$2.70 TUESDAY March 8, 2016 WWW.THEAUSTRALIAN.COM.AU I THE HEART OF THE NATION PRICE INCLUDES GST FREIGHT EXTRA INQUIRER {P11} PASSION LIFE {P16} NANCY FOR Float REAGAN THE CROSS your boat The actor, the artist, and Christ’s A dozen cruise itineraries to tempt 1921 - 2016 second coming in the outback { P8 } even the most stubborn landlubber

NEWSPOLL COALITION, LABOR DEADLOCKED BUT ... Credlin shirtfronts Abbott accusers: Students ‘sneering cowards won’t define me’ at risk of Turnbull’s $300m PETA fees bill CREDLIN ON CLAIMS ABOUT EXCLUSIVE WRITES HER RELATIONSHIP satisfaction KYLAR LOUSSIKIAN EXCLUSIVELY WITH TONY ABBOTT The financially stricken Austra- FOR THE lian Careers Network has warned it could target thousands AUSTRALIAN of students to repay $300 million I can’t be any in course fee loans if it is forced P12 clearer – it is into administration. on the slide ACN, the owner of contro- about as low as it versial training outfit Phoenix Institute, is teetering on the PM’S DESCENT gets. It’s vicious brink of insolvency after it was EXCLUSIVE unsuccessful in its attempt to PRIMARY VOTE Feb Mar % % and malicious claw back about $40m from the PHILLIP HUDSON 18-21 3-6 60 COALITION 43 43 federal government under the CANBERRA BUREAU CHIEF contentious VET FEE-HELP LABOR 35 35 50 People tell me loan scheme. Voter confidence in Malcolm TWO-PARTY-PREFERRED Satisfaction The Australian Securities Ex- Turnbull’s performance has COALITION 50 50 change-listed company, headed tumbled to a five-month low and 40 to ignore it but by former police officer Ivan LABOR 50 50 dissatisfaction with the Prime Dissatisfaction I refuse to let Brown, has less than $13.5m in Minister has reached the highest TURNBULL’S PERFORMANCE 30 cash at the bank, having churned level since he seized the leader- SATISFIED 48 44 this stand through $10.4m in the three ship from Tony Abbott in DISSATISFIED 38 41 months ending December. It has September. 20 obtained advice that administra- The latest Newspoll, taken ex- FULL TABLES P6 Sep 17-20 Mar 3-6 tors, if appointed, could pursue clusively for The Australian, also I am not the first up to 24,000 students for hun- shows that despite stronger than dreds of millions of dollars in expected economic growth fig- Early election a farce if PM woman to face course fee loans in a bid to ures last week and the release of recover money for banks and its defence white paper, the offensive and false investors. Coalition has failed to lift its doesn’t force issue on ABCC Mr Brown confirmed to The standing, remaining deadlocked rumours about Australian yesterday the com- with Labor at 50-50 in two-party resurrect the ABCC by its pany could take action against terms. PAUL KELLY omission from a double- the nature of her students if the federal govern- Bill Shorten has posted the EDITOR-AT-LARGE dissolution list. professional ment did not provide the money third consecutive rise in his Yet this may well happen. under the loan scheme. stocks, lifting satisfaction with his Having said last December relationships but “Our legal advice is that performance to a level not seen when the Heydon report was students entered into an agree- since Mr Abbott was prime minis- released that he was prepared sadly I doubt I’ll ment to enrol in a course at the ter, although Mr Turnbull still re- to fight an election on the issue, advertised fee,” he said. “If the mains overwhelmingly the Turnbull would look weak on be the last (Department of Education) preferred prime minister. the most decisive test for a decides they were ineligible for a The latest Newspoll of 1815 Liberal leader: fighting trade VET FEE-HELP loan (that) does people taken from Thursday to union lawlessness. not remove the student’s obli- Sunday shows the massive popu- Imagine this for a political How would such a retreat be Much of this gation to pay. It’s similar to sign- larity Mr Turnbull enjoyed late farce: Malcolm Turnbull calls a received by Liberal business ing an unconditional contract to last year has dissipated as the gov- double-dissolution election for backers, desperately needed post-leadership buy a house and the bank knocks ernment has fumbled its tax pol- July 2, keen to exploit ALP financial contributors and true- critique is your finance back, you are still icy and been wracked by weakness, but does not include blue Liberal volunteers needed on the hook.” continuing internal division. the Australian Building and for a campaign? It would swell politically Phoenix Institute is the target As Mr Turnbull weighs up Construction Commission bills nostalgia for Tony Abbott who of separate action by the Austra- whether to have a double-dissol- on his list of blocked bills. crusaded against the CFMEU motivated and lian Competition & Consumer ution election on July 2 and poss- The Prime Minister would and for the ABCC. Commission, which is attemp- ibly bring forward the May 10 have little credibility to Greens leader Richard Di driven by warring ting to recover more than $100m budget or stick with a regular