Dragon enters lord mayor race

Melbourne’s lord mayoral race was always going to be colourful but who knew it could be decided by a dragon?

Malcolm Turnbull, Theresa May, Lucy Turnbull and Philip May at Chequers.

Melbourne’s lord mayoral race was always going to be colourful but who knew it could be decided by a dragon? No, candidates don’t need to fight a fire-breathing beast to win (although candidate Sally Warhaft did battle regularly with both Morry Schwartz and Robert Manne when she edited Schwartz’s The Monthly, so we reckon she’d be up to it). Those aspiring to succeed disgraced ex-mayor Robert Doyle convened at the Chinatown Precinct election forum on Thursday night. The homelessness crisis, gambling lobby donations and plans to redevelop the Queen Victoria Markets prompted tense moments. Things got really passionate when host and local Chinese New Year organiser Eng Lim got up and begged candidates to pledge cash for a new dragon for the next lunar celebrations. The current Chinatown dragon, the biggest in Australia, is 18 and in a worse condition than the slain flying lizard turned into an ice zombie at the end of Game of Thrones last year. Election frontrunner Sally Capp simply said: “If we need a new dragon, I want the biggest and the best.” Animal Rights candidate Bruce Poon said, “I love all animals including dragons” but refused to promise money. But why did most other candidates pledge to look into getting a new dragon? Businesses have two votes in the May 11 by-election and Chinatown is full of double ballots. Something more valuable than a wish-granting dragon ball.

Shark slip

Another golden moment from the Chinatown forum? Poon promising to ban shark fin’s soup at the Shark Fin Inn.

Princely penny

Australian coin with Queen Elizabeth II pictured on it.

Australian coins are getting their biggest revamp in 20 years. The Queen’s head will get a makeover in honour of her 92nd birthday, the first time our coins have been updated since 1998. Assistant Minister to the Treasurer Michael Sukkar announced yesterday Aussie coins will adopt Bank of England artist Jody Clark’seffigy of Her Majesty (which the Poms have used since 2015). Some reckon the new pic looks nothing like QE2. Others wonder why our coins have an English lad’s drawing of an English lass on them anyhow. “I hope I look that good when I’m 92,” Australian Republican Movement director Michael Cooney told Strewth. “But I hope the map of Australia is on our coins by 2022.”

Oxford reunion

Two couples who met at Oxford decades ago reunite in a big country house to talk about the old days. No, it’s not a film with Emma Thompson and Jeremy Irons. It was the Chequers summit between British Prime Minister Theresa May and Malcolm Turnbull (with spouses Philip and Lucy in tow). “Lucy and Phillip and you and I have known each other for about 40 years now,” Turnbull said to May as he entered the British PM’s country retreat. May invited her old Oxford chums after a week of commonwealth summit slogging for tea and scones and more chats about how the Russians are going to kill us all. Turnbull is not the only famous foreign leader May was pals with at uni. She was introduced to hubby Philip at the Oxford Young Tory Association ball by her old mate, the late Pakistani PM Benazir Bhutto.

Merkel mesmerised

Turnbull will meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel tonight. We hope he turns on the charm as the world’s most powerful female leader has already been dazzled by the world’s coolest one: Jacinda Ardern. “Time flew and it was nice, it was very interesting and fun,” Merkel told NZ reporters last week., “So you can be proud of your prime minister ... This will be the headline in the morning papers I trust.” Top that, Mal.

Cox conundrum

People are still mad about Cox. The electoral commission’s decision to rename the seat of Corangamite to Cox has sitting MP Sarah Henderson protesting at the change.Henderson’s Cox block has support in her electorate. Here’s Debra Chant’s letter in last week’s Collac Herald: “When addressing or reporting on the ‘Member for Cox’, I hope the next verb isn’t ‘comes, came, withdrew, rose, stands, released, grew, entered, expelled, extended, handed and gave’ ... as I would find that rude and offensive.”