A New Zealand politician has gone viral after joining an official council meeting from a bathroom, with laundry hanging in the background catching the attention of fellow councillors and viewers online.
The incident occurred during a Dunedin City Council meeting on Monday, when Councillor Jo Galer logged in remotely to participate in discussions on local government reform. The meeting, which was later uploaded to YouTube, has since been viewed thousands of times and widely shared on social media.
Mayor Points Out the Unusual Background
Shortly after the meeting began, Mayor Sophie Barker noticed that Galer’s camera revealed more than intended.
“You might want to move your camera,” Barker said with a smile.
“We can see your washing.”
Galer responded in a light-hearted manner, asking, “Can you see me?”
She then joked, “You can see my washing, you can see me,” prompting amusement among those attending the meeting.
The brief exchange added an unexpected moment of humour to an otherwise serious discussion on local government reforms.
Mystery Figure Adds to Online Speculation
As Galer continued speaking during the meeting, viewers noticed what appeared to be a dark figure moving behind a partially open door in the background.
The unexplained appearance quickly became a topic of discussion online, with social media users posting humorous comments and speculation about who—or what—had appeared in the video.
However, no official explanation has been provided regarding the figure, and the incident remains the subject of online curiosity rather than confirmed fact.
According to AFP, attempts were made to contact Jo Galer for comment, but no response had been received at the time of publication.
Dunedin Council Has Made Headlines Before
This is not the first time the Dunedin City Council, located on New Zealand’s South Island, has attracted attention over an online meeting.
In 2020, then-councillor David Benson-Pope made international headlines after appearing on a Zoom meeting wearing a suit jacket but no trousers while dusting his office. The accidental camera angle quickly went viral and became one of the most talked-about video conferencing mishaps of the pandemic era.
A Reminder About Video Meeting Etiquette
As remote meetings continue to be common in government, business, and education, the incident serves as a light-hearted reminder of the importance of checking camera angles and backgrounds before joining a video call.
While the meeting itself focused on important policy discussions, the unexpected bathroom setting and visible laundry became the talking point, turning an ordinary council session into a viral moment that captured widespread attention online.
