Hustles in Brussels
There are two explanations for the recent X activity of the Australian Embassy in Brussels. One — probably the more likely — is that it has been hacked. But until we heard back from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, we had to leave open the possibility that our representatives in Belgium were taking a leaf out of the Trump administration’s book and hocking cryptocurrency.
The following was pinned to the embassy’s account for more than six hours:
This was followed by a highly convincing statement attributed to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong announcing the Australian government’s “strategic investment in blockchain technology”:
The “hacker” theory was strengthened by the fact that, following questions from Crikey, the posts were deleted.
Look, hackers, I don’t want to tell you your business, but if you want to be convincing, perhaps avoid posting an extremely spammy string of random letters and numbers to your thread announcing a crypto scam. Failing that, double-check the actual capital city of the country you’re whose leadership you’re trying to impersonate.
We asked DFAT whether the embassy’s accounts have been compromised and they told us that the department “works continually to protect the security and integrity of social media accounts”.
Overheard at the AO
The AO is not done serving up gossip this year: among the canapes and brand activations, Crikey spies heard some members of the press reminiscing on our infamous couples list.
“Crikey used to have a list of all the couples in Australian media,” our spy overheard.
“Really? They should bring that back.”
“I’d love to be on that list.”
Let us know if you want us to bring back a 2025 version of the list. There is no shortage of candidates — or break-ups.
Also overheard was former culture editor of The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald Osman Faruqi, who is apparently looking into starting a music podcast. Faruqi previously hosted pop music and culture show The Drop for The Age. Our tipster reported Faruqi was keen on a play on Paul Kelly’s 1996 hit “How to Make Gravy” for the name, but was warned off it. Faruqi didn’t respond to Crikey‘s questions.
For what it’s worth, it’d be a pretty funny full-circle moment. You may recall that five years ago, Faruqi became the target of some of the most insane people on the internet (as tended to happen for a while) for positing that Australia’s embrace of the colloquially named “Gravy Day” was a phenomenon unique to white people.
Dame, I wish this got more coverage
Australians have a complicated relationship with the concept of knights and dames, after the Abbott government’s reintroduction of the honours in Australia (and the subsequent knighting of Prince Philip, God, what a weird time) was the great galumphing embarrassment straw that broke his government’s back.
Perhaps that’s why the honouring of one of our own by King Charles earlier this year attracted so little attention. In the New Year’s honours, Patricia Hewitt was made a dame for “services to healthcare transformation” in the UK. Hewitt had been health secretary under Tony Blair and had chaired the National Health Service Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board.
But as a tipster got in contact to point out, Hewitt is one of ours. Born in Canberra and educated at ANU, she is the daughter of the legendary/feared/controversial (take your pick) public servant, Sir Lenox Hewitt, a “kindred spirit” of Gough Whitlam and later chairman of Qantas. Her mother was Hope Hewitt, ANU English lecturer, theatre critic and book reviewer in The Canberra Times. She’s had a fascinating and colourful time of it since moving to England — apart from her time in Parliament, she earned the title of “communist sympathiser” from MI5, who illegally surveilled her and her colleagues during her pre-parliament career with the National Council for Civil Liberties, now simply Liberty.
Into the MAGAverse
Crikey has long marvelled at the Australian media figures doing us “proud” at the periphery of the MAGAverse. Erin Molan has parlayed a very chummy relationship with Eric and Lara Trump into some interviews that are to hard-hitting journalism what blancmange is to concrete.
A sign, if any were needed, that this Trump-adjacent journalism is going to accelerate over the next four years can be found in the picture below: Molan sharing an Instagram story of Newsmax’s Sarah Williamson, and seeming to endorse her contention that they’re just a coupla Aussie gals “tryna make the world a jihad free place”. Lovely stuff!
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