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Geoffrey Edelsten

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Geoffrey Walter Edelsten (born 2 May 1943) is an Australian medical entrepreneur and was the first private owner of a major Australian football team when he bought the Sydney Swans Football Club in 1985.[1] In 1988, Edelsten, then a doctor, was struck off the New South Wales medical register for at least ten years. He subsequently spent a year in jail for hiring an underworld figure, Christopher Dale Flannery, to assault a former patient, and for perverting the course of justice.[2][3][4]

Edelsten was known as a flamboyant entrepreneur in the 1980s, transforming the idea of what a doctor's surgery was with chandeliers, grand pianos and 24 hour opening.[5] He was associated with a glamorous wife, pink cars and a pink helicopter as well as buying a football team.[6][7][8][9] Edelsten has claimed that the pink helicopter was non-existent[10] despite contemporary television footage of a pink and white helicopter being associated with him.[11]

Medical career

In 1971, Edelsten formed Preventicare, a computerised medical diagnostic service for GPs, with colleague Tom Wenkart. It was a short business association of just 15 months with Preventicare forced into provisional liquidation. [12]

In the 1980s, Edelsten was famous for running 24-hour medical centres that featured chandeliers and grand pianos. His clinics were innovative and the forerunners of corporate medical practices.[5] His clinics were the first to bulk-bill patients to Medicare.[13] His first clinic opened in 1984 and within four months had 2000 patients a week. Edelsten's empire grew to thirteen medical centres, with around 200 doctors seeing more than 20,000 patients each week.[14]

Edelsten's medical practices featured in a Four Corners television program broadcast by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on 3 November 1984.[15] The program was called Branded and was about tattoos and tattoo removal but also discussed entrepreneurial medicine and Edelsten, who was regarded as a "highflying practitioner of the day".[16]

Edelsten was struck off the New South Wales medical register in 1988 for overservicing and for having unqualified people carry out laser surgery.[17] [18]

Edelsten was convicted on 27 July 1990 for perverting the course of justice and also for hiring an underworld figure, Christopher Dale Flannery, to assault a former patient. Edelsten had obtained an adjournment of the trial of Flannery, which had been fixed for 31 January 1984 by certifying, that is, providing a medical certificate that Flannery was unfit for trial in order to avoid Flannery being tried by a particular judge.[19] Edelsten was jailed for one year.[2][5] He and Mr Flannery's wife both testified to a later Victorian Medical Board hearing that Mr Flannery had been genuinely ill and in hospital at the time, and said Flannery had not had contact with him before or at the time of the assault.[20]

In 1992, New South Wales politician Fred Nile said in Parliament that Edelsten was a "fairly prominent doctor" and that since he was deregistered in New South Wales, he moved to Victoria where he was able to practise.[21] Edelsten was subsequently struck off the Victorian medical register; his application for re-registration in that state has been rejected on four occasions.[17]

In 2001, Edelsten operated a company called "Gene E" which offered paternity testing by mail order. [22]

Edelsten has on a number of occasions sought readmittance as a doctor in New South Wales but has been unsuccessful each time.[23] In 2003, he told the NSW Medical Tribunal that he was regretful about his conduct and unreservedly expressed contrition and remorse. [24] Referring to Edelsten's doctorate in philosophy from the Pacific Western University, counsel assisting the Tribunal said people could be misled, in that use of the words "professor" and "doctor" could lead people to think Edelsten was entitled to practise medicine. Edelsten said if the commission told him he should stop using the doctor honorific, he would. [23] In 2004, the same Tribunal banned Edelsten from making any further applications for four years.[25][26]

In 2008, the Herald Sun reported that Edelsten still owned three medical clinics. [27] Edelsten says he registered the word ‘superclinic’ as a trademark and is challenging the use of the word by the Federal Government's Health Department initiative to establish "GP Super Clinics" in 31 localities across Australia.[13]

Music career

During the second half of the 1960s, Edelsten branched into the Melbourne music scene. Edelsten's family owned the Edels record retail chain. Edelsten had a deal with the music publishers Festival Records (Australia) with his company 'Hit Productions'.[28]

In 1966, he claimed a co-writing credit on the songs "I can’t stop loving you, baby" and "A woman of gradual decline" for the group The Last Straws, whose singles were released on Edelsten's shortlived Scope label.[29] [30]

In 1967, Edelsten's Hit Productions company signed the group CamPact. Their first single "Something Easy"/"Michael" charted in Melbourne in early 1968.[28]

Later in 1968, Edelsten co-produced the single "Love Machine" for the studio group Pastoral Symphony, comprising Glenn Shorrock & The Twilights, Ronnie Charles of The Groop and other musicians.[31]

Sydney Swans

File:SwansPinkAndWhitehelicopter.jpg
Image of pink and white helicopter which accompanied the voice over "Twenty minutes before the game the now famous pink and white helicopter circled the arena ..." on television program: VFL 1985: Geoff Edelsten buys Sydney Swans[11]

On 31 July 1985, for what was thought to be $6.3 million, Edelsten bought the Sydney Swans football club. In reality it was $2.9 million in cash, with funding and other payments spread over five years. A period of relative on-field success followed, however, success on the field was not translated to financial security, membership or a sustainable structure. Edelsten resigned as chairman after less than twelve months.[1]

