The Townsville Council ‘culture of secrecy’ continues, with the unexplained winding-up of the council’s development corporation Townsville EA2 Pty Ltd. Since Mayor Mullet was so eager to trumpet it’s arrival two years ago, surely she should tell us what’s happened.
Still they persist … under the direction of sharp-practicising solicitor Barry Taylor, Rabieh Krayem is continuing his defamation action against The Magpie for calling him, among other things, a ‘dud businessman’. So, Bazza – Rabieh, tell us, what is a more suitable description for someone who was in charge of an organization that traded insolvent for a number years? Criminal, maybe? We’re talking Cowboys here, fellas.
And Aaron Harper signals he will involuntarily bow out of state politics at the next election … he didn’t say that, but he might as well have; like his nickname, Harpic gets all corrosive with the Astonisher, aftyer the paper finally calls out three unwise monkeys over Adani.
But first …
A Thing Of Shreds And Patches – A Campaign In Search Of A Purpose
There are those who hold that politics is just another form of theatre, and looking at the past week, that would be true only for theatre of the absurd – the unfocussed jostling over any number of local matters, the high farce of attempted lies, and the glad-handing over sizzling sausages would befit Benny Hill more than Sir John Gielgud.
But the media didn’t help matters sometimes. For instance, when did Mrs Morrison develop a taste of less than tasteful tats.
Ummm, think that’s the top of the head of the missus in the background, media writer.
All the fancy dress fringe have been out on the street corners, flogging their preference wares to kerb crawling creeps among the major parties.
But we have to turn to a couple of old thespian pros, no less than Gilbert and Sullivan, to find a theme song for Campaign 2019. The Magpie is agog at how neatly Nanki-Poo in The Mikado fits the Short Un/ScoMo mould of shining insincerity. Someone needs to do a video montage.
A wandering minstrel I—
A thing of shreds and patches,
Of ballads, songs and snatches,
And dreamy lullaby!
And dreamy lullaby!
My catalogue is long,
Through every passion ranging,
And to your humours changing
I tune my supple song!
I tune my supple song!
And then ScoMo decides to seek the tacit approval of Big Red Hanson, as Nanki Poo so prophetically warbled …Are you in sentimental mood?
I’ll sigh with you,
Oh, sorrow!
On maiden’s coldness do you brood?
I’ll do so, too—
Oh, sorrow, sorrow!
I’ll charm your willing ears
With songs of lovers’ fears,
While sympathetic tears
My cheeks bedew!—
Oh, sorrow, sorrow!
But being Anzac week, the jingoistic call of patriotism was never far away from every campaigner’s lips …
But if patriotic sentiment is wanted,
I’ve patriotic ballads cut and dried;
For where’er our country’s banner may be planted,
All other local banners are defied!
Our warriors, in serried ranks assembled,
Never quail—or they conceal it if they do—
And I shouldn’t be surprised if nations trembled
Before the mighty troops, the troops of Titipu!
Think The ‘Pie might emigrate to Titipu.
But, without bias, it seems fair to say that The Short Un is engineering yet another famous Labor scenario … snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. As Bentley points out, that is especially so with the promised raids on the hard earned nest eggs of older Australians.
And Bentley’s fellow ‘toonist, the ever-prescient Cathy Wilcox has a timely warning for those who feel smug when looking across the Pacific to the muddle, mayhem and mendacity that is Trump’s America. Aussies are aren’t that stupid, eh? Err, aren’t we?
Apparently, Acknowledge Is Another Word For Apology
You’ll remember last week, The ‘Pie reported on the genteel kick in the cods KAP candidate for Herbert, Nanette Radeck, daintily delivered to the Dudley Do Nothings, when TEL took out a full page ad in the Astonisher which incorrectly said KAP had not supported a single one of the projects TEL had nominated in a questionnaire. Turns out that Ms Radeck’s – ummm – rap over the knuckles prompted an apology of sorts from the Dudleys this week, since it turns out this pointless full page stuff ($5000 a pop of ratepayers money, thank you) is going to be a weekly bonanza for the Astonisher during the campaign.
This is exactly what the paper should be doing off its own bat, but you’ve gotta give The Astonisher the Shit-house Rat’s Award for managing to get TEL to use some of its annual ratepayer stipend to pay the paper for an ad that the paper should‘ve been doing itself – for nothing. By the time the election comes around, that’ll be somewhere north of $25,000.
But look again at this bumf and see if you can spot anything that goes to the heart of the current leadership vacuum we enjoy and their magoo-like vision for the Detroit of the North.
First, look at the (almost) total lack of support for a money-making Entertainment and Exhibition Centre, and not much more for another arts money-spinner, a concert hall … BUT then look at the weasley fawning support for the outright swindle of a Cowboys training field and office block. Sort of says it all about our leadership style of mendacity and bullying when they think they have the leverage of a marginal seat.
The political parties don’t appear to have worked out that TEL and Jenny Hill are as in touch with the real concerns of this community as Nero was with Rome’s. But these gals will have stop fiddling soon.
And take another look at the proof of the total fairy-floss, bright-trinket value of that impossibly expensive and redundant Strand lagoon. At least the parties of any consequence saw that for the bullshit it was from a southern blow-in consultancy spiv.
Modesty Becomes Her
In passing, the name Radeck rang a vague bell.
Inquiries with some old lags around town informed us that Ms Radeck a school teacher, educational administrator and uni lecturer, is the daughter on one Georg Radeck, a former Queensland Rugby League rep. Georg worked out Mt Isa way, and played top grade Foley Shield in the pre-Origin days. Word is that he was brought to town to coach the Uni RL side by none other than Tony Mooney.
And Georg brought more than his sporting skills with him. This from the website recording the university RL history … he brought a beauty queen with him.
“The successful 20s teams of the late 70s and early 80s progressed to make up the A Grade team which was coached by Georg Radeck, fresh from his pre-origin Queensland representation. The Radeck family stuck strong with UNI and Doreen Radeck was an excellent Club treasurer in the late 80s at a time when the Club needed strong committee positions to reign in some debt. Their daughter, Nanette, became the UNI and TRL Queen and son Aaron was a member of the 1995 Premiership team.”
The Magpie has been told that Georg still lives here in retirement.
For the record, Ms Radeck has three adult sons, which given their antecedents, sounds like a formidable front row. Wonder if Tony Mooney, who was heavily involved in all things to do with uni RL, will be tempted to vote for his game’s former favourite gal. Ya never know.
What Is Mayor Mullet Up To Now?
This unreported and unexplained little development lobbed into the Nest during the week.
Townsville EA2 Pty Ltd is the development corporation, which was created in June 2017, in accordance with the r
equirements of the Townsville City Deal with the state and federal governments. Mayor Mullet, the council CEO , Chief Financial Officer and the Director of Planning And Development were automatically appointed to the board, with the promise – in June 2017 – that two ‘independent’ directors would be named ‘in coming weeks’. There are no records to be found of any such appointments being made, or at least announced. ASIC provided this helpful bit of information.
The ‘Pie has sounded alarm bells about this before, given everything that on gone on in Ipswich, and has asked why the whole elected council cannot be the board. But if Turnbull’s grant money – yes, Turnbull’s, remember him? – hasn’t come through yet, why not just pay the peppercorn fee to keep the copmpany alive, why dissolve it?
The decision to deregister it was voted on at a unpublicised special council meeting a couple of weeks ago. No reason has been given for this move, and The ‘Pie noted it was decided as one of the year’s silly season’s of distraction was approaching (Easter/Anzac Day), so it seemed designed to fly under the radar.
Here may be a very mundane, paper-shuffling reason for all this, so why not make an announcement? Sure, maybe just a bit of housekeeping … BUT IT’S OUR BLOODY HOUSE, REMEMBER.
The most ominous line in the initial media release announcing the company’s creation two years ago said : ‘
(The company) will open up major new opportunities for public and private investment in and potentially even partnerships. Under the arrangements, strategic sites will be transferred to the development corporation which will negotiate land uses developments of sites based on business cases approved by the development corporation board and council.
‘Potentially even partnerships!?!’. What TF? Mayor Mullet is going to lead the council into the private sector, making investments with public money linked with private enterprise? Ha, the spider and the fly ain’t even in it. Battery plant anybody? Airstrip for a mining billionaire, anybody? A woman who has been caught out as a Local Government Association of Queensland board member promoting the Local Buy scam, but on all evidence not only couldn’t run a chook raffle, but whose probity is currently under official scrutiny?
Says it all, really.
The council corporation is sure to turn up again sometime, in some form or other, so … good luck, Townsville.
Barry Taylor’s Got His Balls Caught In The Barbed Wire
Big Bazza Taylor
You could almost feel sorry for him. Almost.
