Anyone brought up in Sydney will recall the motto of the fun park Luna Park : Just For Fun.Situated with possibly the most commanding views of Sydney Harbour it was the location for media heiress Francesca Packer Barham to celebrate her 21st birthday. Francesca is the daughter of the late Kerry Packer's only daughter Gretel Packer and her ex-husband British banker Nick Barham. When she's not partying at Luna Park, Francesca hangs out with the likes of Tom Cruise and Robert de Niro on her uncle James Packer's cruiser in the Mediterranean. Pictured is Francesca ( as a Minnie Mouse character) with PR supremo Roxy Jacenko of 'Sweaty Betty' fame and below, a snap of some other fancy dressed guests.
A close relative of the late Kerry Packer says claims by Britain's Daily Express newspaper owner Richard Desmond in his autobiography The Real Deal that the Aussie media mogul said to him "I will slit your throat from ear to ear" are complete hogwash.
The relative who wished to remain anonymous said "Kerry was tough in business, could be brusque but was also very fair and it was not his style to issue threats like that".
People who have worked for Packer or who have done business deals with him often confirm that although the media baron could drive a tough deal, he was also very honest in his dealings. "Kerry always wanted the most advantageous deal" says the relative "but he was never one to threaten or do the dirty on anyone. It was his policy to pay good money or even more than required and he expected loyalty in return and he always received it. There was no need for him to ever talk like that as his reputation was - you do the wrong thing to me and I will never deal with you again".
And Britain's famous Private Eye magazine seems to agree and in a review of Desmond's book point out that he has put words into several mouths of people who are all conveniently dead, echoing the late Hollywood actress Shelley Winters who was once asked for advice by an actress friend on how she could beef up her book as she had had so few affairs : "include anyone who is gay or dead" said Winters, "neither will complain".
Whispers has experience with Richard Desmond when he was Britain's most successful, and much disliked porn merchant. Taking over management of a gay bookshop in Notting Hill while the owner was being detained at Her Majesty's Pleasure (for tax evasion) we were instructed that the local police would raid the shop once a month. Although the books and magazines on sale were perfectly legal the police did arrive and confiscate half the stock to "examine" it to see if it was legal. The magazine were so cheap to produce, costing around 30p for a magazine that might sell for £15-20, it wasn't worth the hassle getting back the material so several warehouses would need to be visited to obtain new stock. One of those warehouses was Desmond's in the East End and he was one of the most abusive, arrogant and mean people we have ever encountered. None of his heterosexual porn titles sold (they were just there for 'balance') and according to Private Eye that has been his history along with many unsavoury dealings with dubious 'partners' in the UK and the Mafia type people in New York.
Former porn barons in the UK have now risen to such heights they support the ruling Conservative Partyas this article demonstrates but Desmond's desperate desire to receive a Knighthood in Britain seems doomed to failure considering his background.
One of the leading lights of the Sydney social scene, Bill Ranken has passed away at age 85 after a brief fight with cancer.
Bill was known for the last 10 years or so as a photographer and a must addition to any smart party or red carpet launch but his life was one of great variety in many different occupations.
Brought up on the family estate near Goulburn, Ranken lost interest in working on the property when a tractor accident cost him the sight in one eye.
Whispers first encountered Bill over 30 years ago when he arrived at a Mayfair art gallery on the arm of the late Princess Margaret causing gossip as perhaps her latest flame with his tall elegant looks. "Landed gentry from Australia" was legendary Daily Mail gossip columnist Nigel Dempster's description when asked who Margaret's date was.
Chatting with Bill at the launch- an exhibition of artists Gilbert & George's huge canvas depicting bodily functions he leaned over to the Princess and quipped: "for God's sake don't look too closely Margaret, it will put you off the champagne".
Commenting that we were soon leaving for Sydney to live, Bill retrieved a business card from his wallet- he always carried a variety from his different jobs -and a phone call 6 months later started a long friendship of nightly telephone "debriefings" as we called them, to chat and laugh about everyone and everything that had happened during our day.
