Senior business women Jillian Broadbent,Wendy McCarthy and Nicolette Rubinsztein back Allegra Spender (second from the left) as she kicks off her campaign to stand as an independent in federal electorate of Wentworth.

Senior business women Jillian Broadbent,Wendy McCarthy and Nicolette Rubinsztein back Allegra Spender (second from the left) as she kicks off her campaign to stand as an independent in federal electorate of Wentworth.Credit:Jessica Hromas

Wentworth Independents,the group set up by philanthropist and organiserLyndell Drogato find an independent to run against Liberal incumbentDave Sharma,had already raised $200,000 before they announced their woman.

Sharma holds the seat on a teensy 1.3 per cent margin after winning it back from independentKerryn Phelps at the last election.

Spender,the Cambridge-educated daughter of designerCarla Zampatti,and Liberal blue-bloodJohn Spender,has since been given over double that on the strength of her name.

The campaign coffers are fat with “a bit above half a million”,according to our source.

There has been one formal fundraising event,at a well-heeled Eastern suburbs home,and about 100 people have donated via the campaign website.

The campaign already has a funding-matching arrangement for some money with Climate200,the cashed-up not-for-profit run bySimon Holmes a Court.

Expect more money to roll in,with Liberal HQ quaking at the thought of the resources it will have to redirect to this once-blue-ribbon seat. Spender’s campaign reckons they will need about a million dollars to knock Sharma off.

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Perhaps it’s a do-able target ifSimon Holmes a Court’sClimate 200 initiative as any indicator. As CBD revealed,Milgrom’s three children – includingAdam Milgrom,40,Rebecca Milgrom,34,andJake Milgrom-Marabel,28 –decided earlier this month to donate $500,000to the climate focused political fundraiser.

They have also called on the public to match their donation with Milgrom herself saying:’The time has passed where climate change is an opportunity for points-scoring between the major political parties.” Clearly there are more than a few in Wentworth singing the same song.

HIGH NOTE

Just days after the bombshell departure of Sydney Symphony’s chief executiveEmma Dunch,the orchestra’s board has wasted no time finding a replacement.

Craig Whitehead,who until recently led the Queensland Symphony Orchestra,has been named interim CEO. In his own words,Whitehead rebuilt a relationship between management and the Queensland orchestra that had been “disrespectful,distrustful,and combative” - which may be what is needed if the SSO wasnot one big happy family.

The SSO board doesn’t seem to be in a rush to make a permanent appointment,saying only that they will be conducting an international search in 2022. It’s a big year for the SSO,as board chairmanGeoff Wilson notes. Not only is it the 90th anniversary,butSimone Young will make her debut as the Orchestra’s Chief Conductor on July 20. To mark the occasion,Young will conduct five performances of Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony,and the world premiere of a commissioned work by Australian First Nations composerWilliam Barton.

Dunch skidded out of the SSO Friday,claiming she was the victimof a political hit job. She is yet to make a complaint to the Independent Commission Against Corruption.

END OF THE SPECTRUM

The independents are also gathering in numbers for a collegiate chat,with the Women for Australia group hosting an online panel with independent federal election candidates. It will feature suchZali Steggall wannabes asGeorgia Steelerunning in the seat of Hughes againstCraig Kelly,former ABC journalistZoe Danielwho is taking onTim Wilsonin Goldstein andKim Rubenstein,an independent candidate for the ACT Senate.

Also in the lineup is Jo Dyer,a friend of a woman who took her own life last year after accusing former cabinet ministerChristian Porterof a 1988 rape. He denies the allegation. Dyer is standing as an independent for the federal South Australian seat of Boothby,which is being vacated by government MPNicolle Flint. Dyer’s Twitter account carries the following funding appeal:“Also,please give me money - every cent is another bead of Govt sweat.”

ONLY IN SYDNEY

But it’s the season for diary clashes. While the Sydney Institute bash headlined by Prime MinisterScott Morrisonstood up as Monday’s hot ticket,an online event taking place at the same time managed to steal some eyeballs.

Shortly after the PM stood up to address the crowd,broadcast veteranAlan Jones stood up online to air the first episode of his new talk show,Direct to the People.

Scott Morrison and Alan Jones

Scott Morrison and Alan JonesCredit:Matt Golding

In a room with no shortage of Sky After Dark fans and heck,a table full of Jones’ former Sky colleagues including chief executivePaul Whittaker,CBD spied a handful of screens tuning into watchthe former 2GB host going it alone as the sole broadcaster put to air - sorry,the internet - by the newly created Australian Digital Holdings.

But alas and alack,a glitch took out Jones’ show just minutes into its broadcast. Cue dark conspiracy theories from fans about the forces attempting to silence the Great One. But they were not shared by Jones’ team.

“It took us 15 minutes to fix issues and the program was therefore aired at 8.30pm on the dot,” producerJake Thrupptold CBD. “Teething issues but not the end of the world.”

The show’s inaugural guests included PremierDominic Perrottetand coal loving Liberal National SenatorMatt Canavan. The show went off without a hitch the second time around - which is heartening for Tuesday night’s double header including NSW upper house MPMark LathamandPeggy Grande-Ronald Reagan’spost-presidency executive assistant and Jones’ own US correspondent.

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