Darryn Lyons labels Geelong CBD an ‘absolute s--thole’ and Victoria a ‘basket case’

Controversial former mayor Darryn Lyons had plenty to say about Geelong – none of it good – while in the back of a Japanese taxi recently. SEE THE VIDEO.

Never short of an opinion, Darryn Lyons says central Geelong is an unsafe “absolute s--thole” and claims the city’s current council group isn’t worth “a cracker” except for the “Kontelj boys”.

Wearing a bright pink sleeveless shirt and dark sunglasses, Mr Lyons recently posted a video on his Facebook page that was filmed while he was seated in the back of a taxi in Osaka – the Japanese city home to almost three million people and famous for its food scene.

Mr Lyons, who retains close ties to Geelong, appeared awe-struck by the lighting in Osaka, before shifting his focus to what he said were the many failings of his home city.

“This is how to light a city at night, this is what I wanted for Geelong and the first part of it was done but they’ve done nothing but rip it out since,” he said.

“Useless (Geelong) city council these days, other than the mayor, he’s a good fella though, but the rest of them, other than the two Kontelj boys, couldn’t give you a cracker for any of them.

“Anyway, they’re getting nothing done.

“And look at cities like I am in right now in Japan, Osaka is the most beautiful city I have seen publicly lit, actually in the world.”

Darryn Lyons had plenty to say during a recent taxi ride in Japan. Source: Facebook.

Elected Geelong mayor in 2013 before being unceremoniously sacked in 2016, Mr Lyons championed increased lighting in the city, including in trees and on buildings in the CBD.

He served on council with brothers and current councillors Stretch and Eddy Kontelj, as well as Ron Nelson.

“This is my dream for my city, and guess what, Mr (Daniel) Andrews, Ms (Jacinta) Allan, and all the rest of the hopeless state government on both sides, politicians, have no idea what’s going on in the rest of the world,” Mr Lyons said, in relation to Osaka’s lighting.

“Victoria, the basket case, and of course Geelong is, sadly, part of Victoria.

“If it was probably anywhere else in Australia, we wouldn’t have the turmoil we did do.”

Flashback to 2013 when Darryn Lyons was sworn in as Geelong mayor alongside current councillors Eddy Kontelj (left), Ron Nelson (third from left) and Stretch Kontelj (back centre).

Mr Lyons then said Australia could learn from Asia “about the way people are treated”.

“Particularly by governments because we’re treated appallingly in Australia by federal and state governments, actually,” he said.

“But I’ve just got to focus on the beauty of this city, it is absolutely incredible, congratulations Osaka – one of the prettiest cities at night in the world. Giddy up.

“Hopefully Geelong can get the lights back in the trees and actually make it safe for people to walk around the CBD at night because it’s turned back into an absolute s--thole.”

Stretch Kontelj, elected mayor in November, campaigned last year on “making the CBD great again”.

“At the moment, downtown CBD looks like a third-rate country, it’s an embarrassment, really, an absolute disaster,” he said at the time.

Mr Lyons unsuccessfully stood as an independent in the Geelong electorate at the 2018 state election, receiving 24.7 per cent of the primary vote but losing out to Christine Couzens.

Originally published as Darryn Lyons labels Geelong CBD an ‘absolute s--thole’ and Victoria a ‘basket case’