That is not a direct yes or no, but then again that is often JA’s style. We had her pegged as more Squires Loft than Totti’s, anyway.
Whether the latest investigation is enough to sour the power set’s appetite for Merivale remains to be seen. When last year’s news of exploitation of female staff at Merivale venues hit the stands, media insiders, business figures and political elites were crammed into the Hemmesphere bar that night for former AFR columnist Joe Aston’s book launch, where CBD encountered a nonchalant Hemmes holding court and dodging our questions.
So far, the punters are unmoved. Merivale’s flagship Totti’s Bondi is fully booked all day Saturday.
On Tuesday, this masthead published further reports on the criminals that swelled the membership ranks of Merivale’s private club, Level 6, as the billionaire Hemmes worked to furnish his political connections.
BRS in Tigerland
SPOTTED: Former SAS soldier Ben Roberts-Smith at the footy on the weekend. Outside the Melbourne Cricket Ground’s famed Olympic Room among the Richmond Tigers fans, complete with ticket and hospitality wristband.
Ben Roberts-Smith spotted at the MCG on the weekendCredit: Getty Images
It’s barely six weeks since Australia’s most decorated living soldier lost his appeal to overturn the landmark Federal Court decision in his defamation case that found the soldier committed war crimes in Afghanistan. Roberts-Smith has sought leave to appeal to the High Court.
Meanwhile, his appearance to witness Richmond’s rather heavy loss to the Adelaide Crows on Sunday sparked surprise among Tigers fans and the club’s staff alike, who scrambled to find out if he’d been invited to attend.
Calls to the club and Roberts-Smith’s former employer, Channel Seven, drew blanks, as did checking with his lawyers.
It appears that he had bought his own ticket, club sources said.
Roberts-Smith was not always so interested in Richmond. In 2012, he was revealed as the new No.1 ticket holder for the Fremantle Dockers, and toured the club gym and met players and officials.
He predicted a big 2012 season for the Dockers.
“They’re set up pretty well,” he said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we easily make the finals and hopefully from there they can go all the way.”
For the record, they lost the semi-final that year to … Adelaide.
Comeback kid
The post-election Canberra shuffle continues, and it’s a hearty CBD hello to born-again staffer Matthew Chesher, who will be zipping down the Hume Highway from his senior post with NSW Transport Minister John Graham (dealing with the pesky trains dispute).
Chesher starts this week as social services minister Tanya Plibersek’s chief of staff, replacing Dan Doran who is bowing out after a 14-year stint (that’s loyalty).
Possibly relevant fact: Chesher is married to Verity Firth, a vice-president at the University of NSW and friend of Plibersek (they go bushwalking together).
Chesher has bounced around the Carr, Rees and Keneally NSW governments in various senior positions, including as chief of staff to Anthony Albanese’s ex, Carmel Tebbutt. He also had a lengthy stint at the MEAA journos’ union as director of legal, policy and industrial issues.
Loading
Long-standing readers might recall that in 2011, Chesher was pinged by an undercover drug cop in a Sydney park. Firth was NSW education minister at the time in Kristina Keneally’s NSW government. Chesher resigned as chief of staff to the roads minister the day after he was sprung, and pleaded guilty to possession of one tablet of ecstasy. Former NSW treasurer Michael Egan and former federal minister and former NSW attorney-general Bob Debus provided glowing references. No conviction was recorded.
As CBD has stated before, we love a comeback kid.
Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
