WTF: Catch up confusion, City Hall distress, aged care anger
This week WTF investigates whether a Corangamite hopefull bumped into, or caught up with, the Geelong Cats coach at a Newtown cafe.
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They’re the little – and sometimes not so little – things that can really irk us … and they’re back! A new slot, on a new page with the same old problems that have us all saying, woah, that’s frustrating!
CAUGHT UP? OR BUMPED INTO?
Tongues were wagging at WTF headquarters after Liberal hopeful for Corangamite Darcy Dunstan posted an image with Cats coach Chris Scott at Newtown cafe Blank Space.
The caption told of a Thursday catch up over breakfast between the pair, with Dunstan singing the praises of the Cats’ mastermind coach, and wishing him luck against the Blues.
But when we revisited the photo a couple days later (to catch another glimpse at Scott’s piercing gaze and chiselled jawline) the story had changed.
“Great to bump into Chris Scott this morning at (Blank Space) before pre poll,” the caption read.
Hang on, was it a catch up or a coincidental “bump”?
Our sleuths got to work deciphering the image for clues.
Darcy has his coffee in a mug, while Chris has his in a takeaway container – very odd for a sit down breakfast.
On the other hand, the pair do look pretty comfy.
It’s impossible to assume, so we put the question to our favourite tradie, soldier, dad.
“Last week while preparing for a day of pre-poll, I bumped into Chris Scott at a local cafe,” Mr Dunstan said.
“As Chris is someone I highly regard, I said hello and we had a chat about leadership.
“I asked for a photo and if it was okay for the photo to be posted to my Facebook page, and Chris kindly obliged.
“My campaign staff manage my Facebook page, and a staff member who was not with me at the time of meeting Chris, and therefore unaware of the circumstances, published the photo later that day with the incorrect description.
“Later in the week, I noticed the description was incorrect, and contacted my team to correct it.”
DISTRESS AT CITY HALL
Things aren’t going that bad at City Hall, are they?
A keen eyed punter strolling through the CBD last week noticed something odd.
The City of Greater Geelong’s flag, which proudly flies on Moorabool St, was upside down.
“My understanding is an upside down flag means a nation is in distress,” our CBD stroller said.
“The aged care fiasco was bad, and sure, the gallery has been kicked out at one meeting, but surely we aren’t in distress?”
Some would say the jury is still out on that one.
AGED CARE ANGER
While we’re on the subject of aged care, City Hall is shaking its head after lobbying efforts for more federal cash were rebuffed.
In an Anzac Day eve statement, Mayor Stretch Kontelj “invited the government to work constructively with the city to create certainty for clients and staff”.
In plain speak, if council is to continue the service under new federal reforms it needs a bucketload of taxpayers’ money to avoid blowing its own budget.
“We have engaged with the relevant federal department in regard to additional funding to support us to continue to provide the service, but to date those discussions have been disappointing,” Mr Kontelj said.
This is far from the first frustration for the mayor regarding the emotive issue.
Mr Kontelj was blocked entry to the council carpark ahead of an April 8 briefing by a group – including former councillor and current Corio candidate Sarah Hathway – protesting the proposed cuts.
Ms Hathway later took to Facebook to clarify the situation.
“Mayor Stretch Kontelj arrived and to his credit got out of his car to talk with concerned community members, however his advice to us all was to ‘just relax’ and let council go through its processes,” she explained.
“He advised us there was now an alternative motion however could not provide any details of what this included.”
WTF is also anxiously awaiting more detail, but in the meantime we’re inviting caption submissions for a photo that one WTF scribe labelled a work of art.
ELECTION INDUCED ROAD RAGE
Election-related road rage has a history in Geelong.
Who can forget the blowback on failed Liberal candidate and ex-Geelong mayor Stephanie Asher’s campaign after a mobile billboard with a giant picture of her face was driven repeatedly past an Anzac Day service on the Bellarine Peninsula.
A spokesman for the campaign apologised after the ‘Addy reported the incident ahead of the 2022 election as footage shared online showed the mobile billboard driven past the crowd of people paying their respects to fallen soldiers.
Given the sensitivity and perhaps closeness of the election, you’d think instructions to drivers of mobile billboards, whether they be propelled by truck or trailer, would ask them to ensure they didn’t inspire any sort of road rage (and keep a wide berth of crowds of people wearing medals).
Cue Easter Monday when a mobile billboard bearing the distinctive red banner and giant photos of Labor’s local MPs Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and Corangamite incumbent Libby Coker was being driven along Melbourne Rd through Norlane.
Frustrated motorists following the giant election billboard were slowing as they tried to anticipate the intended lane selection as the billboard’s pilot changed left then right then left then right before ultimately deciding to turn left from the middle lane.
With frustration building, our correspondent among the following traffic dabbed the horn, prodding the billboard driver to make up their mind.
The response? A dismissive wave of the arm out the window. The gesture was taken as something akin to what Bob Hawke once famously told an old gentleman.
And they say every vote counts. At least it wasn’t the bird.
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