Adrian Portelli has faced significant criticism after it emerged that two of the female models at his recent LMCT+ service station opening in Melbourne were just 15 years old. The Australian billionaire launched the LMCT+ petrol station in Preston, Victoria, last week, attracting hundreds of loyal followers eager to see him in person.
Event Details and Models
The event featured several female models dressed in grid girl-style outfits. Among them were two 15-year-olds, including Stevie, the daughter of AFL star Brodie Holland and former Price Is Right model Sarita Stella. Several members of the Facebook group Tea Time expressed disapproval of Portelli for hiring the teenagers.
'I feel like Adrian Portelli having a 15 year old as a showgirl at his pre-opening night hasn't been talked about enough,' one person commented. Another added, 'Yeah, it was absolutely cooked. Regardless of if he hired them himself, it was his event and he is responsible for it.'
Legal Considerations
Australia does not have specific laws governing child modelling, and neither of the teenage performers engaged in any conduct on the night that could be considered unlawful. Daily Mail has approached Portelli for comment.
Opening Night
On Wednesday night, Portelli officially opened the first of his chain of petrol stations, with hundreds of members of the public attending the party. Several devotees of the luxury vehicle enthusiast arrived in their own muscle cars, filling the road, revving engines, and performing burnouts outside the new service station.
Although petrol was not yet available for sale, attendees lined up for food, though Daily Mail heard complaints about long waits and frustrated, hungry attendees. Portelli was mobbed by fans for several hours, culminating in one of his infamous giveaways of $1 million.
Future Plans
The 37-year-old announced his petrol pump venture as part of an extension to LMCT+, his subscription-based rewards club, in December 2025. Speaking to Daily Mail on the night, Portelli said he aims to serve his community by offering petrol at competitive prices as Australia faces shortages.
'Yeah, look, I'm gonna do what I can to relieve that,' Portelli said of the country's fuel crisis. 'I've got my customer base that have supported me over the years, so I'm willing to take a hit to the pocket to support them in these times.'
Portelli indicated he would likely take a financial hit due to low prices but plans to increase them eventually. 'This is just something to say thank you. But you know, we're gonna obviously have to at some point increase our prices, but like I said, we're gonna give wholesale fuel,' he said.
The price of fuel in Australia doubled for drivers in the weeks after conflict broke out in the Middle East and Iran closed shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, with some service stations running dry. Months before the ongoing fuel crisis began, Portelli said his service stations would offer discount fuel prices, with the first location now open in Melbourne.
