Former federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg can sure pull a crowd and was most definitely the man of the moment at the Melbourne launch of his memoir A Grateful Son at the Malvern Town Hall on Wednesday evening.
Plenty of Liberal notables were among the more than 600 people at the invitation-only launch including former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett and powerbroker Michael Kroger. Kroger, clad in a white puffer, is certainly a fan of the book having attended the Sydney launch of A Grateful Son on Tuesday.
The book is being seen by some as a testing of the waters by Frydenberg for a political comeback.
Victorian Liberal identities including David Southwick, Georgie Crozier, Brad Rowswell, Michael O’Brien and Rachel Westaway were at the launch, as were former federal ministers Michael Wooldridge and Alan Tudge, former Liberal senator Helen Kroger.
Also spotted were businessman Ruslan Kogan and his philanthropist wife Anastasia, Hugh Morgan, former Geelong chief executive Brian Cook and business identity Bill Guest. Also among the crowd were Transurban chief Michelle Jablko, Chemist Warehouse boss Mario Tascone and FightMND’s Bec Daniher who was there with her four-month-old son, Ted.
Among those getting a shout-out from the stage by MC, former Dees great Gerard Healy, were Olympic champion-turned-fund-manager Grant Hackett, motorsport great Mark Skaife, and former Carlton player Ken Sheldon – although CBD did not manage to clap eyes on them.
Healy kicked off the evening revealing his deep respect for Frydenberg.
He also added some cheek to his presentation, describing the launch as “bigger than a Brownlow Medal [with] a bit less alcohol, but it has a hell of a lot more clothing”.
Melbourne crowds always love a footy reference.
Healy also took a swipe at teal MP Monique Ryan who defeated Frydenberg in the seat of Kooyong in the 2022 federal election, ending his political career to that stage.
Healy joked one of the most precious items at the event on Wednesday were posters of the cover of Frydenberg’s book.
“We have nailed the bloody things down in case Monique Ryan’s husband might be in the area,” he said with the crowd responding to the zinger.
The reference was aimed at Ryan’s husband Peter Jordan who apologised in 2025 after being filmed removing a sign in Camberwell belonging to Liberal candidate for Kooyong, Amelia Hamer, during last year’s federal election campaign.
Former chief executive of the Business Council of Australia, Jennifer Westacott also spoke at the launch where 3AW breakfast host Russel Howcroft interviewed Frydenberg.
Howcroft didn’t muck around, asking the question the room was there to hear – was a political comeback on the cards?
“No, it isn’t,” Frydenberg said.
Returning to the question later in the chat, Frydenberg left a little wiggle room.
“I have not made any decisions about a [return] foray into politics,” he said.
Frydenberg however didn’t hold back when it came to his opinion of former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews.
“Dan Andrews is a bad guy, that’s all you need to know,” he said, adding he hoped the Liberals would win the November state election in Victoria.
“I am very hopeful that David Southwick will be deputy premier and the wonderful Jess Wilson will be premier [in the not too distant future].
Wilson was not at the event, having an existing commitment.
Family and community were strong in the room with Frydenberg’s wife Amie and children Gemma and Blake in attendance as well as members of their extended family.
The launch began with guests standing for a rendition of the national anthem and finished with a young choir from Frydenberg’s primary school, Bialik College in Hawthorn, singing We Are Australian.
Frydenberg’s memoir has been described by The Age’s national correspondent, Rob Harris, as an “elegant book about his life and saving the Liberals. The only problem is that it leaves the reader unsure about whether he wants to lead the party, ensure its survival or just remind people he used to be a future prime minister”.
Frydenberg launched his memoir in Sydney on Tuesday and is now setting out of an extensive multi-state schedule of events to promote the book.
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