A brief recap and update: Our favourite legal foghorn and his step’n’fetchit inept junior solicitor Vanesa Gleeson talked Rabieh Krayem into suing The ‘Pie over some harmless japery in this blog a while back. But as the legal machinery clanked on, to his dismay (and Krayem’s if he has twigged yet), their belief that The Magpie had any money to go after was totally illusory. When this became apparent, they tried their hand at bullying the old bird’s daughter, making out that The ‘Pie’s totally uninvolved daughter, a hard working media professional, wife and mother who lives in another state, and has been to Townsville twice in the past 20 years, was technically responsible for the offending blog. (She wasn’t and a judge agreed, telling them to bugger off. besides, all they’d get from her is a lop-sided negative mortgage.)
They then wanted to identify commenters on this blog to see if they could make a quid or two out of them for what they claimed were defamatory comments on Rabieh’s local reputation around town. No luck there, either, such identification proved impossible, but still they drag things on, apparently not knowing how to get their tits out of this very expensive wringer of their own making.
In one court hearing, Bazza claimed we couldn’t argue truth about Rabieh being a ‘dud’ businessman, and wanted our defence of truth disallowed (such is the way of the law).
Well, we’ve now gone to the trouble of getting hold of the annual reports for the Cowboys Club over the years when Rabieh was in charge there. And we will now be calling some News Ltd heavies of that era as witnesses. Because it turns out that the organisation during what we shall term ‘the Rabieh Krayem years’ was trading insolvent. Authorities take the dimmest of dim views of those sorts of shenanigans, and one would think it would be quite reasonable to suggest anyone overseeing such operations was indeed, in the kindest of several appropriate descriptions, ‘a dud businessman’.
Hmmm, wait a sec, culpability in these sorts of situations also rests with the board of the organisation … and wasn’t … no, surely not, could it be?… one of the directors around that time was one Barry Taylor, who also did some legal work for the club. Gosh!!
FOOTNOTE: Since you are adamant that you are not a dud businessman, Rabieh, we take it you have finally paid the outstanding $8000 your Fury outfit owed to the N Q Football for ground rentals at the time you skipped town? Hope it doesn’t take as long as it took you to pay the legal entitlements of some of those you sacked from your interesting job placement business on – where was it, Charters Towers Road? And now operate in Brisbane.
Harpic Goes Clean Round The Bend
Finally the Townsville Bulletin catches up with the political reality of this city, but typically, it was only spurred into action after being defied on a populist bullying paper promotion that forced their hand.
But breaking tradition of the usual lofty arrogance of no response or waffle, Aaron Harpic Harper completely lost it with the Bulletin, taking to Facebook to deliver a personal character reading to the town’s most upstanding organ. And as a bonus, he gave Kevin ‘Rhymes With ‘ Gill a serve to be going on with.
While what he says is possibly right sort of, it was a strange possibly hypocritical thing to do, for a man who makes a dishonest living under false pretences.
But it was one of the more foam-flecked political suicide notes seen for a while.
Finally, Our Weekly Visit To Trumpistan
And President Agent Orange just can’t seem to find good help these days … even when, like Rudy Guiliani, they’re on his side.
Gotta go now, be with you next week.
………….
And hop into the political debate that rages in comments 24/7 … an d if you’re finding The Magpie’s Nest a worthwhile read, the blog could well do with a donation to support it, the how to button is below.
Well I can’t believe this clown Harper and his attack on the paper. Pot calling the kettle black! How long have we had a Labour state government and a Labour council now??? All of sudden the press is LNP right wing. The TOOLE has finally jumped off the fence and these 3 still have there lips tied by palletcheck. I agree with the Gill spray, that would help but to receive what he got from the paper in support over 2 elections now to get in and now backflip, he’s a joke. I have a couple of stories about his involvement as a union rep in ambos but I might end up sitting next to Magpie in court if I say it. I still can’t work out where the votes are that brought Townsville all LNP government only a few years ago. Oh that’s right the town’s fucked so they moved???
Convince me that the development Corp the council’s dissolving is not linked to the latest charges brought up in reguards to Ipswich council this week. You posted that earlier then the news about more charges. Love to see the phone records of the mayor’s if the premier’s number has been recived a couple of times, or local government minister
While The ‘Pie knows where you’re coming from, think its a stretch that the development corporation has any guilty secrets … it would on the face of it appeat not to have been operating at all. Certainly haven’t seen any mention of its board meetings or other activity. Hmmmm…
I wasn’t meaning there is any corruption sorry. More the point of timing as if to say, close it now or face more scrutiny from CCC.. Nothing I’ve ever seen on both sides of the political world would surprise me to find out later that something wasn’t right. Only have to look at the barnerby joice saga as an example of hidden issues, not so much illegal but would have been interesting in public opinion before election time. I know that is a personal life issue and shouldn’t matter but it’s the deception to the public that always gets both sides in trouble
Actually, someone has suggested it may be timed to look good in the annual budget, but The ‘Pie admits such accounting niceties are beyond him.
Don’t worry Harpic, the dumb dickheads of Townsville will vote you back in. I can remember Peter Beattie whinging after the Bulletin and Harro on 4TO stuck it into him and he called the media in Townsville biased against him, this town voted all 3 Labor members back in, but you will have to wait, first the brainless tossers of this town have to vote back in Cathy O Toole, then to prove no end to the gullibility of the Townsville people they will vote Jenny Hill back in, and then it’s your turn, just be patient, it will all work out, they haven’t found a cure for stupidity yet.
Cantankerous, a bigger worry than the re-election of Cathy O’Toole would be a big result for Palmer’s United Australia Party and the election of the man himself to the Senate. I can’t work it out how Townsvillains are outraged that Palmer ripped off Queensland Nickel workers and left taxpayers carrying the can and yet support for his party in Herbert has grown and maybe recently surpassed One Nation. Perhaps those big billboards and TV ads really do make a difference.
Depends on how you look at it NMD, I knew people who worked at QNI and hold no grudges towards Clive, they were ready for the dole queue in 2005 then Palmer bought it and they had 10 more years of earning plenty on the gravy train that was QNI for many, they all knew is was going to come to an end, just a matter of when. I would imagine the ones most upset were those who had leave etc owing, but they failed to see the end like the smart one said did. The facts are QNI put 1000 people on the dole queue yet Jenny Hill put 3000 on the same thing, don’t see too many comparing that do we, doesn’t suit the narrative many in this town want to tell.
Jenny put 3000 on the dole queue? How, and when? 600 maybe. Ummm, said this before but here it is again … Mayor Mullet has created enough rope herself without trying to saddle her with easily disproved claims, which all goes towards the question of critics credibility.. Or has The ‘Pie missed something?
Yes, the dangers of engaging the mental calculator after a long Sunday afternoon session, 20% of 3000 is not 3000, the total workforce was about 3000, they have punted about 600 down to 2400 or thereabouts.
While we’re talking statistics and following on from a conversation here a few weeks back about the likely fall in Townsville’s population (can’t remember whose fault that was), I see that the electoral rolls are out with the new numbers.
At the 2016 federal election the seat of Herbert had 104,815 electors enrolled. For next month’s 2019 election there are 108,434 enrolled. No changes were made to the boundaries of the Herbert electorate during the recent redistribution so it looks like the electorate and therefore Townsville has maintained its population growth despite the apparent economic downturn.
Well, just for a start, youth coming of age, defence increases … oh, bugger it, The ‘Pie will let somebody else do this.
Can you actually remember the name of any your maths teachers NMD who must have thrown themselves out the 3rd floor window rather than try and teach you basic maths.
Cantankerous, you talk about maths as if . . . . . What’s next, wisdom? You really must stop reading those big yellow billboards around town.
Hey there Tanker, I think ‘the dumb dickheads’ you refer to have had quite enough! Two terms of absolute nothing but pain and suffering to the Townsville economy, many of its residents and so many unfulfilled promises should signal the end and time for someone else to have a go!
Third time lucky, I think not, no matter what Labor puts forward; more apt in this instance is doing the same thing for the same result is madness and leads nowhere! Change is needed and is on the way………
Greetings Dear ‘Pie,
Last week you informed us that the Mullet and Foghorn are long time friends. This week you inform us that the Foghorn’s harassment of yourself continues. It seems to me that this harrasment could be in large part a favour to the Mullet. She can’t directly get at you (short of letting your tyres down) but the Foghorn can.
If this ever gets to court give us plenty of warning. Many will want to attend.
Any court case will be held in Brisbane. When we indicated we wanted any such trial in Townsville, Rabieh’s solicitor Vanesa Gleeson went ballistic, insisting that it be in Brisbane where the complaint was registered … if Vanesa Gleeson is to be believed (oh, stop it, oh, my aching sides) Rabieh was so alarmed at the prospect of facing court in Townsville – even as a plaintiff – that she said he would fight such an order all the way to the High Court. In the end, when a judge read the list of witnesses they claimed they would call, he decided Brisbane was the more reasonable location, on the grounds of convenience and time for said witnesses. That lengthy list, including at least one from New Zealand (retired News exec by memory) and also Graham ‘Whatever It Takes’ Richardson, was never going to happen. Flying that gallery in would be a financially crippling cost in the event of a Magpie win, but also in the (unlikely) event of a loss, the defendant (i.e The Magpie) would end up carrying the financial can for the costs of flights and accomodation, which could be included in any costs awarded against him. fat chances there, since it known that The ‘Pie lives on the pension alone, is a renter and has no money or assets (except a 20 year old car … and when The ‘Pie’s out of it, the value has gone), Bazza and Rabieh would be have to find the readies to pay out the eye-watering costs of their own witnesses. And Bazza, no matter what smarmy agreement he made with Krayem to convince him to embark on this disastrous ill-advised course of action, will try and stiff Rabieh for a big chunk if not all of it. Barry Taylor has form for drumming up business this way, and recently was forced to repay hundreds of thousands to a couple he grossly overcharged FOR A LOSING ACTION! (That Rockhampton Supreme Court judgement has been reported here in this blog a while back … the gormless Gleeson woman was involved in that one, too).
