Vile Words Fill Streets Of Woollahra

Sydney Morning Herald

Wednesday December 6, 2006

Michael Evans

Michael Evans even allows a few to creep in hereunder.

THE genteel citizenry of Woollahra are again having problems loving their well-to-do neighbours.

A development application in Bathurst Street, objected to by resident Henry Feiner, who is an architect at Harry Seidler & Associates, came before Woollahra Council's planning committee on Monday night.

Feiner put his objections but the DA was approved.

Feiner disagreed and wrote to the councillors from his ward, Andrew Petrie and David Shoebridge.

"As our representatives in Cooper Ward, you should both be ashamed of your performances last night in approving the DA for 44 Bathurst Street," Feiner began.

"To witness the understanding and support for heritage issues displayed by councillors Tanya Excell and Geoff Rundle compared to your dithering cowardice, makes us all regret that you both represent our Heritage Conservation Area.

"To think that it is within your power to preserve for all future generations, the heritage that is only loaned [sic] to us ... and to see you both waste that power, diminishes the value of your existences.

"May you both be forgotten quickly when you exit this life.

"Regards, Henry Feiner."

Petrie, who nearly died recently after weight reduction surgery went horribly wrong, wasn't impressed and fired off a response to Feiner copying to other councillors.

"Your comments are offensive and wrong," Petrie began, adding that "when it comes to cowardice, you would feature highly".

Petrie said that in his 16 years on council he had considered hundreds of DAs and "very few" applicants and objectors "have behaved as badly as you".

"You have managed to put yourself in a class of offensive behaviour way above the rest of Woollahra residents and given you are an architect who should know the process, your rudeness is breathtaking."

When we reached Petrie he said he would lodge a complaint with planning minister Michael Costa.

Not quite Ramsay Street.

Hector's love potion

Cemex's numero dos hombre Hector "Funky Cold" Medina flew into town yesterday to woo Rinker investors.

Funky, who apparently is anything but, met the deal's king-makers, Perpetual Investments, represented by Charlie Lanchester, Matt Williams and John Sevior, and there are further investor meetings today.

None as yet with Rinker.

Maybe Hector needs a dose of the love potion from the Tone Loc hit Funky Cold Medina from a few years back.

The song deals with the adventures of one Tone Loc who gets a tonic called Funky Cold Medina from his homies. (Hombres?)

He first tests the potion on his dog (chihuahua?), who immediately latches on to his leg and, er, launches a hostile takeover.

The potion had unexpected effects: first he attracts a transvestite, then a woman intent on marriage from the very first date.

Whatever it takes to get a deal across the line.

Black Hole Gang

Hope Multiplex boss Andrew Roberts is up to date with the yoof music scene.

Wembley Stadium was originally due be opened with an FA Cup final.

Then Robbie Williams was due to do his thing.

A few delays and blowouts later, the Rolling Stones were forced to reschedule their planned performance.

Now it looks like a band called Muse is going to christen the stadium.

Quite appropriate, actually. Maybe they can dedicate a few tunes from their album Absolution to Multiplex.

And if they don't appeal to Roberts, he might find some comfort on the blowouts from Muse's aptly named album Black Holes and Revelations.

The single, for example, might bring back a few memories: Supermassive Black Hole.

Soccer would've been easier.

Tri-nations triumph

Corporate adviser Caliburn Partners is celebrating something of a Tri-Nations triumph.

After advising South African retailer Edgars Consolidated on its attempts to win the Myer department stores, Caliburn has scored a mandate from EdCon on its home territory.

EdCon has been targeted by a private equity consortium featuring a few familiar names: Blackstone Group, Bain Capital and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts.

The mandate will no doubt get up the noses of Seth Efrican rugger-bugger retirement village Investec and locals RMB.

Caliburn's had a few retail mandates of late including one in New Zealand advising Stephen Tyndall on the attempted Warehouse privatisation bid and Flight Centre back here.

No show, your honour

Those in adland eagerly awaiting the appearance of Anthony Heraghty at a marketing summit in Sydney yesterday were left disappointed.

Apart from being the new marketing director of Foster's, Heraghty is also one of several parties being taken to court by his ex-employer, which just happens to be his own advertising agency, George Patterson Y&R.

Before jumping ship Heraghty ran the Melbourne office of Patts, producer of, inter alia, the hugely successful Big Ad for Foster's brand Carlton Draught.

In a statement of claim lodged with the Federal Court late last month, Patts alleged the private equity firm, Pacific Equity Partners, paid Heraghty and James McGrath, the two most senior executives in Patt's Melbourne office, $750,000 to stay with the agency for a year after the agency's sale to Y&R.

PEP sold its 70 per cent shareholding in the Patts's holding company, The Communications Group, to WPP in late August 2005 for $80 million.

Little wonder that Heraghty decided to stay at home in Melbourne. It is doubtful that he will make an appearance next Friday when the case is heard in court here in Sydney. Heraghty's office at Foster's said he had made a commitment while still at Patts and "just couldn't make the time available".

© 2006 Sydney Morning Herald

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