ATO joins Oswal and ANZ circus

Illustration: Rod Clement.

Lurking in the shadows of Pankaj and his “wifey” Radhika Oswal’s extravagant case against ANZ is the head of the Australian Taxation Office, Chris Jordan.

He is the elephant — or perhaps Ganesh, the elephant-shaped God of Fortune — in the room as Shayne Elliott’s legal team try to talk the Oswals’ team into a settlement.

Radhika Oswal and husband Pankaj. Picture: David Geraghty/The Australian.

The Oswals, you might remember, have a hefty outstanding bill with Jordan’s ATO.

The tax bill was about $190 million, before it was reduced on appeal in April to a figure initially reported as $32m, but likely towards $100m once penalties and such are taken into account. Figures are often impressive on Planet Oswal.

By returning to Australia to fight their ambitious $1.5 billion-plus claim against ANZ, the Oswals have made settling that bill unavoidable.

“Departure Prohibition Orders” are one of the taxman’s mightier powers. Even Crocodile Dundee, Paul Hogan, couldn’t shirk a DPO — as he found out back in 2010.

So until they pay their tax bill, the Oswals won’t be able to leave Australia and return to Dubai — where they have taken sanctuary since falling out with Pankaj’s family in India over his late billionaire father’s estate.

All of which suggests a possible floor price — towards nine figures — on their settlement ­negotiations, to make their return to Australia a break-even venture.

And it gives us just a whiff of hope that the Oswals’ case could drag on long enough for Radhika’s cross-examination (due today unless a settlement spoils it), followed by a likely headlock re-enactment by streetfighting former ANZ employee Chris Page and the highly anticipated testimony by Flagstaff investment banker Tony Burgess — useful prep before he takes on his former client Broadspectrum in court.

That’s unless Elliott and his bruised legal boss Bob Santamaria call time and tap out to end the shocking headlines about ANZ employees putting its customers in headlocks and, the latest allegation, prophesying that the children of ANZ clients will become orphans unless they follow the bank’s instructions.

Here’s hoping everyone sees sense and gets back to the Supreme Court.

Class act

Our newbie federal politicians have finished “pollie school”, their two-day induction into life in Parliament House.

Liberal upstart Tim Wilson at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: Kym Smith.

So what did they learn?

The session on in-house catering prompted the most questions. “It was a free for all,” we were told.

In contrast, the Class of 2016 were much less animated by the national security briefing.

And is anyone surprised to learn that Labor trio Linda Burney, Anne Aly, Emma Husar and — of course — Liberal upstart Tim Wilson were the most outspoken over the two-day Canberra excursion?

Wilson’s contributions roamed widely from concern about the salads at the parliament canteen (too 1990s) to a revealing hypothetical about whether backbenchers would get assistance for moving offices should their circumstances change. No prizes for guessing what the 36-year-old was hinting at. Those ambitious eyes have been fixed on the ministerial wing for decades.

Burney expressed her belief that a “Reconciliation Action Plan” should be a requirement for any future contractor for the parliament catering contract.

“Everyone just looked at the ceiling,” said one of her impolite schoolmates.

Crucially, the virgins of the 45th parliament were given a briefing — and an 80-page ATO ruling for homework — on electoral allowances, entitlements and the pecuniary interest register.

Correctly declaring their interests will be one of their first tasks when school resumes — with all the senior students along as well — on August 30. Study up.

Liquid assets

Speaking of Parliament House catering, Treasurer Scott Morrison — not always known as a man with a transparent approach to information, as the foreign investment community has recently learned — has released the cost of the budget night drinks he hosted in the cabinet dining room on May 3.

Treasurer Scott Morrison has released the cost of the budget night drinks he hosted.

The bill to the Intercontinental Hotels Group — the group with the Parliament House contract, and with whom Tim Wilson should pursue his salad reform campaign — was $11,625.00, according to John Fraser’s boffins at Treasury.

That outlay bought a spread of canapes (three hot and three cold) and “The Experience” beverage package — which on close examination is not an inspiring wine list.

Perhaps a second catering cause for Wilson to take up before, after his anticipated elevation, he becomes too busy on Malcolm Turnbull’s frontbench?

Father farewelled

There have been more momentous things going on in the world of BHP Billiton chair Jac “The Knife” Nasser than the company’s $8.2bn loss, its biggest ever. Over the weekend — days before BHP’s results announcement — the chair farewelled his father Abdo Nasser, who passed away on August 7. Remarkably, he was 104.

BHP Billiton chair Jac Nasser. Picture: Sergio Dionisio/Bloomberg.

The former Ford boss Jac — who turns 69 in December, making him middle-aged by Nasser standards — is one of four children. They came to Melbourne from Lebanon when Jac was four years old.

His dad Abdo’s career spanned from bus driver to independent businessman.

Meanwhile, son Jac, despite an international business career now anchored in New York, still maintains his apartment in South Yarra’s so-called “Tower of Power”, which he bought for $3.1m in 2006.

His abode is one floor above Mike Smith’s new pad, which the former ANZ boss bought from Olympics administrator Kevan Gosper.

It’s a sought-after address. Bank of Melbourne chief Scott Tanner also has a place in the tightly held block of seven.

While Nasser’s apartment isn’t yet for sale, there is believed to have been an opportunistic investment banker sniffing around. You know the type.

Off the leash

Gaming billionaire James Packer must be wondering why he didn’t pull the plug on chairing his $10bn Crown Resorts sooner.

James Packer and Mariah Carey holidaying in Capri, Italy.

Installing former Deutsche and UBS banker Rob Rankin to run the Crown board has freed up the almost 49-year-old’s diary, allowing him to spend the European summer on the Med with his Fantasy fiancee Mariah Carey before jetting to the Rio Olympics as a guest of surrogate father figure Kerry Stokes.

Beats working for a living.

All the while the 53 per cent Crown shareholder can find comfort in the $152.5m final dividend he’ll get from his casino boss Rowen Craigie come October 7. That windfall follows a change in Crown’s dividend policy, which hiked its payout from 65 per cent of profit after tax to 100 per cent.

That takes Packer’s divvies for the full year to $280m. Who needs a $10m pay packet anyway?

Gina’s in sync

With an Olympian commitment, our favourite rejuvenated billionaire Gina Rinehart — “matriarch” of the Australian team — is still flying the flag in Rio, most recently in support of her beloved synchronised swimmers.

Gina Rinehart is flying the flag in support of Australia’s synchronised swimmers.

“As an honorary synchronised swimming team member, I was so touched to see my fellow team members happily wave to me in the large audience after their duet performance at the pool,” Rinehart said after the event. “I will remember this always.”

Australian synchronised swimmers Nikita Pablo and Rose Stackpole.

The mining boss continues to be squired about the Games by her right hand man Tad Watroba, who is officially Hancock’s “executive director”.

To cap things off, the synchronised swimmers even visited Rinehart — the major financial supporter of the team — in the stand after their events, with hugs and kisses all around. Priceless.