Key Points
- Canberra's annual Midwinter Ball was held last night for Australia's politicians, press and influential leaders.
- The Greens took advantage of the spotlight, using their appearance - or absence - to make a political statement.
It was a glitzy Wednesday night in the country's capital where Australia's politicians, press and community leaders trade policy discussions for a glamorous party at the annual Midwinter Ball.
The ball returned to the Great Hall at Parliament House in Canberra after being paused for two years due to COVID-19 restrictions. And the Greens Party took advantage of the spotlight, using their appearance - or absence - to make a political statement.
Greens leader Adam Bandt turned up with his wife Claudia Perkins, whose dress was used to protest against one of the event's major sponsors, gas corporation Woodside Energy.
Donning a white gown and black leather gloves, her dress had sprawled across the words "coal kills" and "gas kills". Her face was marked the logo of the environmental advocacy organisation Extinction Rebellion.
Ms Perkins said she and Mr Bandt were "pretty pissed off" so she wanted to make her "feelings loud and clear".
The ball was sponsored by almost 30 organisations and companies, including gas companies Shell, Woodside, and various news outlets including ABC, Nine, Sky News, Newscorp Australia and SBS.
The event is aimed to raise funds for charity through online auction bids on eBay. Since the event's inception in 2000, almost $4.5 million has been raised for various charities, such as St Vincent de Paul Society, Guide Dogs, OzHarvest, Lifeline and more.
Director of the National Press Club David Crowe said the 2022 ball raised a record $350,000 towards the Ukraine Crisis Appeal, Rural Aid and Fearless Women - to name a few.
Mr Crowe said Woodside and Shell sponsored the 2019 event, but he was not consulted about their funding concerns until three weeks before this year's ball, making it too late to make changes to the sponsor list.
Mr Crowe said Woodside and Shell's contributions made up 7 per cent of the budget for the event.
"We always consult on the ball but anyone who went to the ball in 2019 could have raised concern then," he wrote on Twitter.
"We definitely consult on the Midwinter Ball and will do so in the wake of this one."
In a similar fashion to Ms Perkins, South Australian Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young wore a white gown with subtle trimming that had printed on it: "end coal and gas".
While it was business at the front, it was a political statement at the back. In large, black bolded text again repeated the message: "end gas and coal".
South Australia's Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young delivering a political statement at Canberra's Midwinter Ball. Source: AAP
US politician Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wore a controversial gown to the 2021 Met Gala. Source: Getty / Jamie McCarthy
"Tonight’s Midwinter Ball is yet another reminder of the perverse hold coal and gas have over our government, no matter who leads it. I will not be attending," WA Senator Jordon Steele-John wrote on Twitter.
"Watching MPs swan about in suits and sparkles at an event openly sponsored by coal and gas is frankly sickening," he said.
"When contrasted with the reality of the climate crisis in places like Pakistan, in places like Lismore, we see where the political class’ priorities lie."
His Queensland colleague, Senator Larissa Waters also didn't attend but said event organisers would reconsider who would sponsor the ball next year.
