NOT GUILTY !

Just to show we here at Whispers are on the ball despite a lazy office assistant ( Mildred the Cat) news just comes in that Cristian King as we just reported below, has been found Not Guilty on the three criminal charges he was facing.

right: Waterstreet & King outside the court today

Said King outside the Moss Vale Court House:

"I'm really happy that freedom of the press won today and that I don't have a criminal record. A huge shout out to the amazing legal team at Christopher Murphy's firm, Murphy's Lawyers. Solicitors Nava Oh and Bryan Wrench with top barrister, Charles Waterstreet were amazing and found the truth from the conflicting evidence given by Bowral real estate firm, Campbell-Jones Property."

Court drama in the Southern Highlands

Nicole Kidman & Keith Urban's SH home Bunya Hill and local resident Miriam Margolyes

The gentle rolling pastures of the beautiful countryside of the Southern Highlands are abuzz as the latest court drama over a local newspaper and a property developer plays out in the local court. The Highlands are a weekend retreat for many well heeled Sydneysiders with their hobby farms and numerous celebrities like Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban, Harry Potter actress Miriam Margolyes and the late British politician Lord McAlpine
Top Sydney barrister, Charles Waterstreet was at Moss Vale Local Court this morning  representing newspaper executive Cristian King .
The prosecution relates to an investigative editorial ran by the local newspaper, LattéLife Wingecarribee, last year entitled 'Yuill Be Right’.
The article revealed that local real estate agent Angus Yuill of Campbell-Jones Property in Bowral had been trading without a property certifcate or licence for nine months, resulting in enforcement action by NSW Fair Trading.

left : barrister Charles Waterstreet and Cristian King

Mr King has been charged with intimidation, offensive behaviour and obstructing a vehicle in a public place. He is pleading not guilty to all charges.

King arrives at Moss Vale court today

Evidence was given by Campbell-Jones Property principal,Angus Campbell-Jones and his receptionist,Ana Calvert on 20 March 2017.
However, the hearing was adjourned to 18 May 2017 due to an allegation by Ms Calvert that Mr King had intimidated her at McDonald's restaurant in Moss Vale following her testimony although Mr King says he was at the courthouse at that time.
Mr Waterstreet, a family friend of the King's, has taken a special interest in this case and said "It is an honour to represent a journalist."

 Below: Highlands' competing newspapers : LatteLife and the Fairfax newspaper Highland News

Fairfax Fail # 14

Don't get Whispers wrong, we really are fond of Fairfax Newspapers. Especially having worked for lengthy periods twice for them although the partnership didn't always end amicably. The real problem is despite Fairfax hosting some of the nation's best journalists, those in management are not newspaper people. They are businessmen looking at the bottom financial line and that isn't always a happy marriage.
Say what you will about the Dirty Digger ( Rupert Murdoch) he employs expert experienced newspaper men & women to run his worldwide operations and that's why they succeed (hey and they pay on time !).

So it's always sad when you see an obvious corker in one of Australia's venerable institutions and one we need so badly. As in this report by the local Southern Highlands' Fairfax newspaper where two budding journos got it so badly wrong.

Local newspaper baron Cristian King (pictured right with his Mum Jane)  Australia's youngest newspaper executive and an editor at King Media is involved in a dispute with some local Highland's colorful characters. He's been charged with an offense but most certainly not 'stalking' a fairly serious offense as the local Fairfax newspaper alleges. Cris is in good hands though His brief is from one of NSW's best law firms run by Christopher Murphy. We reckon King will prevail in court. We don't think M'lud will be happy with the Fairfax report.

Disclosure : Whispers has worked for Fairfax, Rupert Murdoch, King Media, Vanity Fair, the Wentworth Courier..oh hell, who haven't we worked for?

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And on the subject of King Media, Cristian and Jane King are about to launch their fourth local newspaper, The Independent Goulburn. This is the way of the future in print publishing - small independent newspapers will thrive. Take it as gospel from an old hack.

