farmdoc's blog post number 333

Robert Keith Bennett Doyle, the 103rd Lord Mayor of Melbourne, was elected in late 2008 after previously being a Victorian state parliamentarian, including opposition leader from 2002-6. I’ve previously written of him regarding his plan – since overturned – to ‘pump cars’ into Melbourne’s currently bicycle-friendly (well, almost) and limited vehicle access Swanston Street. I called him a bumbling, shambolic ex-politician. That was en passant, but clearly the man deserves a whole blog post. He’s called for bans on bogans, bad buskers (without defining busker badness of which presumably he’s the arbiter) and hailing taxis. And naturally he’s taken an expensive overseas trip at ratepayer expense (which is de rigeur for low-level politicians with grandiloquent delusions). But even a stopped clock tells the correct time twice a day: so Mr Doyle wants Melbourne City Council to manage the planning of Docklands; and also more law-and-order in Melbourne’s CBD. He returned to form last weekend by announcing Adelaide had so little going for it that it should be shut down. South Australian Premier Rann quickly retorted that Mr Doyle’s a failed opposition leader, his lord mayorship is second prize, and instead of making a name for himself he should concentrate on doing his job. I’ve always thought Mr Rann sensible – not bumbling and not shambolic.