Doesn’t look like it will actually get to court Pie? Maybe they are just bluffing and being a pain in the rear end? So far what you have shared on this matter reminds me a little of haemorrhoids………when they come down and go back up they are fine, but when they come down and stay down, they can be a real pain in the arse!
Graphic! Thanks for the analogy. But it’s 100% correct.
And while we’re on this subject, The ‘Pie will not be publishing any of the many comments received regarding any perceived naughtiness by Mr Krayem while in Townsville … Bazza and the Gleeson girlie has made one abortive totally fruitless attempt to get names and addresses of derogatory commenters with the aim of suing THEM since he will get nothing from a penniless ‘Pie. The fact is, The ‘Pie doesn’t know who you are … and by some of the level of some comments, doesn’t want to … but best to be safe when you’re dealing with, in cast order, the vindictively avaricious, the incompetent and the gullible.
A not-so-strange coincidence.
Logan mayor and councillors are charged by Crime and Corruption Commission with criminal offences, with the CCC at the same time confirming that other (unnamed) councils are under investigation.
About the same time Mayor Mullet deregisters her “development corporation”.
Stone the bloody crows, is the CCC finally delving into the secretive dealings of the Mullet and her arm aerobics group of councilors?
Also good to see that a “reborn” Rabieh Krayem is making a comeback in the south, where he has been reunited with his long term mentor Bazza Taylor, who imported him to Townsville about 25 years ago to weave his magic with the Cowboys.
Surely someone should warn the good people of Brisbane and surrounds of the coming charm offensive.
I remember a few years back (pre T’ville TEA2) the Motor sport mob and Council were calling for EOI from landowners for sites. Guess what, the TCC picked their own block.
Perhaps this is one reason why TEA2 came into existence, a quiet word in an ear, (that has since had the Van Gogh treatment in recent TCC staff cuts) to lift their game if they are going to compete with free enterprise.
So are they now in a Catch 22, a company that was formed to allow TCC to conform to the law, but now being deregistered for non-activity and thus putting themselves back in potential illegal conflicts of interests?
Fatty Palmer’s $50 million spent on his UAP advertising looks like sinking the TOOLE. Enduring the ads wasn’t easy, but on balance I would sit through them again for that result.
Palmer would have been better off just paying off his debts and giving to charity to atone for his sins instead of empty adverts on the television.
The contributions to the Party are tax deductible, so whatever his or the companies income tax bill is, will be reduced. Thanks to the two major parties for this one.
Pie, great read as always.
A couple of maters arising:-
I had a look at the minutes for the “Special Council Meeting” held on the 20th March 19 to see if any reasons were given to de-register EA2, to my surprise there was no mention of it so I checked the actual minutes for the meetings either side of it too, again no mention of it.
One thing which did attract my attention was a declaration by Mark Molachino in one set of minutes
“Planning and Development Committee – Perceived conflict of Interest – Item 10 – Councillor M Molachino – Councillor Molachino was gifted tickets to the V8 Supercars by Payce back in 2017.”
So I checked his statement of interest to see if this had been declared as is required. No surprise to anyone that low and behold it had not been and still is not declared.
I wonder how many other things like this have never been declared? Adani Airport deal ring any bells?
Thanks for the footwork there, Hee Haw. Have you, or anyone with knowledge of these things, have any conjecture as to the reason for this move? Could be harmless, but seems to have been tucked away, which automatically raises suspicions when this mayor and her mob try to cover their tracks. Also, since it was over two years ago we were promised the appointment of two ‘independent’ (HA BLOODY HAR HAR!) directors for the to join the mayor, CEO et al on the board, anybody heard or seen anything of such an appointment … all the beaking about that The ‘Pie could do has failed to turn up anything? Facts only please.
As with most things council related facts are a bit thin on the ground.
One thing that is fact is that the non declaration from Molachino is an offence and “I forgot” or it was “an oversight” won’t work when he has now declared it to be a perceived conflict of interest in the meeting.
The next is supposition only but the timing of the move to de register the company, which is due to be complete on the 16 th June 2019 could mean that in the annual report from TCC for the year ended 31st June 2019 may be able to completely ignore it as it will not exist at the end of year date. Will be interesting to see if it merits a mention or explanation.
Been told that TCC provides substantial grants to Cowboys, major basketball teams, cultural organisations and other events such as PBR and get free tickets and other benefits in return. These grants used to appear on TCC website but are no longer published, probably commercial in confidence. Can’t see which councillors use these tickets etc. on their individual conflict of interest statements.
TCC get free tickets to TECC events, and any events held in council facilities. Councillors are always attending. Never declared
And frankly, that is nit-picking to try and tie them up in little red tape traps over such things. The ‘Pie reckons that such declarations are when the elected official has received some material benefit not connected with their ‘work’. Has it ever occurred to anyone that on the majority of these such occasions, councillors – in fact all politicians – really want to be somewhere else, but are at parish pump events and functions because it is their duty to be there, them’s da rules of the game.
Agree it’s nitpicking and declarations of conflict really do need to be material.
However nitpicking usually only occurs when there’s a lack of trust and transparency. Once public confidence is breached the public start looking for more evidence of breaches.
So in this case I’d say it’s deserved nitpicking. Council and the councillors have been less than transparent. They’ve done things and denied them and lost the public trust. They only have themselves to blame
Very reasonable point, couldn’t agree more in this case.
Come to think of it along those lines, given Mayor Mullet’s embarrassing and totally dumb boycott call on Qantas, perhaps we should look beyond the TEL boardroom chuminess and check her for any interesting links with QAL.
May have a premonition that Mullet may have been on a QF tagged flight after the froth & fury on the airport. Was a bit back but I may have been in the same compressed coke can…
Could however be a simple mistake of identity but being pretty politically savvy & knowing whose who in the school by seeing regularly, I suspect not…
What? You’re surely not suggesting there is another person who looks like our beloved mayor?
To be honest some V8 tickets are hardly worth some small fortune, it’s a triviality.
To my mind the easiest way through the minefield is for councillors to accept NO gifts at all and to not sit on any other board or committee paid or otherwise. The only position a councillor should have is for the one he’s ( or she) paid for, nothing more, nothing less.
Grudge, I have to agree with your last points.
On the first point the amount is irrelevant until they law on disclosure is changed to reflect that. At the moment there is an obligation to disclose so they must disclose.
When one thing slips through to the keeper one wonders how many other things maybe more significant also go unreported.
Libs in bed with Clive = deathknell
JJ, as much as I i detest the big boy I think he is a lot smarter than you, you have to remember that he provided employment in this city for 20 more years than BHP would have. He really does not have to pay any one or anything as the LAW in corporate terms has him protected, just ask the likes of The Pies mate the great Foghorn. At least he his hanging around to face the consequences of his actions not like the likes of Skase, et el.
If Palmer gets any rounder he may very well join Skase 6 feet under. How would he manage sitting in the senate for a week at a time?
That’s a bit personal Linda – all slim, trim and wrinkle free are we???
We already knows he gets his quota of sleep … in the chamber.
As if losing to the GWS wasn’t bad enough, you had to endure the return of the smug Toby-jug Greene.
(dignified silence).
Miss Lou, Miss Lou, wherefore art thou???
Plucker, I thought that was Magpies job !!!
Just wondering where she’s at Crackers; we haven’t heard from her for a long while. All innocent and above board mate – I had my warning a while back, something about turning me into KFC. All innocent – I’m not a dumb plucker :)!
This is an interesting read, https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.townsvillebulletin.com.au/news/townsville/riley-son-of-former-council-staffer-stephen-beckett-saved-by-chloe-shorten-after-tree-fall/news-story/2f73e77c0b323e6fe4eb9417eb9a69c9
Would the screaming midget push his own kid out of a tree for a good campaign media story??
Yeah, noted that at the time and wondered the same thing. All trivial bullshit, of course, kid was about five feet from the ground, the little snot. But what is far more interesting is the fact it was on the Gold Coast … has this pestilence finally departed town … wonder if His Radiance, hospital board chair Tony Mooney will ask The ‘Pie to fill Mrs Becket’s now vacant spot … or will she live down south but continue to pick the $45k for a couple of annual meetings.
The link took me to the TB pay wall only.
Look, you want earth-shattering indispensable news like this or not? Either sign up and give Rupert your dough or shut up!.
I have found it very difficult to light the BBQ or line the bird cage floor with the digital edition.
