Elephant in the drugstore
The biggest question hanging over infomercial queen Jo Silvagni at the end of last year was whether Chemist Warehouse would stick by her after her youngest son Tom was unmasked as a convicted rapist.
To be clear: nobody is suggesting a parent is responsible for their adult child’s crimes – but the optics weren’t great.
Tom had spent more than a year fighting to keep his name suppressed, with the family hiring top‑tier lawyers in a bid to keep the saga out of the headlines, until the order was finally lifted in December.
Then there were reports Jo had stared at her son’s victim while he was sentenced.
Chemist Warehouse wouldn’t comment when we chased them for a straight answer last month. Now, a week into the New Year, Jo’s absence from our screens is fast becoming the elephant in the discount aisle.
And who has stepped into her place? Former Australian Diamonds captain Laura Geitz.
For our Queensland readers, this isn’t news at all: Geitz has been doing their ads for years in the Sunshine State.
Shoppers in NSW and Victoria who found themselves in a Chemist Warehouse over the Christmas holidays would have noticed a distinct lack of in-store ads featuring Jo Silvagni
Chemist Warehouse is refusing to comment on speculation that Jo Silvagni is being phased out – despite using Queensland spokeswoman and former Australian Diamonds captain Laura Geitz for its television and in-store advertisements across the southern states
Jo Silvagni and husband Stephen are seen leaving the County Court of Victoria on December 5
But now the celebrated netballer is being rolled out into New South Wales and Victoria, effectively phasing out the Silvagni matriarch.
Is it a temporary ‘resting’ until the messy business with Tom settles down? Or something more permanent? We asked what’s on in the Warehouse and they ‘politely declined to comment at this time’. That’s not a denial…
Sloane Ranger’s shadow cabinet
NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane has unveiled the shadow cabinet she’ll take to the 2027 state election, complete with a few surprises and some casualties.
The Sloane Ranger didn’t hesitate to swing the axe, cutting Liberals Robyn Preston, Aileen McDonald, Mark Taylor and Adam Crouch.
If those names don’t ring a bell, don’t worry – you’re not missing much.
Nationals veteran Geoff Provest, the Tweed MP, is also gone, and Inside Mail hears he is now weighing retirement after nearly two decades in Parliament.
The refreshed line-up shows Sloane isn’t afraid to share the spotlight.
The Sloane Ranger didn’t hesitate to swing the axe as the NSW Opposition Leader unveiled the shadow cabinet she’ll take to the 2027 state election
One of her most headline-grabbing picks is Upper House MLC Chris Rath, dubbed ‘Australia’s first twink leader’ on social media – a title we hear Rath is a fan of.
Rath now holds the keys to Housing and Arts, the latter once helmed by his friend and predecessor Don Harwin.
Rath’s hardline pro-housing stance signals the Liberals are gearing up to make housing a major campaign battleground.
Sloane has stacked her team with camera-ready moderates like Jacqui Munro and James Wallace, while throwing conservatives a lifeline by resurrecting Lane Cove stalwart Anthony Roberts, who was one of the most vocal critics of the previous leadership.
Inside Mail previously revealed Roberts’ leaked group chat meltdown over a Young Liberals video starring Sky News motormouth Freya Leach‘s husband and youth wing president Cooper Gannon, declaring simply: ‘We are f**ked.’
Another conservative, Epping MP Monica Tudehope, has scored a promotion, joining the frontbench alongside her father, Liberal Upper House Leader Damien Tudehope.
And in a rare show of unity for the NSW Liberals, Sloane has even brought back Mark Speakman, the man she ousted to become leader, appointing him Shadow Education Minister.
Speakman’s rapid return after the longest slow-motion leadership spill in history signals the Liberals are patched up and ready for battle.
Liberal insiders were upbeat about the reshaped team, telling Inside Mail it’s a fresh mix of millennial MPs and seasoned former ministers, drawing a sharp contrast with what they branded Labor’s lineup of ‘Karens and union hacks’.
It’s just the latest shake-up following a string of bold moves by Sloane.
She’s already dismantled Speakman’s former office, long a target of internal criticism, and reversed the Coalition’s hardline opposition to the Government’s workers’ compensation reforms.
That previous refusal to back the laws sparked outrage among business groups and left party insiders and MPs seething as donations began to dry up.
Whether it will be enough to take on Chris Minns and Labor remains to be seen.
Inside Mail hears Labor HQ is still scrambling for an attack line against Sloane, made tougher by weeks of bipartisan praise for her and Minns after the Bondi Beach terrorist attack.
The day the music died
It was a black Christmas for Australia’s music industry professionals with layoffs impacting Sony Music over the holidays.
As first reported by The Music, Sony let go marketing director Clayton Doughty, veteran publicist Bronwyn Tasker, and publicity and radio co-ordinator Kate Hunter the week before Christmas in a move that would make the Grinch wince.
Doughty first joined the company 31 years ago. A well-placed source tells us they were talking to him about a promotion just one week before he was axed. Ouch.
In addition to the three senior figures mentioned, Inside Mail can reveal that promotions manager Annette Gevert, who joined the company in 2020, is also out.
Senior Director of Publicity and Promotions Kate Bonanno is also out, per the Music Network, moving to become the ‘day-to-day manager’ of folk duo Angus and Julia Stone.
We’ve heard the changes weren’t limited to Sony Music Australia either, with Warner also restructuring its local team before Christmas. It’s unclear who’s in and who’s out, but an optimistic press release trumpeted several ‘strategic promotions’.
It comes six months after a Warner Music Group spokesman said the firm’s global restructure would have ‘no immediate impact’ on Australasia, adding: ‘We remain committed to our mission to make our global artists local and our local artists global.’
That’s not what we’re hearing from inside the bunker.
Word is the days of Australia being a significant outpost for major labels are over due to the supposed diminished appetite for local artists.
One spy tells us: ‘The majors aren’t investing in new local artists anymore so don’t need the staff.’
Another added: ‘In a few years’ time, it wouldn’t surprise me if those once-great music labels were reduced to a small office in Sydney with six people keeping tabs on the streaming numbers.’
- Read the full edition of Inside Mail tomorrow, only for DailyMail+ subscribers
