Kerry Packer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kerry Packer
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Packer at Parliament House in 1991
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Kerry Francis Bullmore Packer
17 December 1937 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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| Died | 26 December 2005 (aged 68) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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| Resting place | Ellerston, New South Wales, Australia |
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| Children | 2, Gretel and James Packer |
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Kerry Francis Bullmore Packer (born December 17, 1937 – died December 26, 2005) was a very powerful Australian businessman. He was known as a "media tycoon" because he owned many TV channels and magazines. His family's company, called Publishing and Broadcasting Limited (PBL), owned the Nine Network TV channel and Australian Consolidated Press magazines.
Outside of Australia, Kerry Packer was famous for starting World Series Cricket. When he passed away, he was one of the richest and most important people in Australia. In 2004, a business magazine said he was worth about $6.5 billion Australian dollars.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Kerry Packer was born in Sydney, Australia, on December 17, 1937. His father, Sir Frank Packer, was also a big media owner. His mother, Gretel Bullmore, was the daughter of a Scottish rugby player. Kerry had an older brother named Clyde Packer.
Kerry enjoyed sports like boxing, cricket, and rugby at school. He found schoolwork difficult, possibly because he had dyslexia, which means he had trouble reading and writing. When his father died in 1974, Kerry inherited the family business, which was worth a lot of money. His father had decided that Kerry, not his older brother Clyde, would take over the company.
Building a Business Empire
Kerry Packer's family company, Consolidated Press Holdings, owned a big part of Publishing and Broadcasting Limited (PBL). PBL owned the Nine Network TV channel and Australian Consolidated Press, which made many popular magazines in Australia. He also had other businesses, like the Crown Casino in Melbourne.
Even though Kerry struggled in school, he was known as a very smart businessman. Politicians often wanted his advice. His grandfather, Robert Clyde Packer, and his father, Sir Frank Packer, had started building the media empire many years before. So, Kerry didn't start from nothing; he built on what his family had created.
One famous story is when Packer sold the Nine Network to another businessman, Alan Bond, in 1987 for a huge amount of money. Then, three years later, he bought it back for much less when Bond's businesses were having problems. Packer joked that you only meet someone like Alan Bond once in your life.
Kerry Packer also owned a lot of land in Australia. In 2003, valuable rubies were found on one of his properties! His business empire included magazines, TV, telecommunications, and even a ski resort.
Media Interests
The Packer family has been involved in media for a long time. Kerry's grandfather owned newspapers, and his father was one of Australia's first "media moguls" (a very powerful media owner). Kerry started working in the newspaper business by loading papers onto trucks. He wasn't originally supposed to take over the family business, but his older brother, Clyde, had a disagreement with their father and left. So, Kerry took charge of PBL in 1974 after his father passed away.
The Alan Bond Deal
In 1987, Kerry Packer made a lot of money from Alan Bond. He sold the Nine Network to Bond for about $1.05 billion Australian dollars. Three years later, when Bond's businesses were failing, Packer bought the network back for only $250 million. This deal is famous in Australian television history.
Hands-on Approach
Kerry Packer sometimes got involved in what was shown on his TV channels and in his newspapers. He was known for making sure that important sports events, like cricket matches, were broadcast completely, even if it meant changing the TV schedule.
Government Questions
In 1991, the Australian government held an inquiry (a special investigation) about the media industry. Kerry Packer was asked to speak. He was very funny but also serious. When asked his full name, he said, "Kerry Francis Bullmore Packer. I have appeared here reluctantly." He also famously said that everyone should try to pay as little tax as possible, because the government wasn't spending it well.
World Series Cricket
Outside of Australia, Kerry Packer was most famous for starting World Series Cricket in 1977. At that time, the traditional cricket authorities controlled everything. Packer wanted to show cricket on his Nine Network, but he couldn't get the rights. So, he decided to create his own cricket competition.
He convinced many of the world's best cricket players to join his new league. This caused a big fight with the official cricket organizations. Packer hired the best lawyers to help him win in court. He was very successful, and eventually, the official cricket groups had to work with him. When he died, people held a moment of silence at the MCG because he had changed the sport so much.
World Rugby Corporation
Packer also helped fund the World Rugby Corporation (WRC) in 1995. This company wanted to start a professional worldwide rugby union competition. Many top players from New Zealand and Australia signed up. However, the official rugby unions fought back. They told players they would not be allowed to play for their countries if they joined the WRC. Most players decided to stay with their national teams, and the WRC project was stopped.
Personal Life
Kerry Packer had a tough time with his health as a child. When he was eight, he got a serious illness called poliomyelitis and had to use an "iron lung" machine for nine months to help him breathe. His father didn't always think Kerry was very smart, but Kerry proved him wrong by making the family business much bigger.
Kerry Packer's grandfather, Herbert Bullmore, was a rugby player for Scotland and a doctor in Sydney.
Kerry Packer was married to Roslyn Weedon for 42 years. They had two children, a daughter named Gretel and a son named James. At the time of his death, he had two grandchildren, Francesca and Ben.
He was a big fan of the South Sydney Rabbitohs rugby league team. He also supported the idea of Australia becoming a republic, meaning it would have its own head of state instead of the British monarch.
Polo
Kerry Packer loved playing polo, a sport played on horseback. In 1992, he started a polo team called Ellerstina, which won many important tournaments. He even bought a large estate in England where his polo team was based.
Gambling
Packer was known for being a very big gambler. He had huge wins and losses. Once, he lost almost $28 million Australian dollars in London casinos over three days. This was one of the biggest gambling losses ever reported in Britain.
However, he also had big wins. He once won $33 million at a casino in Las Vegas. Casinos found his visits risky because his wins or losses could greatly affect their money. He was also known for having a quick temper. There's a famous story where a rich Texan gambler told Packer he was worth $60 million. Packer supposedly pulled out a coin and asked if the Texan wanted to flip for $120 million!
Health Challenges
Kerry Packer had several heart attacks during his life. In 1990, while playing polo, he had a heart attack and was "clinically dead" for seven minutes. Paramedics brought him back to life using a defibrillator (a machine that sends an electric shock to the heart). He then had heart surgery.
After this experience, Packer donated a lot of money to the ambulance service in New South Wales. This money helped buy portable defibrillators for all ambulances. These machines became known as "Packer Whackers." He famously said, "Son, I've been to the other side, and let me tell you, there's nothing there."
He also had a serious kidney problem for many years. In 2000, his helicopter pilot, Nick Ross, bravely donated one of his own kidneys to Packer for a transplant. The story of this transplant was shown on an Australian TV show called Australian Story. After the operation, Packer started an organization to help with organ transplants.
Death and Legacy
Kerry Packer passed away from kidney failure on December 26, 2005, at his home in Sydney. He was 68 years old. He had told his doctors that he didn't want his life to be artificially extended. His private funeral was held at his country home, Ellerston, where he was buried near the polo field.
State Memorial Service
A public memorial service was held for Kerry Packer on February 17, 2006, at the Sydney Opera House. Many important people attended, including his son James, the Prime Minister John Howard, and famous cricket player Richie Benaud. Even Hollywood actor Tom Cruise was there.
See also
- Kerry Packer Foundation
- Howzat! Kerry Packer's War
- Super League war
Images for kids
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Tony Greig.jpg
Tony Greig, a cricket player who worked with Kerry Packer.
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Polo player on horseback.jpg
Kerry Packer was a very keen polo player.
