Sky News nukes damaging Karl Stefanovic story… Plus, rift murmurs between Jackie O and manager – and Charlie Teo lashes Media Watch host who didn’t disclose their family link: INSIDE MAIL

Forgetting something? 

Media Watch went after neurosurgeon Dr Charlie Teo‘s supporters in the press this week, suggesting the possibility of ‘conflicts of interest’.

Host Linton Besser noted that Cydonee Mardon, a News Corp writer behind many positive articles about Dr Teo, happens to be a former patient of his. This fact has been fairly consistently disclosed in her reporting.

He also singled out podcast provocateur Karl Stefanovic, who is an ambassador for the Charlie Teo Foundation and one of Teo’s biggest cheerleaders.

Media Watch made the case for journalists disclosing their potential conflicts of interest – or, better yet, having none at all – when reporting on the controversial doctor. Which is why one revelation that slid into our DMs caught our eye…

Besser’s father, the celebrated neurosurgeon Dr Michael Besser, was a mentor to a young Dr Teo back in the day. They had, by all accounts, a close relationship characterised by an enormous amount of professional mutual respect.

Whether that remains so today is up for debate, with many neurosurgeons turning their backs on Dr Teo – and Dr Besser conceivably being among them.

To be clear: Inside Mail does not suggest that the possibly strained relationship between Dr Teo and Dr Besser would compromise Linton Besser’s ability to report objectively. We also recognise that when it comes to matters of disclosure, there is a difference between having a direct relationship with someone, like Mardon and Stefanovic do with Dr Teo, and having a relative who has a relationship with someone.

Still, if we were a Media Watch producer (don’t send your headhunters all at once!) we would have disclosed the link anyway. After all, it was a story about disclosure.

On Tuesday, Inside Mail contacted Dr Teo as he returned from China, where he practises after being subject to regulatory restrictions from Australian authorities.

Dr Teo would not be drawn into saying whether his relationship with Dr Besser should have been disclosed on Media Watch. However, he did provide a statement that underscored how wounded he felt watching Linton join the media pile-on.

‘Michael Besser was one of Australia’s greatest neurosurgeons, my teacher, my mentor, and a constant source of inspiration throughout my career,’ he said.

‘The lessons he taught me about courage, compassion, and treating every patient equally, regardless of whether they were public or private, remain with me every day.

‘More than anyone, the families of neurosurgeons understand the immense risks and unpredictability that come with this field, despite the very best efforts of everyone involved.’

Dr Teo continued: ‘It genuinely saddens me that I even have to say this because Michael Besser and his family were people I held in enormous respect. Seeing his son perpetuate this latest media hatchet job is deeply disappointing.

‘He knows me personally, I used to throw him and his brother around in the family pool when they were young boys, and I have followed his career with distant pride over the years.

‘He understands the pressures and scrutiny his own father faced throughout his career, and he knows the only finding against me related to being ‘overly optimistic’ in my consent process – nothing more. Yet Linton Besser has once again recycled the same Fairfax narrative.’

Linton Besser told Inside Mail: ‘Some 40 years ago, from about 1985, my father was one of a group of neurosurgeons involved in training Charlie Teo.

‘To the best of my knowledge, they’ve never had a falling-out and my father played no role in the Media Watch item.’

Publish then panic

Given the way his brain appears to be bursting with bold, contrarian – and increasingly right-leaning – takes, you might assume Karl Stefanovic would be a natural bedfellow for Sky News Australia.

Not so.

The digital arm of the conservative outlet appears to have spiked what looked to be a fairly loose – and potentially defamatory – piece about the Today host.

We’re not foolish enough to repeat the claims. The article now sits behind a dead 404 link, but it reportedly hinged on incendiary allegations attributed to his cancer-stricken ex-wife, Cassandra Thorburn.

As far as we can tell, the story surfaced only on SkyNews.com.au, not on the broadcaster’s TV platform.

Let’s be clear: in digital media, stories get pulled all the time, for all sorts of reasons. It happens at the Daily Mail and everywhere else.

Still, given the seriousness of the claims, the fact the piece was published at all – and then quietly vanished – inevitably raises the question: what happened?

The Mail understands Stefanovic was prepared to issue a response via a spokesperson. But that hardly eliminates the obvious legal risks of amplifying such claims in the first place.

And given Stefanovic’s reputation for litigiousness – alongside his recent positioning of himself as an opponent of the ‘mainstream media’, despite remaining firmly embedded in it until his Nine contract expires – it’s safe to say most outlets would steer well clear.

We approached Sky News Australia for comment but did not receive a response. Stefanovic’s long-time manager, Sharon Finnigan, was also contacted.

Radio silence? 

It’s long been said the Australian radio industry is gossipier than the worlds of news, television and influencers combined.

Which is why we’re exercising some restraint with this tantalising titbit from the FM rumour mill.

According to multiple sources, Jackie ‘O’ Henderson‘s relationship with her manager and longtime best friend, Gemma O’Neill, has ‘cooled’ in recent weeks.

Looming in the background of this alleged chill are the legal proceedings Henderson has launched against ARN, after her services agreement to host KIIS FM’s Sydney breakfast show was terminated.

