Millions of people across the world may never know what New Zealand Councilor Jo Galer’s political beliefs might be.
But they do know what her undergarments look like, because Galer believed her toilet was a perfectly good place to take a city council meeting.
“Who does a Zoom in their bathroom?” viewers asked as they debated whether the moment was embarrassing or simply relatable.
A routine council meeting turned viral after New Zealand councilor Jo Galer joined a livestream from her bathroom
Local government officials and council staff suited up in preparation for a council call on the morning of August 3.
Dunedin City Councilor Jo Galer also did. But she decided to do things a little differently while joining the council call remotely.
In a viral video circulating online, Mayor Sophie Barker was heard announcing that two councilors would be joining online.
Moments later, Galer appeared on the boardroom screen, sitting in the middle of her bathroom like it was completely normal.
Mayor Barker quickly stepped in, attempting to gently give Galer the option of changing up her background so that her uninvited laundry wouldn’t become a full-blown spectacle.
Mayor Sophie Barker tried to intervene politely after noticing the unexpected backdrop
“You might want to move your camera,” the mayor said.
Galer seemed completely unfazed and gave a blasé response: “Why, where is it?”
“We can see your washing,” the mayor said in what can only be described as the politest possible way to say your underwear is on display to the public.
“Umm ok… can you see me?” Galer responded, clearly focusing on what she felt was the more important question.
When Barker confirmed that yes, everyone could see her (and her laundry), Galer decided that was good enough and went straight to business.
The Kiwi politician then matter-of-factly began sharing her views on the “frivolous” council spending.
Galer appeared completely unfazed and didn’t mind her uninvited laundry being part of the discussion
Meanwhile, viewers spotted a shadowy figure moving behind the glass door just a few feet away from her.
“Who was in the shower? Was it her man? Was she holding someone hostage?” one viewer commented on the livestreamed meeting.
Others joked about her Zoom etiquette, saying, “Tell me you’re a working mom, without telling me you’re a working mom.”
“Her laundry had better attendance than most council meetings,” one said.
Another said, “What a freaking comedy show paid for by the taxpayer.”
“She got the job done, so what is the issue?” one asked.
“I didn’t find anything wrong here,” wrote another. “She is presenting herself confidently and clear.Why people are so concerned about unnecessary stuff.”
“Not all hero’s wear capes..because some have laundry day,” one said.
A similar incident took place last year after a Glasgow councilor, Bailie Hanif Raja, had to be reminded that he was on camera.
As councilors geared up to discuss an application relating to a battery storage system, Raja was seen placing his laptop on the floor of his bathroom.
He then loosened his trousers and sat on the toilet with the camera still running.
A Glasgow councilor was seen loosening his trousers and using the toilet in a webcast last year
One of his colleagues decided to intervene and said, “Before we start, Bailie Raja, are you aware that your camera is live?”
Raja later apologized while speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service and said it happened “by mistake.”
“The button was pressed, and I didn’t notice,” he said.
“I’m diabetic. I need to go to the toilet every hour or so. I take a comfort break every time,” he went on to say. “You don’t sleep at night, you have got to wake up three or four times. That was the reason.”
At the time, a Glasgow City Council spokesperson addressed the incident and said the webcast would be temporarily taken down.
“We have temporarily taken the webcast recording offline this morning,” they said. “It will be edited, without removing any of the discussion, and reuploaded.”
“Confidence and authenticity go a long way,” one said about Galer’s business-only attitude
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