campaign on the lawlessness of Natale has foreshadowed a paid by the federal government house and half-Senate ballot in the Construction Forestry major victory for the Liberal Party under the loan scheme. August, September or October, Mining and Energy Union, on government’s opponents. He Vocational Education Minis- several ministers believe he is the lethal royal commission said the absence of the ABCC camps ter Scott Ryan said the depart- leaning towards the earlier option report from former High Court bills from the list for the Senate ment was continuing its in a bid to clean out the Senate judge Dyson Heydon or on the sitting next week means the investigations into Phoenix, and crossbench. abuses of trade union power rife Turnbull government “could “the commonwealth is working Yet there has been confusion in the construction industry. not use it as a double- to protect students and is assist- about the detail of the Coalition’s The internal backlash would dissolution trigger and that is a ing the ACCC in their current plans for a plebiscite on gay mar- be immense. If you think Tony good thing”. don’t survive in those jobs unless tor the rumours were not true. An legal action against Phoenix”. riage and whether the govern- Abbott, the conservatives and The union movement, the EXCLUSIVE you’re up to it because you tend to anonymous source in the book Many of ACN’s students have ment intends to pursue legislation much of the Liberal rank and CFMEU and the Labor Party get found out pretty quickly.” described Ms Credlin as Mr been charged $18,000 or more to revive the Australian Building file have been noisy in recent would score a significant CAROLINE OVERINGTON Rumours of an affair between Abbott’s Wallis Simpson — the for vocational education and and Construction Commission times, this would pale victory. Ms Credlin and Mr Abbott have woman for whom a king once ab- training courses. Loans for the before calling an election. compared with the furore if the The only way a re-elected “Completely false, utterly untrue, circulated for years, but intensi- dicated. full amount were to be paid The fall in support for the gov- Coalition betrays years of effort Continued on Page 7 unfounded and wrong.” fied this week following the re- Ms Credlin told The Australian to ACN but the department ernment identified by Newspoll a and expectation buttressed by That is what Peta Credlin has lease of a book by The Australian’s she wasn’t the first woman to be deferred some of those pay- fortnight ago has been confirmed, the royal commission report MORE REPORTS P7 to say about rumours that she had columnist, Niki Savva. attacked about “the nature of her ments amid growing concerns with the Coalition’s primary vote and ditches the chance to EDITORIAL P13 a sexual relationship with her Savva revealed how NSW professional relationships, and that some students being en- remaining at the equal lowest boss, Tony Abbott. Liberal conservative Concetta sadly I doubt I will be the last”. rolled were not suitable for level since Mr Turnbull took over “I can’t be any clearer — it is Fierravanti-Wells, now a minis- She lamented the personal nature undertaking the study. of 43 per cent. Labor’s support is Satisfaction with Mr Turn- Mr Turnbull’s net satisfaction about as low as it gets,” Ms ter, raised the whispering cam- of the attacks, saying: “I hope this The Department of Edu- also unchanged at 35 per cent and bull’s performance has fallen four rating — the difference between Credlin said. “It’s vicious and paign directly with Mr Abbott in doesn’t put off smart women from cation issued a statement to The the Greens at 12 per cent. points in the past fortnight to those who are satisfied and those malicious.” I refuse to let this stand. I earned February last year. joining the political fray.” Australian yesterday saying that Based on preference flows at 44 per cent and has dived 16 points who are dissatisfied with his In a powerful rebuttal to sal- my good reputation by working “Politics is about perceptions,’’ She also hit out at Savva over it would stand behind students the last election, it leaves the since mid-November, when he performance — dropped from 10 acious gossip that exploded onto hard for four cabinet ministers, Senator Fierravanti-Wells told her refusal to come to her for a who were “properly enrolled”. Coalition and Labor at 50 per cent peaked at an approval rating of 60 points to three points. It had been the front pages this week, Ms three opposition leaders and one Mr Abbott. ‘Rightly or wrongly, comment, saying it was “extra- “If the student was not prop- after preferences — a repeat of the per cent, the highest level for a an unusually high 38 points in Credlin told The Australian yes- prime minister so I am not going the perception is that you are ordinary”. erly enrolled, for example the last Newspoll a fortnight ago that prime minister in six years. Dis- November. terday: “The idea that my rela- to let these sneering cowards de- sleeping with your chief of staff. Savva