Ranken was often far grander than those he photographed. As co-owner with his sister Jean of two of the most desired country properties in the state, he was a millionaire many times over but few seem to know. With houses on both properties at Gunning and Goulburn, Bill lived an almost monkish style life usually bedding down in the working men's quarters in a barn. When not planting trees or retrieving lost sheep he loved to check on his favourite animals, ducks, which he had installed in the various lakes.
In Sydney he lived in an Elizabeth Bay apartment and breakfasted at one of the local cafes sipping Green Tea which he swore kept him youthful.
A man of great contrasts he had an innate ability to talk to anyone and everyone no matter their status and make each feel important. He would laugh that he sat next to former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser at the snobby Tudor House prep school. "God Malcolm was boring when he was young" Bill would say and Fraser would return the compliment saying to Bill "you give our class a bad name" referring to Bill's admitted snobbishness But he was anything but.
In the morning he may have a quick chat with a Kings Cross stripper, hooker or a nightclub bouncer on their way home after a night's work. In the afternoon he could be chatting to Barry Humphries at a Double Bay cafe while later that evening he might be dining with Princess Mary of Denmark.
Meeting a new young artist, actor, singer perhaps a budding caterer Bill was always happy to delve into his extensive list of contacts and help in anyway he could. With a natural kindness and expecting nothing in return, there are numerous now famous names who pay tribute to Bill's ability to point them in the right direction after a chance meeting. Always alert to meeting an interesting new person on the circuit he could also be cynical at times : "if Jesus Christ came through the Heads I'd want to know who his PR agent is" he once said.
At a social functions it was no surprise to hear Rupert Murdoch or Kerry Packer or the latest Prime Minster say : "Hi Bill, I need to talk to you about some rural matters" on which he had an encyclopedic knowledge.
For Bill life was never meant to be boring and each day brought an incident to be laughed at and crafted into an amusing anecdote. Even his 6am run from Kings Cross to Double Bay (right up until the last 6 months) brought a tale to tell. He recounted that he was once taking a breather in Rushcutters Bay Park when 2 large policeman emerged from the bushes dragging a naked, wild looking man. "There's my pal Bill Ranken" cried the man who Bill swore he did not recognise. As the nude felon was bundled into a Paddy Wagon he yelled "Bill, please call my solicitor Sir Laurence Street!"
When the Prime Minister Harold Holt disappeared off the Victorian coast in choppy seas in 1967 Bill was disappointed that he had turned down an invitation to accompany the swimming party: "I would have liked to have seen that Chinese sub" said Bill.
Whispers worked with Bill on many different projects, an airline magazine, Penthouse Magazine after owner Bob Guccione who had flown into town to launch the local edition spotted Bill at the launch party and told the editor: "hire that man immediately as our social correspondent", plus a variety of newspapers. At one stage he put his rural upbringing to good use as the Rural Consultant for the late real estate agent Andrew Gibbons where he advised on properties for identities like Lady Susan Renouf and Lord McAlpine. He nearly got caught in an embarrassing episode when Gibbons asked him to bid during the auction of a harbour side mansion which was knocked down to Ranken for $5M while he wasn't paying attention. He quickly exited out a side gate pursued by the property media.
Whispers produced some of the first real estate videos for Gibbons with Bill fronting the camera. When the visiting British film director Michael Winner expressed interest in purchasing a local property and watched one with Bill extolling the virtues of a Moss Vale estate Winner said "oh bugger the house, I want that man in my next film".
On another occasion he was flown first class to Tonga by the late King George Tupou V who asked Bill to advise on his flock of sheep. Arriving at the airport he was met by the King's limo, a London taxi and driven to a bungalow to be shown just 6 forlorn looking ewes in a small paddock. "Shoot the lot" was Bill's advice.
Taking up photography gave him a reason to be at a party. Bill loved parties even though he rarely drank. He could tell you anecdotes from parties from the 1950s onwards and it gave him a good reason to chat to a pretty girl. Often after asking her name he would exclaim "I took your mother out". Sometimes it was true but in later years that became "I think I took your grandmother out". He dreaded there may come a time when he might be saying he took their great grandmother out.
A few months ago Bill complained of a back pain and uncharacteristic weakness. Diagnosed first as a virus it was eventually found to be liver cancer.. Always practical he said : "I just want go to one of those rest homes where they'll fill me full or morphine until I shuffle off ".
