Kerry Packer

Kerry Packer was Australia's richest man through his media company PBL Publishing and Broadcasting Limited. PBL owns the Channel 9 TV station in Australia, the majority of the magazines and newspapers published in Australia, gambling interests including the Burswood and Crown Casino, and various other Internet, media and financial interests.

The Packer family have been involved in publishing and media for several generations in Australia. It started with Kerry Packer's grandfather Robert Packer who managed and owned a part of a newspaper in the 1920s. Kerry's father then went on to produce one of Australia's most successful magazines the "Australian Women's Weekly". The success of the weekly magazine funded further acquisitions and established the foundation of what has grown into the Publishing and Broadcasting media empire that exists today.

After his father's death in 1974 Kerry Packer took control of the business. Packer continually expanded and grew the company over the years. The companies were merged and became part of the Publishing and Broadcasting Limited company in 1994. The core industries that PBL has interests in is Television broadcasting and production, magazine distribution and publication, and gaming.

Forbes Rich List - Estimated Net Worth in American Dollars
2004 - $4.2 billion - ranked 111 of the World's richest people
2003 - $2.5 billion - ranked 147 of the World's richest people
2002 - $2.5 billion - ranked 157 of the World's richest people
2001 - $2.5 billion - ranked 182 of the World's richest people