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]

Contents

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. [5] 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.[6] 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.[7]

Edelsten's medical practices featured in a Four Corners television program broadcast by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on 3 November 1984.[8] 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".[9]

Edelsten was struck off the New South Wales medical register in 1987 for overservicing and for having unqualified people carry out laser surgery.[10]

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.[11] Edelsten was jailed for one year.[2][6]

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.[12] Edelsten was subsequently struck off the Victorian medical register; his application for re-registration in that state has been rejected on four occasions.[10]

Edelsten has on a number of occasions sought readmittance as a doctor in New South Wales but has been unsuccessful each time.[13] In 2004, the New South Wales Medical Tribunal banned Edelsten from making any further applications for four years.[14]

Music career

During the second half of the 1960s, Edelsten played a notable role in the Melbourne music scene. 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.[15] [16]

In 1967 Edelsten's Hit Productions company signed the group CamPact. Their first single "Something Easy"/"Michael" charted in Melbourne in early 1968.[17]

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.[18]

Sydney Swans

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.[19]

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 on 2008-03-21. 
  3. ^ Brown, Alex. "A few regrets but Edelsten is still true Blue", The Sydney Morning Herald, 2004-07-01. Retrieved on 2008-03-21. 
  4. ^ Hornery, Andrew. "Life & Style - Web of confusion", The Sydney Morning Herald, 2008-02-02. Retrieved on 2008-03-24. 
  5. ^ 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 on 2008-06-01.
  6. ^ a b 50 most influential people: 2005 (pdf). Australian Doctor (2005). Retrieved on 2008-03-25.
  7. ^ Walton, Merrilyn (1998). The Trouble With Medicine. Allen & Unwin, 224. ISBN 1864484713. 
  8. ^ Four Corners timelines for 1984. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved on 2008-03-25.
  9. ^ Chris Masters. Four Corners celebrates 40 years — in 90 minutes: Interviews. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved on 2008-03-25.
  10. ^ a b "Edelsten determined to take up practice again", Australian Doctor, 17 October 2003. Retrieved on 2008-03-25. 
  11. ^ Grabosky, Peter N.; Russell G. Smith (1998). Crime in the Digital Age: Controlling Telecommunications and Cyberspace. Transaction Publishing, page 27. ISBN 0765804581. Retrieved on 2008-03-26. 
  12. ^ Hansard Transcript, Legislative Council. Parliament of NSW (1992-10-27). Retrieved on 2008-03-25.
  13. ^ Lamont, Leonie. "Repentant Edelsten wants to practise again", The Sydney Morning Herald, 2003-11-25. Retrieved on 2008-03-24. 
  14. ^ "Former doctor to remain struck off medical register", Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 29 January 2004. Retrieved on 2008-03-25. 
  15. ^ Laird, Ross. The Sixties:Australian rock & pop recordings, 1964-1969 (page 167). National Film and Sound Archive. Retrieved on 2008-03-25.
  16. ^ The Go!!/Scope Labels - Volume Two. Australian Television Memorabilia Guide (2003). Retrieved on 2008-03-25.
  17. ^ CAM-PACT. Milesago. Retrieved on 2008-03-25.
  18. ^ Pastoral Symphony. Australian Rock Database. Retrieved on 2008-03-25.
  19. ^ The Edelsten-Sharks Marriage. Retrieved on 2008-03-22.

External links

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