By Stephen Brook and Kishor Napier-Raman
Poor Malcolm Turnbull. While other ex-PMs circle the globe and/or are reformatted in a hologram to dazzle executive women alongside Hillary Clinton, PM29 was reduced to hosting former Labor minister Barry Jones’ book launch at the State Library of Victoria.
Well, sort of. The two braniacs were on stage at the 2025 Redmond Barry Society Lunch for a wide-ranging conversation that served as a launch of sorts for the 92-year-old Jones’ 10th and final edition of his Dictionary of World Biography.
Malcolm Turnbull and former Labor minister Barry Jones at the State Library.Credit: Luke David
The first Auspol joke lobbed about one minute and 25 seconds into proceedings, a zinger from Maxine McKew, the former ABC presenter and Labor MP (yes, there is a difference).
She noted the former ALP figures in the crowd to support Jones, and, in a jibe at the collapse of the Liberal vote in Victoria at the federal election added: “We did send out invitations to many Liberals. It’s just that the search party has not returned.”
Jones delicately guided Turnbull towards commenting on his former political colleagues, but not before their chat ranged over serendipitous encounters ... King Charles … Chekov’s funeral ... loss of trust in public life … Jack Lang … Donald Trump … “flooding the zone with shit”.
Turnbull was in an expansive mood, the tone was gentle chiding rather than condemning. In reference to his own Catholic religion he said: “I’m always incredibly suspicious of politicians who love their own religiosity.”
Turning to former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce, Turnbull said he “got on well with Barnaby a lot of the time”. “He’s a mercurial character,” he paused, before adding, “Better in the morning.”
Joyce gave up alcohol last year after footage emerged of him lying on a Canberra footpath swearing into his phone.
Library chair Christine Christian and chief executive Paul Duldig welcomed about 120 Melebrities into one of the city’s grandest spaces, the light-filled magnificence (even in autumn) of the Ian Potter Queen’s Hall. Regular readers will recall our use of the term Melebrities, but this descriptor seemed inadequate for the calibre of those attending.
Back in the day: Turnbull and Barnaby Joyce after being sworn in to lead the government in 2016.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
There were shout-outs to former Labor minister and ANU chancellor Gareth Evans, Adelaide Writer’s Week director Louise Adler, History Council of Victoria chair Peter McPhee, prominent library philanthropists (we have got to stop this) Morry and Anna Schwartz and National Gallery of Victoria president Janet Whiting, a CBD favourite. Not so much Melebrities as Meluminaries, we guess.
Finally, Jones steered Turnbull onto the controversial turf of climate change and carbon reduction.
“Are the climate wars going to revive?” Jones asked with faux innocence. For once in his life Turnbull appeared flummoxed, before answering: “Who the hell knows?”
Viva la VECCI
What does Melbourne do during a fallow patch in its major events calendar? Invent another event, of course.
And so to the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (VECCI) Melbourne Autumn Ball, an “exquisite new gala illuminating Melbourne’s business and social calendar” with the theme of Constellations. Tucker included a “world-class, celestial-inspired experience” from the Atlantic Group “designed to ignite the senses and mirror the majesty of the night sky”.
Eric Bana added star power to the VECCI autumn ball on Thursday night.
And all Victorian produce, too. Apart from the G.H. Mumm. And the caviar bumps on arrival.
CBD arrived to be greeted by a Meluminary, a head of several prominent boards, with the words, “That’s my mention in tomorrow’s CBD, I guess.” Usually yes, but this time we make an exception.
Outgoing VECCI chief executive Paul Guerra, who is off to run Melbourne Football Club, was on hand to welcome the showbiz quotient in the form of Eric Bana. Premier Jacinta Allan delivered what was billed as a “short yet impactful special address”. We should be so lucky.
And the cost? For members $2100, non-members $3000. The event was a sellout. Melbourne loves a party!
Bana proved an excellent choice to open the event, held at the Atlantic Group’s new hospitality venue on City Road, which was festooned with hundreds of suspended globes above the long tables. Celestial, innit?
The actor and comedian recounted his life in the workforce, from childhood days at his mum’s salon making sure clients’ hair didn’t catch fire under the dryers, to washing cars for cash and other odd jobs.
“Then I moved up the corporate ladder, to collect trolleys in the car park at Kmart Westfield at Airport West ... at the end of all this, I came to the conclusion that the business world was not for me, thank god entertainment called and it makes me seriously in awe of all the work you grown-up adults do.”
The autumn ball proved Melbourne loves a party.
Allan played to the crowd and announced first-step approval for a gas-import terminal near Geelong. Her support squad included MPs Ben Carroll, Jaclyn Symes and Colin Brooks.
Melebrity guests included Eddie and Carla McGuire, Ann Peacock and son Dr Andrew Kroger, Crown’s David Tsai, Melbourne Racing Club’s John Kanga, Racing Victoria chief executive Aaron Morrison and wife Celeste, artist Vincent Fantauzzo and his “date”, businessman Larry Kestelman, who has commissioned the artist to paint a portrait of his mother. And once again Janet Whiting, president of the NGV trustees, fresh from the library lunch. How’s that for a daily double?
Assembling the team
A frantic few weeks for new Liberal leader Sussan Ley, who has had to deal with the Nationals flouncing out/crawling back, before purging the shadow cabinet of dead wood.
Up next, filling key personnel in the leader’s office, yet to commence because Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hasn’t given the Liberals their staffing allocation.
But so far, CBD hears that Ley will retain all her staff in the same roles. That means chief-of-staff duties will remain with Dean Shachar, a former media flack for Scott Morrison and Michael McCormack.
Shachar’s University of Sydney student politics buddy Dom Bondar is second in command, leading to grumbling in the broad church about an unprecedented lack of experience. Then again, getting experienced Canberra heads to return for what could be a long period of opposition is a hard ask.
One prominent Liberal who won’t be running Ley’s office is outgoing senator Hollie Hughes, dumped at preselection after some nasty factional manoeuvring. Despite her robust support for Ley in the leadership tussle with Angus Taylor, Hughes denied the red-hot rumours that she would take on the chief-of-staff job. We’re sure she’s got better things to be doing after six years in the Canberra circus.
Don’t you know who she is?
Italians might have taught the world how to eat, but it was Martha Stewart who taught Americans how to cook. And garden. And entertain.
Stewart, the OG lifestyle influencer, America’s first female self-made billionaire, convicted felon and octogenarian social media star, was on stage at Darling Harbour on Wednesday night, interviewed by writer Benjamin Law as part of Vivid Sydney.
Martha Stewart in Sydney on Wednesday.Credit: Getty Images
Her appearance, fresh on the heels of a hit Netflix documentary, was quite a coup for the festival, which has seen its sheen dim in recent years.
On stage, Stewart had a few words on the state of dining in Sydney, revealing that she’d eaten at Totti’s Bondi, Justin Hemmes’ influencer-friendly hotspot. But Stewart had been made to wait outside for a table. The height of disrespect, in our book. Martha Stewart walked so Totti’s, and others of its ilk, could run.
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