For a while he was cared for by newspaper executive Cristan King in his Bowral home but the cancer got the better of him and Bill died last Thursday. He leaves behind his beloved sister Jean and nephew Matthew and will be missed by many people as another bright light in Sydney is dimmed.
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This was Bill Ranken's favourite song and one he thought summed up his life. From Noel Coward:
Milliner Phillip Treacy locks lips with singer Grace Jones at the Battersea Power Station
Perhaps it's the way of future- an extended series of Mother's Day celebrations. Last week we had the launch of the Murdoch Children's Research Foundation garden party in Elizabeth Bay at the Boomerang mansion which will become an annual charity fundraiser and which hopes to inspire numerous similar events around the country,
The following Friday Crown Casino in Melbourne hosted a Mum's Day event with some of the same guests, namely rival media names- the Packers. Attending were Francesca Barham with her grandmother Ros Packer, widow of the late Kerry Packer. Barham is the daughter of James Packer's sister Gretel Packer and British banker Nick Barham (James owns Crown)
Meanwhile in London the iconic Battersea Power Station is soon to be turned into apartments- and what a location that will be -they threw their annual party and we have an exclusive video of the night's entertainment- rock royalty Elton John.
Finally the seriousness of the Bondi Bender is sinking in as it dawns upon the mainstream media just how serious the street brawl between two Australian corporate giants is and why it's a little more than a disagreement between pals. Malcolm Farr in the Telegraph was the first to point out the obvious : James Packer has just been awarded the opportunity to make a fortune with his proposed casino complex at Barangaroo with relaxed licensing laws. This opportunity was given him by former NSW premier Barry O'Farrell who dramatically resigned a few weeks ago after mis-leading the ICAC. O'Farrell had also just legislated tough new laws with stiff penalties for street brawling after several deaths and restricted alcohol sales in Kings Cross while also announcing that Packer's Barangaroo casino would be able to operate 24 hours 7 days a week. Yesterday the police have gone from "not investigating" to now calling for witnesses to the dust-up. Trials are under way in the UK with numerous News Ltd employees accused of hacking mobile phones with serious questions about 'fitness' to run broadcasting networks. David Gyngell heads the Nine Network that ironically, was once owned by James Packer. How could it have come to this : 2 men who have been life long friends- as were their fathers Kerry Packer and Bruce Gyngell- now find themselves on the front pages for all the wrong reasons? Waverley Police are now calling for witnesses to come forward, If the 2 fighters were to be charged - as law experts now say could happen-that also brings into question the payment for photos of the affair.
With the stunning success of two movies featuring the Big Goanna- Kerry Packer, comes a new mini-series Power Games: The Packer-Murdoch Story that features a young Rupert Murdoch going into battle over publishing deals with Sir Frank Packer, Kerry's father. Lachy Hulme (right) stars as Frank Packer (he also played Kerry ) and Rupert Murdoch is played by Patrick Brammel. Some legendary Australian political figures feature in the series as well including Black Jack McEwen along with actresses playing Anna Torv, Rupert's wife No 2 (before Wendi Deng) and Lady Florence Packer, Sir Frank's second wife who died this year in Monte Carlo and Ros Packer, Kerry's widow and mother of James Packer.
Anna Torv & Lady Flo Packer
The Shuttle turned for some background to regular contributor Bill Ranken (right) grazier and man-about-town who at 84 has known all these characters over the years. Ranken reports Sir Frank Packer was almost persona non grata in Sydney society with many considering him to be fairly rough around the edges "not that I think he was much interested in Sydney's social scene. I think he thrived on the rough and tumble of business but Kerry was extremely popular and known for his generosity and loyalty towards retired staff : Kerry could be a big softie and he was generous with charities and rarely sought recognition for it. There must be thousands of people who should be grateful Kerry went into bat to retain St Vincent's Hospital when developers were eyeing off the property. I always recall traveling through a county town with Kerry and we came across a car accident where fortunately no-one was hurt. But a local tradie was distraught because his van was destroyed and he had no insurance. Kerry jotted down his details- the chap didn't have a clue who he was- and then a week later the local rag reported how a generous but anonymous benefactor had replaced the tradie's van. Typical of Kerry !". As for Rupert :"pretty boring really, never saw him at parties, Don't think he was that keen on the night life.".
