Mix that in with the teal independents’ wowserish attacks on hard solo,and the constant industry grumbles about booze tax hikes falling on deaf ears,and you’ve got a fairly insipid mocktail at best.
Perhaps that explains why Alcohol Beverages Australia,ostensibly an industry peak body,faded from view a little over the last 12 months. Still,we weren’t alone in thinking the group could do a little better in its search for a new executive director,Alistair Coe,one of the numerous former leaders of the largely irrelevant ACT Liberals to have lost an election during Labor’s forever reign in the nation’s capital. He’s set to land the role,pending all the fine print lining up.
The lobby group’s chairGreg Hollandannounced Coe’s appointment in an internal email on Thursday,noting that Coe had been a previous candidate for the executive director role. In other words,he didn’t even land the job on his first go.
Coe led the Canberra Liberals for four years before losing the 2020 ACT elections to the town’s mayor (sorry,chief minister)Andrew Barr. After quitting politics a year later,he wound up,like so many do,in lobbying land. He’s currently been working at DPG Advisory,the shop founded byScott Morrison’sclose political confidanteDavid Gazard.
That firm was most recently the subject of scrutiny when its former lobbyistScott Briggs’leaked messages with ex-home affairs bossMike Pezzulloled to the all-powerful bureaucrat’s demise.
But despite that lobbying experience under his belt,Coe has his work cut out for him – convincing Chalmers to reduce alcohol taxes won’t be an easy task. Even if we reckon it could be an electoral blessing during a cost of living crisis.
EARLY MARK
CBD couldn’t wait for the Easter break. Neither,it seems,could our elected representatives. Thursday was supposed to be a joint sitting day for both houses of parliament. Instead,two weeks ago,Leader of the HouseTony Burke moved that the green chamber not meet the day before Easter,a move which is reflected across the building in the Senate.
Asked about this by journalists the next day,Burke pointed out that regional opposition members had first asked him for the day off,pointing out that getting home could sometimes involve a two-day trek,depending on the availability of flights. For the record,Burke maintained he’d be happy to be in parliament full-time.
Tony Burke has given MPs an early mark for Easter.Shakespeare
“My preference – and I’m probably alone in this building on this – I’d be happy if we sat every day of the year,” he said.
But the minister,whose portfolios include industrial relations,pointed out that his base off Punchbowl was just a three-hour drive from the capital. Others,like Alice Springs-based Northern Territory SenatorJacinta Priceand others in the Nationals’ party room,face a trickier commute,and that’s before we even get into the inevitable Qantas delays.
While CBD wouldn’t want to leave readers thinking that our parliamentarians are a bunch of bludgers (politics can be pretty gruelling) we found it amusing that the House and Senate motions to cancel sittings passed unanimously. Finally something the rabble can agree on!
TREE CHANGE
The interesting times continue to roll for ASX listed financial services outfit Sequoia,reflecting a bumpy little time in the broader sector.
The messy fallout of Sequoia’s $5.1 million acquisition in 2022 of a group that included the sites ShareCafe,Informed Investor and Corporate Connect Research will hit the Victorian Supreme Court next week where the firm is suing former ShareCafe chief executiveTim McGowen for $3.5 million,alleging breaches of the share purchase deed agreed between the parties as in March 2022 as part of the takeover.
Now,McGowen’s successorGarry Crole has survived an attempt to move him on after concern from a major investor in the group – that Crole might no longer be the right person to lead the company – prompted a board meeting last week where his future was discussed.
The net result is that Crole – who declined to comment on Thursday – isn’t going anywhere and sources close to the matter tell us that a powerful argument in the CEO’s favour was the possibility that,were he to be rolled,many of Sequoia’s financial advisers might follow him out the door.
McGowen declined to comment.
FARLEY AWAY
CBD last encountered Sydney Catholic Schools boss Tony Farley hosting a lavish Christmas soiree at Sydney’s Fullerton Hotel.
In news we stress is unrelated,Farley is gone,this week announcing he wouldn’t be seeking another five year term.
While Farley’s supporters point to his successes on the school infrastructure front,he also ruffled a few feathers within the education sector. In particular,his 2021 call for HSC exams to be scrapped and replaced with in-school assessments drew the ire of then education ministerSarah Mitchell.
Farley’s also the first SCS boss not to go for a second term. Make of that what you will.