Welcome to The Group Chat with Lucy Manly, where Australia’s most-trusted society insider shares the hottest gossip BEFORE it makes the news
The party’s over as Hemmes signals new direction for Merivale
The big event this week was the famous annual Merivale staff party, where the young, good-looking employees of Justin Hemmes’ hospitality empire cut loose and let their billionaire boss pick up the eye-watering bar tab.
Previous parties have been described as ‘raves’ where bartenders with male-model jawlines and scantily clad bottle girls are transformed into celebrities for the night.
However, similar company shindigs have also been at the centre of controversy.
The 2017 ‘Merivales’ (the name given to the group awards night) featured a video presentation for hundreds of staff of two patrons caught on CCTV having sex in a lift.
The big event this week was the famous annual Merivale staff party (guests pictured)
Previous parties have been described as ‘raves’ where bartenders with male-model jawlines and scantily clad bottle girls are transformed into celebrities for the night
This year’s staff shindig at Hordern Pavilion was apparently tame compared to previous parties
The video came to light last year at a time when Merivale’s allegedly permissive workplace culture was facing serious scrutiny in the press.
But with that messy PR drama behind them, I am able to report this year’s staff party was, er, a bit boring compared to previous years.
‘Fun but tame,’ was one review.
And there were some surprising guests on the red carpet whose presence all but confirmed the rumour Hemmes is determined to shed the company’s ‘loose’ image and – to quote one of my sources – ‘clean up the joint’.
The Big Man was joined by his pregnant girlfriend, model Madeline Holtznagel, as well as his children from his previous relationship with ex Kate Fowler.
The message he was trying to send?
We’re family-friendly now. No funny business.
Probably for the best, really.
Merivale CEO Justin Hemmes set the tone for evening by arriving with his pregnant girlfriend Madeline Holtznagel and his two children
Hemmes wanted to send a message of ‘no funny business’ after months of negative headlines about the culture at Merivale. (Pictured: a partygoer at the staff party on Tuesday)
How to find a rich husband (and other life lessons)
Last year’s must-attend high society wedding was the union of so-called ‘Pilates queen’ Bernadette Fahey and property developer Jordan Sukkar.
Held on the grounds of Scots College, in the upmarket suburb of Bellevue Hill, the ceremony’s guest list was a Who’s Who of the eastern suburbs, including Dina Broadhurst, Anthony Bell and Annika Martyn, and the Yarbrough sisters.
It was the stuff of dreams – quite literally, in Bernadette’s case.
I hear one of Bernadette’s old Substack blogs is being eagerly shared among aspiring socialites at the moment. In it, she wrote of how she used the power of ‘manifestation’ to conjure a rich husband.
And now she promises you can do it too!
In the guest piece for Danielle Gay’s Reservations blog, Fahey said that after splitting from her ex-fiancé she adopted an attitude of ‘whatever happens, happens’.
Last year’s must-attend high society wedding was the union of so-called ‘Pilates queen’ Bernadette Fahey and property developer Jordan Sukkar
Bernadette (centre) runs a Bondi Pilates studio that also dabbles in manifestation coaching. She previously spoke of manifesting her ideal future before meeting her millionaire husband
But realising this wasn’t working, she decided to be more proactive by throwing her specific needs out to the universe in the form of a wish list for her perfect man.
While she didn’t exactly spell out that she wanted a filthy rich husband, several of her specifications were telling.
‘Enjoys nice restaurants… works really hard, only flies business class… can stand next to me at an event and not feel intimidated,’ she wrote.
Well, as fate would have it, just a month after writing the list, Fahey met Sukkar at a New Year’s Day party. Sukkar, who is from one of Sydney’s wealthiest families and heads up a $500million construction business, certainly ticked her boxes.
The couple became engaged on the Greek island of Tinos then tied the knot in a lavish wedding that made the pages of Vogue.
And we can now reveal the newly minted Mrs Sukkar is sharing the love.
Jordan Sukkar (pictured with his wife and parents) hails from one of Sydney’s wealthiest families and heads up a $500million construction business
Ambitious eastern suburbs blondes are flocking to her classes at her Body by Berner Pilates studio in North Bondi not just to tone their bodies, but to learn the art of manifesting a provider husband.
Those who are really serious can book a spot on her ‘Weekend at Bernie’s retreat’ (yes, that is its real name) which includes a lengthy creative workshop on ‘Manifestation and Aligning to your purpose’.
With prices starting at $2,350 for three nights, just call it an investment in your future.
And finally… guess who, don’t sue
Which young celebrity was driving with a lead foot during the school run, drawing horrified looks from pedestrians who recognised the person behind the wheel?
We hear they sped in a school zone – a big no-no.
While we’ve all crept over 40 km/h by mistake, onlookers claimed this star’s driving was particularly brazen. Some were even inspired to report them to police.
We’ll let you know if anything comes of it…
The subject of this blind item is not mentioned or pictured elsewhere in this article.
- Additional reporting by Polly Taylor and Jo Scrimshire