Ranken, who owns one of the state's finest cattle properties also dated Ros Packer before she met Kerry and he described Clyde Packer, Kerry's brother, as a jovial figure : "we regularly toured Sydney's nightspots in Clyde's Rolls Royce convertible with more and more attractive ladies joining the tour as the night wore on. Clyde was once stopped by police who deemed the Roller over-crowed and as a fairly large and rotund man, he astonished the coppers when he emerged from the Rolls in a flowing kaftan. When they noted his name- he was also an MP then, they proceeded to give us a police escort to Kings Cross". They were the days !
Some remarkable revelations in the new book by Pamela WilliamsKilling Fairfax which is published today.
When James Packer feel into a slump in 2001 after some less that stellar business dealings, he came under the care of superstar Tom Cruise who helped boost James back to his old self. Cruise and Packer have been friends for years and Tom has holidayed on James' converted ice-breaker the Arctic P on the Mediterranean and attended James and Erica Baxter's wedding. The association gave rise to the rumour that James had joined the Church of Scientology under Cruise's guidance.
Most of the Scientology reports appeared in Fairfax newspapers, now disliked by James. His father Kerry Packer was furious at the reports and sent Fairfax boss Fred Hilmer a copy of the United Nations Human Rights
charter warning him that he was
violating the charter. The book also says James Packer rounded on Fred Hilmer at PM Julia Gillard's Christmas party last year at Kirribilli House telling him "Don't come up and try to be my friend...Fred. Fuck off."
James Packer is known for not suffering fools gladly. In 2009 it's reported he told Nine Network supremo David Leckie also to "fuck off' at a party for Sam Chisholm at the Sydney Opera House and then invited Leckie outside to ''sort this out".
James with Jodhi ...and wife Erica
At a Nine Network TV season launch at Garden Island when James with then wife Jodhi Meares, he spotted News Ltd gossip writer Ros Reines, called her aside and tore strips off her over reporting about his private life.
World War 3 has broken out between 2 of Sydney's leading ladies of the media. In one corner is perennial TV star Kerri-Anne Kennerley and squaring up to KAK is News Ltd columnist Annette Sharp (right) in the Daily Telegraph. In a piece titled "IT'S a terrible thing to grow old in television 'Sharp has hauled Kennerley over the coals for calling her "anti-woman' in an interview in the coming August edition of the Australian Women's Weekly. Sharp, who was once challenged to a bike ride around Sydney by Russell Crowe had already fired a few shots at Kerri-Anne who will be 60 this year in this article about the Logie Awards: 50-somethings used the Logies to remind TV their assets are bountiful. She implies Kennerley had to "move heaven and earth " to score a ticket to the gala TV awards now that she is "out of contract". Kerri-Anne was dropped from her morning TV show in 2011 after decades at the Nine Network, ironically where Sharp was once in charge of publicity. In 2003 at a gala party at the Nine studios to celebrate 70 years of publishing the Women's Weekly, Kerri-Anne was seated at the table ( a guide to your status at the network) next to Nine supremo Kerry Packer .
Kerri-Anne & John at the Pol Roger Champagne dinner.
Since Nine dropped her chat show Kerri-Anne has been signed by Kerry Stoke's Seven Network and performed on Dancing With The Stars last year and it's rumoured she may front an interview programme for Seven although Sharp infers that project may not be as solid as Kennerely believes.
Whatever the outcome of this spat, Kerri-Anne is still a popular party-goer and fixture on the social circuit. She attended Baz Luhrmann's Great Gatsby premier last week and earlier was at an exclusive dinner at Chiswick Gardens for Pol Roger champagne as our snaps show. It's not like Kerri-Anne is short of money either or needs the work. Toy train lover hubby John Kennerely was one of the brains behind Britain's Littlewoods Pools and made a fortune. The pair have recently moved from a palatial Rose Bay home to trendy Woolahra where John has extended his train set (he has hand built a reproduction of Shrewsbury Station) into the garden. At Chiswick Kerri-Anne showed off a new pair of stilettos she had picked up in Rodeo Drive where the pair had just holidayed for a fortnight. This looks like a bunfight that may run and run.