told Sky News yester- student was misled, or subject to showed a surprise dive in support satisfaction with the Prime Minis- Mr Shorten’s satisfaction, tionship with the prime minister fine me. That’s the perception, and you day that one of the main reasons unconscionable conduct, the for the government after it had ter rose three points to a high Continued on Page 6 was anything other than pro- “Nobody ever accused me of need to deal with it.’’ she did not go to Mr Abbott and ACCC action against Phoenix in enjoyed a 53 per cent to 47 per of 41 per cent and has almost dou- fessional is completely false. not being smart. Nobody ever Savva reported that Mr Abbott Ms Credlin for comment was relation to alleged misleading cent lead since early November. bled over the past four months. COMMENT P6 “People tell me to ignore it but said I was not up to the job. You and Ms Credlin had told the sena- Continued on Page 6 and unconscionable conduct may result in their enrolment being cancelled,” it said. “If a student is contacted by Joint forces in Kidman bid ASIO’s warning Phoenix seeking payment of Calls for ASIC phoenix probe into Palmer course fees and they did not visit to Haider know they were enrolled in a Phoenix course, or do not believe would honour the entitlements of lapse of former manager of the Yabulu refinery and its joined forces with property mag- ASIO agents warned Numan they have been properly SARAH ELKS more than 500 refinery workers if Queensland Nickel Pty Ltd, also workforce in the best interests of EXCLUSIVE nate Jiang Zhaobai’s Shanghai Haider to stay away from the enrolled, or were provided with JESSICA GREWAL they agreed to work for him, owned by Mr Palmer. the Townsville economy,” he said. Pengxin to boost the Chinese radical Al Furqan prayer group incorrect or misleading infor- under an 11th-hour shock corpor- Mr Palmer, the federal mem- “I have been harshly vilified with KYLAR LOUSSIKIAN company’s chances of winning a month before the Melbourne mation about the course fees and Unions are calling for the corpor- ate manoeuvre to keep the plant ber for Fairfax, said the restruc- false allegations in respect of this approval to buy the world’s larg- teenager armed himself with a Continued on Page 4 ate watchdog to investigate open, backed by $23 million from ture had saved the refinery from matter. The Queensland govern- Two Australian agribusiness est cattle station portfolio. knife and attacked two detect- whether Clive Palmer has a Sydney financier, allegedly closure and promised to offer all ment and the Treasurer, Curtis heavyweights have teamed up The Australian has learned ives at a suburban police sta- engaged in phoenix activity, after secured by Mr Palmer’s own existing employees jobs with the Pitt, have done nothing to protect with a Chinese billionaire who is ARC will today announce it tion. A coroner’s inquest into he wrested control of his troubled assets. same terms and conditions under the livelihoods of the people of vying to acquire the S. Kidman & intends to take a significant stake the death of Haider was yester- Townsville nickel refinery from The move sidelines voluntary a new operating company, north Queensland.” Co pastoral empire. in the Kidman portfolio if day told ASIO visited his administrators about to shut administrators FTI Consulting Queensland Nickel Sales Pty Ltd. The Australian understands Australian Rural Capital, Shanghai Pengxin is successful southeast Endeavour Hills down the plant. from the running of the Yabulu “I have been working diligently Continued on Page 2 whose major shareholders in- in the $370 million bid. home in August 2014. Pressure was mounting on Mr refinery, but will not stop their for- for weeks to find a solution to clude investors James Jackson Palmer last night to guarantee he ensic investigation into the col- secure the long-term operations MORE REPORTS P2 and Stephen Chapman, has BUSINESS P19 FULL REPORT P3 AUSE01Z01MA - V1 THE AUSTRALIAN, TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2016 16 theaustralian.com.au/life LIFE

FIRST BITE JOHN LETHLEAN Southern change gonna come at last

Even by the peripatetic standards of chefs, Melbourne veteran Daniel Southern’s season at new South Yarra restaurant Sth Central was brief. It opened in December with Southern at the helm but something better has come up: he’s just returned to St Kilda’s The Prince — where he worked 11 years ago under Andrew McConnell — as executive chef. This of course means his refined French-ish bistro food will be the new central pillar of Circa, and that’s not a bad thing; he will also be over the food at Acland Street Cantina, POW Kitchen and The Deck events space. Southern’s cooking has been a part of Melbourne in years past at places such as L’Oustal, Comme, Bistro Guillaume and, back in the (heady) day, est est est. “With greatest respect FLOAT to Daniel Southern we are stoked to have appointed Nick Mahlook and Sammy Hocking, as head chef/sous chef respectively,” says Sth Central’s Tommy McIntosh.

