Backroom Baz: Department can’t paper over plumbing problems
Plumbing problems are besetting a departmental building thanks to public servants, obsessed with cleanliness, overusing paper towels — but not for their hands, writes Backroom Baz.
VIC News
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Hygiene-obsessed public servants have been causing a stink in one of Victoria’s largest departmental buildings.
Baz has learnt that overzealous clean freaks in the Department of Health and Human Services caused costly plumbing problems by layering toilet bowls with paper towel before sitting down to business.
Over time the thick paper towel, when flushed, clogged pipes and led to plumbers being dispatched.
Baz has it on good authority the repairs needed weren’t cheap, costing taxpayers thousands of dollars.
Apparently warnings were then posted about the use of paper towel in stalls. Some bureaucrats obviously couldn’t break the hygiene habit, however, because another taxpayer-funded plumbing call-out was required soon after.
Perhaps Health Minister Jenny Mikakos needs to lay down the law to staff or senior executives need to step in to flush out the culprits.
Although Baz reckons an easier method might be to install hand dryers in the bathrooms.
WE FEEL MUCH SAFER NOW, THANKS
Baz loves a birthday celebration as much as anyone, but things took an interesting turn in Box Hill last week.
To mark the 70th anniversary of Communist Party rule in China, the Chinese flag was flown above Box Hill police station, raised by none other than local Labor MP Paul Hamer.
After China’s anthem was played, Hamer joined embattled federal Liberal MP Gladys Liu and her state colleague Neil Angus at what Liu’s office says was a community safety month event hosted by Box Hill police.
Does every safety event come with a giant red banner for “the People’s Republic of China National Day Celebration” and a 70th anniversary cake?
Baz also couldn’t help noticing who else scored an invitation, including Ji Jianmin, a key figure in several groups linked to the Communist Party’s United Front operation for overseas influence. One of those, the Huaxing Arts Group, has boasted about reporting back to Beijing and the database it has developed on key contacts, including politicians. Does this include the MPs who smiled for photos last week, before Liu cut the anniversary cake?
SOME UNUSUAL ART FANS
Things got a little bit hot and heavy when sex worker-turned-Victorian MP Fiona Patten auctioned off more than 400 pieces of eye-popping erotic art last month.
Baz was bewildered by some of the “art pieces” on display, but there was no shortage of buyers with more than 80 per cent of the Reason Party leader’s collection finding a new home.
Rumour has it some items went for more than 10 times their estimated value, including a raunchy Coca-Cola ad rip-off inspired by the “real thing”.
The demand wasn’t there for larger art, including one by Australian pop artist Richard Larter that failed to find a buyer, but despite some not being sold Ms Patten and her long-term partner Robbie Swan would have pocketed about $30,000.
Interestingly, while the online auction was anonymous, Baz hears buyers came from all walks of life.
The winning bid for a knitted sculpture depicting the former US president Barack Obama’s tackle allegedly came from a top Australian law firm, which could make for an interesting talking point for new clients.
HE’S JUST NOT CANBERRA’S GUY
It’s no secret that Matthew Guy has been thinking about life beyond Spring St.
So when he popped up in Canberra last month, political pundits may have been forgiven for thinking the former opposition leader was plotting a move to federal parliament.
But Guy was quick to dispel any such talk — and instead tipped a bucket on the nation’s capital.
In a series of family holiday snaps on Instagram, the Bulleen MP said one of his sons was surprised Canberra had a lake, but that he had to remind him “it has no soul”.
Another of his sons was “eyeing off his entry to federal parliament” from the Telstra Tower, Guy said, prompting him to add: “Father is discouraging such madness.”
For now, the ex-Liberal leader says he’ll “most probably” stay in state parliament until 2022 — not that Baz would bet on it.
OVERHEARD BY BAZ
‘’He’s the Don Bradman of Australian job creation … Don Bradman was our Babe Ruth’’
— Billionaire Anthony Pratt tries to explain Scott Morrison’s economic credentials to Donald Trump
MORE FROM BACKROOM BAZ:
GONE FISHING IN WAR OVER WAGES
GUESS WHO?
Which new-ish federal senator has colleagues raising their eyebrows by already jetting off for a Port Douglas holiday?
GOT ANY POLITICAL SCUTTLEBUTT FOR BAZ?
Email backroombaz@news.com.au
Twitter: @backroombaz