Regular readers will no doubt recall that CBD brought word last month that Tony Abbott would be the star attraction at a Liberal Party fundraiser headlined “Bling it on” in the NSW electorate of East Hills.
And boy, the former prime minister did not disappoint. Last Thursday evening, Abbott gave Linda Hurley, the warbling wife of former governor-general David Hurley, a run for her money when he took the mic at The Grand Vaudeville and offered guests a special performance of the song Green, Green Grass of Home popularised by Tom Jones.
Abbott, singing in the coldly lit room with chandeliers overhead, even changed the lyrics to accommodate the name of the electorate. None of which we knew, until a video of the performance posted to social media made its way to our desk on Monday.
“Hair of gold and lips like cherries. It’s good to touch the East East Hills of Home,” Abbott sang, before cutting himself off.
“I’ll spare you the rest. Look, it’s wonderful to be here at this celebration of the contribution of Wendy Lindsay to this community, it’s wonderful to be here amongst members, friends, and supporters of the Liberal Party.”
The cameo was the latest in a string of Liberal appearances since Abbott took over as Liberal Party president this year.
Just a few days earlier, he was scheduled to appear at CWA Hall in Nowra for a visit organised by the Gilmore FEC, and on Tuesday he was billed as the headline act at Zilver, a Chinese restaurant in Chatswood. Next month, Abbott is scheduled to appear in conversation with Outsiders host Rowan Dean at Roseville Golf Club.
When we reached the former leader to ask which Green, Green Grass of Home cover was his favourite, he was happy to spill the details.
“I’ve had the Tom Jones version on my Spotify playlist for ages. I like it because it’s something you don’t need much vocal range to sing!” Abbott told CBD in a text message. “Not that I’m much good even with an unchallenging song!!”
An evening with Richard Marles
Members of the Albanese government may not wear clothes produced by their donors – or, at least not that we’re aware of – but that doesn’t mean the Australian Labor Party isn’t above selling access to its most senior ministers.
The latest Albanese government minister to be wheeled out by the party’s Federal Labor Business Forum is Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, whom executives and lobbyists will get the ear of on September 16 for the bargain-basement price of $4000 a head. Members of the Labor Party’s pay-for-access scheme get a tidy $1000 discount.
The Labor Party’s business forum events and the Liberal Party’s equivalents have long been a source of discomfort here at CBD, given how little we know about who gets access to ministers and how much they shell out for the pleasure until long after the fact. (One estimate reported by The Australian Financial Review priced subscriptions to the forum at between $33,000 and $121,000 a year.)
Best we understand, though, that is set to change from January 1, when the Albanese government’s new electoral law reforms are due to take effect, forcing greater and more timely disclosure around fundraising activities and political donations.
The reforms are set to include a $50,000 cap on gifts and reduce the disclosure threshold from about $17,300 to $5000, and are expected to capture fundraising activities.
“These once-in-a-generation reforms included significantly increasing transparency in our elections by lowering the threshold for public reporting of donations and increasing the frequency of reporting,” a government spokesman told CBD.
But our guess is Marles will be far from the last minister to offer himself and his office for the benefit of his party’s coffers.
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