By Kishor Napier-Raman and Stephen Brook
On Tuesday, we wrote that the release of a new book by former High Court judge Dyson Heydon, found by an independent court inquiry to have sexually harassed six female associates, posed an important litmus test for how the legal community viewed such matters.
Now, the results are in. Heydon on Contract was launched quietly at an invitation-only event on Wednesday night, attended by a who’s who of Australia’s most eminent jurists.
Federal Court judge Michael Lee became prominent thanks to the Bruce Lehrmann case.Credit: Dion Georgopoulos
Among them was Federal Court justice Michael Lee, who became a media celebrity and favourite of the progressive writers’ festival set after presiding over Bruce Lehrmann’s failed defamation case against Network 10.
Lee’s scathing judgment, which found, on the balance of probabilities, that Lehrmann had raped his former colleague Brittany Higgins, won plaudits from women’s advocates. And a book version of the 324-page judgment, released by Melbourne University Publishing and not authorised by the court, featured a foreword by consent activist Chanel Contos. We’re not sure how new fans of “Lord Lee” (as he’s now being called in judicial circles) feel about all this.
Also in attendance was Lee’s Federal Court colleague Ian Jackman (brother of Hollywood star Hugh Jackman), who counts Heydon as an important mentor.
Jackman and Lee declined to comment to CBD.
Other guests included NSW Court of Appeal president Julie Ward and Supreme Court justice Elisabeth Peden.
A spokesperson for the Supreme Court confirmed for CBD that Ward, along with others, attended a private function to launch a book by a respected author of legal texts.
Heydon categorically denied the allegations against him, which were revealed in a 2020 investigation by this masthead. But it prompted a public apology by then High Court chief justice Susan Kiefel, a Commonwealth payout to three of the women harassed, and plenty of talk about how the legal profession could “do better”.
Nearly five years on, it seems there’s still room for improvement.
Tree Tories
CBD brought word this week that Liberal elder statesman Philip Ruddock had ruffled a few feathers among his former comrades after filming a video with the wannabe teal candidate for Hornsby Tina Brown in his own front yard.
Ruddock, whose wife has defected to the Brown camp, is still a member of the Liberal Party, but said his flipping was out of concern about a mayoral minute that recommended a review of the council’s tree protection policies.
Ruddock and Brown claimed the move could undermine the preservation of vegetation in the leafy corner of the upper north shore. That argument clearly fell on deaf ears. On Wednesday night, that mayoral minute was passed unanimously by the Liberal-controlled council, including with the support of Labor and the Greens.
Only Nathan Tilbury, the Liberal-turned-independent Ruddock backed for mayor after being dumped at preselection ahead of last year’s council elections, did not vote for the motion. He was absent.
Laps of luxury
The luxury global chief executives are coming!
The influx into Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix is spearheaded by Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton heir Frederic Arnault. The 29-year-old 6ft 1 Frenchman is one of five children of LVMH titan Bernard Arnault and was instrumental in locking in the luxury conglomerate’s mega-sponsorship deal with Formula 1, which starts this year and is estimated to be worth $US1 billion ($1.6 billion) over a decade.
In an executive shuffle, Frederic has just been made chief executive of the group’s Italian cashmere brand Loro Piana, after heading up Tag Heuer.
But first, the parties!
On Thursday night, LVMH’s Moët & Chandon chief executive Sibylle Scherer hosted an intimate dinner at a private Toorak mansion. Across town, Nick Russian and Bar Bambi hosted its annual Patron tequila pre-grand prix party, a sit-down dinner for a VVIP guest list.
On Friday, Arnault is expected to host a Tag Heuer dinner at a private Toorak residence, with an after party in the mansion’s extensive garage. Sunday sees Crown hosting a Don Julio 1942 grand prix after party at Grant Smillie’s Marmont restaurant, while Bar Bambi stages a Chivas Regal grand prix wrap party. Chivas Regal is a partner of Ferrari – its star Lewis Hamilton may or may not attend. You never know.
Meanwhile, Aussie billionaire Atlassian chief executive and co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes is expected to be an enthusiastic presence trackside on Sunday celebrating his tech company’s sponsorship of the F1 team posing for photos with Williams F1 race drivers Carlos Sainz Jr and Alex Albon and spruiking his team’s green credentials in interviews.
But CBD hears another Aussie billionaire and sponsor of the rival Kick Sauber team is staying away. The founder of crypto casino Stake and streaming platform kick.com Ed Craven is not attending Albert Park on Sunday.
“I opted to give my tickets to staff members. We get a set number of allocation and there’s a lot of huge F1 fans from our staff which would have made better use of the opportunity,” Craven told CBD.
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