Rare sighting of the night parrot of billionaires, Angela Bennett
The iron ore heiress known as the night parrot of billionaires was happy to show support for her son’s business.
Australia’s most reclusive billionaire, Angela Bennett, values her privacy so highly she even owned the copyright on pictures of an empty staircase at her former mega mansion on Perth’s Swan River and the media was warned in strongly-worded legal alerts that they had to ask her permission to publish them.
In two decades of headlines and legal stoushes over the iron ore fortune generated by her father, Peter Wright, and business partner Lang Hancock, the only photographs media managed to obtain of Ms Bennett were two blurry paparazzi-style shots through the window of a fast-moving car. One shows the back of her head. In the other, she is wearing dark glasses, her face partially obscured by a dark object, possibly a handbag.
Yet the iron ore heiress, cheekily referred to as the night parrot of Australian billionaires, appeared happy to show her support for her son’s latest business venture.
Ms Bennett was among high-profile guests as sandalwood company TFS Corp hosted its annual get-together at the Blue HQ private marina in Fremantle on Monday night.
Her son Todd led the acquisition of Blue HQ from another prominent Perth family, the Kailis fishing dynasty, last year and has since converted part of the building into a glamorous function venue.
Ms Bennett listened intently as sports stars Daniel Ricciardo and Adam Gilchrist — who both serve as “brand ambassadors” for TFS — entertained the crowd before she posed for a rare photograph. Ms Bennett, whose estimated fortune of $1.6 billion makes her one of the richest women in the country, has always fascinated.
In 2003, builder Zorzi completed what was then Australia’s most expensive home for her in Mosman Park. She sold the house to mining magnate Chris Ellison in 2009 for what was then an Australian record of $57.5 million.
It was her 2007 court battle with Gina Rinehart that generated the most intrigue. Ms Bennett and her brother, Michael Wright, who has since died, were challenging the interpretation of four partnership agreements, the first between their father and Mr Hancock in 1984. The two men were friends since school who had worked together for more than 50 years. Anticipating conflict between their children after their deaths, they tried to divide their assets later in life.
Wright Sr died in 1985 and Hancock died seven years later.
When Ms Bennett gave evidence in the Supreme Court trial, she was allowed to park in a tenants-only carpark under the court building alongside judges.
There were reported allegations she had her two sons block journalists from entering an elevator with her and tried to hide under a towel in a car to avoid photographers.
Additional reporting: Paige Taylor
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