TOMORROW: THE TRUTH ABOUT MOVIE STAR MARILYN MONROE

Dramas in The Shire

Southern Highlands' fans: Miriam Margolyes,Nicole & Keith,Leo DiCaprio, Lady Renouf,Lord McAlpine. Arnie

James Fairfax

The Southern Highlands is undoubtedly the most beautiful and desirable country property in Australia. It's green gentle rolling hills, just a 2 hour drive from Sydney are home to numerous celebrities like Harry Potter star Miriam Margolyes, superstar Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban who call the former Governor's retreat Bunya Hill their country base, Fairfax publishing scion James Fairfax along with numerous Eastern Suburb's residents who have hobby farms there. The late UK Conservative Party heavyweight Lord McAlpine called the Shire home as did the late Lady Renouf for some years and even the ex-California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger sent a representative to look for a suitable property while last year film heartthrob Leo DiCaprio declared it was his favourite spot in all the world.

Three years ago publisher Jane King decided the local newspaper scene needed a bit of shake-up, moved there with her family and produced a Southern Highland's version of her Eastern Suburbs free newspaper LatteLife. Her son Cristian King who manages the three King newspapers took on the job of reporting on local council affairs and was soon ruffling some very important feathers out of their complacent stupor.
                                                                                                       

Bunya Hill

But a few weeks ago Latte Life's advertisers found an anonymous old-style Poison Pen Letter landing on their doorsteps alleging all sorts of scurrilous goings-on. To show there were no hard feelings all the advertisers decided to step up their support for the newspaper and many delivered the letters to the local cop shop. Now the Australian Federal Police has stepped in to forensically examine the offending missives.

Cristian King

Meanwhile manager Christian King- defending himself -succeeded in having an attempted Apprehended Violence Order from a local councilor thrown out of court and is also suing a councilor for defamation.

And to show he has no hard feelings, Cristian has now put himself up for election in the Wingecarribee Shire Council which if successful could see him as Australia's youngest Councilor. Ex-Wingecarribee Mayor Julie Arkright  has stepped into the breach to take over Cristian's council reporting.
I'm told the local coffee shoppes and pubs are abuzz with chat on the matters with many viewing it as the most exciting series of events to have happened in the area in decades!
# Whispers occasionally does some work for LatteLife Newspapers.

Even more exciting news

If the thought of Jerry & Rupert's nuptials hasn't given you a heart starter, this news surely will:

As exclusively reported in LatteLife Newspaper - Southern Highland's edition ( which Whispers and the office cat proudly contribute to) the beautiful little town of Berry may become the home of superstar Leo DiCaprio:
    

"DiCaprio announces move to Berry NSW

Leonardo DiCaprio in a post Oscar magazine interview said that he was, “tired of the Hollywood lifestyle” and that he wanted to “live in a place where people were just people and whose sincerity you didn’t have to question”. He recently visited Berry while scouting out a film location with Martin Scorsese and, according to Scorsese, “Leo immediately fell in love with the relaxed lifestyle and the small town feel of Berry and that whole area and was telling everyone that he was going to move there.”

“I’ve accomplished a lot in my career and I feel like I just want to slow down a little bit and moving to a town like Berry in such a beautiful location full of beautiful people in a beautiful country is exactly what I want in my life right now,” DiCaprio said “I’m not giving up my career, I just want to move to a place that feels so different than what I’ve been used to all my life. For me, that place is Berry.” Here at LatteLife we think Leo needs to scout further South and move to Berrima or Bowral."

DiCaprio would join such names as Nicole Kidman and Miriam Margolyes and the late Lord McAlpine who all chose to spend most of their time in Australia's most beautiful rural retreat. And Berry? We can only think of actor Max Cullen who is a resident. Max is currently on tour with Warren Fahey in their hugely successful Dead Men Talking tour about Australia's legendary poets & writers Henry Lawson and Banjo Paterson

Bowie Stuns Paris !

