Telethon Ball: Generous A-listers come together to raise millions for sick children at annual charity event

The annual Telethon Ball lived up to its reputation as Australia’s most exclusive and generous invitation-only black-tie event on Saturday night with millions of dollars raised for sick children by a guest list that ranged from billionaire philanthropists to influential politicians and bosses of the nation’s biggest companies.

Rhonda Burchmore opened the festivities at the Crown Perth ballroom while music superstar and Seven personality Marcia Hines also serenaded the star-studded crowd.

Father of Telethon and Seven West Media chair Kerry Stokes AC and his wife Christine Simpson Stokes, WA Premier Roger Cook and wife Carly, BHP’s Australian president Geraldine Slattery, Chris Tynan from the Blackstone Group, and Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton were among the luminaries.

Mr Stokes said the generosity at the event meant there was more hope for children who need help.

“Tonight and tomorrow night when we finish, we’ll maybe raise $70 million and that means another thousand kids are going to have a better future,” he said.

“We are investing in kids’ futures and research. This means another thousand kids are going to be better off and that’s got to be a good thing.”

Australia’s richest person and reigning Western Australian of the Year, Gina Rinehart, was at the ball along with many of the most senior staff from her sprawling empire.

Australia’s richest man Andrew Forrest was also in attendance, along with fellow billionaires Chris Ellison, the Mineral Resources founder, and Laurence Escalante, the Virtual Gaming World founder.

Liontown chair Tim Goyder, ex-governor Malcolm McCusker and his wife Tonya of the McCusker Charitable Foundation, and Stan Perron Charitable Foundation chair Elizabeth Perron were also at the ball.

Donations from the evening’s “Making the impossible, possible” auction — hosted by Basil Zempilas — helped fund therapeutic equipment, and tailored programs and state-of-the-art services needed by our sickest children such as15-year-old Palmer Jobe.

Guests heard how Palmer was told he would never eat, walk or talk after complications at birth.

Surrounded by his four siblings, the teen has learnt to walk, communicate and experience joy after being supported through treatment and therapies provided by Telethon beneficiaries.

Auction items included a 24-person suite for the upcoming Coldplay concert at Optus Stadium, a 1kg gold bardonated by Northern Star Resources, a luxury Kimberley helicopter safari donated by Tourism WA and HeliSpirit, a Crown ultimate staycation for six, a private drone show donated by Drone Sky Shows, a Grange magnum wine collection donated by Grange, an ultimate AFL grand final experience donated by the AFL, an ultimate New York City experience for four donated by Paspaley and Qantas, and a private dinner for 10 with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Penfolds chief winemaker Peter Gago.