What
passes for “society” in today’s Melbourne is agog with the news that
Perth’s Rose Hancock-Porteous has forked out $3 million for a Tintern
Avenue (Toorak) bolt hole. When she has completed the sale of her
multi-million dollar waterside mansion, and after she appears in court
to answer charges that she allegedly altered a doctor’s script for pain
killers, the flamboyant thrice married millionairess will head east.

Now
it’s believed she expects to be received with open arms by the local
establishment, but she needn’t hold her breath – establishment and
party are two very different ball games. The hard playing party set who
turn up everywhere with their hairdressers and drug dealers in tow are
more likely to find her amusing – not that she would ever be involved
in drugs; let’s make that perfectly clear – but that crowd does have a
lot of fun.

I asked a local matron known for her ability to
get the rich and famous to contribute to whatever charity she is
currently involved with if she would hang with Rose and her cheque
book. The reply was interesting: “Look, if the colour of her money is
right and if the cheque is big enough why wouldn’t I sit with her for
the night and introduce her to others?

Why not indeed? I guess
it’s up to those who do meet her to follow up. I must place on record I
have met her – she was wearing a frock once owned by the late and
awesome Marlene Dietrich for which she paid a lot of money – and was
sitting on the street in Flinders Lane smoking having escaped from a
smoke-free party at which we were both guests. Interesting she might
be, but once was enough for me. But, as it has been said, there is no
accounting for taste and when she does put down her roots here, I’ll
name those who have befriended her.