Bowie Wong that is - the Australian fashion designer has been featured with some of the world's top designers like Schiaparelli, Chanel and Versace in this feature of OTT (over the top) designs. They describe the gown as This Round Dress.
 What fun !

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The Australia Day honours have featured two of Whisper's favourite characters.
Popular show business publicist Bruce Pollack (below right) who has handled some of the biggest stars in the world has been awarded a Member of the Order of Australia “for significant service to the community in the areas of social welfare and public health.” Pollack is also an LBGT activist who helped make the  Sydney Mardi Gras one of the most famous street events on the planet.


 Meanwhile in the snooty Southern Highlands young newspaper executive Cristian King  (pictured with former PM Julia Gillard) who publishes the LatteLife group of newspapers has been awarded a Certificate of Appreciation for his "outstanding contribution to the community of Wingecarribee Shire". Pretty heady stuff for a lad of just 20 years old who recently defended himself in court when a local councilor attempted to obtain an AVO order against him. The councilor sensibly dropped her request. King also broadcasts on local FM radio.

LatteLife Scoop

We here at Whispers knew that this drama was bubbling just below the surface and now Jane King of the Southern Highland's newspaper LatteLife has published an extraordinary claim that former NSW Prison's Minister Michael Yabsley, known for his hard line policies- he was the member for Sydney covering Kings Cross and the gay strip of Oxford Street-and  now a major fundraiser for the Liberal Party, may have been operating an unlicensed venue called Wombat Hollow in East Kangaloon.

Whilst we won't comment on the legalities of this - rather point you to a Channel Ten news report - it does show the importance of small independent publishers who can shine a light in dark corners. Jane King posted a message on Facebook today recounting the problems she had with this matter whilst praising the Ten Network for taking up the baton as they were 'better resourced"
In the meantime, LattelIfe has now ventured into the lucrative Sydney city centre with another new publication City Circular which was launched this month. There are small newspapers covering the city but this new publication hopes to present a more vibrant take on the nerve centre of NSW and with their success in the Eastern Suburbs, publisher King and Managing Editor Cristian King look like they have another success on their hands.
# Whispers & thesocialshuttle.com have been part-time contributors to LatteLife Newspapers

End of an Era as Bill Bows Out

A chapter in Sydney's social history ends today as Man About Town and social snapper Bill Ranken hangs up his camera to retire to his country property. Home for Bill now is a magnificent sheep and cattle property about 3 hours from Sydney and just outside Goulbourn.
Lockesly has been in the family for several generations and is regarded as one of the finest properties in NSW with it's Georgian house, beautiful gardens and acres of rolling hills. Bill, at 86 years of age still takes an active hand on weekends, planting trees and sorting sheep. He will also pen his memoirs.
It's great loss for Whispers not only as a valuable source but someone who we spoke to almost every night to 'debrief' each other on the day's activities.
With Bill's keen sense of a humour and his ability not to take anything seriously- most especially himself, we could chat & laugh for an hour each night exchanging delicious titbit's which could not possibly be used in print.
Whispers first met Bill Ranken many moons ago at the Mayfair Gallery in London when he arrived
as the escort of the late HH Princess Margaret.
Peering at one of British painters Gilbert & George's giant canvases that detailed -well best to look up their history of painting- we overheard Bill saying to Margaret :"don't look too closely dear or it may put you off the canapes and champagne".
The Sydney & Southern Highland's newspapers LatteLife have penned a farewell piece to Bill which gives more insight into the life of this fascinating chap:

LattéLife's new Southern Highland's publication

LattéLife, the Eastern Suburb's free newspaper that has thrived over the past 3 years- somewhat denting claims that print publication is declining, has launched their Southern Highland's edition which brings distribution up to 100,000 copies with over twice that in readers and an audience amongst the most influential in Australian arts, music, politics and business.
If you live elsewhere in this beautiful land you can still read the newspaper online here :
 LatteLife Southern Highlands