HOW good is Robbo the Benevolent from Ward Four?
I had obviously misunderstood Cr Allan Robinson, pictured. I had selfishly viewed the champion jockey through my own myopic lens that I now see was smudged by the vaseline of political correctness. For I have long held what I now see as a one-dimensional understanding that Cr Robinson was little more than the champion jockey of an imaginary one-trick pony that I had christened "Double Down Dumper".
Whether it was dumping vitriolic slurs concerning the physical appearance of the lord mayor or other female councillors, dumping homophobic hate speech on the deputy lord-mayor - with words that don't need another outing here - or dumping demolition waste in contravention of environmental protection laws, I had long imagined Cr Robinson as being permanently astride Double Down Dumper, constantly saluting judges with two extended fingers.
But my views have completely shifted after reading the comment piece 'Allan Robinson's gay friends reveal another side to the controversial City of Newcastle councillor' (Newcastle Herald, 18/9/21).
I now see Cr Robinson as much more than a champion jockey steering Double Down Dumper to another trophy in his third start in the Ward Four Cup. After reading the comment piece, I now see him as an innocent teenage love-bite on the soft neck of this hard city.
His gay friends Geoff and George gave testimony in the piece that he has "no problems with homosexuality." They then outlined what read like an application to The Congregation for the Causes of Saints that scrutinises evidence of the candidate's holiness, work and any signs that people have been drawn to prayer through their example.
When I read that Cr Robinson had bought seven air-conditioners for a Catholic primary school, my hardened heart opened like a flower exposed to spring sunshine after months in a gloomy winter. I was drawn to prayer.
After reading the comment piece again, I saw Cr Robinson as a modern-day Jake from The Blues Brothers. The 1980 box office hit offers a redemption story where Jake and his blood brother Elwood promise Sister Mary Stigmata (aka The Penguin) that they will raise a desperately needed $5000. The money is required to save the orphanage she heads up following a county tax assessment.
Sister Stigmata accuses Jake and Elwood of hosting filthy mouths and bad attitudes. She tells them they must redeem themselves. On the 30th anniversary of the film's release, L'Osservatore Romano - the daily newspaper of Vatican City State - wrote the film is filled with positive symbolism and moral references that can be related to Catholicism.
The paper claims that The Blues Brothers deals with the theme of the prodigal son - Jake has just been released from jail - and redemption obtained by sacrifice. Jake and Elwood might have managed to get the cash to pay the county and save the orphanage. In a similar way, Robbo, who some might see as hosting a dirty mouth and a bad attitude, purchased seven air-conditioners and pens, pencils and books for Sudanese children at a suburban Catholic school.
A former worker at that school, Mrs Louise Wilson, said she would not paint Cr Robinson as a saint, but reading through the Herald article that lists the many generous gifts he has bestowed upon deserving kiddies, I think it more appropriate for the pope to consider the evidence and make the call.
Does financial generosity provide Cr Robinson with licence to say whatever he wants to whomever he wants whenever he wants? It's worth considering that regardless of munificence, if Cr Robinson had repeatedly used the uttered slurs as a City of Newcastle employee rather than as an elected representative, he would have been subject to Code of Conduct requirements and probably required to resign.
Mrs Wilson told the Herald that Cr Robinson has no filter. This was apparent long before he entered the council chambers. Who could forget the many gems jumping from Robbo's Mailbag on The Footy Show, read out by Robbo for the pleasure of taunting Mario 'the Falcon' Fenech? For example:
"This is from Daniel Wilson. Mario, will you please have sex with me? By the way, I'm gay."
Mrs Wilson said she gets "very frustrated when I hear people criticising him, saying Robbo's said this, or said that, but I think he's just saying what a lot of people just think silently anyway!"
I reckon we can't be sure of what people think silently. But we sure can be sure of what they say.
I reckon we can't be sure of what people think silently. But we sure can be sure of what they say.
