Glad you’re not here: Clover Moore’s incredibly boring trip photos

LORD Mayor Clover Moore has sent social media to sleep with a series of unbelievably dull photos of her recent fact-finding trip to New Orleans — one of the most vibrant cities in the world.

Clover Moore’s Instagram post about checking out rainwater gardens.

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LORD Mayor Clover Moore has sent social media to sleep with a series of unbelievably dull photos of her recent fact-finding trip to New Orleans — one of the most vibrant cities in the world.

Ms Moore and her bulging team of flunkeys skipped a series of important meetings about Sydney’s future to go on a misery-laden, ratepayer-funded junket.

The Lord Mayor and City of Sydney CEO Monica Barone jetted into New Orleans this week — 14,300km from Sydney — to learn about the flood-affected city’s stormwater management.

In doing so, the Lord Mayor missed four City of Sydney meetings — including five important items about managing Sydney’s own stormwater management and water recycling.

Clover’s Instagram post of New Orleans houses.

Ms Moore’s social media coverage of New Orleans water issues left many unimpressed.

“Really, Lord Mayor — this is what you tweet about?” wrote one punter online.

Ms Moore replied: “I’m learning from resilience specialists about how they’re planning stormwater management for the city’s future.”

“There’s a lot of water here in New Orleans, but even though circumstances are different in Sydney, plenty in common for stormwater management.”

On Monday night, just hours before Ms Moore was hobnobbing with New Orleans mayor Mitch Landrieu, posing for pictures and posting doom-laden images about floods in his city online, Sydney councillors were busy debating crucial water issues at Town Hall.

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore with other delegates from around the world.

Ms Moore missed discussions on improving stormwater management and recycling at Green Square, the awarding of a major new contract to monitor the city’s 190km of stormwater pipes, drainage upgrades in Zetland and a new system to improve water efficiency in parks.

Another meeting missed by the Lord Mayor provided oversight of City of Sydney’s $613 million investment portfolio, while another provided oversight of development applications worth millions of dollars.

It led to accusations that Ms Moore has been throwing ratepayers’ cash down the drain on her latest overseas adventures.

“It’s disappointing to see the Lord Mayor missing meetings and ignoring her major responsibilities, having just been re-elected,” said Labor councillor Linda Scott.

“The City of Sydney needs a full time Lord Mayor with her eye on the future, not a figurehead allowing public money to be poured down the drain.”

Inspecting a fence in New Orleans.

With New Orleans mayor Mitch Landrieu.

Liberal Councillor Christine Forster described the Lord Mayor’s entourage as “completely over the top”.

Her trip to America’s Deep South came immediately after she attended the C40 climate talks in Mexico City with a six-strong entourage.

Deputy Mayor Dr Kerryn Phelps — widely viewed as Ms Moore’s likely long-term successor — was forced to chair the four meetings Ms Moore missed.

A spokesman for the Lord Mayor defended her trip to The Daily Telegraph, saying New Orleans had become one of the first cities in the world to publish a “resilience strategy” after suffering a string of natural disasters.

“The opportunity to learn first-hand from those who developed this strategy will be beneficial as part of the development of the city’s own work creating and implementing a resilience strategy for the whole Sydney metropolitan area,” Ms Moore’s spokesman said.

“The Lord Mayor’s apologies were given and accepted unanimously by the other councillors in attendance at this week’s committee meetings. She will attend council this coming Monday.”