To be
hung on the walls of famed Sydney Italian eatery Machiavelli was always the
crowning glory for a pollie. Gough Whitlam,
John Sharp (remember him, fell on his sword back in 1997, a Howard cabinet
minister, how quaint!), John Brogden, Bob Carr, Robin
Askin, Kim Beazley and a string of movers and shakers
from Canberra all took their place in the restaurant’s line-up.

No
more. CBD in The Sydney Morning Herald suggested something was about to change
and Crikey can now reveal what that is. Put
simply pollies are out at Machiavelli and business
folk are in.

Yep,
the big hitters of the Sydney business scene will now take pride of place
on the walls of the expensive eatery, at the expense of the
politicians. Photographs are being prepared (is that why The Bulletin is involved?) and the unveiling will happen
soon.

Folk
like James Packer (and dad Kerry), PBL CEO John Alexander, Chris Anderson and a
string of other non-Park Street business people dine there regularly at
lunch. Dinner
is for losers: these days, to be seen at lunch is more important.