PACKED COURT
Clive Palmer has a busy Monday. The Queensland mining magnate, big campaign spender and perennial political wannabe has a double date in the Federal Court today as he continues separate crusades against Westralian Premier Mark McGowan and a private jet company.
Credit:Benke
Palmer’s day in court kicks off at 10:15am where Justice Michael Lee will hear the millionaire’s defamation case against West Australian enforcer McGowan. Readers will recall Palmer has alleged that McGowan damaged his reputation and hurt his feelings when he repeatedly called him “the enemy of West Australia” and claimed Palmer wanted to “bankrupt the state”. The claims came in mid-2020 as Palmer waged several actions against the WA Government including a failed High Court challenge of the state’s border policy and failed challenge of a state mining agreement that could have seen WA liable for $28 billion in compensation. In response to the defamation action, McGowan has hit back with his own claims that Palmer caused him distress and damaged his reputation by saying he “lied to the people of Western Australia” and was “abusing the parliamentary system”. In other words, serious popcorn material.
But just 15 minutes later at 10:30am Justice David Yates is scheduled to hand down a judgment on one of Palmer’s other long-running stoushes against WA-based private jet company Premiair Aviation in a dispute over maintenance charges to a Cessna Citation X, which is subject to multiple disputes including who exactly should be paying the bills.
HOUSE LIGHTS
Sydney Theatre Company foundation chair Gretel Packer was a no-show with apologies at the STC’s Lights Up Gala annual dinner on Thursday. But the philanthropist’s absence was only a momentary blip for the theatre’s biggest fundraiser considering she was duly represented by her mother and Walsh Bay theatre namesake Ros Packer.
The ever-gracious octogenarian set a cracking pace for the evening’s live auction. Ever the enthusiastic benefactor, Packer left jaws on the floor when she paid almost $40,000 for a dinner for ten at home cooked by chef celeb Guillaume Brahimi.
Others in the room were more excited by the sight of MC and art dealing supremo Justin Miller dangling a ladies gold watch before the crowd. Not an auction item but lost property! It was soon reunited with Bondi-based film producer Rebel Penfold-Russell.
Board chair and former CBA chief executive Ian Narev presided over the festivities and earned points with the crowd as he name-checked the event’s undisputed and unofficial guest of honour, former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian – who was dubbed “Our Glad” for the evening by Narev and Miller.
Unlike Mardi Gras, Berejiklian attended the bash solo. Her barrister “boo” Arthur Moses SC had spent the day in the NSW Supreme Court where he is representing former commando and alleged lunchbox-burying enthusiast Ben Roberts-Smith in his action against Nine Entertainment Co which owns this newspaper.
Moses was notably ticked off by Justice Anthony Besanko on Thursday in the trial when the judge reminded Moses to make sure his tone in court wasn’t “belittling, insulting or otherwise inappropriate” to the witness.
Perhaps Our Glad ran home to console Moses because her chair was empty when she won one of the raffle items – a Haulier Luxury Tote, apparently “crafted from robust selvedge canvas woven to size on mid-century shuttle looms.” Then again, it was a school night after all for Berejiklian who has just wrapped her first week as Optus’ new managing director of enterprise, business and institutional.
Former UBS investment banking boss Matthew Grounds contributed an auction item of five days’ work experience for someone aged 15 years and over inside his new investment bank startup Barrenjoey. But the intern opportunity attracted nothing like the fevered bidding for a night on the couch at actor Heather Mitchell’s home with a couple of mates to watch the golden age musical, High Society. Apparently it’s one of Mitchell’s faves. What do you know, Heather – ours too!
Big wigs pack corporate boxes rain as spares Mardi Gras parade
Source: Philippines Alive
