Pothole MP steps down just weeks before the election

Less than 50 days out from the state election, Sonja Terpstra, the Labor MP for the North Eastern Metropolitan Region, has pulled the pin on her political career.

Terpstra, of course, infamously and bizarrely endorsed Victoria’s rampant plague of potholes during a debate in the upper house in July.

At the time, she told parliament residents did not want a Banyule Council road in Melbourne’s north-east resurfaced, claiming they “like it full of potholes” because the crumbling road acted as a deterrent to drivers to use it.

“For local residential streets, in fact, I drove over a road today that was a Banyule Council road, and it was probably one of the worst roads I had ever experienced,” Terpstra said at the time.

“Funnily enough, in regard to that road, it is the residents who do not want it resealed, because they do not like traffic going down it, so they are quite happy to have it full of potholes, might I add.”

The opposition’s spokeswoman for local government, Bev McArthur, hit back, saying people didn’t want excuses, but rather roads that were safe to drive on. Victorian Nationals leader Danny O’Brien said Terpstra’s comments were “out of touch”.

Potholes did not get a mention in Terpstra’s expansive social media post on Monday in which she revealed she would not stand for re-election and thanked her constituents, the union movement, Premier Ben Carroll and former premiers Dan Andrews and Jacinta Allan, and referenced her advocacy for public education and the influence of women in parliament.

Interestingly, it was only last month that an article in the Lilydale Star Mail reported Terpstra intended to run again.

She told CBD on Monday the story was a miscommunication and not a sign of an about-face.

Sizzle, spice and feats of endurance

The temperature was rising and anticipation was on the boil on Monday afternoon as the crème de la crème of Victoria’s restaurant scene assembled at The Timber Yard, a rustic space in a gentrifying segment of Port Melbourne’s industrial heart, for the prestigious Good Food Guide Awards.

As gin martinis flowed and the more than 500 guests including chefs and business owners, along with a sprinkling of highly enthusiastic influencers mingled, CBD spotted Nat Thaipun – former MasterChef winner and author of the cookbook Thai: Anywhere and Everywhere.

Thaipun’s run up to the event was a run, literally – a mere 100 kilometres. It was a little over a week ago that she completed the endurance test.

“I like running,” Thaipun quipped. “It was along the Great Ocean Road; it is called the Surf Coast Century. It is an ultra trail run.”

America and Mexico are the next stops for Thaipun and her partner Caleb Baldwin, former Attica commis chef.

“And then we’re moving to London for a bit,” she said.

Winning and maintaining a hat or hats is the name of the game, and while much intrigue surrounds those who regrettably shed a hat, those attending seemed intent on having an old-fashioned good time.

“It’s the best night of the year,” Tina Ezard said, while chatting with PR dynamo Joanna Reymond-Burns.

Rosheen Kaul, of Fitzroy bistro Little Rose, said the occasion was a chance to dress up and let her hair down “a little bit”.

The bonus, she added, was “you see legends all around”.

“Having every single person in the industry in the room and just catching up with everyone is really wonderful,” said Kaul. “You get to see everybody that you love and respect.”

Shannon Martinez, acclaimed chef and Smith + Daughters founder, said the hospitality industry was rare in that it celebrated everyone’s success.

“As anyone in the hospitality industry knows, we are notorious for working our absolute arses off, so it’s almost only once a year that we all take a night off and get to be together,” she told us.

“I think it’s really important for the community, for our industry, to show support for each other and I don’t think a hat is as much a competition as a celebration for everybody.

“I know that when you hear the roar, the applause, when someone wins a hat, you know that we are not competing, we’re really proud of each other for taking that step.”

Fantastic Foxx

In CBD’s experience, Hollywood stars keep a low profile when they hit town – but not Jamie Foxx.

The Oscar-winner – he collected a best actor gong for playing Ray Charles in the film Ray in 2004 – has been Mr Obvious since he arrived in Melbourne last month to take the lead role in the movie Deadlocked.

The movie is filming in the Docklands at the former NAB precinct this week and is hard to miss, with the location doubling for a New York courthouse.

Foxx is living well while here, residing at Antony Catalano’s St Kilda penthouse in the Saint Moritz development.

The apartment, which according to the Financial Review is on the luxury rental market for $9000 a night, was easily identifiable in clips Foxx posted to his Instagram account last week.

He has also been taking in the bay on a luxury boat – again splashing his good life over his social media – and playing pickleball. If you spot the Oscar winner, let us know.

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