“ the lady doth protest too much me thinks” . Was Shakesphere referring to Labor’s Kristina Kineally , Cathy Otoole , Tanya Plibersek bleating how disgraceful LNP,s preference deal with Clive Palmer only under questioning ,Shorten and Plibersek admitted Labor made approaches to Clive prior . As far as Aaron Harpers achievements his electorate has Townsvilles highest crime rate and highest deteriorating Property values .
TEL at their bumbling best. And this crowd want you to pay them ($6000 a pop, I believe) to learn how to become a business leader.
This is the email I received at 4.36, April 26 , announcing a tender for the emerging leaders program organiser.
The TEL webpage link takes you to the timeline of April 24, 2019 opening date (oops, 2 days late there), and a closing date of April 30, 2019 (tomorrow)
The document download for the actual specs of the tender showing a tender issue date of the 15th April 2019 (oops missed that by 11 days) and still the closing date of 30th April 2019
Soooo… all the tenders to be evaluated so that it can be awarded on the 3rd May 2019. A WHOLE TWO DAYS BETWEEN CLOSE AND AWARD.
Complete and utter bollocks – there is clearly someone in the frame for this NOW, as no reputable person could put this together in one business day effectively.
M assive time waster for anyone wanting to have a shot at the job … absolute stupidity at its best.
Yep, LGAQ will have already decided who is going to do this job. A close mate, obviously someone known to Jenny and teh cronies.
Used to do the “short tender” period stuff all the time when we’d already picked a winner
Is this not a TEL position.
Really? Why has it got TEL written all over it, and why does TEL run and profit from the Emerging Boofheads Program? Or has The ‘Pie missed something.
Hold Your Head In Your Hands, Dept of:
This piece of gurgling piece last week attracted a few comments.
It was an invite for all the arty types around town to fall over each other in drink, loudly proclaiming their (hic!) solutions to (burp!)the decaying Detroit-like CBD.
Now, if there is anything more tedious, pointless and noisy than an earnest arts’ community luvvie, it is a PISSED earnest arts community luvvie. Christ, even Linda Ashton thought there were some overlooked factors in the Astonisher’s romper room report, when she wrote:
“Friday sesh in the city heart (attack). How do these well lubricated locals travel home after a CBD skinful? A ratepayer funded Council shuttle bus or taxis? Light rale? (pun intended). How desperate to use booze to lure folk to “for lease” flinders street.”
Quite.
BE AFRAID … BE VERY AFRAID. CHECK OUT ITEM 10!!!
Lock up your wallets, ratepayers.
When you see the words ‘confidential’, ‘council’, ‘Future Cities’ , ‘flights’ and ‘incentive contribution’ all in the one sentence, that’s scary enough. But when you see them on a TCC meeting agenda, TERRIFIED might better fit the bill.
Just what the hell might this be? It’s from the council meeting agenda for tomorrow, Tuesday.
Anybody want to nudge awake the fearless tough-questioning journalists at the Astonisher? Please?
News Ltd will be shitting bricks at the thought of being questioned in a court of law about the NQCowboys.
Suggest you also get Lancini and Taylor on the witness stand as well. They were both on the Cowboys board at the time.
Way ahead of you, winged one.
When this bloody mess is satisfactorily well behind you I can see HBO making a seven year TV series.
‘The Flock and the Fucked’.
Who will play the Mullet, Plucker, NMD, Foghorn, and the Iditor, etc, etc.
Bud Tingwell or Phillip Adams to play the Pie.
It will leave Game of Thrones in the cinimatic dust!
Chris Hemsworth rang he wants to play me, but reckons he would need more gym time.
I have an explanation.
Future cities, this is where they are looking to move to after the next local government election next year. Confidential because they can’t afford to let the public know where they are headed because everyone may be waiting to make sure they are going in the correct direction. But not with happy smiles and good luck wishes.
International flight incentives contribution, this is a second option of leaving the city for the future cities but by plane. A contribution would be items that can fit people not animal’s in the cargo hold. The confidentiality would be Orange fragile tape around the boxes. Do not drop sign on it.
Am I too far off the mark??
Seems you’re off something …. meds maybe.
Yep,off or on something?
Pollie v Pollie on 7 tonight.
Impressed that ScoMo didn’t once refer to notes or upcoming questions.
Not impressed with Bill’s continual refer to notes plus:
Threw in ‘Fair dinkum’ wherever he could plus a ‘digger’ when talking to ScoMo.
Made sure Bill had his happy clappers in the audience.
And how many times did Bill tell us he wanted to work with business and not against them? And of course Labor didn’t try and sway Fatima Palmer’s party to give them preferences-nah Bogan Bill would never do that. The smiling serpent is still ahead. Here’s hoping that head gets cut off.
Putting the politics of it aside, from a purely presentation perspective, Morrison won hands down for all the points you say, but also this: Channel 7 threw Shorten a curly one by having a split screen so that one was in full view while the other was talking. Shorten obviously wasn’t schooled in what to do in this situation by his minders, and his smug grinning and lolling head movements made him look like a not fully recovered head trauma patient. And to compound the problem, Morrison was on top of his facts without notes, as you say. Fair to say Shorten didn’t use notes either, but Morrison in listening mode seemed to be doing just that – listening, not trying to score visual points with know-it-all disapproving head shakes and patronising grinning. Shorten should do some arse kicking among his minders, not that he seems to have the public presentation skills that he sorely needs. have you noticed the start of every statement he makes on the hustings starts with an almost sigh-like intonation of a man whose already given up trying to like public speaking.
This comment is nothing to do with the politics of either side – indeed, the old TV producer in The ‘Pie soon drifted off into considerations of the foregoing in this dreariest of election campaigns lacking even one tit-twisting issue for the whole electorate, just a jumble of the usual trivial lies and petty point scoring. Bit like this blog, actually heh heh heh ….
“Bill Shorten surprised everyone, even himself, last night when he won the first head to head televised debate against Prime Minister Scott Morrison last night.”
From Miranda Devine, one of Murdochs acolytes, and a head cheerleader of the right wing.
Hang on buddy, this is a right wing extreme blog mate only preaching to the LNP supporters. How dare you mention something like that unless its a 3 word slogan or maybe 4 if you can count past 24.
If anyone here honestly thinks the greens will put us all on the dole has rocks in their head and i also bet not one of you have actually read, yes READ their policy’s with out the self opinionated opinions of Bolt, Jones and Hadley.
If you listen to Bolt, Hadley and or Jones then you really need to seek help. How many defamation cases have all 3 of them lost, how many lies have they told, lots. Its like people who read the headlines and think they know the full story but only after showing them actual policy’s they then shut their bloody mouth but go back to listening to people who get paid to create hate and division.
We get called red necks up here for a reason because you are all stuck in the fucking 60’s and 70’s and the rest of Australia has bloody well moved on. The Liberals are no longer anything like Menzies who by the way WANTED and appreciated Unions (Yes that dirty word), The Labor (Yes Labor not freaking Labour) party isnt the same as yesteryear (That scary communist party) but people on the blog like to go all the way back to 50 years ago and judge a modern day party for anything they did back then.
Maybe you lot forgot Howard was and still is the only treasurer to have inflation and interest rates in double digits 13% & 18%. I also uploaded a photo showing the ALP as being the lowest taxing party over the past 4 years but the Pie didnt appreciate them facts now did he because i am sick to death of tyhe LNP claiming to be the economic managers when they just sell shit and reduce services of which you old buggers are using NOW or going to need very soon.
And by the way, im 48 and voting for KAP because FU to the 2 main party’s.
Now let the old angry man hate begin!
To paraphrase your beloved Ming ‘The tour of the honourable commenters mind would have been far more enlightening had not been conducted in the gathering darkness.’ And as The ‘Pie remembers it, he published the graph you sent in without particular comment, although it attracted a couple of others who were unimpressed. But the above spray was printed because you managed to use a lot of big words without spelling errors and the grammar was OK-ish … but the analysis … oh, dear, John.
Quote:’We get called red necks up here for a reason because you are all stuck in the fucking 60’s and 70’s and the rest of Australia has bloody well moved on.’ Unquote. And presumably, you want to move on from this red neck image … so you’re going to vote KAP? hahahahahahaha … gasp, wheeze, oh, stoppit.
John, the trouble with telling us who your first preference will be is that it gives no indication of which major party you will put lowest on your ballot paper. In Herbert, a major party will win this election. It will not be KAP or PHON or Green or UAP – though those parties will attract a considerable first preference vote. What will matter in the House of Reps vote is whether you put ALP ahead of LNP or the other way around. One of them will win in Herbert.
Sorry Pie mate but it gets a little frustrating seeing the same bullshit being peddled all over the place, the ALP are coming for your Ute etc etc, I have nothing to do with the $80M water buy back, I am not a Director of that company in the tax dodging island called the Cayman Islands.
This is going to be one dirty election and the amount of miss-information will be staggering. Going by the tweets, you can tell they are all bots. They all have an 8 digit number at the end of the name. Thing is, people will take this as the gospel truth and then repeat the same crap all over again and with Murdochs power over the media landscape makes it even bloody worse.
