ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact

Australians are, for some reason, shocked to learn a powerful media billionaire returning from a US ski trip earlier this month wasn’t forced to spend 14 days in a hotel lockdown like the many thousandaires who were.

Kerry Stokes, the Kerry Packer of Western Australia, was able to skip the compulsory two-week lockdown because he’s got an unfathomable amount of money, connections and power.

And that’s left many people around the country angry and confused.

However, one local billionaire here in the Diamantina said that this type of thing is commonplace – and he was wondering why people think this is something out of the ordinary.

“Why should Kerry have to do what everyone else did? He’s rich,” said district cattle baron, Sir John ‘Jack’ Pearson KT, AC, CH, QC, FAA, FRS.

“He flew private, for heaven’s sake! What’s the point in being extremely well-connected, absurdly-wealthy and old-fashioned handsome if you’re not going use those attributes? The notion that billionaires should follow the same rules as the rest of us is ridiculous,”

“Anyone who says any different is just jealous. Well, I started out as a stationhand. I built everything I have. Get off your arse make something of yourself. Stop complaining.”

Sir Jack also felt compelled to comment on the fact none of the media outlets his close personal friend Kerry owns reported on the fact he’d broken the law.

“Why would they? For journalistic integrity? Oh, come on, boy. Surely, you’re not that naive? They didn’t report on their owner breaking the law because you don’t bite the hand that feeds you. There’s a lot of martyrs in this world but not many of them live the good life, I’ll tell you that for free.”

The Advocate reached out to Seven West Media but have yet to receive a reply.

More to come.