As Henderson’s manager and confidante, O’Neill would likely have played an advisory role during the fraught months leading up to the contract being torn up.

We make no suggestion of wrongdoing by any party and note the matter is now before the courts.

Still, even the unverified prospect of a rift between the ‘besties’ is enough to set tongues wagging across the radio industry – not that it takes much these days.

O’Neill declined to comment. A source close to her camp also pushed back on the claims, insisting the pair still speak regularly and remain friends.

Another reason to take the chatter with a pinch of salt, for now: Henderson appeared at O’Neill’s Her Best Life wellness conference just five weeks ago – the same event that featured a 90-minute cameo from Meghan Markle.

Ross keeps the payout 

The return of programmer Angus Ross has been warmly welcomed across Seven.

Ross was sensationally axed when Southern Cross Austereo execs moved to take over the TV side following the corporate merger. But that was only the opening skirmish – and now, it seems, the TV arm is winning the war.

Not only is Ross back, but Inside Mail understands he’s keeping his redundancy payment as well as his new salary when he officially resumes on July 1. After 27 years’ service, we can only imagine that payout was substantial.

Few begrudge him the windfall; after all, he spent months unsure what the future held.

It’s rare to see the programmer of a number-one network shown the door.

Word is, Kerry Stokes – the former chairman – was less than impressed with Ross’s exit.

Ross is liked from the executive suite down, and his return has brought obvious relief to the TV division.

The big question: will there be a revenge tour?

With TV and streaming now reporting directly to him, Ross’s influence has only grown. The radio ‘experts’ who thought they knew best have been left red-faced.

Getting sacked tells you fast who your real friends are. Some keep in touch when you no longer hold the power; others drop you, hard.

Those who ditched Ross might be feeling uneasy now.

Nobody at Seven predicted such a comeback – most fakers assumed they’d never need him again.

Yet we hear plenty in the industry did stay in touch.

Fortunately for the fakers, revenge isn’t Ross’s style. He’s far more likely to roll up his sleeves, get stuck in, and leave the politics to others.

Who needs editors?

The fallout from Nine’s redundancies is now hitting the editing department.

These are the visual storytellers who match photos to voice-overs and interviews, turning complex stories into tight packages on deadline.

But Nine believes it no longer needs specialist editors, expecting producers and camera operators to absorb their roles.

Not enough editors accepted voluntary redundancies, so the company is moving on to forced layoffs. Across the news divisions at 1 Dennison Street, staff are being summoned for the dreaded HR meeting, where they’re told their services won’t be needed from November.

It’s all part of the ‘Future News’ project, reducing around 100 job titles to just nine broad categories.

For example, ‘Executive Producer’ will be scrapped. The lead producers across 60 Minutes, Today, Today Extra, 9NEWS and Weekend Today will now be known as ‘Story Editor’.

To say this change has gone down like a lead balloon is an understatement.

Adding to the confusion, new Story Editors may still use the ‘Executive Producer’ title in their email signatures outside the organisation.

Meanwhile, those left behind are expected to do more work – and it’s causing chaos.

Some programs that have switched to the new automated system are struggling; producers from other shows are stepping in to prep rundowns and enter commands.

On paper, it all looks slick. In reality, it’s a mess. 

Labor and the ABC: A match made in heaven

A ‘garden party engagement’ is being held on May 30 to celebrate the impending nuptials of ABC producer Gill MacPhee and media adviser Savanna Peake.

The guest list includes Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, his wife Jodie Haydon, along with Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek and her husband, senior NSW bureaucrat Michael Coutts-Trotter.

The late-afternoon event at a swanky private house in Edgecliff will also be attended by a large group of friends and family, invited by the happy couple to ‘celebrate our blooming love’.

Savanna, who ran as a federal Labor candidate at the last election in the seat of Wentworth, which was won by Allegra Spender, is a former teacher who worked as an adviser to Plibersek and more recently to City of Sydney councillor Zann Maxwell.

Savanna and Gill’s second engagement party – they celebrated with friends after the proposal in Mexico last month – promises to be a Who’s Who of politics and media.

Inside Mail also hears there’s feverish speculation the party may be doing double duty as a wedding.

Apparently, inviting everyone to what’s billed as an engagement bash, only to spring a ‘surprise – we’re getting married!’ reveal is all the rage these days.

Whatever the case, we wish the May-December lovebirds the best.

Chalmers’ worst nightmare

With the budget backlash refusing to ease, Labor has quietly turned to a new operator to steady the ship, and it isn’t Treasurer Jim Chalmers.

On Sunday, Cabinet Secretary Andrew Charlton was pushed forward as the government’s unlikely corporate fixer, sent out to reassure uneasy business leaders and regain control of the narrative.

While he remains relatively unknown outside Canberra, in political and corporate circles he carries serious weight.

His background sets him apart in a party dominated by career staffers, union hacks and long-time Labor operators. 

Charlton was educated at Knox Grammar before studying at the University of Sydney and St Paul’s College, later winning a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford, where he completed a doctorate in economics.

He’s also no stranger to politics. 