Russell Crowe & Annette Sharp
Perhaps the last word should go to top New York publicist Kelly Cutrone who had a spat in 2011 with Sharp's Daily Telegraph colleague Ros Reines who had a few digs at Cutrone's client Rupert Noffs who is cutting a swathe through New York and the Hamptons under Kelly's well connected wing. Reines savaged Noffs calling him a social climber and for good measure called Cutrone's Sydney launch of Noff's Gideon Shoe store "tragic" and accused Kelly of "creating mayhem" during her Sydney visit. Cutrone responded in this Sydney Morning Herald profile of Noffs thisMarch : "What do I care? Oh, wow, I care if some gossip columnist in f...ing
Sydney, Australia hates me? It's like a mosquito in my world." Ouch !. What fun. Just in time to brighten up these foggy Autumn days.
Winning lines : Annette Sharp : "One should not brandish a vagina like a force field and expect a torrent of fawning, hyper-ventilating flattery in return." Superb !
Former soap star Holly Vallance is to get hitched to her (reputed) billionaire boyfriend property developer Nick Candy this Saturday in Los Angeles at a wedding bash that is said will cost up to $2M. Guests like Sir Elton John and Simon Cowell are expected to celebrate with the couple.
Erica & James
Meanwhile in Sydney local billionaire James Packer and his beautiful wife former model Erica
have just welcomed the birth of their second baby daughter Emmanuelle yesterday.
James is selling off the last of the media empire he inherited from father Kerry Packer for around $1B while he expands his gambling and casino empire.
No doubt the very glamorous former model Deborah Thomas was celebrating on Sunday with her husband Vitek Czernuszyn, purveyor of fine vodka. Deborah commands a number of weighty titles :director of media, public affairs and brand development at ACP magazines but she now also ascends to Woollahra Council after a convincing win in the local elections on Saturday.
Thomas has edited and published the Australian Women's Weekly for a number of years ( still the countries top selling magazine and at times, one of the world's) and she'll now be sitting in on council meetings making decisions on all sorts of mind boggling matters like local roads, development applications and so on.
Only just last week it was announced that the ACP magazine publishing empire has been snapped up by the German media giant Bauer for a tidy $500M, the largest privately owned publishing group in Europe. It brings the legendary magazine empire built by the Packer family back into private hands. left : Vitek Czernuszyn (far right) with pals Mark & Victoria Coppleson
Meet actor Lachy Hulme who plays Kerry Packer in the gripping new mini-series Howzat!,
a dramatisation of Packer's clash with the cricket establishment.
Last night the first in the series received huge ratings and the reason was because of Hulme's accurate portrayal of the 'Big Goanna'. If you pondered just who the actor was, as many did it's because of a superb make-up transformation.
Hulme starred in the Matrix films.
The Prince Edward Yacht Club boasts one of Sydney's premier locations. Right at the end of ritzy Point Piper with commanding views of the harbour, it reeks of old world charm with it's wide verandahs and commanding views of the harbour.
Any excuse to visit the club is taken but the opportunity to wish council aspirant Deborah Thomas well for her bid for a seat on the Woollahra Council couldn't be turned down.
Malcolm Turnbull & Deborah Thomas
Andrew & Penne Peacock
Really, the folks of the Eastern Suburbs should be so lucky to be represented by a quality candidate like Thomas. Deb's day job is the Media Manager for ACP Magazines. She used to be editor of the Australian Women's Weekly, the magazine that is the basis for the Packer family fortune. Kerry Packer knew the top selling magazine would be in good hands when he handed the reins to Deborah. After all, her mother and grandmother had been editors of the Weekly in their days.
Joining us for the launch was Liberal MP Malcolm Turnbull (they say he talked Deborah into standing) and former Liberal party leader Andrew Peacock with wife Penne. Penne Peacock is a great pal of Laura Bush (Andrew famously had a long affair with Shirley MacLaine who will star in the next series of DowntonAbbey)
Also there to wish Thomas well, Christine Foster (right: who just happens to be the sister of Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott) who will be challenging Lord Mayor Clover Moore.
