A rip-off

Whispers has attended numerous New Year's Eve events in Sydney and 4 at the Sydney Opera

House and the Lord Mayor's Party. We were there when Kylie Minogue launched the famous fireworks and once discovered the US actress Sarah Michelle Geller (left) sitting quietly among the party goers.
While the party's were great fun getting there was something else. You can't drive into the city on NYE and you can't get a taxi when leaving. You spend an hour forging your way through a millions of people and end up walking back to a spot like Kings Cross where, if sensible, you parked your car early in the day.
It's still the same of course so it's very handy now to have a pal who lives in one of Surry Hill's tallest apartment blocks that has a commanding view of the Harbour and the sensational fireworks.

Which brings us to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald and Lord Mayor Clover Moore's outrage at how private business and the NSW State Government are co-opting the fireworks event- arguably the most spectacular in the world- and profiteering off an event paid for by City of Sydney ratepayers (me !) to the tune of $5M each year.
She is correct. The best solution would be to tax every entity that charges, what can be quite exorbitant entrance fees because they just happen to have a handy location to view the fireworks.

'It's complicated': how your NYE celebrations are being privatised

 New Year’s Eve in Sydney was always a simple affair. Dusting off that picnic rug, it was as easy as making a few salads and buying some bread rolls with a chook, putting some white wine into the cooler bag and organising the family to get to the best vantage point to watch the fireworks. What's more, it was free.

 READ THE FULL STORY HERE : SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

Hugh Jackman & Sydney's New Year's Eve

Actor Hugh Jackman who stars in the film The Greatest Showman is aiding in the organising of the sensational New Year's Eve fireworks that will be on display on Sydney Harbour on Sunday night. The Sydney celebrations are usually the first in the world and are viewed by 100s of millions around the planet. What fantastic publicity for Jackman's new flick!
Below is Hugh at the Sydney Opera House and below that a trailer for The Greatest Showman.

Happy New Year !

The New Years Eve Party We Missed

Whispers saw in the New Year at a small party of just 10 people in a harbourside apartment. That's as hectic as it gets for us these days and even then, it took about an hour in traffic to get out of the Eastern Suburbs. But here is one party we wished we had attended but alas , it was 1954 (not '47 as labelled) . Having attended 2 Chelsea Arts Balls in our day, always fun but this one looks extra special. A weeks break and then back on board on the 7th January. A Happy New Year to our loyal readers and all the best for 2016

Love Still Going Strong

It was many moons ago when Whispers introduced to the world, the former Mrs Anna Murdoch, with her new husband William Mann at the Lord Mayor's News Year's Eve party at the Sydney Opera House. Anna & William (pictured centre left) had flown into town to visit family members as out exclusive photo shows with her brother Hans Torv and his wife Kaiya.
Hans, who runs a radio network centred on the Gold Coast in QLD (sister Anna is a shareholder) is also father of the successful actress Anna Torv (below) star of the cult TV series Fringe. She lives in New York and often holidays with her aunt Anna Mann.
How pleasing then to see William & Anna in fine form last week at The New York Center for Children's "The Sunflower Party" in Southampton in Long Island.                              
As for former hubby Rupert Murdoch, he is currently in Sydney visiting son & heir Lachlan Murdoch and wife Sarah. They were spotted last week at Hamilton Island for the Audi Race Week.
Early next year a New York court is expected to hear what could be America's most expensive divorce case when Rupert & Wendi Murdoch go to battle unless an amicable settlement is reached as it was when Rupert divorced Anna who picked up a reputed $500M.

William & Anna Mann at the New York Center for Children's "The Sunflower Party". photo by Patrick McMullan (c)

Nearly Time

2015 is going to be a really fab year. That's according to the Shuttle's trusted astrologer Victor Olliver and our resident mystic the mysterious Madame Guyon, a Roman Catholic nun channeled via a spooky old lady who lives downstairs.
The Shuttle will see in the New Year in style (?) at the Sydney Opera House (after picking our way through 200,000 revelers- surely golf carts should be provided) at the Lord Mayor's Party. We may pop into the celebrations upstairs where they are serving Pommery & Bollinger (try and keep us away!).
Here's a little snap from earlier tonight of the esteemed Lord Mayor Clover Moore, our favourite Hollywood movie star who is organising tonight's party, Jack Thompson and the gloriously named Fortunato Foti of Foti Fireworks who is responsible for the most sensational fireworks on the planet. 
And a Happy New Year to all our readers.

NYE Fireworks with Jack Thompson

"G'Day Sydney, I have to say that I am really excited to be nominated as the Creative Ambassador for 2014 Sydney New Year's Eve. What an honour!  To be chosen to represent my "home town" in this way; To share with you all the celebration of this beautiful city on New Year's Eve. "

NYE Celeb Watch

Our handy guide to celebrity watch and who is in town for New Years Eve:. Leo DiCaprio and mate Jonah Hill will celebrate at The Star after arriving aboard a private jet on Friday. At the Lord Mayor's annual party at the Sydney Opera House Kylie Minogue will launch the fireworks to signal the new year.

And Mariah Carey and family will be partying at a private house in the Eastern Suburbs before boarding a luxury launch to moor off the Opera House- we are sworn to secrecy. But the name James Packer comes to mind.

Earth to Sydney Confidential : Yes, Kate Winslet did wed a chap named Ned Rock'n'Roll but he isn't Richard Branson's 'grandson' (which would mean he was aged about 9) , Ned, formerly Abel Smith is the son of Branson's married sister- ie : his nephew.

Kylie, New Year's Eve & Clueless Media

You know who you are : the Nine & Seven TV Networks and even the ABC. And let's not even mention the tabloids ( perhaps it's the stress of their sister organs being under the spotlight in the UK).

All reported breathlessly this morning that our Queen of Pop , the gorgeous Kylie Minogue will be this year's New Year's Eve ambassador. It was, they repeated in chorus, Kylie's very first involvement in Sydney's New Year's Eve celebrations that sees up to 1.5 million people line the harbour for the sensational fireworks.

Phil Avalon

Well no actually. Kylie was the guest at the 2002 New Year's Eve party at the Sydney Opera House and threw the switch to start the fireworks that year.
We know because as she was stepping forward to throw the switch, cheered on by thousands of spectators, the Shuttle had to separate a paparazzi and the film producer Phil Avalon who said the snapper had insulted his wife.

To soothe Avalon's nerves we took him into the bar for a drink with Kylie so he would forget about the rude photographer. Do your research folks.

(the following year, the guest switch thrower was US actress Sarah Michelle Geller)
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Getting into the spirit for his Cuban visit.