Charlton served as chief economic adviser to Kevin Rudd before stepping away after Rudd’s ousting in 2010.

In 2015, Charlton founded AlphaBeta Advisors, growing it into a significant consulting and technology firm before selling it for millions to Accenture in 2021.

The move cemented his reputation as one of Labor’s most commercially credible figures, equally comfortable in boardrooms and policy debates.

That blend of economic credibility and business fluency is exactly what the Albanese government is now leaning on as it tries to contain the fallout, with expectations mounting that concessions for tech firms and start-ups could be in play.

Charlton’s sudden prominence hasn’t gone unnoticed.

His media appearances have sparked chatter in Canberra, with some figures privately dubbing him a ‘treasurer-in-waiting’, a label that inevitably draws comparison with Chalmers.

The Treasurer brings his own academic credentials, though of a different kind.

His PhD at ANU examined the prime ministership of Paul Keating.

Not exactly the kind of résumé line that sends markets or boardrooms scrambling for his insight.

Inside Labor, the contrast is becoming harder to ignore.

Some insiders say Albanese’s decision to elevate Charlton publicly has unsettled parts of the party, fuelling speculation about whether he could one day be a stronger fit for the Treasury brief.

There were already calls to bring him into cabinet after Labor’s 2025 election win, suggestions that, according to party sources, landed awkwardly in the Treasurer’s camp.

Ley-d off staffer lands plum gig 

Trading app Superhero is making a serious play for Canberra, tapping young political whiz Dean Shachar – formerly chief of staff for Sussan Ley – as its first Head of Corporate Affairs.

In a delicious bit of political irony, senior Labor figures are openly praising the hire, overlooking that Shachar’s new job essentially involves weaponising a massive youth voting bloc against the government’s own tax tweaks.

For the first time, Superhero has cracked open its user data, revealing a demographic timebomb for Canberra. Of its 450,000 investors, 70 per cent are Gen Z or Millennials, and almost half are 35 or under. Shachar’s peers no less!

These are ambitious young Aussies trying to build wealth, and they are exactly the ones bearing the brunt of recent federal budget changes to capital gains tax, despite Labor claims that the budget benefits younger voters.

Despite his young age, Shachar’s résumé packs a punch.

Having already served as chief of staff to an Opposition Leader (Ley) and senior adviser to a PM (Scott Morrison), he’s swapping the political backrooms for the retail investing frontline, to make sure parliamentarians actually listen to this growing demographic.

Yet the bipartisan endorsements keep rolling in. A senior Labor MP described the former Liberal staffer as ‘widely respected… strategic, [with] good judgment,’ while a member of the Coalition’s leadership team no less praised his ‘diligent service’ and crucial support during leadership transitions. Thanks Angus!

Even a Commonwealth agency head dubbed it a ‘smart hire,’ noting Shachar knows how to build relationships that last. We’ll see about that among his Labor fan club once he gets to work.

CEO John Winters says the appointment is about giving young Aussies a seat at the policy table. Labor might be rolling out the welcome mat now, but with Shachar rallying the youth vote over their financial futures, Albo and his sidekick Dr Jim might soon regret all the applause.

‘Ashby is gay’ 

Revelations that One Nation’s Jason Virgo is openly gay have set the internet alight, but they come as little surprise to Inside Mail.

We previously revealed Virgo’s history of activism to support same-sex marriage, as well as his Senate candidacy for the short-lived Sex Party.

For those less familiar with South Australian politics, the idea of an openly gay One Nation MP, in a long-term relationship with a Muslim partner, has landed like a political thunderclap.

Inside Mail, though, sees it differently. If anything, it reinforces the view that many observers misunderstand what is driving One Nation’s support.

Pauline Hanson, while no stranger to controversy, has also shifted, or at least moderated, her tone on LGBT issues over time.

During the 2017 same-sex marriage plebiscite, she warned that legalising marriage equality could upend social norms, even suggesting it might lead to children no longer using terms like ‘mum and dad’, comments that drew widespread criticism.

In the years since, however, her stance has softened.

In 2023, Hanson criticised a Sydney school for barring same-sex partners from a formal, saying: ‘It’s a part of life… to deny these two girls… is ridiculous.’

She has also moved to distance herself from more inflammatory rhetoric within her party. When former NSW One Nation leader Mark Latham targeted independent MP Alex Greenwich in 2023, Hanson publicly rebuked him, describing the remarks as ‘disgusting’ and calling for an apology.

The evolution is also reflected in her inner circle.

Hanson maintains a long-standing working relationship with her chief of staff and party operative James Ashby, widely regarded as one of her closest allies.

Not only is Ashby openly gay, but he has one of the most succinct ‘Personal life’ sections on Wikipedia of anyone in Australian politics.

It simply reads: ‘Ashby is gay.’ 

Observers point out that similar dynamics play out in right-wing parties overseas.

Germany’s Alternative for Germany is co-led by Alice Weidel, who is a lesbian, while former US president Donald Trump has long been backed by a cadre of gay conservatives, including former treasury secretary Scott Bessent and flamboyant convicted felon George Santos, who owes his freedom to The Don.