Whatever happened to Zoe Daniel? The then-teal MP and member for Goldstein was riding high before the last election, until she was unceremoniously voted out by modern Liberal Tim Wilson.

It is a result that still rankles with the teal squad, judging by our recent item about how teal fellow traveller Monique Ryan found she had to attend a CSIRO budget briefing rather than be caught in a photograph with Wilson.

Last we heard from Daniel, she was going to engage in a series of speaking events.

But now the Board of Mental Health Victoria, the independent peak body for mental health and wellbeing, has appointed the former ABC correspondent as a director and – quick as a flash – as its first independent board chair.

The release from MHV didn’t point out any obvious industry experience for the gig but explained Daniel’s suitability because “in parliament, she championed reforms in women’s safety, economic equality, student debt, healthcare, climate legislation, and digital safety, and mental health, particularly support for eating disorder services”.

“Known for her integrity and people-first approach, Zoe continues her advocacy through public speaking, advocacy, consulting, and community engagement.”

Intrigued, we asked MHV what sort of stipend the role entails.

“Our governance remuneration is just industry standard – benchmarked to the Department of Premier and Cabinet guidelines,” came the reply.

MHV is a B1 board, with remuneration for board members in the range of $21,302 to $59,951.

No doubt a nice little earner.

Running a mile

In other teal news, the weekend activities of Zali Steggall caught the eye of CBD.

The member for Warringah has a few bows to the quiver: politician, lawyer, Tony Abbott defeater, climate queen – and of course Olympian, winning bronze for Australia in slalom skiing in Nagano in 1988.

So what does an overachiever like this get up to on the weekend? How about running 160 kilometres on the top of Australia.

Steggall successfully completed the “miler” at the Ultra-Trail Kosciuszko event in the Snowy Mountains, finishing her epic run in a time of 34 hours, 54 minutes and 21 seconds, pushing through rain, sunshine and snow.

“Trail running is my active mindfulness and happy place, out in nature with like-minded people who love a challenge,” she posted on Facebook.

ASIC matters

In June, CBD brought word that former Howard-era Liberal health minister Michael Wooldridge’s decade-plus imbroglio with the corporate regulator ended with the former doctor narrowly avoiding bankruptcy.

Wooldridge’s troubles date to his directorship of Prime Retirement and Aged Care property trust, a retirement village company that went bust in 2010, leaving investors out of pocket to the tune of $550 million.

After a lengthy legal battle, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission scored a final victory in 2018 when the High Court ruled Wooldridge and his co-directors had breached their duties by approving a $33 million transfer from the trust’s funds to the private accounts of its founder Bill Lewski.

Wooldridge avoided bankruptcy after cutting a behind-the-scenes deal with ASIC, which had been pursuing him for the legal costs thought to be in excess of $2 million. But what of Lewski, the moppy-haired Porsche-driving Melbourne businessman, who in 2019 was fined $230,000 and banned from running a company for 15 years?

Turns out Lewski, too, has been on ASIC’s radar over unpaid bills. In fact, the regulator has been trying hard to serve a creditor’s petition on him – in effect, making him bankrupt. The problem? Lewski could not be tracked down and personally served.

Finally, in October, the Federal Court made an order that Lewski had been served, on account of the documents being left at multiple addresses linked to him in the Melbourne suburb of Brighton, and Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast.

And in November, the court made a sequestration order, effectively rendering Lewski bankrupt, with ASIC’s costs to be paid from his estate. Curiously, Wooldridge was listed on both orders as a secondary creditor. Looks like he, too, is waiting for his bag.

Wedding surprise

Braddon florist LouLou Moxom got the shock of her life on the weekend when a friend sent her photos from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s wedding to Jodie Haydon with a query, showing the bride’s cream and white flowers with wattle greenery bouquet.

“Is that your f---ing bouquet?” the friend asked.

It was, but Moxom was astonished. “My brief was, I was doing flowers for Marie and Matthew, that’s who I thought my bride and groom were,” Moxom told The Canberra Times.

Turns out Moxom + Whitney had received an order from “David” who was helping with arrangements for his sister’s “casual little backyard wedding”.

David, it turned out, was very persistent in checking up on the arrangements.

“Oh my god, dude. For a little quiet backyard wedding ... this just seems like a lot of communication for this little casual affair,” Moxom told the newspaper.

Intrigued, we wondered if such micromanagement meant “David” was a member of the Prime Minister’s Office. We put in the question, but didn’t hear back.