Does my head in.
The ‘Pie hears you, The ‘Pie hears you, bruvver.
Oh, John. What are triggered little Lefty you are. Or a troll.
Any thoughtful examination of the past forty odd years will reveal gross mistakes and blunders on all sides.
As a former office holder in the ALP, I despair over the surrender of the party to over-educated twats with smart mouths, clever texts and dirty tricks ( think Getup). The light on the hill has turned into a disco ball.
The ultra right is repulsive on so many levels that it does not bear talking about.
The Greens may have lofty ideals and flowery policies (see what I did there), but you cannot deny that the party is a magnet for radicals and loonies (think BDS).
My views and values have not changed – if anything, I have become more tolerant and aware that freedom of speech must be tempered with kindness. However, on the bell curve I have moved from a good distance left of centre to somewhat right of centre.
Like you, I refuse to vote for either of the majors because they no longer reflect my political position. But….KAP? Really?
Its hard to say NMD because since i have followed politics i have seen Howard sell basically everything that wasn’t welded down and even then he wanted to fire up a 9 inch grinder to get them weld joints before that useless Rudd came in to power.
I do like scumos energy but he is also one of them bloody happy clappers who speak in tongue while waving their hands in the air and who will use his religious influence on us plebs who hate religion mate.
Shorten comes with out with some good one liners and i like the ALP policy’s to some degree but Shorten just doesn’t have a trust worthy face and yes i know, its silly to think that but he tends to please a crowd he is talking to instead of a nation.
Since i started voting in the 90’s its been both ALP and Liberal but they are vast image of their former selves.
For example here is a list of shit Howard, Hawke and Keating sold and thus why we had a surplus and thus why we cannot now afford middle class welfare.
April 1988,Commonwealth Accommodation and Catering Services:14.9
November 1988,Defence Service House Corporation Loan Portfolio:1,515
June 1989, AMDEL:0.92
May 1991,Australian Defence Force Home Loan Franchise:42(plus annual commission payments)
June 1991,Commonwealth Housing Loan Assistance Schemes in the ACT:47.3
September 1992,Australian Airlines:400
March 1993,25% of Qantas:665
November 1993,Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation:1.5
June 1994,Moomba-Sydney Pipeline System:534
June 1994,Commonwealth Uranium Stockpile:57
June 1995,Aerospace Technologies of Australia Pty Ltd:40
December 1996,Commonwealth Funds Management:62.5
January 1997,Avalon Airport Geelong Ltd:1.5
(plus annual lease payments)
May 1997,Phase 1 Airports,Melbourne Airport,Brisbane Airport,Perth Airport:3,337
July 1997, DASFLEET:408
September 1997,Australian Industry Development Corporation Ltd
(sale included provision of a $3,200m pool of Commonwealth bonds to repay equivalent amount in Commonwealth guaranteed borrowings as they fall due):155
November 1997
Australian National Railways Commission:95.4
October/November 1997
Department of Administrative Services,Asset Services,Australian Operational Support Services,Australian Property Group,DAS Centre for Environmental Management,DAS Distribution,DAS Interiors,WORKS Australia:28.9
December 1997,Housing Loans Insurance Corporation:108
February 1998
Former Macleod Repatriation Hospital site:1.75
April 1998
Australian Multimedia Enterprises Ltd:29.3
(capital return)
April 1998
Phase 2 Airports
(Adelaide; Alice Springs; Canberra; Coolangatta; Darwin; Hobart; Launceston; Mt Isa; Parafield; Tennant Creek; and Townsville; Archerfield; Jandakot and Moorabbin):730.8
June 1998,Auscript:1.1
March 1999,National Transmission Network:650
December 1998 – May 1999
Australian River Co. (formerly ANL Ltd):20.697
November 1999,ADI Ltd:346.78
January 2000,Removals Australia:10.4
April 2000,AWRAP (Australian Wool Research and Promotion) (corporatisation and industry restructure)
September 2001,Essendon Airport Ltd:22.044
February 2002,Combined sale of National Rail Corporation Ltd and
NSW’s Freight Rail Corporation ($1172m total transaction value):220
June 2002,Sale of Sydney (Kingsford Smith) Airport ($1355m of SACL debt repaid in addition):4233
December 2003,Sale of Sydney Basin Airports (Bankstown, Camden and Hoxton Park):211.0
June 2004,ComLand Limited ($25.3m of ComLand debt repaid in addition):139.7
Share Offers managed by the Commonwealth Share Offers managed by the Commonwealth Share Offer Proceeds ($b)
October 1993,Commonwealth Bank Secondary Public Share Offer (2):1.7
June 1994,CSL (former Commonwealth Serum Laboratories) Public Share Offer:0.3
July 1995,Qantas Public Share Offer 1.4
July 1996,Commonwealth Bank Secondary Public Share Offer (3) and share buy back:5.1
November 1997,Telstra 1:14.2
(plus $3 billion payment to the Commonwealth from retained earnings)
October 1999,Telstra 2:16.0
November 2006,Telstra 3:15.4
Christ trust that is cut and paste, otherwise you have waaaayyyy too much time on your hands.
Dear John
Can you provide that very extensive list ordered by descending values please.
Much appreciated
John, based on the dialogue of comments going back to 1957 about previous Governments just thought I would bring you back to present . In the past 18 mths 10,500 jobs have been created in the Townsville region ( includ Hinchinbrook, Burdekin, Charters Towers ). Not sure whether you run a business or employ people but $20,000 instant write off has meant businesses can upgrade cars, equipment . Perhaps some research on current programs by both major parties ( although you may be disillusioned ) because your preferences will go somewhere .
Got a look at the voting papers this morning, and oh boy! The House of Reps has 8 options and each has to be numbered. It’s definitely a case of working backwards from 8 getting rid of the worst but there’s really nobody left for #1. The worry is that the preferences from the worst will float upwards and the danger is that O’Toole will squeeze in again.
But the Senate! The voting slip is about a metre long, and a mess of minor parties I’ve never heard of. But selecting six is sufficient for a valid vote, so starting with #6 (and there’s a huge range of options) the same problem. There’s no obvious #1 to work up to. And same worry; what if preferences from the nutcases finish up boosting somebody you’d never vote for?
I’ll be very tempted to vote informal. I wonder how the million or so young ‘uns who’ll be voting for the first time will react. As an introduction to the democratic process it’s overwhelming..
Mike its actually 25K but the thing is you need to have that 25K first to spend before lodging your BAS and yes, I happen to run 2 business’s and employ 15 people not including me or my wife and i also know that some weeks asfter paying wages i don’t even have enough to pay my self!.
2012 was the year Newman came in and destroyed this lovely town and along with QNI this town has never recovered but as they say, each to their own.
Is DEADTOOLE Kevin Dill in disguise?
He seems to know just as much about aviation.
No FF, comments that might indicate you’re high, don’t necessarily mean you know a bit about aviation !
Look I was trying to put a bit of humour into what really is a worrying piece that magpie had raised. Very sorry you don’t get my humour. Anyway your talking about me so that means your leaving some other poor barstard alone
It’s a hard life, trying to be funny about serious things … take it from The’Pie, mate.
Totally agree. I’m sure that the Labor party have seen the beer drinking side of ScoMo and told Bill to present like more of an Aussie. I could be wrong but Bill seems to be dressing down a bit as well. Perhaps another ploy to get the ‘Aussie’ vote. I think Bill will get desperate over the next fortnight as he doesn’t want to be The unlosable election Mark 2. Or can he be Labor’s John Hewson?
Maybe Linda should get “her” Facebook group to research the “Streisand Effect”.
Really, Linda – who cares? You were convicted of running a red light. That does not effect your credibility one jot. If that’s all you got in 48 years, then you done good, Girl. My own driving record goes for several pages. I have accumulated more points than the Sydney Swans. Oh, wait…
Yes but Linda is an academic, it says so in the story, it may well be that academics have a better understanding of the real way stop lights work, what there real intended purpose is and how we could interpret what the stop signal really means as opposed to say how a plumber or hairdresser might look at a stop light and think, I have to stop.
An academic invented Pavlov’s Theory, a chef invented Pavlova … who’s gunna get your vote?
Aha, we’re all wrong. Astonisher reports it as a ‘Stop sign’, not stop light . Although they too could be wrong…
But I’m pretty sure they both mean stop.
Direct flights between Singapore and Townsville COULD begin as early as next year.
I COULD win the lottery next week.
Pull the other one Jenny.
Yes, of the very many ‘could’ stories in the Astonisher over many years two stand out. Townsville would have the aviation maintenance hub for South East Asia, and the Army’s School of Artillery would now be in the High Range Training Area.
It is the ‘could’ stories that make the Astonisher fit only to line the floor of the bird cage. Lucky for my cockatiel that it cannot read.
I have fond memories of the officers mess at North head arty school. Recall training on the Redeye SAM there.
reason for no artillery school at HRTA is the stop sig at Alice River bridge.
