By Kishor Napier-Raman and Stephen Brook
For most people, being burgled and having your house turned upside down can be a traumatic experience.
It was no different for social commentator Annie Nolan – who, though understandably upset, could also see the lighter side of her ordeal and even shared some of the more embarrassing details.
Annie Nolan and her husband, Liam Picken.Credit: Vince Caliguri
Nolan gave her near 53,000 Instagram followers a guided video tour of her home after it had been ransacked by thieves, seemingly not intimidated by her two Chinese crested dogs.
“Absolutely useless, in trouble with me,” Nolan joked.
Among the treasured items lost were her wedding shoes, a ring her late brother gave her and some football memorabilia belonging to her husband, former Western Bulldogs star Liam Picken.
Thankfully for the couple, neither Nolan’s wedding ring nor Picken’s 2016 premiership medal were taken.
Liam Picken’s 2016 premiership medal was untouched.Credit: Graham Denholm
Also left behind were a porn DVD and sex toys, both of which Nolan said had not been watched or used.
The direction from police not to touch anything meant the items could not be moved to a more discreet location.
Annie Nolan on her wedding day with husband, former Bulldogs star Liam Picken. Her wedding shoes were among the treasured items stolen. Credit: Instagram
“Don’t take those, just leave them to embarrass me, you arseholes,” Nolan joked.
Rather than call for a crackdown on crime, as influencer Bec Judd has recently, she urged governments to do more to reduce inequality.
“I believe there are really good people in the world, these times drive people to do things, I think it’s really f---ing sad,” Nolan said. “I really hope they look good in my high heels.”
Nolan was contacted for comment.
Lex Lasry lands new job
It could be argued as a clear case of Victoria’s loss is the Northern Territory’s win after respected jurist Lex Lasry landed a new gig as a judge on the NT’s Supreme Court.
Lasry resigned from the Supreme Court of Victoria in December 2023 after 17 years on the bench following revelations that then director of public prosecutions Kerri Judd had filed a formal complaint against him to the Judicial Commission of Victoria.
Former Victorian Supreme Court judge Lex Lasry, pictured in 2018.Credit: Simon Schluter
At heart was Judd’s issue with some criticism Lasry levelled over her office’s conduct of the prosecution of Simiona Tuteru, the supervisor at the trucking company involved in the Eastern Freeway case, in which four police officers died in 2020.
Her decision to withdraw the manslaughter charges years later and without an explanation was blasted by Lasry as a “glaring, oppressive misuse of the court processes”.
Judd returned fire with a complaint to the state’s judicial regulator, saying Lasry “diminish[ed] public confidence in the administration of justice in Victoria and diminish[ed] the confidence of litigants and the public in general in His Honour’s impartiality and independence”.
When Lasry found out about the complaint, he resigned from the bench. CBD heard there were some tears in the courtroom that day, from the prosecution and defence counsel in the case he was hearing.
The bad news for legal eagles / music aficionados is Lasry’s apparent decision to step down from his band “The Lex Pistols” that is probably related to his move up north. His recently updated LinkedIn profile suggests the band is no more after nearly six and half years, ending the same month he took up the new job.
Farewell Fletch
As our federal politicians slouch toward an election, it’s the season for farewells in Canberra. On Monday evening, it was former communications minister Paul Fletcher’s turn to say goodbye, with a gaggle of Liberal Moderate types heading south to the Mistake by the Lake to hear their man’s valedictory.
Liberal MP Paul Fletcher.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
But they were made to wait. Fletcher’s address was preceded by a valedictory delivered by veteran Labor backbencher Maria Vamvakinou.
Vamvakinou began speaking shortly before 4pm. Fletcher didn’t get his turn until after 5pm. We simply have to respect the commitment. You only get to quit parliament once after all. But it was a speech lengthy enough that a few Labor types had left the chamber. And some of the Liberals who trekked to Canberra for Paul missed his speech because they had planes to catch.
When Fletcher did get his turn, he did manage to land a few zingers, including the questionable claim that William Shakespeare was a small business owner who would’ve backed Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s long lunch policy. The Bard was, regrettably, unavailable for comment.
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