Million Dollar Lunch

She may live in the United States, but Olivia Newton-John still has very close connections to her hometown of Melbourne and she has endorsed Treasurer John Brumby as the next premier.

Newton-John performed at the Million Dollar Lunch at Crown yesterday just three hours after Steve Bracks resigned as Premier, and she had some kind words to say about his probable successor, Mr Brumby.

“I’m not really involved in politics so I can’t really comment, but I hear that Mr Brumby might be taking his place,” she said. “He has been a great supporter of my hospital, so I’m very excited.”

Newton-John is raising funds with the Austin Hospital for her own cancer and wellbeing centre. She was at the Million Dollar Lunch to sing for the Koala Foundation, which helps pay for research and treatment for kids with cancer.

Newton-John said she was excited to be back in Melbourne, but would not confirm or deny if health guru John Easterling was the new man in her life. “I’m very happy,” was all she would say.

When pressed by the Herald Sun if they were in fact together, she said she had “nothing to say”.

She is working on restoring Koala Blue products in Australian department stores such as Myer, and recently completed a Christmas CD.

“I always love coming back,” she said. “This is home. I lived here as a young girl and it’s great to come back to see my nieces and nephews and my friends.”