In July 1986, Edelsten attempted to buy the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks rugby league team but his offer was refused by the game's administrators.[32][33]

References

  1. ^ a b Sydney Swans- A Brief History - Official Website
  2. ^ a b "Edelsten tries to re-enter the ranks of doctors". The Age. 2003-11-25. Retrieved 2008-03-21. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  3. ^ Brown, Alex (2004-07-01). "A few regrets but Edelsten is still true Blue". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2008-03-21. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  4. ^ Hornery, Andrew (2008-02-02). "Life & Style - Web of confusion". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2008-03-24. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  5. ^ a b c "50 most influential people: 2005" (pdf). Australian Doctor. 2005. p. 12. Retrieved 2008-03-25.
  6. ^ Craven, Ian. Australian Popular Culture. Cambridge University Press. p. page 58. ISBN 0521466679. {{cite book}}: |page= has extra text (help)
  7. ^ Hinds, Richard (2003-09-20). "The stripes earned through hype and hardship". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2008-08-24.
  8. ^ "Sydney goes for the doctor". The Herald-Sun. 2008-05-23. Retrieved 2008-08-24.
  9. ^ Gorman, Sean (2005). Brotherboys: The Story of Jim and Phillip Krakouer. Allen & Unwin. p. page 178. Retrieved 2008-08-25. {{cite book}}: |page= has extra text (help)
  10. ^ Hinds, Richard (2006-05-19). "A compelling history of hardship and helicopters". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2008-08-24.
  11. ^ a b "VFL 1985: Geoff Edelsten buys Sydney Swans" (YouTube video - still from 2 minutes 30 seconds into clip). Seven's Big League. Seven Network ; clip republished on YouTube. 1985. Retrieved 2008-08-25.
  12. ^ Wynne, J Michael (November 2005). "Tom Wenkart and Macquarie Health - Review of 1971 origin with Dr Edelsten". Corporate Medicine Web Site. University of Wollongong. Retrieved 2008-06-01.
  13. ^ a b Smith, Paul (2008-06-26). "What's in a name? 'Superclinic' stoush". Australian Doctor. Retrieved 2008-08-25.
  14. ^ Walton, Merrilyn (1998). The Trouble With Medicine. Allen & Unwin. p. 224. ISBN 1864484713. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); External link in |title= (help)
  15. ^ "Four Corners timelines for 1984". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2008-03-25.
  16. ^ "Chris Masters". Four Corners celebrates 40 years — in 90 minutes: Interviews. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2008-03-25.
  17. ^ a b "Edelsten determined to take up practice again". Australian Doctor. 17 October 2003. Retrieved 2008-03-25.
  18. ^ "Geoffrey Edelsten - Reasons for Determination" (PDF). Medical Tribunal of New South Wales. 2004-01-29. Retrieved 2008-06-14.
  19. ^ Grabosky, Peter N. (1998). Crime in the Digital Age: Controlling Telecommunications and Cyberspace. Transaction Publishing. p. page 27. ISBN 0765804581. Retrieved 2008-03-26. {{cite book}}: |page= has extra text (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  20. ^ Heath, Sally (17 August 1991). "Flannery evidence proves wrongful conviction: Edelsten" (PDF). The Age. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  21. ^ "Hansard Transcript, Legislative Council". Parliament of NSW. 1992-10-27. Retrieved 2008-03-25.
  22. ^ 7.30 Report - 5/3/2001: DNA and paternity case may set mammoth precedent
  23. ^ a b Lamont, Leonie (2003-11-25). "Repentant Edelsten wants to practise again". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax. Retrieved 2008-03-24. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  24. ^ "Edelsten appeals to NSW Medical Tribunal". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 24 November 2003. Retrieved 2008-06-16.
  25. ^ "Former doctor to remain struck off medical register". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 29 January 2004. Retrieved 2008-03-25.
  26. ^ Anastasopoulos, Christina (2004-02-13). "Edelsten still on the outer". News Briefs. Australian Doctor. Mr Edelsten represented himself at the hearing, where he admitted he lied to the tribunal at his last attempt to be re-registered in 2001.
    Tribunal deputy chairman Judge John Maguire said while Mr Edelsten might have spent the past 16 years acquiring an impressive array of degrees and doing charitable work, his character was still flawed. He was banned from re-applying for re-registration for four years.     {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  27. ^ "Superclinic doubt, says Geoffrey Edelsten". Herald Sun.
  28. ^ a b "CAM-PACT - Melbourne 1967-1970". MILESAGO: Australasian Music and Popular Culture 1964-1975 - Groups and Solo artists. Duncan Kimball. 9 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-16.
  29. ^ Laird, Ross. "The Sixties:Australian rock & pop recordings, 1964-1969 (page 167)" (PDF). National Film and Sound Archive. Retrieved 2008-03-25. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  30. ^ "The Go!!/Scope Labels - Volume Two". Australian Television Memorabilia Guide. 2003. Retrieved 2008-03-25. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  31. ^ "Pastoral Symphony". Australian Rock Database. Retrieved 2008-03-25. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  32. ^ Abouchar, Dom (July 1986). "Edelsten and the Sharks". Rugby League Week. Retrieved 2008-08-25.
  33. ^ "The Edelsten-Sharks Marriage". Retrieved 2008-03-22.
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