By Stephen Brook and Kishor Napier-Raman
Gary Morgan brought his unique brand of political eccentricity to a breakfast for candidates for lord mayor of Melbourne at Crown on Wednesday, hosted by the Committee for Melbourne and the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
“Team Morgan. You have got to vote for me this time. It is the seventh time. I am not joking,” the impassioned pollster told those assembled to a smattering of chuckles. It was that kind of day.
Committee for Melbourne chief executive Scott Veenker watches as Lord Mayoral candidate Gary Morgan presents a family trophy to Victorian Chamber chief executive Paul Guerra.Credit: Jessica Hooper
During his pitch, he managed to traverse a wide archipelago: his relatives who were part of the Eureka Stockade; beating cancer thanks to his company Roy Morgan donating thousands of dollars to a Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre “molecular rare earths” drugs trial; founding the Committee for Melbourne with Hugh Morgan; before variously name-checking Joan Kirner, Bruno Grollo and Taylor Swift.
But after this build-up, he managed to misidentify rival mayoral candidate and councillor of Lebanese heritage Jamal Hakim, 40, as “Kamahl”.
Jamal Hakim.
Recalling the soothing Malaysian-born recording artist who was big on Hey Hey It’s Saturday and a one-time Dilmah Tea ambassador was not on our 2024 local government bingo card.
Hakim, a Docklands resident who wants to create “experience improvement districts” in the city said he was “energised” by the campaign.
“I laughed it off,” he told CBD in relation to the onstage identity mix-up.
But he said candidates needed to be able to adapt to the modern world. “I wasn’t offended, but it does show change is needed.”
Morgan told CBD: “Sincere apologies to Jamal, he’s a good person.”
He also suggested his rival pro-business candidates at the event – mayor Nick Reece, former deputy mayor and former acting mayor Arron Wood, former Carlton star Anthony Koutoufides and Labor candidate Phil Reed – could all get a job with him.
Iconic Malaysian-born Australian crooner Kamahl.
The event ended with Morgan on stage reaching into an IGA shopping bag and pulling out a historic trophy from the Flinders Lane Rifle Club Association – which he said had been in his family for years – and presenting it to the Committee for Melbourne’s Scott Veenker and Victorian Chamber’s Paul Guerra.
At the end of the event, Morgan requested CBD give him a good run. Our absolute pleasure, Gary.
SO LONG, FAREWELL
Sad to note the passing of a Melbourne legend.
Leo (Liliano) Pellegrini, who with his brother Vildo founded Pellegrini’s Espresso Bar, died aged 99 earlier this week.
The restaurant had one of Melbourne’s first espresso machines when the brothers opened in 1954.
“Together, they introduced Melburnians to the art of espresso, laying the foundation for what is now one of the best coffee cultures in the world,” the restaurant said in a social media post this week.
“At a time when espresso was virtually unknown here, Leo’s vision transformed the way we drink coffee, creating a warm, welcoming space for all. Seventy years later, Pellegrini’s is still serving coffee and food in almost exactly the same way Leo did, a living testament to his legacy and the Italian tradition he brought to our city.”
In 1972, the Pellegrini brothers sold the restaurant to Nino Pangrazio and Sisto Malaspina, who was tragically killed in the 2018 Bourke Street stabbings.
Pellegrini’s said: “Melbourne’s world-renowned coffee culture started with Leo and his brother and for that we will forever be grateful.”
Vale Leo.
NOTHING TO BRAGG ABOUT
As salacious courtroom battles go, the ongoing legal drama involving a billionaire, his former wellness entrepreneur mistress, and a $13.1 million mansion that was to be the pair’s alleged love nest has it all.
Linda Rogan, a one-time contender for the Real Housewives of Sydney, is in the Federal Court challenging a bankruptcy order issued to her by WiseTech founder Richard White over nearly $100,000 she claims she spent furnishing the luxury Vaucluse home at his behest.
Linda Rogan enters the Federal Court in Sydney, where she is challenging a bankruptcy notice issued by Richard White (right).Credit: Nick Moir and Oscar Colman
In the proceedings, Rogan also alleges that White expected sex in return for investing in her business. She claims that while White bought the Vaucluse pad for her to live in with her children, she was locked out after the logistics billionaire’s girlfriend, former bikie lawyer Zena Nasser, discovered the secret relationship.
All this yarn needs now is a Liberal Party angle to make it peak CBD content. And it has that too, with White scheduled to deliver the Shepherd Oration, a business talkfest organised by federal Liberal senator Andrew Bragg, and named after corporate identity Tony Shepherd.
For White’s sake, we hope the speech doesn’t turn into some kind of kiss of death. In 2020, former Qantas boss Alan Joyce delivered it, and while correlation ain’t causation, the national carrier’s reputation began unravelling not long after that.
And if you thought the run of saucy headlines about a court dispute White worked hard to suppress could ward him off, you’d be wrong. Bragg sent around email reminders for the event on Wednesday, and things are still going ahead. Hopefully there’s time for audience questions.
Meanwhile, WiseTech, which in August enjoyed bumper results that made White a whole $2.1 billion richer, is on the hunt for a new communications manager, with a brief to create “captivating social media content”.
Finding TikTok virality in supply chain logistics software is a hard ask. So is spinning your way out of a made-for-tabloid legal drama.
The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here.