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Tuesday, November 19, 2024

Days before arrest, Jones partied with top silks and Liberal elites


Days before arrest, Jones partied with top silks and Liberal elites


By Kishor Napier-Raman and Stephen Brook
Monday began with Alan Jones being arrested at his luxury Circular Quay apartment over allegations he had indecently assaulted several  young men.
On Saturday night, Jones had been a star attraction at a gathering of Sydney’s upper crust, acting as MC and speech-maker at the 80th birthday of Maurice Neil, KC, a barrister and former soldier who served as a federal MP for the Liberals in the 1970s.
More recently, Neil represented Moses Obeid, son of disgraced former Labor MP Eddie Obeid in a criminal case in which the pair were jailed over a rigged tender scheme.
 eil’s birthday do was held at the Darling Point mansion that the top silk bought off former University of Sydney chancellor Belinda Hutchinson in 2015, and the room was filled with fellow barristers, and a few Liberal Party types.
Former state Liberal leader Peter Collins, ex-attorney-general Gabrielle Upton and moderate party powerbroker Michael Photios were among the guests. Vaucluse MP Kellie Sloane, considered a future state party leader, scored an invite but stayed home sick.
On Thursday night, Jones shared a stage with former prime minister John Howard, ex-NSW police minister David Elliott and NSW Liberal MP Rachel Merton at an event put on by Australians for Constitutional Monarchy to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the 1999 Republic Referendum.
Jones’ arrest comes nearly 12 months after an investigation by this masthead first revealed multiple allegations of inappropriate behaviour made against him, spanning several decades. Jones denied all allegations.
Since the stories broke late last year, Jones has kept a relatively low profile, remaining off the screens at his online-only outrage streaming machine ADH TV, and spending months in London. CBD also spotted him spending Easter at the Gold Coast with former Victorian Liberal powerbroker Marcus Bastiaan and wife Stephanie Bastiaan.
Will Jones’ invites from the harbourside mansion set dry up after Monday’s arrest? We’ll be watching.


There really is no such thing as a free lunch. Annette Sharp reveals the 12 Sydney restaurants that have played a key role in some of the high stakes business deals and peace talks. SEARCH OUR DELICIOUS. MONTH OUT MAP FOR MORE THAN 250 DEALS

There really is no such thing as a free lunch. Annette Sharp reveals the 12 Sydney restaurants that have played a key role in some of the high stakes business deals and peace talks.
For millennia, warring factions have resolved conflict by breaking bread together.

Ancient military generals did it, early Christians did it, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs did it, modern bureaucrats and business executives do it every day.

Simply put, a good meal is good business strategy.

It’s the same in Sydney today, where business mergers and takeovers seem to be taking place on the hour, where politicians and media powerbrokers are locked in hostile reputation-battering exchanges, and old kings and queens are clutching at the threads of legacy.

With so much at stake, the last thing one needs with one’s peace talks is a bad oyster or a warm Bellini.

…

SADDLES, MT WHITE

The Powerbroker: Investor and former radio boss John Singleton, budding arts patron, and American country music legend Kris Kristofferson

Date: October 2019

The Occasion: After a difficult year, during which he saw his hoped for Macquarie Media sale hopes swindle from $100 million to around $80 mill, larrikin adman turned businessman and restaurateur Singleton moved into new territory when he pulled out his cheque book and enticed American country music legend Kris Kristofferson to perform at his new Central Coast restaurant, Saddles. Earlier in the year Saddles picked up a coveted award in Condé Nast Traveler magazine Most Beautiful Restaurants In The World gongs, so he had a couple of thing to celebrate. “Singo”, who spends most of his time at his Mt White stud these days, was in need of a posh canteen at which to entertain business associates travelling to him. As a sort of unofficial opening, he splashed some money around in October and invited his best mates to his rustic themed but comfortably decked out eatery.

The Clientele: Harvey Norman/Domayne owners Gerry Harvey and Katie Page, Hungry Jacks’ billionaire Jack Cowin, veteran league star Tom Raudonikis, Olympian Dawn Fraser, broadcaster Ray Hadley and media executives treated to a raspy set of 83-year-old Kristofferson’s hits including Me and Bobby McGee over a Monday lunch






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