Another Melbourne veteran forging ahead in Asia is former Verge partner/chef Dallas Cuddy whose YOUR BOAT Freebird, in a quiet Bangkok soi, should be open by the end of April. Cuddy quit Singapore in 2015 after three years to team with architect and entrepreneur Alan Barr, a New Yorker whose GreyMatters design agency specialises in restaurant work. Now, the pair are gutting and rebuilding a two-storey Sukhumvit house on its own substantial plot to create a modern euro- accented bistro from scratch. Freebird will have gardens and an internal garden courtyard, substantial new kitchens, a coffee roasting facility (Barr is involved with a coffee business in Singapore) and, most importantly, a blank canvas for the architect’s own designs within the structural constraints of this old family home. It will also have Australian Marcus Boyle — formerly of Singapore’s excellent Tippling Club — as general manager and sommelier, a coup for Cuddy and Barr. Bangkok is an exciting restaurant city, with stand-alone places outside hotels burgeoning. Cuddy and Barr say the same project Clockwise from main picture: idyllic Kefalonia in Greece, the setting for Louis de Bernieres’ novel Captain Corelli’s Mandolin; Ghent in Belgium, a port of call on the World War 1 in Singapore would have cost four times the battlefields cruise; fishermen in the waters off Myanmar’s Mergui Archipelago; and MSC Opera, which was stretched and refurbished last year ahead of relocating to Havana money, before “astronomical” rents were considered. Also, Barr’s wife is Thai. The bar seems to be getting higher in the wine 1 Havana good time the Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, cruise departs from Sydney (11 48-cabin Scenic Azure will cruise bar stakes. Guillaume Brahimi’s long-term head Cumberland and Red rivers, as well nights on Pacific Jewel from June the picturesque Douro River be- chef from the Opera House days, Jose Silva, has With time-warp cars, old-school as the Gulf Coast and Intracoastal Whether you’re a wine enthusiast, 14) or Brisbane (10 nights on Pacific tween Portugal’s World Heritage- partnered with another Brahimi alumnus — cigar factories, hotter-than-a-haba- Waterway between New Orleans history buff, gardener, gastronome Aria from July 29). More: 1300 159 listed Porto and Spain’s Vega de former Guillaume Paddington restaurant manager nera salsa rhythms and the prospect and Pensacola in the Florida Pan- 454; pocruises.com.au. Terron, gateway to the World Jonathan Mallet — to open bibo, in Double Bay, of Americans flooding in and handle. A 14-night Cruiseco char- or just lover of the sea, there’s a Heritage-listed gem of Salamanca. on March 16. It promises to be a “wine bar” but changing everything, Cuba is ter departing New Orleans on unique cruise itinerary to suit 8 Drop into Bangladesh First availability on the 11-day Un- with Silva in the kitchen and former Bistro among the world’s most intriguing October 26 for Nashville features forgettable Douro round-trip out Moncur head chef Sam Kane — another Opera cruise destinations. MSC Cruises’ an out-of-hours visit to Elvis Pres- Luxury small-ship operator Silver- of Porto is June. More: 138 128; sce- House old boy — alongside, there is no shortage MSC Opera was stretched and re- ley’s Graceland. All cruises will in- KATRINA LOBLEY sea says it will be the first cruise nic.com.au. of cooking experience. Nevertheless, Silva says: furbished last year ahead of relocat- clude French wines, 24-hour room line to visit Bangladesh when Sil- “The food will be Mediterranean with a particular ing to Havana. Seven-night service and French-influenced fare ver Discoverer drops anchor there 11 Battlefield cruise focus on the Portuguese food of my upbringing.” itineraries give passengers two days from southern chef Regina Char- in 2017. The 16-day journey from Silva and Mallet have recruited a quality line-up, in the Cuban capital before heading boneau. Louisiane’s interior design since the birth of landscape garden- April 4 departure, the first to sail the Colombo, Sri Lanka to Kolkata, Mark Anzac Day with a poignant