greasy kid stuff

MR J.J.M. BOWLER (Kalgoorlie) [11.13 am]: […] The dining room at the Menzies Hotel is not too salubrious; I do not know whether one could call it a dining room. David told them to phone Menzies Hotel and tell the staff they would be a bit late, because they might have to pre-order the food. One of them phoned and spoke to the barman, who was probably also the chef and the maître d’hotel, and he said that there was a pretty simple menu—either fish and chips or mixed grill. The American put his hand over the mouthpiece of the phone and asked what was a mixed grill. David explained what a mixed grill was. The American said that it sounded good to him, so they ordered three mixed grills. They went to Menzies for the weekend and loved it. They were most enthusiastic about the whole thing and thought that it was Antony Gormley’s best work. When they got back to David Kennedy’s place, he asked them, by the way, what they thought of the mixed grill. The American said that the hotel had run out of the mixed grill and that they had to have fish and chips. That is the sort of treatment international guests get, but I think it adds to the
allure of that region!

Mr E.S. Ripper: Treat them mean; keep them keen!

Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan: They have added chicken kiev to the menu as a note of sophistication.

Mr J.J.M. BOWLER: Chicken kiev has been added to the menu, has it?

Mr P.B. Watson: Is it true that you were a model for one of the statues?

Mr J.J.M. BOWLER: No, I was not.

Subject: Community Development and Justice Standing Committee [Legislative Assembly – Third Report — “Inquiry into the Inside Australia Project at Lake Ballard (Menzies)” — Tabling]

Date: 26 November 2009

Hansard reference: pp. 9974 – 9975 [online (pdf)]