Behold, the front page of today’s Herald Sun.

Is it a paid promotion? A wraparound ad? No, it’s a glowing front-page “exclusive” about James Packer’s controversial — and as-yet unapproved — plans for a new luxury development at Melbourne’s Southbank.

The planned Crown development would create 4000 new jobs and “transform” the banks of the Yarra, the Hun crows.

In fact, a previous plan for the massive 90-storey tower faced opposition, not least because it included plans for a sky-high walkway that would link the development to the existing Crown complex and block city views. Packer has been lobbying the Victorian government for a political fix to get the development across the line — and it looks like he has the strong backing of Melbourne’s most well-read newspaper, owned by the family business of his good mate, Lachlan Murdoch.

How interesting.

Peter Fray

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