including head sommelier Louella Mathews (ex- to Jamaica, Cayman Islands and promises to be a more pared-back er Lancelot “Capability” Brown new itinerary, features an on-board India (departing February 11) visits dawn service at another World Rockpool Bar & Grill & Rockpool 1989) and Mexico’s Cozumel. Opera heads to prospect than that of the 436-pass- who reshaped 260 sites across En- World War I expert. The eight-day three Bangladeshi ports over four War I battlefield — France’s Vil- assistant Ambroise Moriceau (ex-Momofuku Europe in April with Havana depar- enger American Queen, an ante- gland and Wales. Wander Essential Holland and Belgi- days. From Chittagong, there’s an lers-Bretonneux. Departing Aus- Seiobo). Since the closure of Guillaume at tures resuming in December. In bellum-themed paddlewheel through other high-calibre um cruise (regular depar- excursion to Rangamati, the “lake tralia on April 17, the 17-day Bennelong in 2013, Silva has been concentrating November, sister ship MSC Armo- steamboat, christened by Priscilla gardens on an 11-day tour tures from April 12) city” of Bangladesh, and a cruise Springtime on the Western Front on his Petersham Bakery. “(Architect) Paul Jones nia also starts cruising from Cuba, Presley in 2012, that plies the Mis- with Botanica, a specialist TRAVEL meanders between on Kaptai Lake. Passengers will tour uses MS AmaPrima as a base. came to us with the Bay Street site and now it’s offering two seven-night itineraries sissippi, Ohio and Tennessee rivers. in garden tours and cruis- Brussels and Amsterdam. ride Zodiacs to Maheshkhali Is- Starting and finishing in Amster- finally about to happen,” says Mallet. that can be combined for a fort- More: cruising.com.au; american- es. Its British Isles, Castles, More: 1300 230 234; ava- land to see rural life before spend- dam, the tour takes passengers to night’s cruise to include Belize, queensteamboatcompany.com. Gardens, History and Birdlife lonwaterways.com.au. ing two days in the Sundarbans, a World War I battlefields in Belgi- Another new Sydney wine/food destination bound Honduras and Cuba’s Isla de la Ju- voyage includes an appearance World Heritage-listed mangrove um, France and The Netherlands. to cause a bustle in the city’s hedgerow? Bar ventud. Cruiseco’s Silversea char- 3 Raise a glass from celebrity gardener Monty 6 Mekong with a twist forest where endangered Bengal The tour also comes with a tasty Brose — formerly The Passage in Darlinghurst — ter, starting in the Bahamas on Don. Departing from Edinburgh on tigers roam. More: 1300 306 872; Spanish twist: Australian-based, is new home for much-hyped young chef October 12, offers even more time in La Cite du Vin, a bold monument to May 27, the cruise includes 16th- Learn the finer points of Asian cui- silversea.com. Barcelona-born chef Frank Cam- Analiese Gregory, currently at ACME. Brose is in Cuba. Sailing aboard the 132-pass- all things viticultural, opens in Bor- century Crathes Castle near Aber- sine while cruising the mighty Me- orra of MoVida fame will sail as far fact a co-production from the ACME partnership enger expedition ship Silver Explor- deaux on June 2. The 10-storey mu- deen and a Zodiac ride to Inverewe, kong River aboard ultra-luxe Aqua 9 Lesser-known as Ghent. More: 1800 622 628; cap- and will follow a loosely French muse. Gregory, a er, passengers spend two nights in seum’s curves are meant to an astonishing subtropical garden Mekong, launched in 2014 and feat- Myanmar tainschoice.com.au. Kiwi, has a cooking background at Quay and Havana before continuing the resemble a splash of wine sliding on Scotland’s rugged west coast uring menus from the Australian Michel Bras in France. length of the island, stopping at Isla into a glass but the whole experi- where Wollemi pines, Tasmanian king of Thai food, David Thomp- Fresh from launching Tasmanian 12 Like a dream de la Juventud, Cienfuegos and ence is about lightening up the in- eucalypts and Himalayan blue pop- son. The consulting executive chef cruises this past summer, Austra- Keeping with an unofficial employment policy