No party for Moreland garbage workers as council steps in

Garbage collection workers in Melbourne’s north were left high and dry after an exclusive all-expenses-paid Christmas party was cancelled when the local council allegedly encouraged employees not to attend.

An exclusive Christmas party set to celebrate garbage men in Melbourne’s north has been sensationally cancelled. Picture: Dylan Robinson

An exclusive Christmas party set to celebrate garbage men in Melbourne’s north has been sensationally cancelled after local council allegedly encouraged employees not to attend.

Garbos in the City of Moreland were left frosty and thirsty after the all-expenses paid pub party — organised on the house by Victoria Bitter — was given less than full strength support by Moreland City Council.

The beer giant stepped in to organise the event after council controversially banned workers from accepting boxes of beer left on the footpath as a thirst-quenching thank you treat from residents.

But the boozy lunch — which included free beer and food at the First and Last Hotel Coburg — fizzled out this afternoon when council allegedly told employees it was “not in their best interest” to attend.

Ted, 2, and his dad like to leave six-packs out to say thanks to the garbage collectors.

A Victoria Bitter spokesman told the Herald Sun the group would still endeavour to provide thirsty garbage men with two boxes of beer to compensate for the slashed plans.

“We wanted to put on a Christmas function for the hard-working garbage men in the City of Moreland,” he said.

“Unfortunately, council didn’t seem keen on the idea.”

It is not the first controversial call made by the group, who made headlines after they stripped meat off the menu for their Monday meetings.

Zoe Curtis, who took happy snaps as her two-year-old son, Ted, left a gift for their local garbage man last week, said the rule was a “rot”.

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“The highlight of my two-year-old’s week is waking up bright and early each Monday to give our garbo a wave,” she wrote on social media.

“Both parties had huge smiles last week when Ted got to give his fave truck driver a cheeky six pack before brekkie … (this is) bureaucracy gone mad.”

Moreland City Council said all council employees are required to abide by a Gifts, Benefits and Hospitality Policy (this is common for council employees).

The basics of the policy are that employees would be able to accept token gifts (gifts of up to about $20) by filling out simple gift register paperwork and declaring the gift.

Larger non-token gifts would not be accepted under the policy.

The policy is in place to ensure that council employees act with integrity, accountability, impartiality, fairness, equity and consistency and in the public interest.

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Originally published as No party for Moreland garbage workers as council steps in