Backroom Baz: Why this government ad isn’t adding up
A government ad has Baz scratching his head, electoral boundaries have some hot under the collar and an Opposition poll raises questions.
Victoria
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An interesting ad popped up on the social media site that won’t be mentioned in this column, shortly before it cut Baz off from the internet world.
The Victorian government ad was urging teachers to come forward to take part in its $250 million tutor program, launched to help kids get back on track after a year of COVID-forced home learning.
A noble pursuit — but Baz can’t help but wonder what’s going on.
Education minister James Merlino has previously said the government was inundated with applications to join the program.
Baz learned that more than double the needed 4100 tutors have already applied, so why the ad?
Baz’s spies say it’s very likely a social media manager may have forgotten to switch it off.
DRAWING LINES
The upcoming redrawing of the state’s electoral boundaries seems to be causing some angst. Due by October, the pending map redraw has a few MPs hot under the collar.
Spotted in Parliament House’s members annexe this week was what members described as an “unhinged and out of control” display from a Labor MP bemoaning the redistribution and how it would affect his seat. Time will tell, but it certainly has tensions rising.
HOW TO GET YOUR OWN
Baz knows one way to avoid such angst over getting a seat in parliament — buy one!
Spied on an internet marketplace this week was an early 1900s parliamentary couch that looked almost as good as the day it was ripped out of Parliament House. As described in the ad: “a substantial three to four seater members’ couch from the Victorian Parliament Legislative Assembly chamber. Made of blackwood, cedar with leatherette upholstery...a piece of Victorian history.”
Too right. And to think it was being given away. Baz is sorry he didn’t see it sooner. It would have worked quite nicely in the press gallery.
BIT OF OPPOSITION DOUBLE CHECKING
The state opposition has been pretty firm in its views about “Dictator Dan” wanting to extend Victoria’s state of emergency powers until the end of this year.
But it decided to double check with the voting public last week, using a taxpayer-funded survey to allow people to “have your say”.
The online poll, sent out by a Legislative Council member, said the government was introducing the measure but gave no explanation of what the measure meant.
Questions included “do you support the Andrews Government’s plan to extend Victoria’s state of Emergency to 16 December 2021?”.
Eagled-eyed sources thought it might be a handy way to harvest emails for later correspondence but Baz couldn’t possibly comment.
MINISTER GOES UNDERCOVER
It must have been hard for parliament staff having MPs not stalking the halls of power regularly last year.
In fact, last week one security member failed to recognise Housing Minister Richard Wynne — one of the longest serving members currently in government — and directed him to scan in through the staff queue rather than through the MP entrance.
An amused Mr Wynne happily obliged and later told Baz’s spies “it must have been my hat”.
NO TABOOS FOR COMMITTEE
Porn is not a topic that regularly comes up in state parliament ... well, maybe it does on some computers but Baz knows nothing about that sort of thing.
However, online sex videos are going to be the big topic of discussion at the next Victorian Men’s Health Committee in March.
Flyers around parliament are touting the event with the main topic to be “How dads can talk to kids and teens about porn”.
Jokes aside — it’s an important and difficult topic to approach and Baz commends the committee for discussing the normally taboo topic.
OVERHEARD BY BAZ:
”Thank you everyone, we are very busy today, we have to get on with our day jobs.”
— Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley calling time at his COVID presser.
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