Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, October 24, 2012 - Page 13
www.MelbourneObserver.com.au
Confidential Melbourne
Talk is cheap, gossip is priceless
‘Looking so hot’
Bitch Melbourne’s Secrets
Julian Assange lookalike
● Katut (Kadek Mahardika)
LEGAL CLAIM THROWN OUT
■ Fima Pekar’s claim to have $6303 legal costs refunded from Rickards Legal has been rejected by Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal Senior Member Jonathan Smithers. Pekar took his claim to VCAT after being involved in numerous legal proceedings against a building manager. Pekar paid the $6303 costs bill rendered by Rickards, but then sought to have the money refunded because he felt there had been no real progress in the case. Pekar contended he should not have to pay because no results were
● Julian Assange with Suzanne Carbone? No, it’s Melbourne man John Parker ■ Whilst controversial WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is holed up in the Ecador embassy in London, he has a lookalike in Melbourne. Theatrical and food industry identity John Parker is being frequently mistaken for Australian journalist Assange. The double-glances have taken place at a number of locations including Eddie McGuire’s media anniversary lunch this month in St Kilda. At the weekend, Parker was sighted on the golf course at Barwon Heads. His club swings had fellow golfers taking a second look. Parker, proprietor of Format Furniture in Melbourne, is often seen as a regular companion of high-profile Postcode 3000 columnist, Suzanne Carbone, of The Age.
■ The actor who plays Katut in the AAMI television commercials works as a part-time forklift driver. Kadek Mahardika has become a cult personality since the TV ads show him with ‘Rhonda’ (Mandy McElhinney). The couple are expected to make public appearances at the Spring Racing Carnival at Flemington. Mahardika now has a personal manager, former AFL player, Ricky Olerenshaw. One Facebook page, ‘The sexual tension between Katut and Rhonda’, has registered more than 113,000 ‘likes’.
achieved. He further contended that he had been defrauded by his former solictors, VCAT was told. Pekar has brought nine legal proceedings against Gough Partners Pty Ltd since 2008. The proceedings have been in the Magistrates’Court, VCAT and the Supreme Court. Pekar terminated Rickards Legal’s retainer in the matter in
FALSE PASSPORT BID BUSTED ■ A Victorian teacher has been legally able to continue working, despite pleading guilty to four indictable offences relating to false passports. The man has said he was inspired from Frederick Forsyth’s The Day Of The Jackal to emulate one of the ruses in the book. The Victorian Institute of Teaching heard that the teacher appeared at Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court to face charges of making a false statement to obtain a passport, using an Australian passport issued to another person, and obtaining an Australian travel document dishonesty. The school principal where the man worked reported the charges to education authorities. The man graduated from Monash University, taught science at a secondary school, and had been involved at a boys’ school where there were 26 boys aged 12-17. His false passport renewal attempts were detected because of developments in photo technology. The Vice-Principal gave evidence that the behaviour was out of character for the man who was valued as a staff member. The Instutute panel, chaired by Terry Hayes, and also comprising Anna Farrelly and Paul Wilhelm, sitting earlier this year, said the illegal acts conducted over 20 years were not of a “continuing and persistent nature”. The man had an excellent reputation as a teacher, was remoreseful, and had access to counselling. He should be regarded as fit to teach and remain registered, the Panel found.
Changes at Ten Network ■ Programming executive David Castran quit the Ten Network ahead of yesterday’s 2103 launch. Irish-born Beverley McGarvey has been named as the new Chief Programming Officer. ● Julian Assange in London
July last year. At that stage he had paid $4500 of the $6303 bill. Pekar claimed the advice he received was wrong, his instructions were not followed, there was a failure to provide ongoing disclosure, and the service that he received was of no value at all. Mr Smithers said it was not a ‘no win, no fee’ agreement. Pekar’s contract with Rickards required that he pay their fees regardless of the outcome achieved. Mr Smithers said he rejected the contention that Pekar’s instructions were simple and consistent all the way through.
Rumour Mill
Whispers
Old Xavs
● Sam McClure ■ Xavier College is well represented at radio station 3AW. Sam McClure, who is studying his final year of communications at Melbourne University, joined the newsroom last year on general and sports rounds. He was Xavier ViceCaptain in 2009. Station manager Shane Healy (not tobe confused with his cousin Gerard Healy) joined the Xavier School Council in June. He holds a Masters in Educational Administration. Also at 3AW, Philip Brady attended Xavier from prep in the 1940s to the mid-1950s.
$100,000 Hear It Here First
Catriona Rowntree axed ■ Catriona Rowntree has been this week dumped from the Nine Network’s Getaway program. Rowntree, now the wife of a Geelong district sheep farmer, has been working at developing an income from the fashion side of the wool industry.
Bad recovery by PR co.
■ Media publicist Lauren Lazarus has been responsible for one of the worst campaigns this year. Lauren sent out e-mails to Melbourne journalists, in a bid to gain free space for her client, Melbourne physiotherapist Cameron Smith of Recovre. Lauren headed her e-mail: "What's it like to have the same name as someone famous?" But the news people’s names were wrong. In the case of Melbourne Observer Editor Ash Long, she sent the e-mail to ‘Anthony’. We wonder if Recovre will pay.
E-Mail: Confidential@MelbourneObserver.com.au
● Krystal Fraser ■ A $100,000 reward has been announced to establish the identity of the person responsible for the death of Krystal Fraser, who disappeared from her home in Pyramid Hill in June 2009. Dannye Moloney, Asistant Commissioner of Police, says the Director of Public Prosecutions will consider, according to established guidelines, the granting of indemnification from prosecution to any person who provides information as to the identity of the principal offender or offenders in this matter. Phone Crime Stoppers on 1-800 333 000.