PHOTO
A Dunedin city councillor’s bathroom broadcast has received international exposure.
Cr Jo Galer surprised her colleagues this week by beaming in from an overseas bathroom, washing in view, for a Dunedin City Council meeting.
Movement from a figure behind a door also featured in the video call.
The awkward arrangement was covered in national media by Stuff and internationally by AFP.
Reaction on social media included Barbara Anderson commenting Cr Galer was “bringing a sense of decorum” to council proceedings, noting the undies hanging up within shot.
“I wouldn’t want to speculate but why go in the bathroom to make a public, business Zoom call?”
Cr Mandy Mayhem said Cr Galer was in Glasgow with Cr Russell Lund.
Monday’s meeting began with Dunedin Mayor Sophie Barker saying two councillors would be attending online and she thought they were on the other side of the world.
Benedict Ong was one councillor who attended in person, but not for long. He was ejected for causing disorder.
Elected members debated what the council’s position should be regarding possible council amalgamations in Otago.
About an hour into the meeting, Cr Lund expressed his views on the subject.
Next was Cr Galer.
“You might want to move your camera,” the mayor advised.
Cr Galer collected herself: “You can see my washing. You can see me — that’s no problem.”
She went on to say the government’s push for reorganisation of local government came after councils had not painted themselves in glory.
They had spent too much on hobby horses, frivolous and grandiose projects and neglected vital infrastructure, she said.
Meanwhile, a figure could be made out behind a door and a hand seemed to come into view at one point.
The council’s meeting livestream was watched by more than 2800 people.
“These southerners are hilarious,” one observer commented.
Cr Galer was elected on to the council in a by-election in May.
At the time, she said she and Cr Lund were very good friends.
They had met on the campaign trail before the council election last October and got on well, she said.
The Otago Daily Times was unable to reach either councillor for comment on Wednesday.
The Dunedin City Council has had surprising content online before.
In 2020, Cr David Benson-Pope was seen on Zoom with short pants on, carrying a feather duster, apparently to clean his chair.
‘‘I think it’s probably appropriate to describe it as being caught with your pants down,’’ he told the ODT.