Santiago de Cuba. Silver Explorer dustry’s sometimes stuffy pies thrive. Passengers will also see will this year hop aboard two depar- lian small-ship expedition special- Cruising through Greece’s Corinth that says former Ledbury/The Square chefs go continues to Colombia and Panama reputation. The museum will no the grandeur of Wales’s Snowdonia tures (April 22-29 from Ho Chi ist Coral Expeditions is wasting no Canal is hardly new but with talk of places, Melbourne restaurateur Scott Pickett has before passengers fly to Ecuador, doubt become a star attraction for region while en route to the Nation- Minh City; May 13-20 from Phnom time expanding into other waters. one day widening the 6.4km ship- promoted chef Ryan Spurrell to the top job at his continuing the 24-night tour with river-cruise passengers. There’s a al Trust’s Bodnant Garden. More: Penh). Thompson will lead tours of In November, it will debut a 12- ping shortcut, now could be the Estelle Bistro. “He’s a fantastic cook who will lead seven nights in the Galapagos Is- bunch of operators to choose from 1300 305 202, botanica.travel. food markets and share his secrets night itinerary, A Passage to Lost time for a gander at the engineering Estelle Bistro into its next phase,” says Pickett. lands aboard Silver Galapagos, an- but APT is a new player in the re- in an on-board masterclass. More: Myanmar, that port-hops between marvel. The canal is just 21m wide other Silversea expedition ship. gion, launching Bordeaux itinerar- 5 Belgium at its best 1800 243 152; aquaexpeditions.com. Singapore and Yangon. Its flag- at its base, making it suitable only Where to now for chef Ollie Hansford who came More: 1300 028 502; msccruis- ies this year. Its 11-day Bordeaux ship vessel, the 72-passenger Coral for smaller vessels such as luxury to Melbourne last year from Brisbane to be head es.com.au; cruising.com.au. river cruise includes free time in Avalon Waterways launches two 7 P & O in PNG Discoverer, will spend two days in mega-yacht SeaDream I. The 112- chef at Stokehouse City, only to have the business Bordeaux, as well as dinner at Cha- new Belgian itineraries next month Myanmar’s Mergui Archipelago, passenger yacht departs Athens on sold (it will become The Alfred under Urban 2 Deep south heats up teau Pape Clement with wines from that visit towns and waterways be- P & O Cruises started cruising to home to sea gypsies, and nose August 6 for a seven-day journey Purveyor Group)? Hansford has decided not to the estate’s 13th-century vineyard yond the reach of larger vessels. Australia’s closest neighbour, through the Irrawaddy delta to that transits the canal, which Em- pursue a venture with boss Frank Van Haandel The American Deep South’s river- and a visit to a cooperage. More: The nine-day Enchanting Belgium Papua New Guinea, in 2013. This dock in Yangon. More: 1800 079 peror Nero began in 67AD (it and so becomes that rarest of things, an boat scene is about to intensify with 1300 336 932; aptouring.com.au. tour also incorporates The Nether- year it’s adding another PNG port 545; coralexpeditions.com. wasn’t completed until 1893). The unemployed chef with runs in the board. “At the the arrival of French America lands; Belgian highlights include of call — the uninhabited, privately cruise includes a stop at Kefalonia, minute I’ve got nothing set in stone,” says Line’s 150-passenger Louisiane. 4 Blooming lovely the medieval city of Ghent, battle- owned Conflict Islands. The New 10 See the Douro the setting for Louis de Bernieres’ Hansford. Sailing from August 8, the Louisia- fields of Ypres and Eastern Flan- Guinea Islands Unearthed cruise novel Captain Corelli’s Mandolin ne (formerly a riverboat that plied England is celebrating the Year of ders, and Namur in the French- calls at the atoll, a constellation of Scenic is launching its first Portu- and the film of the same name. [email protected] the Pacific Northwest) will cruise the Garden, marking 300 years speaking Wallonia region. The 21 islands encircling a lagoon. The guese river ship next month. The More: 1800 217 902; seadream.com.

