On the bandwagon
While standing in Rosalind Park waiting for the start of a press conference with two of the most important men in Bendigo’s short-term future – state Water Minister John Thwaites and federal water spokesman Malcolm Turnbull – all of a sudden a lot of unknown media types started arriving.
Bendigo’s media scene is small and all of us know and drink with each other, so it was surprising to see such a turnout.
Sure Turnbull was a drawcard, but he had been to Bendigo before without much fuss. As had Thwaites, who is fast becoming a regular visitor and no doubt will continue to be so in the lead up to next month’s election.
It wasn’t just the small fry of Melbourne’s media who made an appearance.
Nick Coe of channel nine and Brendan Donohoe, who rarely gets out of the city, lead the Melbourne pack.
Also in tow was ABC television, Melbourne ABC radio station 3LO and a variety of other television, radio and print journalists.
“There must be another Melbourne issue they want to talk to Turnbull or Thwaites about,” I thought, struggling to get my $30 Tandy dictaphone close enough to the podium to pick up any sound.
To my amazement, after the speeches were over, these salubrious journalists started asking questions about Bendigo and the (hardly) new recycled pipeline to Spring Gully. They then all went out to the Epsom Reclamation Plant (read sewage farm) to do their ‘stand ups’ to camera.
Is it only now the gardens of Kew, Hawthorn and Toorak are suffering under minor water restrictions that the Melbourne media are interested in all-things water?
Where have you been for the past two years when Bendigo really needed you?
