the Property Council who was appointed as a special envoy for global business and talent attraction in 2020. The Morrison family’s close friend Lynelle Stewart got a thank you, but no luck for her husband Tim Stewart, Australia’s most prominent devotee of the QAnon conspiracy theory. Former NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione, described as one of Morrison’s “brothers in Christ” was also noted.
When it came to tributes, Morrison took care to mention his deputy PM Michael “Big Mac” McCormack. Not a word on his other deputy PM Barnaby Joyce, absent from Canberra following his recent incident with a planter box. Awkward.
VOICE ACTIVATED
Speaking of prime ministerial legacies, we challenge you to name an Australian PM that has launched more stage shows than Julia Gillard.
First, we had the sell-out appearances by the woman herself in 2022, with thousands of punters paying up to $170 a pop in Sydney and Melbourne on the 10th anniversary of that famous misogyny speech in 2012, roasting then-opposition leader Tony Abbott.
Credit: John Shakespeare
Last year we had Julia, the Sydney Theatre Company play starring Justine Clarke which had a decent run at the Opera House.
And there’s another addition to the emerging artistic genre – Juliana, anybody? Or what about Gill-Art? – with concert artist and songwriter Karen Jacobsen’s long form pop-orchestral work Misogyny Opus setting Gillard’s famous speech that fateful day to music – in 18 movements, if you please – word for word.
Now, Jacobsen is the real deal as an Australian cultural export after a successful 20-year career in the US, during which she’s performed with the likes of Norah Jones, Neil Sedaka and Cyndi Lauper, and Harry Connick Jr has declared himself a fan.
But Karen is best known for voicing the Australian version of the Apple iPhone’s Siri voice prompt function, which elevates her to the status of genuine cultural icon.
Anyway, the show is scheduled for a one-night stand at The Canberra Theatre next month, so one for the purists for now, and there’s no word on any shows elsewhere.
But we’ll keep an eye on that for you. Or you could always ask your phone.
COLDEST WINTOUR
Looks like the career of one of Australia’s global fashion high-flyers is set for another twist, with influencer prodigy Margaret Zhang walking away from her job as editor-in-chief of Vogue’s China edition.
Global Vogue boss Anna Wintour raised eyebrows in 2021 by hiring Zhang – the youngest person to land an editor-in-chief role at the magazine – whose background was in influencing and a forgettable dabble in reality TV, rather than journalism, to lead the publication’s vital operation in the rapidly growing Chinese market.
And while Zhang’s eye-catching covers attracted an online following, there were clashes with local media executives, with two high-profile figures levelling the accusation that Zhang was too “Western” for the Chinese market.
But in her very public resignation letter, published online on Monday, the 30-year-old editor indicated that this was kind of the idea, saying she had turned Vogue China into “a multimedia bridge for creative culture – China to the world, the world to China.”
Still, Zhang’s departure was met with plenty of scathing criticism on Chinese social media from local fashionistas. Zhang wasn’t exactly forthcoming about what happens next, simply chucking in some vague references to “new beginnings, “next chapters” and “new ventures”.
But Wintour’s reactive message to Chinese Vogue staff, promptly leaked to the trade press, suggested the departure may have surprised her too, saying it was her “top priority to find a new visionary leader without delay.”
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