The politicians, leaders who fronted for McGrath high tea – and the notable absentees

Over the past two decades, Australian prime ministers have become reliable guests of the McGrath Foundation’s high tea, the high-powered annual fundraiser on day three of the Pink Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground. But Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was one of two glaring omissions from those who showed at Tuesday’s function.

Albanese, along with his Communications and Sport Minister Anika Wells, steered clear of the SCG amid mounting pressure on Labor to launch a federal inquiry into last month’s Bondi Beach terror attack. Instead, Albanese travelled to flood-ravaged Far North Queensland.

The Prime Minister’s Office declined to comment on his absence. Wells didn’t even respond to requests for comment about her absence.

Albanese would not have had to look far for a reason to avoid the SCG on Tuesday. He only had to think back to the immeasurable failure of his predecessor, Scott Morrison, to read the mood of the nation in 2020, as large sections of the community were engulfed in flames.

The absence of the federal sports minister is a little more intriguing. It was only weeks before the Bondi massacre that Wells was at the centre of a rolling expenses scandal that showed no signs of abating after she failed to properly explain why she billed taxpayers almost $100,000 for flights to New York for last year’s UN General Assembly.

Flying the pink flag

In place of Albanese and Wells, federal Health Minister Mark Butler showed up on behalf of the government, along federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley. They were joined by Governor-General Sam Mostyn and NSW governor Margaret Beazley, among other notables and players’ partners.

Ley and Mostyn were perched at the ground early during the first session, courtesy of Cricket Australia. In the Cricket NSW box next door, hosted by John Knox – the former Credit Suisse executive and husband of failed Wentworth Liberal candidate Ro Knox – sat alongside a string of other influentials and aspirants.

Among them were former prime minister and cricket tragic John Howard, NSW Labor MPs Jo Haylen and Julia Finn, and former Australian opener Shane Watson. On the menu for lunch was a humble cucumber salad and kingfish crudo to start, followed by a beef tenderloin and Murray cod.

Over in the Sheridan suite on the other side of the ground, a string of notables started to trickle in before lunch. Former NSW premiers Barry O’Farrell and Morris Iemma got there early, as did former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and his wife, Lucy Turnbull. Also perched in the box was former ABC chairman Maurice Newman, better known these days for his backing of Australian Digital Holdings, which last year held talks with Nine Entertainment, owner of this masthead, over a possible tilt at the company’s radio assets, which include 2GB.

All for charity

Closer to lunch, an assortment of 490 guests began to file into Allianz Stadium next door for the McGrath Foundation high tea, where chairman John Conde, CEO Holly Masters and her successor in waiting, Ryan Barlow, played host.

Chris Minns’ opposite number NSW Liberal leader Kellie Sloane showed. Ley, looking cautious to create space between her and her Labor counterparts, showed up as expected, as did Butler and Beazley.

Mostyn arrived among the last of the guests, possibly delayed by the 100-metre drive from the SCG to Allianz, but she was flanked by Glenn McGrath himself.

Dotted around two tables at the front of the packed room were South Australian Liberal Senator Anne Ruston and her chief of staff Sheradyn Holderhead.

Labor MP Dan Repacholi and his wife, Alex Repacholi also made it down, joined by Department of Health Secretary Blair Comley, who rounded out the government entourage.

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