Andrews government furious with Tennis Australia bigwigs

“A customer who feels like they haven’t been recognized appropriately is definitely not what we want; our desired outcome is that all of our guests feel appropriately appreciated for their contribution to this great event.

Anyway, we announced last month that Tiley wanted to take Andrews for a walk in Melbourne Park, so the premier could share the vision for an even better tennis district.

Tiley shouldn’t hold his breath.

And the headaches begin: the new High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Stephen Smith.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

HIGH DRAMA

Former Labor Defense and Foreign Secretary Stephen Smith started his new job as Australia’s High Commissioner to the UK on Australia Day, fittingly enough, but it is this year’s traditional National Day celebration at our London outpost that will give Smith his first headache in the new gig.

The new high commissioner could send a ‘please explain’ around internal communications after Australia Day at Australia House on the Strand was partly sponsored by CQS, the hedge fund owned by Baron (Michael) Hintze, a Sydney raised, London billionaire whose political connections are, shall we say, different from Smith’s.

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Hintze’s title was bestowed upon him by his good friend, disgraced former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and the billionaire has been a huge donor – to the tune of more than $8.4 million over the years – from Johnson’s Conservative Party. Indeed, Hintze’s largesse, in the form of free private jet flights and office space, led to the resignation of British Defense Secretary Liam Fox in a 2011 donations scandal.

Hintze is also a serious philanthropist. His donations to arts, culture and other good causes eclipse his funding of political causes.

But the former Australian Army captain’s funding of climate skepticism and the campaign for Britain’s disastrous exit from the European Union has caused many Australian expats there to ask what the High Commission was doing by accepting the sponsorship of such a controversial personality.

CBD folks in London posed this question to Smith’s boss, Foreign Secretary Penny Wong, on Tuesday.

“These are decisions that are not made at the ministerial level,” Wong said. “We engage with the private sector to promote Australia, to promote who we are, to encourage business investment and tourism, and I guess that’s the basis on which decisions were made.”

Hintze did not respond to requests for comment.

HAY MACHINE

It’s been an eventful Australian Open for Srdjan Djokovic, father of Serbian tennis star and 10-time winner Novak Djokovic.

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After being accused of saying “Long live the Russians” alongside a guy draped in a Russian flag and carrying a pro-invasion symbol, a charge that Djokovic’s camp denies, Djoker snr wisely chose not to attend to his son’s triumph at the Rod Laver Arena last Sunday night. .

Not that Srdjan seemed too concerned. He was spotted singing and dancing to a Serbian folk song from the 1970s on a Melbourne balcony, accompanied by an ashtray and a generously poured glass of whiskey.

The song tells the story of a father and son who spend the week cutting hay, bringing it to market, drinking the produce, and tearfully regretting it the next day.

So perhaps it’s best that Novak, famous for his clean life, is responsible for the nearly $3 million he banked to win the men’s singles title this year.

TALKING IS NOT CHEAP

Every February, the Australian Electoral Commission easily informs us of how much money Clive Palmer has set fire to in the past year. Annual donation data shows that in 2021-22, the mining magnate spent $117 million to elect a single senator.

Senator Ralph Babet gives his first speech last August.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

This senator, Ralph Babet, has given 15 speeches in the Senate since being sworn in – that’s about $7.8 million per speech!

The list of donations is otherwise dominated by the usual suspects – Anthony Pratt, Isaac Wakil, Graeme Wood and others. But CBD’s curious eyes were particularly drawn to a $445,000 donation to the Liberal Party from a company called Australian Romance Ltd. Talk about finding love in a hopeless place.

Behind that donation is eccentric Chinese mining magnate Sally Zou, best known for donating to liberals through a company called the Julie Bishop Glorious Fund (the former foreign minister had no idea ), and driving a Rolls-Royce emblazoned with the Australian logo. flag.

And for spending a lot of time in court, including in a legal battle over 32 tons of cherries. This was resolved out of court, but not for a dispute over $10 million with an abandoned business partner over the sale of a gold mine, which has been in federal court for nearly four years now.

If we were the Libs, we would also take the money wherever we could.

LONG LIFE SIR ROD

And finally, a heartfelt apology to Sir Rod Carnegie, whom CBD incorrectly referred to on Monday as “the late Rod Carnegie.” Sir Rod has been in touch to point out our mistake, confirming he is alive and well, aged 90.