There maybe direct flights from SNG to TSV but they will be Hercky-birds FIFO Singaporean conscripts. if the yet highly vaunted training site acquisition is secured.
Seems to me that is brain fart idea is reliant upon the Singapore army using these flights to fly troops to the proposed training facility. Proposed flights to start next year, watch for the Hill election propaganda about this early next year.
What do you mean early next year. Hill election propaganda has already started.
Project X, fixing a road (that we should have fixed anyway but wanted to wait for state government funding because we dont have any money) will create 30 jobs.
Err no it doesn’t. It takes 30 FTE’s X number of weeks to complete the job. It doesn’t create ANY NEW jobs.
This is the propaganda we are going to see more of.
Hey Plannit, I COULD support the Swanees, but I won’t!
Not sure we’d want you, chicken poo. Unless you can kick better than Buddy – which wouldn’t be too hard lately..
If Air Asia is the airline I won’t be flying with them. But I’m sure many will so just hope they show a bit of common sense this time and allow a minimum period of 8 months before starting the flights. Most overseas travellers make their bookings well in advance so time is needed to get the message out and then sell some seats, otherwise the service will go the way all the others have in the past.
Aren’t we luckily we’ve got Kevin Gill, Jenny Hill and Patricia Puppet sharing the pilot’s seat on this one.
Fills one with a lot of confidence.
Yes let’s hope it’s Silkair or Scoot, but regardless of which airline, Singapore is a good option, you can get to near anywhere direct from there and saves the trip south to head north again. I will use the service and hope it happens but would like to see what ratepayers $$ the Mullet is spending on it, the state govt already has a fund for attracting international carriers to Qld, I don’t know why Townsville ratepayers should be stumping up extra, like we always seem to do.
If it is Air Asia it will be Singapore via K.L.
just travelled Sth down the Bruce … why ? is TEL (I suppose) placing multiple billboard ads promoting TSV hundreds of K’s away to be seen the further you travel toward Briso … they are facing the wrong way ! … WTF … sorry I don’t get it …
Got any pix?
did think about that … but could not see how a pic would relay direction/ context … however. when we leave gladrock & head sth will take a snap if another appears …
Articles about assets sold by howard for those interested and for those who also think howard is or was the best prime minister. Its easy as piss to sell assets and blow it all middle class hand outs while not building any substantial infrastructure.
That list above started under the ALP.
http://www.marketeconomics.com.au/2095-more-facts-behind-the-howard-governments-debt-elimination
https://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/1442668/surplus-was-due-to-howard-selling-assets/
Straight from the government website
https://www.finance.gov.au/property/asset-sales/past-sales.html
I also see Gilly getting a grilling from the local head nodder in the toerag bulletin.
In the TB birthdays section, apparently Australian golfer Stuart Appleby has gone full drag and decided to impersonate Joanna Lumley….
WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!
Queensland Resources Council chief executive Ian Macfarlane, urging Qld Govt to approve Adani mine:
“It’s great to celebrate the investment secured over the last four years, but no one won a race running backwards,” he said.
That’ll be a surprise to this bloke.
And Sir Ian Botham, Pie!
So we have a mayor (who is also deputy doo dah of TEL) and her arm aerobics council going into hiding to approve an undisclosed amount of ratepayers funds for a marketing campaign to be run by TEL, which will benefit mainly Townsville Airport, which is run by Kevin Gill (TEL chairman).
No wonder they did it behind closed doors.
Surely this piece of jiggery poker raises a number of questions for that hard hitting editor Jenna Cairney to ask Jenny Hill and the Dill, like:
– how much money have we ratepayers contributed?
– how much if anything is Townsville Airport (QAL) chipping in?
– did Jenny Hill declare a conflict of interest and remove herself from the decision making process?
Look forward to the answers in tomorrow’s paper Jenna.
Hard hitting editor only does select soft targets
Useless fecaliths, the lot of them! Secrets anyone………
‘Pie, First Dog on the Moon has much more interesting view about leaders debate:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/may/01/nobody-watched-the-leaders-debate-we-need-the-filthy-centrists-party-and-a-ceremonial-dacking?CMP=share_btn_link
Seriously John, WTF are you smoking, Newman wrecked Townsville, how the hell did Newman wreck Townsville? If you are referring to public servant cuts, Newman sacked about 1800 public servants in Townsville, many of whom were surplus to requirement and not providing value for money. The fact is that since Anna Alphabet came to power the state public service in Townsville has only grown by 965 people, so over a 4 year period Labor has only replaced half of the number that Newman punted, despite the greatest expansion of state public servants we have ever seen under Labor only 965 of them are in Townsville, proving that Newman was totally justified in getting rid of the dead wood. Considering even in 2015 Townsville by all indicators was still travelling quite well, unemployment was still good, construction was still vibrant and retail was average but not great, so why did it all shit itself so quickly in 2016, simple, a toxic dickhead we all call the Mullet and her full team of useless councillors were elected unanimously and business confidence dived instantly and has never recovered to this day, and won’t recover whilst she is Mayor of this town. So the results of any federal or state election is fairly irrelevant in regional centres, it’s all about local govt and ours is a pathetic joke.
CBH, not sure where the hell you got 1800 from because it was publicly known it was in fact 5,600 people sacked just in Townsville alone under newman. Worst still was QNI going under which took a massive hit and people left the town ind roves.
I agree with Hill being a problem and anyone doing business in this town knows full well me included.
Do you run any business currently in Townsville or the surrounds? I run 2 and have managed to hold on to both but after Newman came in I had no choice but to sack 8 people because he gave contracts that me and another firm had to a company in brisbane.
Honestly folks, if the LNP is so f*cking good then why did they only last 3 years and dont blame the people, blame the party and their shit policy. Anna will be next im sure and then we will wash, rinse, repeat the same shit all over.
LNP sell our assets to foreign donors, ALP spends.
Why does no one ever mention the IPA links to the LNP, do you even know who or what the IPA is. They currently have 8 members siting in parliament and if you want an American style system then the IPA will deliver that because Murdochs old man set the whole shit fest up.
Remember, if the IPA gets its way, then none of us will have a pension, we have to pay for all medical and ecvery asset in Australia will be sold.
Uuumm, Institute of Public Accountants ????
I didn’t think they as a group were so radical..
https://ipa.org.au/ipa-review-articles/be-like-gough-75-radical-ideas-to-transform-australia
https://ipa.org.au/
Just think of people like Abbott, Dutton Kelly, Wilson Fifield to name a few. All if which are current members of the IPA.
People complain about Unions, well the IPA would be 10 times worse for this nation believe me.
Don’t forget the disgraceful Tim what’isface.
40 Watt John.
That article is seven years old and was designed to provoke discussion. It was not intended to be a manifesto.
Have you read some of the motions put up at Labor and the Greens conferences?
Context, mate, context. It’s not that subtle.
John… maaaattee…. sounds like you’ve got a few issues. I can recommend a good counsellor. Fraid I can’t recommend
any good councillors.
And we can all bring up conspiracy theories and stories of alarm on both sides of politics, just be careful we dont start blaming the illuminati and the lizard people.
Why not????
Well blame them if you want.
In my humble opinion, the photo of Rhymes with Dill in yesterday’s Astonisher looks a bit like he might be one of the lizard people. So there could be justification there.
But I’m of the belief its more a case of wide scale incompetence rather than organised conspiracy that is the root of the issues in our political leaders and leading citizens.
They simply are not clever enough for any sustainable, undetectable conspiracy … which after all, is a primary objective and necessity for a successful conspiracy.
Duck Balls
Don’t forget that the shape shifters and the greys can’t be trusted either.
John, it was 1800 in Townsville, 14,000 across the state, still disproportionately high for Townsville against the population at the time and certainly Townsville along with Brisbane and Rocky were effected more than other regions but it needs to be put in perspective and as I said 3 years later the Townsville economy was still doing rather well. I know everyone likes to paint Newman as an arsehole and having met the man on a few occasions can’t really argue with them about that but this constant insistence that he was the reason Townsville is in the hole it is today is just nonsense.
Cantankerous, do you think there might be a connection between the decimation of public servant numbers in departmental areas like Environment and Local Government and what is now happening on the ground? Regulation of waste management, mining and refining pollution and water resources seems to have gone out the window (e.g.. Townsville port’s lead pollution, Yabulu nickel plant tailings dam and Black River water resources) whilst who knows what is happening in the oversight of councils around the state. It feels like there is no longer a department of local government at all and by the look of things, many councils just do what they like with virtually no public oversight. I can’t remember it being this way. Maybe some of that “dead wood” actually served a purpose?
If the public’s servants had been “decimated”, then only 10% would have lost their jobs
Pedants corner: it is now accepted that while the dece- part, as in decimal, was the original ‘one in ten’ meaning, great damage and loss of more than 10% is the understood usage nowadays.
decimate | ˈdesəˌmāt |
verb [with object]
1 kill, destroy, or remove a large percentage or part of: the project would decimate the fragile wetland wilderness | the American chestnut, a species decimated by blight.
• drastically reduce the strength or effectiveness of (something): plant viruses that can decimate yields.
