Opinion

Winds of tragedy and transition

IT’S been a big week of news around the world, with the sudden and unexpected death of Michael Jackson dominating the media for much of the past seven days.

At home, the violent winds that swept through Victoria earlier this week claimed the life of Maryborough woman Gail Coomber.

In a tragic twist, just 24 hours earlier, her former husband’s body was discovered in bushland near Maryborough.

Jackson’s death overshadowed that of small-screen siren Farrah Fawcett, who lost her battle with cancer only hours before Jackson passed away.

More than one keen Addy reader has commented to us since last Saturday on the fact that we chose to not join the scramble to saturate the news with Michael Jackson stories in the days following his death.

There’s no doubting it was big news - huge news - but our focus, more than ever, is on the local news and what matters to people in our region. Similarly, yesterday’s metropolitan newspapers and bulletins were dominated by the news that Melbourne Football Club legend Jim Stynes is battling cancer.

Stynes, known and respected as one the truly nice guys of AFL, holds the record for the most consecutive games played (244).

The tenacity, vigour and determination that saw him through that incredible stretch in the toughest of all sporting codes will be called on again as the affable Irishman meets his greatest opponent yet.

Thursday night’s bash for outgoing Bendigo and Adelaide Bank supremo Rob Hunt was a fantastic night, Bendigo Town Hall’s stunning interior providing the ideal backdrop for someone who has given so much to this city and region.

A bevy of speakers lined up to recall their favourite Rob Hunt stories and say thanks to the man who, as the 18th employee of a humble financial institution, eventually steered the good ship Bendigo to become the nation’s fifth-largest bank.

The man himself looked awkward at times during the celebrations. Not surprising really, given the humility that has marked his 35-year tenure. I think he’ll be far more happy in the superb leather armchair presented to him by Jimmy Possum’s Margot and Alan Spalding, with a couple of grandkids to keep him company.

Earlier on, the City of Greater Bendigo bestowed a rare honour on Mr Hunt by handing him the key to the city, a gesture kept secret right up to the final minutes before Mayor Kevin Gibbins made the presentation at a civic reception.

Only the late Jack Lockett had received this honour before, but no one is arguing that it wasn’t a fantastic thing to do.

By far the most commented on news of the week has been the proposals to upgrade Mitchell Street to better accommodate buses. The City of Greater Bendigo is pushing a barrow it knows is grossly unpopular with the community, and it’s not a decision entirely of its own making. But for all the criticism and commentary, a better and more definitive plan is yet to emerge. As we pointed out during the week, of the more than 130 people that voted for any of the six options on display on our website, almost 80 per cent do not want any of the Mitchell Street options - and that must be of concern to the council.

Someone once told me I couldn’t back a winner in a two-horse race, but I did exactly that a couple of weeks ago when one of my children took part in the Bendigo Competitions. Part of a school choir that despite having sung its heart out each and every time they have performed, our kids and those from another primary school were relegated into a new category for those who have never won anything or finished anywhere in previous competitions. Fair enough, not everyone can win. I thought it sounded like a good idea.

So, after singing their collective hearts out with the great hope of finally winning (after all it was a 50/50 proposition), imagine the surprise when the judges in their wisdom awarded both schools equal second.

The rebuff still stings.