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You’d be forgiven for thinking you’ve been seeing the name of Bruce McWilliam everywhere in recent weeks.
Because it’s true: the former right-hand man to Kerry Stokes has been in the news after he quietly built a significant stake in the new owner of the Perth billionaire’s beloved Seven media assets this year, with a bit of financial support from Australia’s richest person, Gina Rinehart.
But McWilliam is also a prolific property investor. Crucially, he’s the co-owner of a shopfront on Oxford Street, Paddington, with cattle baron Theo Onisforou, who is leading the charge against a nine-storey development at 160 Oxford Street.
So we were hardly surprised to see McWilliam’s name pop up among the swarm of objections lodged with the NSW government’s Department of Planning over the proposed development. The text-happy lawyer’s submission, written with his signature prose, made for fun reading.
“Despite the threats upon its commercial viability over the last 50 years, including from, 1. Westfield Bondi Junction, 2. Westfield CBD, 3. Online retail, Oxford Street has survived and is in fact thriving!” McWilliam wrote in his objection. “OXFORD STREET IS HOWEVER FRAGILE. Imposing A NINE STOREY TOWER ON THE STREET IS A MAJOR THREAT.”
At issue is the development proposed by Nick Couloumbis′ boutique development firm, Toohey Miller, which, if approved, would stand opposite Paddington’s Victoria Barracks.
The department website lists some 20 pages of submissions about the proposal, the bulk of them objections. But few have been as outspoken as Onisforou, who owns Paddington’s luxury shopping strip The Intersection.
Onisforou fronted residents during a meeting at The Village Inn in Paddington late last month, standing alongside state MP for Sydney Alex Greenwich. In his speech, Onisforou branded Premier Chris Minns “the reverse Robin Hood” – the wealthy man’s “best friend” – and called on him to amend the state housing reforms that opened the door to the proposal.
When reached on Thursday, Onisforou invoked the legacy of communist, trade unionist and environmentalist Jack Mundey. Mundey was known for his role in the 1970s green bans by which the Builders Labourers Federation boycotted development work at the request of residents’ groups, including on Victoria Street, Potts Point.
McWilliam, Onisforou and … unions? Talk about unlikely alliances.
Private equity boss ‘crashes into five cars’
It’s not often these days we see someone with the profile of Joel Thickins, the Australia country head of the private equity giant TPG Capital, get caught up with the long arm of the law.
But such was the case this week when police attended the site of a car crash in Sydney’s eastern suburbs on Monday, where Thickins allegedly crashed his BMW into a Mazda before allegedly crashing into another four parked cars on York Road in Queens Park. Whoops.
What’s more, Thickins allegedly refused a roadside breath test. The high-profile private equity boss, who also acts as the co-head of TPG’s Asia operation, was arrested and taken to Paddington police station for a breath analysis, NSW Police told CBD in a statement. Thickins also allegedly refused the station breathalyser.
“He was given a court attendance notice for negligent driving and refuse or fail to submit to breath analysis,” police said in the statement. Thickins will appear before Waverley Local Court on June 30.
No word on whether he’ll continue to show up to work in the weeks leading up to his court appearance. TPG declined to comment.
Last supper for Richard Goyder
AFL commissioners past and present have gathered in the pricey South Yarra subterranean dining room for a private farewell to outgoing chairman Richard Goyder.
The last supper – or rather elevated modern Japanese experience – at upmarket restaurant Yugen Dining in the bowels of Melbourne’s Capitol Grand building on Wednesday evening was attended by a powerful mix of current and former members of the AFL commission and executive.
While CBD’s invite got lost in the mail, we hear the guest list was still pretty decent.
Former AFL chair Mike Fitzpatrick was there, as was newly appointed league chairman Craig Drummond. Former governor of Victoria, ex-AFL commissioner and current deputy chair of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation Linda Dessau was present, as was Victoria Racing Club chief executive Kylie Rogers, Australian Grand Prix Corporation chief executive Travis Auld, Mr Melbourne Eddie McGuire and Tabcorp chief executive (and former AFL chief executive) Gillon McLachlan.
Also in the room were AFL chief executive Andrew Dillion and Tom Harley, the league’s chief operating officer, along with footy and business identities Colin Carter, Dr Sonja Hood, Paul Bassat, Brian Walsh, Laura Kane, Greg Swann and Jay Allen. It was quite the network.
John Buckley is a CBD columnist for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.Connect via email.
Fiona Byrne is the CBD columnist for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via email.From our partners
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