In a truly historic milestone, the City of Greater Bendigo is celebrating its 50th consecutive year of proudly ignoring public feedback.
The unprecedented streak, which city officials have described as “a testament to the unwavering consistency of our selective hearing,” marks a half-century of upholding the tradition of meticulously disregarding the voices of its residents.
The city, known for its rich history, vibrant arts scene, and unwavering commitment to doing the opposite of what its residents request, marked the occasion with a grand ceremony at the town hall. The event featured speeches from longtime council members, who shared anecdotes of how they successfully brushed aside community concerns for half a century.
The ceremony was commemorated with the unveiling of a new city slogan: “Bendigo: Where Your Opinion Matters (But Not Really).” The new motto will replace the previous one, “Bendigo: Let’s Pretend We Care,” which residents have jokingly referred to as the city’s most honest piece of public communication to date.
“We’ve always believed in the principle that if it’s not broke, don’t fix it—and even if it is broke, let’s just pretend it’s fine,” said Mayor Andrea Metcalf. “From our decision to give Hargreaves Mall a facelift to the beloved potholes we’ve nurtured for decades, our dedication to ignoring public input makes Bendigo truly unique.”
The city also announced a new initiative called “Feedback Fridays,” where residents are encouraged to submit their thoughts and suggestions via a special website. The submissions will be collected, printed, and ceremoniously shredded every Monday morning.
“We believe this new program encapsulates the spirit of what we do here,” Mayor Metcalf added. “It’s all about maintaining that delicate balance between pretending to care and ensuring nothing changes.”
As the ceremony concluded, the city council unveiled a commemorative plaque inscribed with the names of the most frequently ignored public issues over the years, including affordable housing, the Howard Street Intersection, and spending money like it’s a Mr Beast challenge.
With the 50th anniversary in the books, city officials are already looking ahead to the next half-century of inaction. “We’ve got a lot of work to do to keep this streak alive,” said a council spokesperson. “But if there’s one thing we’ve learned, doing nothing takes a lot of effort.”