You probably know a couple guys black or brown leather to suede, in far when a well-intentioned client ever been and they’re more in to the crazy socks boom. “Sud- who wear them. You might even shades of navy or green, with gave him bright pink and blue fla- tune with the details.” Like a tie denly socks went from being total- Bless your indulge in them yourself or have a brogue stitching or monk straps. mingo-motif socks as a gift. “They or wristwatch, socks are not to ly hidden to being in the spotlight,” pair or two lurking deep in your Thanks to the new-found focus on looked like a Hawaiian shirt on a be overlooked. Style-con- says the company’s global PR di- sock drawer, their exhibitionist what was happening below the guy going on a cruise,” says Hess, scious men are just opting for rector Malkiel Berry. The cotton socks ... bent cloaked in shadow. knee, socks took on unmistake- who admits he’s worn “cheap, ugly more subtle variations, says brand, known for gumball “In the beginning it was the able prominence. argyles”. He knew he had to up his Kevin Harter, the vice-presi- motifs and vivid Tetris grids, quirky guy at work who wore But the party down there is game, especially in the business dent for fashion direction for is distributed in 70 countries but not if ‘funky’ socks,” says Vincent Nas- showing signs of winding down. world of crossed legs and long, men’s at Bloomingdale’s in New and continues to attract all serbakht, co-owner of Manhattan The funk has sunk, and after years shoeless plane flights. Now he opts York, who’s also noticed a shift: kinds of customers, Berry boutique Sock Hop. “That was the of being a way for men to show for quality over colour, wearing “We’re getting away from says. “You have the cool they’re novelty era. Then you saw an ex- more restrained socks from brands the iconic kitschy socks. sneaker or skater kid, but plosion, and it wasn’t just the Otherwise meek like Falke. Men are going more for there are also a lot of people quirky guy anymore.” office workers were But a shift away from recklessly pattern versus the FASHION who wear suits at work and blinding Otherwise meek office workers expressive ankle couture needn’t brightness.” That said, the only part they can actually were flashing loud colours and diz- flashing loud mean men squelch their sartorial they’re favouring discreet have fun with is their socks.” zying patterns mimicking Escher colours and instincts entirely. In fact, says patterns like tiny polka dots Nowadays, the “fun” is at a prints or camouflage motifs that dizzying patterns Hess, being more aware of his foot- or low-key herringbones. Bet- lower decibel. Last year Happy NOAH JOHNSON could only blend in within the wear has improved his style from ter-quality materials like cashmere Socks listened to feedback and walls of a tropical garden. An in- they were in step with fashion, head to toe: “If I’m going to wear a are on the upswing, too. launched collections of athletic creased interest in men’s fashion crazy socks are passe — relying on blue check shirt, I think about what Yet brands like Happy Socks or and dress socks in black, grey and made guys more willing to exper- them as your trademark has be- colour socks will match that. It Paul Smith, known for emphatic navy, with basic geometric pat- iment with the trend, especially come a cliche. helped me think more about bring- patterns, continue to sell, says Har- terns. They aren’t exactly the socks since their pant cuffs mostly ob- Michael Hess, 35, head of mar- ing things together.” ter. Happy Socks, the Swedish your always-practical mother gets scured the stylistic zeal. Back then keting at a social news agency in “Guys dress more cohesively brand with a self-proclaimed mis- you, but they definitely won’t get trousers got slimmer and cropped. New York, realised his predilec- now,” says Nasserbakht. “Men are sion to wring joy out of hosiery, the side glance in the office. Shoes went from standard-issue tion for novelty socks had gone too much better dressed than they’ve launched in 2008, perfectly timed WSJ THE WALL STREET JOURNAL