Behind-the-scenes tensions among councillors have exploded into a full-blown battle in the fight to be Mayor. Image: Game of Thrones.Carol Altmann – The Terrier
Isn’t the selection of Warrnambool’s next Mayor going well!
As of next Monday, we are most likely going to have a Mayor in Cr Tony Herbert who doesn’t want to be Mayor. Woo hoo!
Tony has told his fellow councillors he is tired, not sleeping at night and he doesn’t want any more of the stress that comes with leading a city that is finding its voice, even if it pays around $77,000 a year.
Tony is done with the top job and fair enough.
But wait, you can’t just leave, Tony, because the Mayoralty is not about putting people INTO the role, but keeping people OUT, don’t you get that?
This is why Cr Peter Hulin will never, ever, ever be Mayor, even though he is the second-most experienced councillor in the joint.
And this is why Cr Robert Anderson became Mayor five minutes after he was first elected and bumbled along as best he could for the first 12 months.
And this is why Cr Sue Cassidy won’t be allowed anywhere near the big chair, despite leaving the meeting with her fellow councillors last Monday night thinking she had the gig.
I heard she even opened a bottle of bubbles when she got home.
Sorry, false alarm, because Tony also went home, sat down, probably swigged a giant scotch, and realised he wanted to be mayor after all. Yeah, right.
Barry the Bullshite Detector can smell a political power play at 100 paces and senses his fellow political animals, Crs Kylie Gaston and Michael Neoh, were all over Tony’s change of heart.
If Cr David Owen was well enough to be the next Mayor, he would have been their choice.
But with Cr Owen out, Cr Anderson out, themselves out (unless Mike was mayor for the 400th time), and Cr Herbert out, the unthinkable loomed: a loss of control.
And we can’t have that.
So Tony has booked into the Hotel California and propped himself up for another round.
Ah, such is democracy, Warrnambool style.
If there was ever a case for the direct election of Mayors by the people, rather than by the power brokers, it is this one.
If you would like to support the work of The Terrier, please consider throwing something in the tip jar.