Scots old boys party at Justin Hemmes’ Ivy with a blow-in from Punchbowl High

The Scots Old Boys Union convened for their annual luncheon last Friday, held at the Ivy Ballroom with due thanks to hospitality king and alumnus Justin Hemmes (class of ’89).

For $170, guests gobbled up a two-course meal, drank from a free-flowing beverage pack and had a shot of whisky with haggis. No dessert, though, but at a four-hour liquid lunch, who has room for sweets?

It’s not often you will see Old Boys letting someone from western Sydney into their inner circle, but they made an exception for legendary Test bowler Jeff Thomson. The Punchbowl High School alum and cricketer turned public speaker commanded the crowd, interviewed by Daily Telegraph editor Ben English (class of ’86). Sources tell us Thomson was his usual “unfiltered self”, offering a “glimpse of the old days”, with one source telling us “maybe he shouldn’t be speaking in public”.

This love of the old days and tradition was in full force as principal Ian Lambert made it clear the Bellevue Hill private boys’ school which charges fees of $51,000 a year “won’t be going co-ed any time soon”.

CBD insiders tell us Hemmes gives the Old Boys a “fair bit of leeway” when it comes to their annual shindig, although he forbade guests access to the venue’s famed pool area (possibly not enough lifeguards on hand). And those assembled were ushered out of the event by 4pm, loaded into buses destined for Scots waterhole of choice – the Royal Oak in Double Bay.

Socialites spend big for children’s music

It was a busy day at the Ivy, as later that same night the who’s who of Sydney’s music industry, politicians and socialites flocked to the same ballroom for the Australian Children’s Music Foundation annual charity ball and auction. Up for grabs was a four-hour cruise worth $20,000 on the superyacht Quantum, used by Taylor Swift during her Sydney leg of The Eras Tour.

The “unparalleled level of opulence” promised on the ship made it a hotly contested item, with luxury eyebrow and lash company Browco Brow & Lash Bar CEO Kylie Elms chucking thousands to secure her place. Alas, it was not to be – she failed to meet the reserve. We can’t all live like Taylor Swift.

Head of Sony Publishing Damian Trotter, who signed hundreds of artists, made his favourite band clear when he bid $7000 for a signed Oasis guitar. President of the Legislative Council Ben Franklin walked away happy after winning a “wine lovers’ delight” Hunter Valley experience for $1000 – what pollie doesn’t love a good glass of wine?

Fake news on brumby campaign

Fake news alert! There are few issues that get people as riled up as the continuing angst over brumbies.

NSW and Victorian authorities are aiming for total eradication of the feral horses, to the distress of brumby supporters.

Now the issue has managed to ensnare Federal Education Minister Jason Clare, whose western Sydney electorate is sandwiched between Parramatta and Liverpool in Sydney’s west. Hardly Man from Snowy River territory.

But that didn’t stop a pro-brumby education campaign being trotted out to schools – with Clare apparently front and centre. The free teaching resource, called Voices for Brumbies – Kids Who Care, was electronically distributed to thousands of primary schools.

The pack opens with a glowing letter, and is filled with testimonials from not only Clare, who apparently congratulated the “civic education resource”, but also Queensland Minister for Education and the Arts John-Paul Langbroek.

Voices for Brumbies is on a mission to convert children into brumby supporters, designing a 22-page education pack complete with lesson plans, student activities and a storybook. A free lesson plan? What stretched teacher wouldn’t be interested!

Voices for Brumbies sent the pack to more than 2000 schools. According to group creator Nicole Rawlings, at least one NSW school has shown interest – but Invasive Species Council CEO Jack Gough slammed the campaign as a “transparent attempt to indoctrinate children with misinformation that undermines protection of native animals”.

The endorsement by Clare was news to him: his puzzled media team told CBD the quote was incorrectly attributed to the minister. Turns out the group had taken a generic reply from a federal Education Department staffer thanking them for their interest in civics education, and spun it into a glowing endorsement.

The endorsement also caught Langbroek’s team off guard. After some digging, they revealed the Queensland Department of Education had indeed sent a letter back to the brumby group … but Voices for Brumbies conveniently chose to omit the line stating “the department does not endorse resources or books for use in Queensland state school.”

Talk about creative editing.

Rawlings said the response from Clare’s office had a “positive tone”.

Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.