WTF: Manhole madness, councillor’s crash, Cheeseman’s dixer
What caused two women to trip in the CBD? Why will a councillor miss Tuesday’s mayoral vote? Is this the issue on the minds of South Barwon voters? All this and more in this week’s WTF.
It’s excellent to see the CBD streets filled with locals on Saturday, eager to check out the weekly market.
As promised, the Little Malop St stalls have brought people into town, with the residual impact resulting in more foot traffic for businesses in nearby streets.
But watch where you step.
After one South Geelong resident found nothing that would tickle her fancy at the market, she decided to make her way to the wonderful Ryrie St establishment Banh Mi Number 1.
While waiting for her usual order, a roast pork roll with chilli, a lovely young couple walked past, but a shriek of terror shortly followed.
When she snapped her head around to see what the commotion was about, the woman who had just past could be seen on the ground, suffering an embarrassing trip, before dusting herself off and continuing on her way.
Thinking this was just the result of a lack of co-ordination, our banh mi loving protagonist received her food and ventured the same way towards Moorabool St, eager to get home and enjoy her Vietnamese delicacy.
That was, until, she was met with the same fate.
Her banh mi was in tact, and but her ego a little bruised, the culprit had been identified.
A dodgy manhole cover was loose on the pavement, waiting for its next victim.
COUNCILLOR’S CRASH
In the world of council reporting, sometimes you have to work hard for stories, relying on trusted sources, pages upon pages of documents and official media spin doctors.
Other times, the yarns write themselves.
Ahead of Surf Coast Shire’s much anticipated mayoral vote on Tuesday evening, Winchelsea councillor Adrian Schonfelder decided it would be best to get in front of the story that would be his absence.
“Councillor Schonfelder was involved in a motor vehicle accident as a pedestrian last Saturday night visiting family in Toorak,” Mr Schonfelder wrote in a text to a senior WTF reporter on Friday.
“On medical leave from council and will miss mayoral election next Tuesday.
“Pictured at Alfred hospital and sustained concussion and a knee fracture.”
We’re all wishing Mr Schonfelder a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him back at Merrijig Dr as soon as possible.
TACCOUNTABILITY
On the topic of getting in front of the story, we bring you some remarkable accountability from the Geelong based Transport Accident Commission (TAC).
Corporate online Media Room pages are all too often filled with uninteresting press releases patting themselves on the back.
But under the TAC’s For the record tab, a release published last Tuesday showed the amount of driving infringements their staff had received over the last 10 years.
There were 69 in total, most of them speeding a red light infringements, the worst occurring in 2017 when a staff member was caught in a 40km/h zone with an alleged speed of 70.
Three infringements, two speeding and one red light, have been racked up this year.
“We demand high standards from the hundreds of employees using TAC fleet vehicles and take any staff infringements extremely seriously,” the release said.
“The TAC strongly condemns any driving in breach of the policy as it undermines our work to create a safer road environment for all Victorians.”
CHEESY DIXER
When walking around the great electorate of South Barwon, there’s only one thing on the lips of voters.
Gaming consoles in youth prisons.
So we were relieved to read in the Legislative Assembly’s Hansard on Tuesday that embattled and rarely sighted MP Darren Cheeseman finally put the topic to the top dog.
“Will the Premier move to ban PlayStations and other gaming consoles from our juvenile justice centres?” Cheeseman asked.
While Jacinta Allan was unable to give an answer then and there, the people of South Barwon can be assured that she has asked the Minister for Corrections and will provide further information.
william.keech@news.com.au
Originally published as WTF: Manhole madness, councillor’s crash, Cheeseman’s dixer
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