Floating a good idea with friends

Whether he’s on the steps of the Sydney Opera House or in a Chinese restaurant in Amsterdam, “Aussie” John Symond seems never far away from his good mates banker Chris Knoblanche and lawyer Rob Wannan.

As this publication reveals today, Citibank’s Knoblanche and Kemp Strang’s Wannan — together with their partners — travelled to the Dutch city last month to take a squiz at the 240-foot boat Symond is having built by luxury yacht maker Feadship.

The boat builder specialises in meeting the floating needs of the global super-rich. Previous clients include US sandwich shop magnate Jimmy John Liataud, British bookie Michael Tabor and late Apple boss Steve Jobs.

The almost-70-year-old Symond and his new 40-something wife Amber, the ex of Paul Keating’s son Patrick, are mulling a move overseas when his Aussie Home Loans deal with CBA expires in 18 months. Our sense is London, but it might depend on where they can find a spot for the boat.

If Symond goes offshore, he’ll be far from the first Aussie richie to strike out into international waters.

Mariah Carey’s squeeze James Packer splits his time between Israel, Australia, America and his superyacht Arctic P, while retail bigwig Brett Blundy calls tax haven Singapore home and WIN TV’s billionaire owner Bruce Gordon lives in another haven, Bermuda.

Jon Kudelka’s view.

Moving for family

We mentioned earlier in the week that Edward Hartman — brother of convicted insider trader John Hartman — has left his New York-based gig at the boutique fund manager
Cale­donia Investments.

Weeks before John took the stand in the St James Road Court, Edward set off to Memphis. But the two things weren’t related. The move to Elvis land was to find a spot more suited to his young family.

It was good to hear it wasn’t further collateral damage from the case.

A few years ago, Edward was knocked out of a New York-based executive job at investment bank UBS, following emails tendered in the committal hearing of his brother’s former best friend Oliver Curtis — who, until he was accused of insider trading, was best known for introducing the “mullet” to Sydney private school Riverview.

The emails — which this week featured in court during Curtis’s case — discussed attempts by the two to pay off a “very high-profile jockey” to lose an elite horse race.

Twiggy to rescue

Meanwhile, brother John was saved by billionaire Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest, who like us loves a good redemption story. John now works for Forrest’s Minderoo Foundation in Perth, which manages philanthropic investments.

And Oliver? He hangs at his dad Nick Curtis’s Riverstone Advisory, the corporate advisory he founded and continues to chair, which — to go by its website — hasn’t had a mandate since 2012.

Viper on the loose

How do you solve a problem like John Roskam?

The ageing executive director of the Institute of Public Affairs has gone nuclear on the Liberal Party over its superannuation changes, warning that it is on track to become another “soak the rich” party.

That would be the same Liberal Party Roskam has repeatedly tried — and repeatedly failed — to represent.

Looks like another viper is on the loose in Liberal president Michael Kroger’s Victorian division.

The recent unhappiness could simply be the ageing process. Roskam turns 50 next year.

Or it could be abandonment issues.

His former IPA charge, the boat-shoed 28-year-old James Paterson, has left for the federal Senate.

And 36-year-old former IPA-er Tim Wilson will soon replace Andrew Robb as the member for Goldstein.

It must be tempting for president Kroger, a former IPA board member, to find Roskam a seat in the Victorian parliament.

For all his praise of the free market, don’t expect Roskam to set the corporate sector on fire. As is a bit of an IPA tradition, something taxpayer-funded seems more likely.

Liberty before Feeney

What a catch that member for Batman David Feeney is!

The administratively inept Labor powerbroker Feeney left it to his wife, Maurice Blackburn lawyer Liberty Sanger, to publicly explain yesterday why her hubby failed to disclose their house in Northcote and another property that is hidden in a trust. He’s all class.

“He stuffed up,” Sanger told the ABC’s cranky-ish radio host John Faine. “The Northcote property should have been on the register … he made a mistake.”

Sure did. So why was it not Feeney fronting up? Has he got laryngitis?

Nothing like that. She has a regular radio spot where, as it happens, so often spars with wannabe member for the “soak the rich party” John Roskam.

Yesterday’s was the first segment that almost ended in Sanger bursting into tears. Hope Feeney buys her something nice to thank her.

All (first) class

Spirited 60 Minutes producer Rebecca Le Tourneau is expected to get just a slap over her exposed wrist from Nine boss Hugh Marks following her recent foray into first class on a Qantas flight last month.

It’s not expected Le Tourneau, who won a Walkley last year with Tara Brown for their report on pedeophile Peter Scully, will receive anything more than a formal warning from HR over her inflight indiscretion en route to a story after being upgraded from business.

The producer — who mixed sleeping pills with booze and shared too much of herself with fellow flyers — has been at Nine for just over a year and a half. Before that she was with Ten’s The Project and Seven’s Sunday Night.

Meantime Brown and her colleagues remain on leave until Nine’s internal review of their foray into child kidnapping in the Middle East is done. Phase one of the review process is complete, but there remains a long road to travel before the report is handed to the Peter Costello-led Nine board.

Also, expect a sales exec appointment by Marks early next week to boost his digital expertise.

Nine chief Hugh Marks. Picture: Renee Nowytarger.

Sleeping rough

Will Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull push pause on his campaign two weeks out from the July 2 election, roll out his swag and sleep on Sydney’s streets?

Recent years have seen the Prince of Point Piper sleep rough to raise money and awareness for the St Vincent de Paul Society as part of their CEO Sleepout.

Confirmed campers for the June 23 overnighter include Ardent Leisure’s Deborah Thomas, Coca-Cola Amatil chief Alison Watkins and Holly Kramer, who as a director of Woolies, Nine, Aussie Post and AMP is fast emerging as one of corporate Australia’s busiest NEDs.

Also there will be boss of The Oz, Nicholas Gray. Thanks to his smarts — and corporate partners John Durkan from Coles, Anthony Pratt from Visy, George Frazis from Westpac and Tracey Fellows from Realestate.com.au. Remember 50c from every The Weekend Australian sold on Saturday, June 18, will go to Vinnies. More proof that newspaper readers are the best sort of people.