ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact
One of the many new faces around Manuka’s Public Bar has made sure to pack his RMs for an upcoming visit to embattled citrus farmers in the Victorian Mallee country next week.
Lewis Garity is a policy advisor to the Federal Agriculture Minister, Murray Watt. That’s despite having a limited practical understanding of primary production but the 23-year-old does have a three-year economics degree from a sandstone university.
However, he hopes to learn on the job and get a handle on what citrus farmers on the Murray really need.
“We’re going into Mildura to listen,” he said.
“I have bought some new RMs. The boss said I’d get laughed out of the Workers if I turned up wearing Reeboks. My Dad also said it helps wearing boots because it helps blend you in,”
“He also said that nobody wears brown RM boots except for fat bankers and cornfed farmers and their sons. So I didn’t get them. I was going to get some Blundstones but I didn’t want to look like a try-hard hipster. Redbacks don’t go with chinos. I was thinking about just wearing my Tims but yeah, I can’t wear them with a suit jacket. It was actually tough,”
“But then I saw something smack bang in the middle. Something that best represented me.”
On the bottom shelf of the small outfitters he visited in Civic, were a pair of size seven RM boots made in collaboration with the same designer who did the cutlery in the Qantas Lounges.
“Yes, they are a bit white,” he said.
“Like Parliament House [explosive laughter] No, the nice man at the shop said they would get darker as they age. So yeah, I’m not worried. They did cost more than a fortnight’s rent but you only have to buy them once. They’re a quality item.”
More to come.
