By Kishor Napier-Raman and Stephen Brook
It’s been a few months since CBD broke news that former deputy Liberal leader Stuart Ayres had finally landed a new job, as chief executive of the NSW branch of the Urban Development Institute of Australia. As we always say, the bigger the word salad, the better the job.
Ayres’ appointment immediately triggered internal fears that the Liberal warrior would struggle to get the ear of a Labor government. After all, Ayres is married to former veteran Liberal senator Marise Payne, forming one half of the NSW Mods’ greatest power couple. You don’t get much bluer than that!
Former deputy Liberal leader Stuart Ayres has taken on a new role in the property sector.Credit: James Brickwood
A flurry of brief meetings with some of Premier Chris Minns’ frontbench briefly eased those concerns. Then Planning and Public Spaces Minister Paul Scully took an unprovoked potshot at Ayres during a recent estimates discussion on the Western Sydney Airport.
“All the mess that you guys left behind when Mr Ayres was in charge of this area is having to be made up for,” Scully said about the current government’s handling of the project.
That set alarm bells ringing among some UDIA members, worried that a falling out with the government at a time when housing and development issues are front of mind could prove fatal.
It isn’t just Labor frontbenchers unhappy with Ayres. CBD hears at least one long-term UDIA member from the property sector declined to renew its corporate membership, citing concerns about the appointment of the new CEO, and the evolution of the institute into a more overtly political organisation. Other very influential property developers toyed with withdrawing.
But the institute, for its part, told CBD that membership and revenue had both increased since Ayres took on the role.
Still, with a bloke that ruffled a few feathers on Macquarie Street running the show (who doesn’t!), we can’t see that disgruntlement disappearing just yet.
SPOOKY BUSINESS
In 2016, a CIA agent in Havana began experiencing headaches, dizziness and a ringing in his ears.
Over the following years, several American diplomats, military and intelligence figures would report similar feelings of profound, unexplained discombobulation.
Soon, the puzzling condition, which forced some spies to come in from the cold, had a name: Havana syndrome. While its cause remains unknown, some US officials have long pointed the finger at sonic weaponry used by Russian intelligence.
There’s ongoing mystery surrounding whether any Australian diplomats and spooks have fallen victim to Havana syndrome.
According to a tranche of documents released under freedom of information, the department has been keeping an eye on Anomalous Health Incidents (AHIs) since 2021, but thanks to heavy redactions, we’re still left in the dark.
The first references in DFAT internal communications came in August of that year, when US Vice President Kamala Harris delayed her departure for a trip to Vietnam after a suspected incident of Havana syndrome in Hanoi.
“Our RSO (Regional Security Officer) in Ho Chi Minh City has just advised us of a possible attack/cases of Havana syndrome in Vietnam,” came the email from a humble department grad to DFAT’s principal medical advisor Leonard Brennan.
“I do however appreciate that Havana syndrome is somewhat mystical,” the unnamed grad continued.
A few months later, a DFAT internal cable noted the media reporting on AHIs, or Havana syndrome, and concluded that Australian diplomats had been spared by those dastardly Russians.
“There are no confirmed cases of Havana syndrome in the Australian diplomatic network and there is no reporting to suggest we are a target of any such activity,” the cable read.
However, in January 2022, a series of sensitive internal emails were circulated among DFAT staff, including Brennan, with the subject “potential HS incident”. The body of those ominous-sounding missives was entirely redacted.
When contacted by CBD, a DFAT spokesman played down the emails.
“There have been no reported cases of Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) staff or dependants suffering from anomalous health incidents (AHI) also known as ‘Havana syndrome’,” they said.
HOCK AND ROLL
CBD brought word last week that former treasurer and ambassador to the United States Joe Hockey would be lending his insights on American politics to local Liberal moderates free of charge. His time normally comes with a hefty price tag.
CBD hears the event, hosted by Moderate powerbroker Michael Photios at the Ivy was quite a roaring success. In fact, while Liberals have been put into hibernation by the Melbourne (sorry – federal executive) takeover of the NSW division by a bunch of superannuated part-time administrators, local moderates showed up in force to hear Hockey opine on the election.
Among the 25 or so state and federal MPs were NSW deputy Liberal leader Natalie Ward, NSW shadow energy minister James Griffin, federal senator Maria Kovacic, and former premier Barry O’Farrell.
Ever the diplomat, Hockey did his best not to make a prediction on the outcome of November’s presidential election between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. His guess is as good as anybody’s at this stage. And when you’re doing business in Washington DC, as Hockey is doing with such aplomb with his strategic advisory firm Bondi Partners, it helps to have a bet both ways.
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