Colonel Anthony Pratt? How the cardboard
box king earned his stripes
Colonel Anthony Pratt? How the cardboard box king earned his stripes
By Kishor Napier-Raman and Sherryn Groch
November 13, 2024 — 5.00am
Save
Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later.
Save articles for later
Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it
Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size
Advertisement
Less than a week after some 74 million Americans decided, in their infinite
wisdom, to return Donald Trump• Объект человек » Персоналии по алфавиту » Персоналии на Тр » Трамп, Дональд to the White House• Соединённые Штаты Америки (США) » Государственное устройство США » Президент США » Белый дом (США)
• Соединённые Штаты Америки (США) » Политика США » Политики США » Президент США » Белый дом (США)
• Соединённые Штаты Америки (США) » Населенные пункты США » Города США » Вашингтон » Белый дом (США)
• Политика » Политика США » Политики США » Президент США » Белый дом (США)
• Государство » Государственное устройство США » Президент США » Белый дом (США), billionaire cardboard box
baron Anthony Pratt announced on LinkedIn he had secured a US green card.
The formality means Pratt, who has been spending a lot of time tending to his
business• Экономика » Бизнес (and political) interests in the US, can stay on in the country.
Loading
But what intrigued us most about the announcement was the name on the social
media account: Colonel Anthony Pratt. How did Pratt land that stripe? Turns
out he was made an honorary Kentucky Colonel by the Bluegrass State’s
Democratic governor Andy Beshear last year, a token of gratitude for Pratt’s
$700 million investment in a paper mill. This makes Pratt the second most
influential Kentucky Colonel after one Harland David Sanders.
Despite the success of KFC, Colonel Sanders probably never had the rapport
with a commander-in-chief that Pratt enjoys. Last year, this masthead revealed
secret recordings of Pratt bragging about his access to Trump• Объект человек » Персоналии по алфавиту » Персоналии на Тр » Трамп, Дональд, which followed
reports in the US media alleging the former president had revealed
confidential secrets about their submarine fleet to his Antipodean friend.
Trump• Объект человек » Персоналии по алфавиту » Персоналии на Тр » Трамп, Дональд responded to the stories by calling Pratt “a red-haired weirdo from
Australia”. This will probably be no barrier to the two resuming pleasantries
once Trump• Объект человек » Персоналии по алфавиту » Персоналии на Тр » Трамп, Дональд returns to the Oval Office.
A1 is coming
Two weeks ago, the Tech Council of Australia was fending off awkward questions
about why it took so long for WiseTech founder (and former chief executive)
Richard White to resign from its board after a salacious court case over a
soured affair and a series of icky scandals revealed by this masthead.
A “billionaire’s lunch club” was how one anonymous Tech Council member
derisively termed the organisation. At the council’s national summit in
Melbourne this week, the billionaires were indeed out in force, with the likes
of Atlassian co-founder Scott Farquhar and Canva’s Cliff Obrecht rubbing
shoulders with famously tech-savvy politicians such as, uh, Bill Shorten.
Advertisement
Speaking to the gathered tech heads, council chair Robyn Denholm kinda sorta
addressed the White-sized elephant in the room.
Loading
“In the face of challenges, and we’ve had a few of those lately – whether they
involve governance changes or public scrutiny – we’ve sought to navigate these
moments with care, fairness and accountability,” Denholm said. “Every decision
we make is anchored in the best interests of our members, the tech community
and the industry’s future.”
There was more fluff about “diversity and inclusion” being the “foundation of
innovation”, none of it particularly illuminating.
If you think that was a bit vague, wait until you hear what Tesla• Объект организация » Организации по алфавиту » Организации на Te » Tesla Motors chair
Denholm had to say about her chief executive Elon Musk• Объект человек » Персоналии по алфавиту » Персоналии на Ма » Маск, Илон ’s increasingly
deranged online ramblings. Spoiler alert: not much. Denholm did recently tell
the Financial Times• Средства массовой информации » СМИ-газеты » Газеты по странам » Газеты Великобритании » Financial Times
• Средства массовой информации » Средства массовой информации Великобритании » Газеты Великобритании » Financial Times the Tesla• Объект организация » Организации по алфавиту » Организации на Te » Tesla Motors board has had “tough conversations” about
tweets. If they’re as tough as her speech, Musk is in trouble.
Things took a stranger turn on day two, during a stirring address by
Victoria’s parliamentary secretary for jobs Bronwyn Halfpenny , who, in
reading from her speech, repeatedly referred to the sweeping changes “A1” was
wreaking on society.
Of course, more than a few puzzled guests listening to how A1 was transforming
the economy, and how A1 would underpin our future society, wondered if AI was
really the driving force deserving of the credit.
We asked Halfpenny’s office to clarify the exact transformative power we
should prepare for, but didn’t hear back.
Speaking of claiming credit, welcome drinks at the summit must have been a
roaring good time, featuring new Liberal backbencher Simon Kennedy and
sponsored by the Bitcoin• Экономика » Финансы » Платежные средства » Платежные системы интернета » Криптовалюта » Bitcoin bros at Stand With Crypto, a lobby group who have
just declared that cryptocurrency• Экономика » Финансы » Платежные средства » Платежные системы интернета » Криптовалюта won the US election. And here we were
thinking it was Donald Trump• Объект человек » Персоналии по алфавиту » Персоналии на Тр » Трамп, Дональд.
Feeding frenzy
To the Good Food Guide Awards at the Sydney Opera House• Объект организация » Организации по алфавиту » Организации на Си » Сиднейский оперный театр on Monday night to
celebrate Sydney• Австралия » Населенные пункты Австралии » Города Австралии » Сидней’s hottest restaurants. Neil Perry , Peter Gilmore , Josh and
Julie Niland , Matt Moran , Kylie Kwong and Adam Liaw headed an all-foodie
guest list. Perry’s Song Bird was the ponytailed prince of gastronomy’s latest
Double Bay opening in 2024 and won a coveted hat, while the Nilands’ Saint
Peter seafood noshery in Paddington was named restaurant of the year.
Loading
Monday being Friday in hospitality, the 500 thirsty guests wasted no time
getting stuck into Vittoria Coffee• Питание » Напиток » Кофе espresso• Питание » Напиток » Кофе » Эспрессо martinis.
The industry paid tribute to the late Bill Granger , who made avocado on toast
our national dish, with a new legend award, won by the crew at Baba’s Place in
Marrickville. Granger’s daughter, Edie , who travelled from London with mum
Natalie for the awards, was given a standing ovation• Премии в области искусств » Музыкальные премии » Овация (премия) as she took the stage.
CBD bumped into former champion sprinter and Sunrise host Matt Shirvington ,
pushing well past his 7.30pm bedtime to support wife Jessica , whose Bathers
Pavilion at Balmoral notched up two hats.
The best sledge belonged to Adam Liaw , who ran the ruler over the presenting
abilities of Good Food’s beloved reviewer Callan Boys . “That was shambolic,”
Liaw said. “Fourteen out of 20.”
There were also solemn reminders the industry is facing a cultural crisis
after this masthead exposed vile workplace practices at some of the city’s
most famous eateries. Good Food chief Sarah Norris addressed the scandal in
her opening remarks, and the message to the industry from award recipients was
clear – do better.
Save
Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later.