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DESPITE SEVERAL NEWSPAPERS and radio shows claiming noted private investigator Frank Monte would be standing for the Mayoral elections in September, the Shuttle can reveal he has dropped out of the race at the very last moment.
Frank Monte & fiancee Sharon Sargeant
Monte says he had to make a quick decision last week on the day nominations closed and decided against throwing his hat in the ring: " I had great feedback especially from business owners in the City and Kings Cross who are fed up with Clover Moore. However there are good reasons I decided not to run at the last moment. I had information that both Labor and Liberal would be throwing big bucks at the election as they perceived Moore is vunerable. It takes at least $30,000 to mount a reasonable campaign and I would rather wait until the General Election next year and run as an Independent. And I have to travel for business in the next 3 weeks which would complicate any campaign"
"To Rome by any chance?" the Shuttle asked. Our spy disguised as a humble gaffer at the famous Cinicitta Studios in Rome tells us Monte is booked in as a consultant for a new Italian TV series about the Mafia.
"I have nothing to say about that" replied Monte before the phone went dead!
To Chiswick in Woolahra for Men's Style magazine's Men of Influence to meet some movers and shakers under the age of 45 from the
worlds of business, the arts, design, sports, fashion, management, the
media and more.
Top bookmaker Tom Waterhouse & wife Hoda
Michael & Jo Slater
Some of those to make this year's list : actor Lachy
Hulme, about to appear in Beaconsfield and later to play Kerry Packer in
the Nine network production screening later this year; Josh Lawson, the star of AnyQuestions for Ben; Daniel Henshall, who scared the
hell out of us as John Bunting in Snowtown; the host of Mornings on
Nine, David Campbell; swimming’s newest superstar James Magnussen; pop
sensation Gotye; Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke; sports
presenting all-rounder Michael Slater, and; former wunderkind Kevin Rudd
press secretary and now Today show political commentator Lachlan
Harris.
The night was hosted by Men's Style editor Michael Pickering who says: “Influence can be a hard concept to define but each of these men is
inspirational and influential both within and outside their fields. I've found successful people
generally have something useful to say about what they have learnt on
the journey and that is certainly the case with the men on this year’s
list.”
Paul & Catherine Anderson
Also on the list : founder of the international phenomenon Freelancer.comMatt Barrie,
aggressive online retailer Ruslan Kogan and BigCommerce founders Eddie
Machaalani and Mitchell Harper. Paralympic wheelchair champion Kurt
Fearnley, veteran league champion Nathan Hindmarsh, Wallaby and charity
worker David Pocock and GWS co-captain Luke Power.
And one not on the list ; Chiswick owner Matt Moran who has turned Chiswick restaurant into the uber place to be seen. On a blustery Autumn rainy Tuesday evening the place was packed. I'm told on weekends it's almost impossible to get a table unless you book well ahead.
Influential chef and restauranteur Matt Moran surveys a packed Chiswick
He's received rave reviews for his Richard III at the Lyric Theatre and now actor Kevin Spacey has won over billionaire PaulRamsay who parted with $200,000 for a pair of tickets for the closing night next Sunday with champagne after with Spacey. Ramsay also bid $100,000 at auction to play tennis for an hour with the Hollywood star.
Ramsay was at a Spacey's charity dinner at Justin Hemmes' Est Restaurant last week which raised $350,000 for the Kevin Spacey Foundation that supports young actors, directors, producers and writers in film and theatre.
Bachelor Ramsay, worth $1.5Billion with his nursing home empire and Prime Media which operates regional TV stations was a close friend of the late Johnny Baker who died last year.
When the pair met about 30 years ago Bakes said to Ramsay "I've got the contacts and you have the cash,we should travel together".
Lady Sonia & Baker
And so they did every year with Ramsay funding lavish holidays around the world whenever Baker wasn't also accompanying the late Kerry Packer who loved to take Bakes on his private jet to keep him amused. Paul was also a pal of Lady Sonia McMahon who died shortly after Baker and he felt the loss of both friends deeply. Perhaps he has now formed a new bond with Spacey. They do have mutual interests.
Host of the dinner Justin Hemmes parted with $21,000 for harbour cruise for 20 and to play ping pong with Spacey
Next week : our exclusive on the London blogger who started a Spacey Family Feud !
