Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs “North Sydney Council’s rate hike proposal isn’t about fixing the pool or maintaining the roads, it’s about lining them with gold.”Supporters of the former mayor, including councillor and prominent tech investor James Spenceley, agree that the council’s woes go beyond the pool.Beyond all the finger-pointing, the fact remains that the current council has had four years since the fall of Gibson’s cabal to get the pool project right and Make North Sydney Great Again without driving ratepayers to take up their pitchforks. Everyone close to this mess is so clearly swimming out of their depth.Super Bowl of ChampionsWith the entire celebrity continuum captivated, ranging from US President Donald Trump to recording artist Taylor Swift and beyond, Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans is contemporary culture’s neutron star: nothing can escape its orbit.“It’s almost compulsory to go,” says media/sporting/entertainment/tourism portfolio careerist Eddie McGuire of Monday morning’s (AEDT) bonanza. “If you are in sport, media or entertainment, that’s where everyone is.”But one person skipping it this year is … McGuire. The commentator/production company mogul/Visit Victoria board member just spent a month in the US cheering on his son, Joe McGuire, whose team Ohio State Buckeyes won the college football championship last month.All eyes will be on the corporate socials for another appearance of box billionaire Anthony Pratt, chairman of Pratt Industries and Visy, who last year LinkedIn the hell out of his attendance accompanied by his son Leon.A multitude of Aussies are present in New Orleans to see ex-South Sydney Rabbitohs under-20s player Jordan Mailata’s Philadelphia Eagles in their quest to stop the Kansas City Chiefs (that’s the team with Swift’s boyfriend for those out of the loop) completing a historic Super Bowl three-peat.Those in town converged on Thursday night’s dinner hosted by Ballpark Entertainment, the company owned by sports media entrepreneur Craig Hutchinson (who didn’t make it over).Present were commentator Gerard Whateley, as well as Ben Graham, the only man to have played in an AFL grand final and a Super Bowl, and Aussie/ New York radio presenter Brad Blanks.Melbourne’s honorary dudebro lord mayor, defamation lawyer Justin Quill was spotted in New Orleans hanging with AFL Brownlow medalist Chris Judd, while Geelong great Tom Hawkins was said to be in search of a ticket.Super Bowl Monday has become something of a tradition among Aussie sports fans, and plenty of NRL and AFL players, administrators and journalists have taken to the American tradition with gusto.But our local politicians’ obsession with bread and circuses for bogans (gridiron and cage fighting) has prompted exciting new Super Bowl Monday enthusiasts: our premiers.With grumpy NSW embarrassed that Victoria is hosting an NFL match next year and backgrounding it cost $15 million, NSW Premier Chris Minns (whose Ultimate Fighting Championship deal is said to be costing $16 million for three events) will also be taking a keen interest, Tuesday’s resumption of parliament notwithstanding.And Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has let it be known that even though the match clashes with a cabinet meeting, she will be keeping a close eye on the game and, of course, on Swift.Victorian Minister for Major Events Steve Dimopoulos is attending along with Visit Victoria chief executive Brendan McClements and Stuart Fox, chief executive of MCG managers the Melbourne Cricket Club. Be rude not to, wouldn’t it?Not to be outdone, ahead of next month’s rugby league opening round trip in Las Vegas, Peter V’landys is hosting the NRL season launch at the appropriately named Events by Alpha in the Sydney CBD.There were a few grumbles about the timing of the NRL event, which is likely to cut into at least some of the first quarter. It should all be done by the time Kendrick Lamar takes the stage at half-time.
