We are reliably told that the missing member Evan Thornley – who missed that crucial Victorian upper house division – was in fact sleeping when the bells rang. At the digs for the mobile LegCo, elaborate measures had been taken to wire up all the rooms with closed circuit vision and sound of the temporary chamber, including the bells. This elaborate system did not work in Thornley’s case because the former technology billionaire turned it off to enjoy a catnap. You snooze, you lose.
In the 1980s the victorian media used to announce a ‘pollie of the year award’.
Evan would win that award this year.