Below is a video of Spacey talking about his foundation;
Former Federal Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull has been having a hard time lately with Liberal Party supporters of the leader, TonyMad Monk Abbott out to ensure Turnbull never becomes leader again.
Turnbull was never popular with the hard right. The self made millionaire, former barrister and banker (estimated worth : $300M) is seen as a bit of a latte sipping elitist probably more suited to the Labor Party which it's reputed he once tried to join.
The problem for the party is that Turnbull is popular amongst the rank and file members who see Malcolm as their best bet to return to power, if only he could act like a politician. He does have a tendency to cut to the chase having come lately to politics.
Perhaps he should turn to his cousin the legendary actress Angela Lansbury for acting lessons on how to present himself as a politician rather than a man in a hurry to get to the top job so he can show the country just how it should be done.
Lansbury was out last week in New York and attended the Actors Fund Annual Gala at the New York Marriott Hotel. As our picture show, she is remarkably fit looking and as large as life at the fabulous age of 87.
Angela Lansbury & Hunter Ryan Herdicka (Rob Rich)
Turnbull's mother was the academic and actress Coral Lansbury who is Angela's cousin. She split with Malcolm's father when he was nine and went to live, like Angela in the USA.
Turnbull is not only the richest politician in the country, he's probably one of the smartest as well. He worked for a number of years as Kerry Packer's personal lawyer before taking on the might of Margaret Thacher's government in the famous Spy Catcher trial when he successfully defeated the British government's attempts to block publication of the memoirs of the former MI5 officer Peter Wright.
He made a motza with the merchant bank he started with Nicholas Whitlam, the son of former Labor PM Gough Whitlam and then sealed his fortune during the dot.com boom. As chairman of the Republican Movement Turnbull really felt the loss of the referendum when the country voted in 1998 to keep the British royal family as head of state.
Turnbull blamed the loss on the machinations of then PM John Howard but he joined Howard's Liberal Party as a minister which most perceived as Howard's attempt to 'keep his enemies closer'.
When Turnbull produced an excellent paper on housing affordability recommending the adoption of European style housing associations and co-ops plus spending more on government housing, the paper was quietly shelved by Howard.
Turnbull is clearly in the wrong political party. He should ask his cousin for some tips. The Lansburys have long been on the left of the political spectrum. Angela's father was a politician and member of the British Communist Party and her grandfather was the leader of the British Labour Party.
Angela now lives in a New York apartment having returned from Ireland where she lived for a number of years. She starred in the film Gaslight when she was just 19 and went on to make a string of Hollywood films co-starring with the leading Hollywood stars of the day. She's probably most famous for the long running TV series Murder She Wrote.
At the Actors Fund Gala Bebe Neuwirth was honoured while Al Pacino received The Lee Strasberg Artistic Achievement Award
Those with long memories may remember the sad case of an electrician who was pounced upon by the then Kerry Packer owned station and program A Current Affair over purported dodgy repairs to a radio in 1999 in a classic foot-in-the-door style confrontation. The electrician, a Vietnamese refugee committed suicide 2 days later fearing his life had been destroyed. Kerry Packer was said to be distraught by the matter and privately settled a substantial sum of money on the hapless man's family.
Fast forward to 2009 and the program finds itself in hot water over the alleged hiring of a hit man by the former Mayor of Waverly and local Liberal Party heavyweight who wanted a male hustler given a hard time, tortured and made to do all sorts of sexual nasties.
The station thought they had coup and instead have found themselves in the dock with young reporter Ben Fordhamcharged with breaching the Listening Devices Act for secretly recording conversations with the former mayor. The mayor's counsel says he is suffering from Parkinson's and has lost the plot. His sight must be suffering as well. Those of us who know Ben are perplexed how anyone could think the pint sized presenter could torture anyone.
little Ben
But ACAis being rivaled in their efforts to prolong a perpetual silly season with an attack upon a popular Gold Coast realtor on the CH7 show Today Tonight :
Former top Ray White Salesman Rob Astburyhas described his former boss Gary Gannon, the man at the centre of a Gold Coast real estate scandal as a “pussy cat”. He says the recent explosive Today Tonight report on the Seven network, that accused Gannon of real estate fraud, is a beat up, grossly misleading and unfair. The program can be seen here if you click on Trouble on millionaire's row.