2 historical kill one in every ten of (a group of soldiers or others) as a punishment for the whole group.
Alex, although I haven’t thought about it much, if I am not mistaken the Newman government may well have cut about 10% out of the public service. Do you have any idea?
The point I was trying to make is that commenters here are often whinging about the tardiness of information supply about this, that and the other, particularly around corruption investigation and council accountability – and rightly so. Well, accountability requires public servants. We might want the Triple C to investigate Townsville council but it (such as it is) is tied up in Ipswich and Logan amongst others. So, one thing at a time unless you want to double or triple the number of investigators, lawyers and jailers. And look at the Adani thing. Environment got gutted by the Newman government. So now we want the black-throated finch investigated and a decision by yesterday but there’s no one in the office knows about the thing. Their own instruments find lead pollution flying out of the port of Townsville but the department doesn’t do that investigative stuff any more. They, as regulators, only pick up the audit paperwork when the polluters tell them to come around. And who knows when a half-competent scientist last interpreted the water samples collected from the mangroves next to Yabulu and put the numbers out there for public scrutiny. Sure as shootin’ they are locked away in some computer and no one can remember the PIN. Yep, it saved money – to be frittered away on some other grubby exercise which we will discover in a couple of years. But the flip side is that accountability sinks into oblivion, corporate memory is discarded and records are ditched.
Come on, John. “it was publicly known it was in fact 5,600 people sacked just in Townsville alone” If you are saying that they were all QG employees, I call absolute bullshit on that.
In any event, if you would have had any experience in dealing with the state government in the pre-Newman era, you would know that the public service was bloated and turgid with a lethargic and work-shy culture endemic in almost every department. It had to be culled.
From bullshit graphs to meangingless statistics, you have a penchant for putting up unattributed and anonymous quotes as absolute fact.
John, most readers here are hardbitten and cynical with more than a little life experience and zero tolerance for bullshit. We come from all points of the polictical compass and are not persuaded by rhetoric and conspiracy theories. You want to make a point,? then take a leaf out of NMD’s book – he at least gives the source of his lunacy.
We don’t have a sovereign citizen in our midst, do we?
John , I operate businesses as well employing people and operate under the Council / State Govt/ Federal Govt which ever party . I think you could close down Verde Tower with all the State Public servants and the town wouldn’t miss a beat . Labor has them so micro managed and decisions centralised in Brisbane they can’t jump until told and often State Government Ministers turn up to announce programs the local public servants don’t know about and have no input . When carbon tax was removed Qld was the only State that didn’t get a benefit , why QCA under Labor put a price increase thru matching the carbon tax. Newman didn’t transfer the State debt to the GOC , s balance sheet . Newman was only in for 3 years , my business has done it tough but I don’t use Newman as an excuse .
Newman’s one problem was the stupidity of way too much, way too soon, of much needed policy changes. No subtle gradiations, no smart, well-thought out timetable. Very dim politics.
Things change quickly in the mind of hard hitting editor Jenna Cairney.
Yesterday the Astonisher suggested that Townsville would cease to exist if the Adani mine didn’t go ahead.
Today the city’s future hinges on international flights.
What’s next Jenna, cowboys stadium to turn the city’s dismal future around.
Good example of what happens when advertisers run the local paper.
I watched the Tool on the ABC morning news today. Très embarrassant, she just couldn’t bring herself to say “I support Adani” even after Michael Rowland put it to her directly several times. She needs to go.
That said, at least she put in an appearance unlike the LNP candidate Phillip Thompson who refused an interview obviously under instruction from the Party – looks like another Canberra rep in Townsville if he gets up.
So what do you do? Neither deserve a vote and I’m not going the donkey vote course.
Looks like Mad Bob’s candidate Nanette Radeck will get my vote (based on Robbie Katter’s performance to date) with the two major parties at 7 and 8. Toss a coin to see who get last place.
On what The ‘Pie is hearing, KAP is going to make a surprise showing in Herbert. The ‘Pie is sticking with his overall prediction that will be a balance of power situation in the Reps as well as the Senate. Buckle up, boys and gals, we’re in for a bumpy ride.
Jesus, I read this morning that the Sir Strabismus himself, Rob Oakeshott is having yet another go and there is a chance he may get up!
Please God…not again
Im with you two blokes, KAP will get my first and the rest go get stuffed.
Phillip as far as i am aware has not even done a national TV interview yet has he? No breakfast TV or news stations and no, I am not including the astonisher because they are biased towards him.
The red headed dickiknee will be the same as you mention. A seat warmer in Townsville representing Canberra’s interests and not ours, been like that for the 30 years i have lived here.
Think you are right Pie
If only they would ariculate how they will interact with the govt of the day and consequently
apply what influence they can, It would help voters make a more informed decision about them.
Their policies as posted .. mmm .. still making mind up .. but in line with your comment i know it is a first for this habitual herbert voter to even consider a minor party
The flyers issued by LNP are disengenuous ..as if the local veteran has weilded the influence he claims to have and well labor just as so in my view
Its all just blah-blah-blah … when you talk to your dog, the only word he responds generally is his name … or specific words like ‘food’ or ‘leash (for walks)… the rest is just meaningless static. Seems we’re all dogs, and forget walkies, we’re all being taken for a ride.
I emailed Phillip OAM several weeks ago requesting his attitude to the Carmichael Mine and to Adani, but he hasn’t replied. I’d have thought that the Adani issue is big enough in Townsville for something to be ready to send out to enquirers.
There’s no mention in his mailout nor his Plan for Herbert about Carmichael nor Adani.
He’s recommending second preferences in both the House of Representatives and the Senate be given to Clive Palmer. I judge people by the company they keep, and Clive is not a person I’d want as a friend. But if Phillip OAM’s recommendation is simply that through distribution of preferences he will benefit from Clive’s trading with the Liberals and spending $$ millions to buy himself a place in parliament then I question his principles.
I want to be represented in Canberra by somebody whose principles and values I share, and who is aware of and concerned about the most important issues that have to be dealt with, including climate change (exemplified by Carmichael), population sustainability and water management. Only the Greens seem acceptable on those counts.
KAP. because of the local candidate.
My email to Phillip OAM asking about his his support or otherwise for the TPAC is thus far unanswered. I advised him that if he did not reply I would vote KAP. Seems that has been decided now.
Surprise surprise surprise Mike. You’re voting Greens. I don’t think you’ve ever ticked another coloured box. But your vote is part of the reason the Tool got across the line last time and didn’t that have great influence on today’s Townsville. I’m not surprised you’re not getting responses from the storm troopers when you’re unequivocally looking through watermelon coloured glasses. But…each to their own.
Kenny, I don’t get your drift. We are not using a first-past-the-post voting system in this election. If I vote 1 Greens or KAP or UAP (or any other minor in Herbert), that candidate will not win so my second preference will then come into play. My second preference could be Labor or LNP and will be a full value vote. Since every voter has to fill in every square, even if you have supported a minor party with your first preference, the remainder of your preference list still holds full value because, in Herbert at least, we know for sure that only LNP or Labor will win and they will win on the second preferences of thousands of people who give their first preference to a minor. Neither Mike Shearer nor the Magpie have revealed who their second preference might be.
The Conversation has a neat article on this very matter today:
http://theconversation.com/explainer-how-does-preferential-voting-work-in-the-house-of-representatives-116348
The ‘Pie second preference will be a beer at the Seaview.
Well, actually no, Kenny. I understand how the preferential system works. If someone slides in with the help of 1000 second preferences then, in theory, the elected candidate will be influenced by what the voters want as expressed by their first preferences, so that at the next election those voters will continue to assign their second preferences to that candidate. But that theory is undermined now by the influence of social media and groups like GetUp!. Arguably my votes on the 18th will be rather pointless, but to counter that I’ve been voting actively on policies, not politicians nor parties. Who knows how many intentions will have been affected
Oh and Kenny, in the 50+ years I’ve been voting it’s been for candidates, regardless of the party they belong to, if any. Greens and independents more often than Labor, and Labor more often than conservative/liberal/right wingers. I am not swayed by cliched superficial pigeon-holing of candidates’ party membership – though I do find some of them extremely witty, like describing a certain redhead as “The Oxley moron”.
Dear “Pie, as the conversation has turned to the election let me share my fun and deeply satisfying method of voting for the Senate.
The only drawback is that you have had to graduate from grade 3 and can still number from 1 to 83.
First, make your very own How to Vote Card. This link will help.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candidates_of_the_2019_Australian_federal_election#Queensland_2
Start on the bottom of the page with the party you loath and detest,
Then the party that is simply dangerous,
Single issue wack-jobs and the un-allotted,
The barely tolerable,
The marginally tolerable, and finally on the top
The tolerable.
On voting day we number every square. You may need to take a cut lunch with you into the booth.
For the parties that are tolerable you number FROM THE TOP DOWN in the conventional way.
All other parties, in the order of your very own How to Vote card, you number the parties FROM THE BOTTOM UP.
In this way you have given your first choices the best chance and minimized the chances of all the others.
It is most satisfying!
