It was, apparently, a tribute to Barilaro, and then-treasurer Dominic Perrotte‘s efforts in bringing back live shows during year one of the pandemic, with a commemorative plaque noting that the duo “were instrumental in guiding Australian theater out of crisis”.
This week, CBD’s spies brought word that the plaque was nowhere to be seen. So has Barilaro been cancelled? Not, so, according to Foundation Theaters printer Stephen Found, who told us the plaque hasn’t been removed and never would be. hmm.
jen heads west
Western Sydney University has a new chancellor, with veteran Business Council of Australia boss Jennifer Westcott appointed yesterday.
The former KPMG partner, senior public servant, and member of more boards than we care to name succeeds peter shergoldwho moves on after 11 years as chancellor of the institution formerly known as the University of Western Sydney.
Westacott said she was drawn to the role by WSU’s “enduring connections with the diverse and vibrant communities of western Sydney”.
As a hugely influential voice for the big end of town, Westacott is quite a big coup for the sprawling, multi-campus institution known for spending $20 million marketing its change of name, and which has long lived in the shadow of its Group of Eight rivals. She might just have to give up her spot on the UNSW council though!
Meanwhile, don’t expect a changing of the guard at the BCA just yet. Westacott remains chief executive, as she has since 2011. While rumors of her departure from Ella have been circulating for years, who would want to miss the excitement of a new government?
Forgotten Farage
We brought word yesterday that Britain’s “Mr Brexit” Nigel Farage was shaping up as one of the stars at October’s Conservative Political Action Conference, along with various others whose glory days are behind them.
Turns out that right-wing nostalgists don’t have to trek it to the harbor city to catch Farage’s act, after he announced on Wednesday that his solo tour next month will take in Melbourne and Brisbane too.
Now that the former UK Independence Party leader’s greatest triumph – Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union – is both getting old and not looking so flash these days, Farage has found other things to talk about.
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the show, An Entertaining Evening with Nigel Faragepromised audiences insights gained in both the UK and the US, where Farage shared a CPAC platform in February with former president donald trump about how Western Civilization is under threat and how “we” can “believe in who we are as a people once again”.
But there’s more; Farage will also dispense some advice for the conservative political parties who came a cropper in May’s federal election. The diagnosis is not that original – “When conservative parties fail to be conservative, they lose elections” – which might come as news to the Coalition.
Fixer is in
Scott Morrison‘s former principal private secretary Yaron Finkelstein forged a reputation as the Mr Fixit of the Prime Minister’s office during the last government, generally regarded as a force to be reckoned with.
So tongues were set wagging on Wednesday morning when Finkelstein was spotted in the vicinity of Coalition Senate Leader simon birmingham‘s office, raising the question, in the gossipy hot-house on the hill, of whether a comeback to politics was on the cards?
Calm down, Finkelstein advised CBD. He was “just saying hello from the outside world to some people who didn’t make parole”.
Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis from Jacqueline Maley. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter here.