Gannon (pictured left) was accused of being possibly the most feared real estate agent in Australia. Gannon and his senior sales representative Michael Kollosche, formerly Astbury’s assistant, were accused of price fixing, market manipulation and death threats to protect their patch known as Hedges Avenue, renowned as the most expensive street for real estate in Australia.
Today Tonight revealed complaints from two people involved in house sales with Gannon and Kollosche, a seller Adrian Slinger and a buyer Rod Lambert, who described proceedings as a scene straight out of the movie The God Father.
Astbury with a very large award
Both were disgruntled over dealings involving their multi million dollar beach front properties .Slinger refused to pay the agents commission. Lambert, a former Gold Coast real estate agent claimed he was misled as regards the sales price of a house he purchased for over ten million dollars.
Astbury, who is a property developer now based in Thailand, received the award in January 2000 as Ray White's top selling agent in Queensland with sales over five years totalling $70 million says,
“No matter what the pressure a buyer or seller are never forced to sign a sales contract.” Hecontinued, “The real estate industry in Australia is controlled by very stringent laws and if an agent breeches the rules then he can forfeit his licence.’
“For years Rod Lambert was a very successful Gold Coast real estate agent before turning to property development. He knows the real estate industry and the official avenues that are available if he has a complaint. Why he would turn to the media, which has presented a clearly biased account of proceedings, is very disappointing.”
And another award-with his proud mum & Brian White
In a media career that spanned 16 years Astbury worked for all three commercial television networks winning many awards for excellence as an investigative sports journalist before turning to real estate on the Gold Coast..
In an exclusive interview Astbury told the Social Shuttle, “Today Tonight arguable took a large slice of liberty by including a recorded telephone interview between Gannon and a former employee Jade Grech.”.
Astbury says, “The dramatic conversation between Gannon and Grech was recorded by Grech a year prior to the Today Tonight segment which was supposed to be based on the dispute between Rod Lambert and Adrian Slinger.”
Astbury’s remarks appeared to be verified when Grech’s sister Sheree Neal told the Gold Coast Bulletinshe was 'shocked' when she saw her brother Jade telling Australia in a 'fake' European accent he feared for his life after being threatened by Mr Gannon. Mrs Neal said that after watching the program, she believed her brother became involved in the Today Tonight feature story because he was motivated by money.
Gannon made the now notorious phone call over a year ago after learning that Grech, who owed him $8,500, was about to leave Australia in June 2008. In the call he says to Grech: "Give me my eight and a half grand tomorrow mate or you're dead".
Astbury, who worked for Gannon between 1995 and 2000 said, “The telephone conversation certainly sounds threatening but, taken out of context, it is highly misleading.:
"From first hand experience I know how television current affairs television works and this is a classic example where the limits have been stretched.
Astbury continued, “When the occasion suited, Gary’s abruptness and course language could be alarming and I have elaborated on this extensively in my autobiography “Twice as Hard”, but make no mistake those who really know the man realized under his gruff exterior he is a very generous caring person who would not harm anyone physically. He really is a Pussy Cat. Kick it and it will bite you and that is Gary Gannon.”
According to Peter Jess, who has been appointed to promote Astbury’s soon to be published autobiography called “Twice as Hard” the book has many revelations about real estate, previously untold AFL stories and especially television which Astbury describes as a despicable industry.
“Rob has not spoken to Gannon, Kollosche or anyone from Ray White but his revelations will open a lot of eyes and certainly rock the real estate and television industries.” says Jess.
Anyone brought up in Sydney will recall the motto of the fun park Luna Park : Just For Fun. Situated with possibly the most commanding views of Sydney Harbour it was the location for media heiress Francesca Packer Barham to celebrate her 21st birthday. Francesca is the daughter of the late Kerry Packer's only daughter Gretel Packer and her ex-husband British banker Nick Barham. When she's not partying at Luna Park, Francesca hangs out with the likes of Tom Cruise and Robert de Niro on her uncle James Packer's cruiser in the Mediterranean.
