By Samantha Hutchinson and Stephen Brook
Media tycoon Rupert Murdoch is thoroughly enjoying himself in his 90th year. His Fox Corporation has bought gossip website TMZ, which in 2012 revealed the Murdoch inconsistencies towards the royal family match its stance on climate change via the headline: “Rupert Murdoch - leave Prince Harry alone!”
Happy birthday Rupert.Credit: Joe Benke
Murdoch has also bought up anti-Meghan Markle British broadcaster Piers Morgan in a global deal which will include a nightly show on Sky News Australia at the expense of … Peta, Alan, Chris, Paul? Well, watch this space. Mr Morgan doesn’t do daytime any more!
Plus, Daddy M managed to miss out on dinner in New York with Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Nick Greiner and Arthur Sinodinos, dispatching key lieutenant Robert Thomson to be grovelled at in his place. Winning!
But all that has played second fiddle to Murdoch’s really big project: his birthday party.
It was just over a week ago KRM and his fourth wife, Jerry Hall, 65, threw open the doors of Holmwood, their £11 million, 11-bedroom Georgian palace in the Chilterns, west of London, to about 150 of their nearest and dearest friends for the mogul’s much delayed 90th birthday.
Fittingly, the heritage-listed Holmwood was once the residence of the poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson, the 19th century British equivalent of a Sky News anchor.
Among the adoring throng of well-wishers, UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, Chancellor Rishi Sunak, legendary performer Barry Humphries and Isaac Levido, the youthful Australian political strategist to both BoJo and ScoMo.
Just one thing seemed to be missing: Murdoch’s youngest son James, who split from the company last year after expressing unease about the editorial direction of its mastheads. Murdoch jnr was not spotted and his apparent absence was a hot topic of conversation.
The 48-year-old was absent from the lengthy video tribute, put together by Murdoch’s TV-producing daughter Elisabeth, which starred eldest son Lachlan Murdoch, former prime ministers John Howard and Tony Abbott as well as UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and which was cheekily said to include the theme tune to the HBO drama Succession, a totally fictitious drama about a dysfunctional media dynasty.
CBD approached spokespeople for both Murdochs, who observed a mafia-like omerta in response to our questions.
FIGHT NIGHT
Demons president Kate Roffey.Credit: Getty
Footy fans are packing away their scarves after the sun set on another AFL season at Perth’s Optus Stadium on Saturday evening. While the mighty Melbourne Demons and the Western Bulldogs players took the limelight scrapping it out on the field, the real action took place higher up in the stands. Inside the victory lounge, AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan hosted 400-members of the Western Australian power set at the league’s official finals day bash. Premier Mark McGowan led the roll-call of state MPs including Sport Minister Tony Buti and anonymous Opposition Leader Mia Davies, while leading the feds political contingent was Attorney-General Michaelia Cash, accompanied by Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister Ben Morton, Sports Minister Richard Colbeck, senator Dorinda Cox, Stephen Irons and Patrick Gorman. As is the way, all were outshone by former colleague turned uber-invitee Julie Bishop and her handsome handbag David Panton - the Melbourne-based property developer who certainly looks like a Dees supporter. An ebullient Demons president Kate Roffey was also in the room, no doubt thrilled to repping the inner Melbourne team at the grand final in her first year in the top job, as was newly minted Western Bulldogs president Kylie Watson-Wheeler.
EXECUTIVE SET
But it was the West Australian business set including Woodside Energy chief executive Meg O’Neill, Wesfarmers chief executive Rob Scott and recruitment giant APM managing director Megan Wynne who really stole the show.
This was noted by McLachlan who delivered this zinger when introducing Premier McGowan.
“Premier aside, the power in Perth does seem to be concentrated … and clearly this is a room where 10 of you think they run Perth, but as they say in the classic film Highlander ‘there can only be one’ and well, it’s great to see you here Kerry [Stokes].” Oh, how the Seven West chairman laughed, according to sources at the table.
But the zingers didn’t stop there. McLachlan followed with a dig at WA’s Mr Everywhere - (and “beautiful tenor voiced” Hale School singer ) Basil Zempilas, noting “Perth is a city with its quirks … it’s the only city in the world where the lord mayor commentates his own meetings.” Gillon, you’re not wrong.
PLUM POSITION
Senate president Scott Ryan sounded the starting gun on two races last week when he announced his retirement from politics after almost 15 years in Parliament. In Victoria, a pre-selection process will begin to fill a casual vacancy that Ryan - who occupies the sought-after number one position on the state’s Coalition Senate ticket - will leave. But in Federal Parliament, a handful of Ryan’s colleagues are sizing up their chances of landing the prestigious president gig which Ryan has held since 2017.
President of the Senate Scott Ryan during an estimates hearing at Parliament House in Canberra in March. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer
Lofty title aside, the position comes with some serious perks - a sprawling suite inside Federal Parliament’s Senate wing. “It’s seriously plush,” one MP told CBD on Sunday of the suite.
Behind a grand entrance and about a zillion flags, it includes a full-sized dining room, a well appointed sitting room for receptions, a working kitchen, a top pick of art from the parliamentary collection, an internal courtyard and - luxury of all luxuries - windows that actually open. According to MPs, the suite is one of two in the building including the Speaker of the House’s offices where the windows can be opened and closed for ventilation. A privilege not even afforded to the Prime Minister, in fact - windows in the Prime Ministerial wing are sealed shut. The president’s suite - which caters to the president’s administrative responsibilities which include hosting international delegations and foreign heads of state - also comes with some serious history. Queen Elizabeth visited it in 1988, which also includes a “Queen’s Robing Room” where the sovereign dons ceremonial robes to open the house. In other words, a suite worth fighting for.
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