By Stephen Brook and Samantha Hutchinson
For years, ABC consumer affairs program The Checkout pursued a rich variety of business identities for alleged deceptive and misleading conduct. Now, the program's executive producer, Julian Morrow, one of the founders of The Chaser, finds himself in court accused of …. deceptive and misleading conduct.
Morrow is locking horns with a former business partner, producer Nick Murray, whose company Cordell Jigsaw makes TV hits such as Gruen and Bondi Rescue. CJ used to jointly produce The Checkout with Morrow's Giant Dwarf production company.
Julian Morrow and Nick Murray.Credit: Illustration: John Shakespeare
Now both sides are fighting in the NSW Supreme Court over hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of producer tax offsets. Giant Dwarf claims CJ breached its contract and stopped Giant Dwarf from getting two extra seasons of The Checkout made, and wants compensation.
Last week in the NSW Supreme Court, Cordell Jigsaw had a loss, failing in its attempt to get a bank account frozen.
The dispute stretches back to April 2019, when CJ agreed to sell its shares in The Checkout joint venture to Giant Dwarf for $50.
Morrow was already in discussions with the ABC about making another consumer affairs program, possibly a new series of The Checkout. But Cordell Jigsaw didn't know.
The planned ABC deal hit the skids in May, when the ABC asked CJ to sign an effective deed of release so it could proceed with the planned production. Cordell refused.
Last November, The Checkout Pty Ltd and Giant Dwarf took legal action, claiming that Cordell Jigsaw had breached the share sales agreement by refusing to sign the release.
In December, the ABC pulled the pin on discussions with Giant Dwarf, saying this was "after Giant Dwarf's public statements and correspondence and dealings with the ABC made it clear we are not creatively aligned". Ouch.
In court last week, Justice Trish Henry said she was "satisfied that it was seriously arguable that Giant Dwarf and Mr Morrow had engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct as alleged in the cross-claim" by not telling Cordell Jigsaw of its discussions with the ABC.
CJ told CBD on Tuesday: "Knowing what we now know about what was going on in the lead up to us agreeing to sell our shares (for $50), we are surprised that Morrow as a former business partner is suing us."
The Checkout Pty Ltd and Giant Dwarf said in a statement: "Unfortunately, as our action alleges, we believe CJ reneged on a binding contract and intervened to prevent The Checkout returning to ABC television. We are pleased the court rejected CJ's recent application." The trial is scheduled for February 1 next year. Don't change the channel.
From billionaires to bankers
Fabled enterprise software company Atlassian is feted around the world as an example of woke, world-class innovation run by two progressive tech bro billionaires. Who wouldn't want to work for Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar?
Step forward Hayden Cooper – the one-time ABC correspondent and media adviser to Malcolm Turnbull – who is leaving the tech firm for pastures new.
Hayden Cooper listens as then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull addresses the media in 2017.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
Cooper managed to chalk up two years reporting for the ABC from Middle East hotspots, but only 19 months heading corporate comms while keeping a lid on Cannon-Brookes.
Now he is off to head media at the Australian Banking Association, the lobby group run by former Queensland premier Anna Bligh.
Cooper will find himself in good company. It was only in April that Bligh appointed Turnbull's well-regarded former chief of staff Sally Cray as head of public affairs.
Talk about getting the band back together – or key members, at least.
Earlier in the year, this column reflected on Scott Morrison's response when Bligh was first tapped to lead the banking lobby group. "I don't need to work through an intermediary," the-then treasurer rather bluntly said of the ABA chief.
Presumably Scott Morrison will be thrilled to learn Bligh now has two of Turnbull's most trusted allies working in her shop.
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese and shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers during question time in August.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
Beyond the budget
Judging by the JobKeeper applications filed by political parties during the pandemic, it's no surprise party bean counters have big plans for budget night fundraisers.
Invitations to a stiffly priced "intimate dinner with ALP leadership" for members of the party's corporate-friendly Federal Labor Business Forum hit inboxes this week. Unsurprisingly, seats are limited – and tickets are pricier than ever.
"Owing to COVID restrictions, this event will be socially distanced and seats will be limited," the invitation advised, adding that Business Forum members will receive a reduction on the ticket price – but not by much. General tickets are going for $5000, while members pay $4500. Ouch. ALP leader Anthony Albanese will headline, along with shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers. But it isn't Chalmers' only private appearance on budget night.
Labor's numbers man – the official man, we mean – is also hosting a pre-budget Q&A event, to be held by video and limited to just 15 guests. The price? $2500 for general admission and $2000 for Business Forum members. Not bad for an hour's work.
Federal Liberal Party director Andrew Hirst was also in touch with supporters this week to spruik the government's own budget night gala. This year, rather drearily, it's a remote federal budget forum. An invitation landing this week advises the virtual event kicks off at 8pm and is headlined – predictably – by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, along with Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Finance Minister Mathias Cormann. A wild card? Energy Minister Angus Taylor has been named as master of ceremonies. PwC is its major sponsor for the fifth year running.