Dave,
You are confusing people and encouraging a potential mistake that will invalidate their Senate vote.
You only number 12 squares if you vote below the line. Six if you vote above the line. I know because I have already voted. When I was given the instructions by the AEC staff, i questioned them about numbering every square and they reiterated 12 only.
Numbering every box is a waste of your time and likely to cause a mistake.
i
PP,
Read the AEC web site carefully.
Below the line number AT LEAST 12 boxes. 12 to 83 boxes is valid. You were advised to number 12 as that makes it easier to count. I know, I have been a scrutineier and have observed the process.
Number all the boxes the way you want. Your preferences will be yours, not some clever-dick with a computer algorithm.
And regarding making mistakes, I did state that you must be competent in numbering from 1 to 83.
You’ve just disenfranchised the entire staff of the Bulletin.
Does anyone seriously follow their first choice’s preferences? Experience would suggest that at least 90% are just lazy, and do as they’re told, bnecause the sausages are getting cold and the beer getting hot. Democracy is so easy in this country.
Oh god please let the planet’s align after the Fed election and have the full attention on the TCC from the CCC. Now 2 labour council’s have fallen to the sword, no more big distractions after may 18. Can only hope that time Dosnt run out before campaigning starts for local elections. No matter how much the paper can try to hide the mayor when the big boys start showing up asking questions there’s no hidding. I wonder if she is starting to worry seriously now.
There’s been a bit of chatter chatter on the golf course at the bay that LNP are waiting to see just how many votes might come there way in federal election before mounting a local government charge for second half of the year. There biggest worry is clives vote not labour because he’s going to be unpredictable.
The very last thing we need is any council team aligned with any political party. Independence DOES work at the local level, the big boys of state and fed want our community’s vote, so we get looked after. Become aligned and they neglect you until six months before an election. Townsville First, completely unaligned despite what others like to say (contained Greens, LNPers, true independents), was only partly successful, because the Bulletin insisted that the democratic exercise of the majority in blocking some of Mayor Mullet’s loonier ideas was ‘internal dissension’. So TF, far from perfect and strategically dumb as a door post, got rolled, Jenny Hill got a majority, imported slash and burners from Labor down south, proves incompetent and walking a very fine line regarding official corruption, lacking any real leadership qualities, and now the town is completely rooted. But still the paper and some self-interested groups join with the discombobulated in singing ‘Happy days are – could . be- maybe – perhaps – will be here again’.
When will this bloody town learn? All the nervous nellies around the place have been completely cowed by this cow, and need to grow more than a pair to take what is, if only they would wake up, an easy prize – the regaining of Walker Street by responsible civic candidates.
‘Pie, as we know from numerous previous experiences, if some know-all ‘says’ a person is connected to a political party then the job is done. And if some ex-political party connected person (say Jenny Hill) says she is ‘independent’ we automatically give them short shrift. It’s actually quite difficult to spend a few decades in politics in this town without being linked, one way or another, to a party.
Completely agree. It is a policy thing … if at any stage, you espouse support for something in particular which is/isn’t generally favoured by one side or the other, then you are tarred … little use that you judge other issues on merit and also espouse them with community benefit, the preconception of the big party sheeple with a bee in their bonnet about a narrow issue – based on age-old traditional and often irrelevant premise – will smack a label on you, with super glue. Hard to remove.
Does that include being linked to the sex party then, Dredge?
Another Lib Candidate resigns today ( before she was pushed ). Thats 3 this week. Racist posts on Facebook being the story.
I wonder what would happen if one of their candidates made a post on Facebook about getting a gun licence and taking a few Muslims out with a machine gun.
Probably nothing, I suppose.
A stupid jibe of no taste … and why not try it, waddler, you’d find the rozzers on your doorstep in a nano second, and you’d be put in a place where, as they say, the little birdies don’t shit on you … and you aren’t allowed to post quasi-racist dopey comments on magnificent community-minded blogs like this one.
WW, you are a dickhead and that is ……………………………………
The Truth
And that’s …. your opinion. (Admittedly shared by many.)
With apologies to Thomas Jefferson;
We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal
Except for WW who WAS created a dickhead and that both my opinion and clearly self evident ……………………………………………………….
The Truth
I was merely making the point that you can get disendorsed if you make a racist comment on Facebook, but if as our Lib Candidate did, get on there and threaten violence, you are forgiven. Bit strange IMVHO.
And a Labor Candidate falls on his sword for making crude and tasteless jokes a few years ago. They are dropping like flies.
The Cowboys season goes on the line tonight.
If they can’t beat the Gold Coast then they will be making up the numbers for the rest of the season..
But you wouldn’t know it from the local media.
To divert attention from their performances on the field, Paul Green and the Cowboys hierarchy have been feeding the media with red herrings.
First it was the refs taking a whole 30 seconds to stop a game because of an injured player, then they trotted out the old favourite, denying suggestions that the players were pissed off with the coach.
Almost died laughing when Channel 7 news showed footage during the week, aimed at proving everything is honky dory with the coach and team, of Paul Green walking up to Matt Scott in the middle of a training run and shaking his hand. Really? Who thought that one up?
Now we’ve got the Anzac Day fiasco, with the club having the ceremony they couldn’t have on 25 April more than a week late (tonight) and DEMANDING that the NRL give them a home game on every Anzac Day in future. Good luck with that.
If the Cowboys were based in Sydney the Daily Telegraph would have been calling for Paul Green’s head for a couple of weeks.
But not the Townsville media.
Talk about feeding the chooks.
Obviously kept you entertained
After completing this survey, still trying to work out what it’s going to achieve other than helping the Mullet comes up with some election promises
https://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/about-council/news-and-publications/media-releases/2019/april/council-wants-locals-to-help-build-better-communities
Agreed. I did it my self. It’s a lengthy waste of time geared to produce nothing of significance (Mullets included)
Dear Pie,
Pre Poller was given incorrect or incomplete advice by AEC (I presume) staff re Senate voting.
I have just submitted a formal complaint to the AEC. I will advise if there is a reply.
Dave, I prePoll voted in Townsville today and listened very carefully to the verbal advice given by the official. It was completely correct and above board. And on the ballot paper it uses the phrase “AT LEAST”. I think our informant is unreliable.
Article by Paul Kelly in Bulletin today:
Number of voting traps
TAKE CARE: Changes have been made to the way you will vote for the Senate in the upcoming federal election.
THERE’S a trap for young players when you vote at this election. No, I’m not talking about anyone’s promises and the lack of detail, or about some of the shocks and shockers that are running. I want you to know all is not what it might seem when voting in the Senate. There’s a new system in place for this election. You have to number one-six above the line and one-12 below the line. It’s one-six because each state has six Senate spots up for grabs at every election. But some might get confused between the way you vote on the green Lower House ballot and the giant white one for the Senate. In the Lower House, you rank the candidates from the one you most want to the one you want least. It’s not really like that in the Senate because of the new rolling system. In most states there are more than six parties that are running above the line. This means, don’t rank them from the one you want to the one you don’t want.
Think of it more like which parties you want to see in the Senate.
In you give your first vote to the party you like, but your sixth to the party you hate, technically you are casting a vote for the party you hate as that sixth and final vote might count.
So if, for example, you hate The Greens, but put them six, you might end up actually voting for The Greens. One the green paper rank them from the one you want to the one you least want. On the white paper vote for the six parties you’d like to see in the Senate. Happy voting and be part of the ultimate celebration of our freedom.
Kelly is misleading in that “You have to number one-six above the line and one-12 below the line.” should state “You have to number one-six above the line OR one to AT LEAST 12 below the line.”
He’s also misleading in his explanation as to how preferences from failed candidates are allocated. Read The Conversation’s article, mentioned in NMD’s post yesterday.
Innocent Bystander, you are incorrect and you haven’t bothered to read the comments or links elsewhere in this blog. You say:
” You have to number one-six above the line and one-12 below the line. It’s one-six because each state has six Senate spots up for grabs at every election. ”
This is incorrect for two reasons:
1. It’s not six above AND twelve below. If you vote above the line you must not vote below the line. How could get this wrong?
2. You are not restricted to 6 votes above or 12 votes below. The ballot paper makes perfectly clear (if only you would read it) that you must vote for AT LEAST – see those two words, mate – AT LEAST 6 above OR, AT LEAST 12 below the line.
I suggest you forget about uninformed or ambiguous commentators in the newspaper (and in this blog). Pick up your ballot paper, listen to the instructions from the official, go to the polling desk and READ THE BLOODY INSTRUCTIONS ON THE BALLOT PAPER. It’s perfectly clear what you need to do.
Hello NMD
Couple of points:
1. I’m not INCORRECT about anything, all I did was report on what was written in the Bulletin today, I didn’t elaborate, comment or change the published text in anyway,
2. I am not your mate, never have been – never will be.
What would Kelly know?
Tell him to check with Dave from Kelso next time!!!
Unbelievable. You are all commentating on an article by Paul Kelly that was in fact written by Paul Murray from Sky News.
LOL, ROFL
This is better than World Championship Wrestling
IB, why did you bother?