Kate Baillieu

Katharine Jean (Kate) Baillieu is an Australian heiress-activist born in Melbourne on January 7, 1946. She is the daughter of Darren and Diana Baillieu.[1] According to the Business Review Weekly 2007 Rich List, the Baillieu family has a net worth of more than $A358 million.[2] She is a resident of Portsea, Victoria, Australia’s most affluent suburb. She has been involved in a series of public controversies as an outspoken anti-development activist.

Early life

Baillieu was educated at St Catherine’s School, Toorak. She then became a media personality with GTV-9. She was written about in social pages for her extravagant dress sense. [3] Baillieu rose to the position of personal assistant to Kerry Packer. In 1977 Baillieu was awarded the Douglas Wilkie Medal by the Anti-Football League.

Marriage and family

Baillieu married Victorian politician and businessman Julian Doyle in October 1983. The marriage to Baillieu was Doyle’s second marriage. [4] Baillieu and Doyle had divorced some time prior to his death in 2007.

Baillieu and Doyle had one child together, a daughter, Amy, born in 1986. Amy has edited a book on Point Nepean. [5]

Baillieu is the sister of Ted Baillieu the Leader of the Victorian Liberal Party and Leader of the State Opposition. Baillieu has refused to support her brother publicly and answered the question whether she congratulated him on his promotion to Victorian Party Leader with "Has anyone congratulated him on being my brother?" [6]

Public controversies

Baillieu has been involved in a series of public controversies involving her campaigns against development in and around Portsea. Baillieu has been described in the press as the "general for the old money push" in "a struggle of old and new money" about development in the area. However, Baillieu has denied that her activism is intended to be elitist: ``This is a neighborly, peaceful place. Portsea conjures up an image. But we are not exclusive. Anyone can come here."

David Deague

Baillieu unsuccessfully opposed development in Portsea by David Deague in the mid-1990s. Baillieu said of Deague "I saw a lot of his great care and compassion for the landscape when he illegally demolished the house, destroyed the landscape and gardens and tore up the cliffside." [7]

Lindsay Fox

Baillieu was described as a “dogged nemesis” of Lindsay Fox who is her Portsea neighbor. [8] However, Baillieu failed in a court bid to prevent him landing his helicopter at his Portsea house. During court proceedings Baillieu was forced to admit under cross examination that she had landed helicopters in Portsea when she was Kerry Packer’s personal assistant. [9][10] [11]

Point Nepean

In late 2002 and in 2003 it was reported that the Federal Government was considering selling or leasing part of Point Nepean and that David Deague and Lindsay Fox were among interested purchasers. [12]

Baillieu became an outspoken activist against the proposed redevelopment saying “We could end up with is one rich bloke building a couple of houses there. It will be a bloody tragedy, I can tell you” [13] and “If this priceless heritage land falls into private hands there will undoubtedly be a local electoral backlash and I think it will be a matter of national shame, deep shame.” [14]

Ultimately the sale of any part of Point Nepean was prevented by the initiative of the Federal Member for Flinders, Greg Hunt, and supported by then Treasurer Peter Costello to make Point Nepean a National Park and Heritage listed. Point Nepean is now under the management of the Point Nepean Trust which is chaired by investment banker Simon McKeon. [15] [16][17] [18]

Political ambitions

The Age reported in 2003 that Baillieu was considering entering politics, possibly as an independent. [19] As yet, however, Baillieu has not made a bid for public office.