Monday, December 26, 2005
KERRY PACKER
Kerry Packer, Australia’s richest man and one of the nation’s most colourful and visionary business leaders, has died at 68.
UPDATE. John Howard: “Of all the impressions that he left with me, none was greater or more indelible than his passionate commitment to the interests of Australia and the interests of the Australian people. In all of the many conversations I had with him over the years, he was always concerned about what was right for this country.”
Richie Benaud: “We first met during the formation of World Series cricket. There was never anything mundane or orthodox about him.” A minute’s silence was observed before play in the Second Test, which thereafter featured a brilliant Australian fightback.
UPDATE II. Rupert Murdoch: “He was a man who you could truly say was larger than life, a fierce competitor who had friends in areas of great influence and was often surrounded in controversy but at the same time, capable of great generosity.”
Kim Beazley: “Kerry Packer was a tough Australian nationalist who produced great innovations in the Australian media. In the course of my political life, I have had many conversations with Kerry Packer, most of which were about the future of our nation and its economic direction.”
UPDATE III. The sayings of Kerry Packer. Please read.
UPDATE IV. London Times: “Kerry Packer was a revolutionary; a man 20 years ahead of his time in sport and whose influence was particularly felt in cricket.” Legal background to Packer’s WSC revolution here. Packer recently met Australian opening batsmen Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden:
Langer asked whether Packer felt luck plays a big part in life.
Packer responded by telling Langer he should know, because he has played and missed more than anyone he had ever seen.
UPDATE V. Most of the online death-gloating is coming from anonymous Live Journal children. But not this example, proudly posted by idiot Greg Ferris, who was more moved when his filthy cat died.