KNIGHTHOODS are still the talk after the PM’s Prince Phillip snafu, but might the royal turn it down?
After all, the man who provided the name for our local university, holidayed at Point Lonsdale and served three times as prime minister, turned down a knighthood. It was among several honours and awards rejected by a humble Alfred Deakin.
His stance against knighthood seems appropriate for one of our republic-leaning founding fathers.
The prince, though, might understandably have a certain fondness for the monarchy.
A LOCAL luminary confessed to a degree of arachnophobia this week after almost running late for an important regional meeting.
The cause? Leaving a window down on her two-door coupe while parked in her “huntsman-infested garage”.
She searched high and low, behind visors and down seats before tentatively climbing in, ready to swat an offending spider should it rear its ugly fangs.
We suggested next time she pop a can of Mortein in the cup holder to keep the nasties at bay.
WITH all the focus on motorists and cyclists getting along on our roads recently, an unusual sight appeared along Western Beach Rd one morning this week.
Among a group of lycra lads was a recumbent cyclist, leaning back almost perpendicular to the road, with the pedals above the front wheel.
The position allowed him to be busy on his mobile phone while city-bound peak traffic passed by a metre or so away.
He was hands-free all right – both were cradling the mobile while his handle bar was free of hands.
Bullying at City Hall has yet again emerged as a public issue but early evidence suggests its worst at the coalface.
Staff complaints have alleged everything from racist name-calling to physical assaults. Surely incidents of serious concern warranting thorough investigation.
But then we trickle all the way up to council and its 13 elected representatives.
According to Cr Jock Irvine this week, they share an “intimidating” atmosphere of “rolled eyes” and “snide remarks”.
Some are even “talked over”.
Oh, the horror!
Maybe genteel first-termer Jock should have watched a council meeting before entering the bear pit.
