By Kishor Napier-Raman and Noel Towell
Look, we hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the federal budget is nearly upon us. In just under seven weeks, every hack, flack, rent-seeker, and outright rent-a-quote will be in Canberra for Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ big night.
But budget week isn’t just about spinning the state of the nation’s coffers, it’s also an ideal opportunity for political parties to boost their own. And so, while it’s only March, invites are already being circulated for the Federal Labor Business Forum’s (FLBF) annual $5000-a-head budget night dinner, kicking off shortly after Chalmers’ speech.
Money talks: Business leaders will soon have the chance to chat with Albanese and Chalmers in person.Credit: SMH
It’s a great opportunity for big business to press the flesh with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his entire ministry at an as-yet-undisclosed Canberra venue. Since Albanese’s election in 2022, fundraisers have been banned from Parliament House, and that year’s event – where big corporates were herded like cattle onto buses and taken out to the chilly confines of the National Arboretum – was infamously awful.
So our suspicion is that the after-party will probably be at Hotel Realm, like last year, a venue that has the fortune of hosting the closest bar to Parliament House.
Anthony Albanese congratulates Treasurer Jim Chalmers during last year’s budget.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
CBD regulars would recall last year’s budget night fundraiser dominated by the tax leak scandal engulfing PwC, who paid a good $80,000 to be the event’s name sponsors, only to rapidly pull out the day before, just as the consulting giant’s boss Tom Seymour was falling on his sword.
With PwC firmly cancelled in Canberra and its government consulting arm sold off to Allegro Funds for just $1, Visa has picked up the naming rights for this year’s event, although we couldn’t get a straight answer on what that cost them. For Visa’s sake, we hope hosting the event isn’t some kind of kiss of death.
Meanwhile, there have been some changes afoot at the FLBF, Labor’s big business fundraising arm. Kate Dykes, who led the forum for over a decade, has moved on, landing a job as a principal at TG Public Affairs, the lobbying shop chaired by former communications minister Stephen Conroy.
While well regarded among corporates, Dykes developed a reputation among MPs for being a little forceful in getting ministers to spend their time at fundraisers. Hopefully, they’ll still pick up their phones when Dykes the lobbyist comes calling.
She’s been replaced by Lucinda Needham, who ran sponsorship for the party’s NSW division.
CAT PERSON
Sticking with the ever-relevant topic of political fundraisers, the Liberal member for Ryde Jordan Lane is set to celebrate his first year in Macquarie Street with a dinner fundraiser this May at the Strangers’ Dining Room in Parliament House, along with NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman, a special guest.
That night on the town will set you back $250 a head. A lot cheaper than a night in Canberra with Albo’s cabinet, but, CBD reckons, a bit steep for a rookie backbencher. And probably a bit steep for a night with Speakman, too, if we’re honest.
For that price, you’d hope to get an appearance for a true celebrity of NSW politics, Lane’s cat, Oscar. Last year, the MP posted a video on TikTok of him eating at a cafe, accompanied by Oscar the cat in a pram.
Since then, Oscar has been such a prominent feature of Lane’s social media feed that he’s even made it all the way to the Macquarie Street bearpit. When the Labor benches erupted in cat calls during Question Time last week, Premier Chris Minns stepped in to defend his unruly rabble, telling Speaker Greg Piper that the noises were a reference to a real cat – Oscar.
In response, opposition MP Leslie Williams accused the premier of condoning unparliamentary behaviour. Minns capped off the debate with a zinger that would make Bill Shorten proud.
“We’re a government that pushes housing, they’re an opposition pushing cat prams”.
Fair to say all this has managed to overshadow poor Jordan’s first year in parliament.
BIG SPENDER
While the federal parliament is full of landlords, we reckon very few live in a home featured inVogue Living.
But Allegra Spender, the teal independent member for Wentworth, isn’t most MPs. Spender, previously of Darling Point, quietly moved into the Woollahra mansion owned by her late mother, fashion icon Carla Zampatti, this month.
The 1920s Italian-style building has a real Tuscan farmhouse vibe, and its enviably chic interior was given the full Vogue walk-through in 2019. Zampatti and her then-husband, former Liberal MP John Spender, bought the place for just $220,000 in 1975. It’s estimated to be worth north of $25 million today.
Now in this economy, inheritance is the only guaranteed way to break into the Sydney property market, especially in the eastern suburbs. Not that this was an issue for Spender, who already had the Darling Point pad and the weekend in Great Mackerel Beach before the Woollahra manor transferred into her hands.
And they said it wouldn’t be easy under Albanese!