After a lot of ducking and weaving, Mayor Mullet gets her slf tangled up in an attempt at justification of a rort on the ratepayers.
In sore need of a reality check, sock puppet CEO of the Dudley Do Nothings Ms O’Callaghan made a laughable ninny of herself this week .
Not quite as embarrassing as The Astonisher, again showing a blithe unawareness of the ridiculous …
… or for News Ltd, who go down in flames (again … no, not The Magpie this time) in court …
But first, the Chronicles of Donald continue to keep us creepily amused.
The Donald And Daesh – It’s Gunna Be One Big Group Hug
How have we all got it so wrong all these years, from Lawrence of Arabia and the Poms to a succession of US leaders? Peace in the Middle East is easy peasey, and will soon be achieved by the deal-make-in-chief.
The Trumpet has set us straight us with his insight that ‘peace in the Middle East may not as difficult as people have thought’. And he was just the dude to fix it … and danged if he won’t, he will. He says.
Bentley thinks he’s just the man with the backing to get the job done.
Well, now that’s solved, what about his fellow genius in North Korea, another fellow who should be hauled before the International Court For Crimes Against Horror Haircuts. Well, that could be on the mend too, since The Donald has decided that Kim Jung Un a ‘smart cookie’. Takes one to know one, one guesses. Indeed, The Trumpet intends to schmooze and hug all them former bad boys into submission, such is his shift in hitherto heinous American – indeed world – policy, as reported on CNN.
He has also rated some historical figures as wronged by populist opinion.
Indeed, one unconfirmed report says that such his the President’s commitment to a North Korean deal, he is to change his name deed poll to show his good faith with his mate, Kim.
You’d Think There Was A Whiff Of Weed At This Week’s Bulletin Business Breakfast.
Back to the local scene, where they massed in their half dozen for the regular Bulletin Business breakfast bash during the week, but the Eggs Benedict ended up all over the face of guest speaker , sock puppet CEO of the Dudley Do Nothings aka TEL, Little Patty O’Callaghan.
Our gal was having an almighty sulk about Westpac decided that they wouldn’t be touching Indian shyster outfit Adani with a barge pole when it came to investment in the Carmichael Mine. And rail line.
Ms O’Callaghan gave the banking giant the kiss off with a pretty little lecture on coal types, (Queensland good, NSW naughty) before almost breaking down when she wailed ‘ it is absolutely unbelievable’ that Westpac hadn’t consulted her or TEL about the decision.
Half her audience gasped – the other one was reading the situations vacant column. But Westpac are now on notice, and her comments were cause for deep consternation at the bank.
EXCLUSIVELY REVEALED:
Conversation at Westpac HQ, somewhere very south of here.
Roger: Hey Steve, you approved our release on not funding Adani, didn’t you?
Steve: Sure did, Rog.
Roger: But mate, you didn’t consult with Patrcia O’Callaghan?
Steve:Who?
Roger: She’s the CEO of Townsville Enterprise.
Steve: Of what?
Roger: Townsville Enterprise, a group that says it speaks for the business community of Townsville?
Steve: Business community where?
Roger: Townsville, North Queensland.
Steve: Oh. (pause) Is it? Anywhere near Cairns? And anyway, so?
Roger: Not sure.
Roger: Listen mate, for your sake, just hope and pray the shareholders don’t hear about this. O’Callaghan said she found it ‘absolutely unbelievable’ that we hadn’t consulted her on the Adani defunding matter.
Steve: (yawns) Did she? Well, there ya go. ( stretches) Lunch?
Roger: Café Sydney?
Steve: Your shout.
That Indian Trip.
Madam Mayor dodged and weaved for a couple of weeks, avoiding answering questions about why ratepayers footed the bill for a bum boy PR /reporter from the Bulletin to accompany her on her Indian jolly. First, she cynically said she’d covered it by a PowerPoint presentation of her trip – which The ‘Pie understands didn’t mention this rort on the ratepayers.
But eventually, enough people demanded an explanation, so Mayor Mullet send them out a letter, which avoided answering any related questions … except that the bum boy’s jaunt cost ratepayers $5700. But if it didn’t answer questions, it sure raised a few. Her missive to those who had the temerity to inquire said in part:
It is not unusual for media to be invited to participate in trade delegations and we were not alone in including media as part of our delegation. A number of media outlets accompanied the Premier and Mayors on this delegation. (Who paid for them?) In the past, media has been part of Council’s Sister City trips to Port Moresby, Korea, Japan and China.
Hold it right there, sister! Let us hit pause for a moment. On those trips, the host city paid for ALL delegates and Townsville reciprocated when they junketed here. Nice try, but just a straight-out tricky-dicky stuff with language, Madam Mayor. Did Dolan write this for you?
Then you make this highly questionable claim:
The cost for media travel was approximately $5700. The stories filed by the journalist from The Bulletin received local and metropolitan media coverage across Australia. If we were to run a full page colour add just in the Courier Mail and The Bulletin the cost would be close to $30 000.
Absolute rubbish on two counts … the insipid stories filed by the Bulletin reporter most certainly did not receive ‘metropolitan coverage across Australia’; probably nowhere south of the Tweed. And $30,000??? Twaddle … in today’s struggling times for the Bulletin, you’d get a full page for less that five grand, and the Courier wouldn’t be charging you $25,000 for one, either, nothing like it despite miles better circulation. Well, they might have told you that just so you’d pay for a reporter to go along instead, so one can assume you’ve been suckered, m’dear. Umm, sorry, it would the ratepayers who’ve ultimately suckered because you wilfully or otherwise failed the diligence required for someone who has stewardship over ratepayer funds.
Incidentally, why would you bother with ‘full page ads’ … the salient stories covering all the slanted views we were to be fed anyway from the trip were provided by either agencies or Indian affiliates.
Local Labor Curious About Indian Media Junket … And The Proposed Airport Ticket Tax
Hearing rumours that there are stirrings in local Labor about this Indian junket for a reporter from a billion dollar company being funded by ratepayers. Not that this will have anything to do with the mayor … she’s an independent, remember.
But there are also questions being asked about the passenger tax proposed by airport boss Kevin Gill, to fund Queensland Airport’s lucrative expansion plans in Townsville. Again, this is nothing to do with our independent mayor, although she has supported this cash grab – once in a story she dictated to the Bulletin reporter during her Indian trip. Although it had nothing to do with Adani … or jobs.
Some are suggesting that Jenny Hill really has become independent, since, through inheritance, perks of job and a generous salary, she can no longer claim to be a battler … not that she ever was. Be interesting if a Labor stoush develops over either of these issues. Stay posted.
Did They Think This One Through?
Anyone else see the irony here?
Yup the usual thievery … $1.40 weekdays and $2.40 on Saturdays. Strange front page to choose as a promo.
Or did they consider the invitation to mockery here? Like those seeking ‘real’ not ‘fake’ news?
While we’re here, remember the old newspaper adage of New York Sun editor John B Bogart When a dog bites a man, that’s not news, because it happens so often. But if a man bites a dog, that IS news.’
So what on earth makes iditor Ben Bogan English think this is news.
If the good bishop didn’t pray for rain, that would be news (‘Fuck that, I came here for sun) , although being a Brisbane boy, it would be wise for him to be careful about what he prays for. Up here, if this God delusion holds water, He upstairs smites us hip and thigh, tipping buckets on us in such amounts that the prayer is reversed after a day or two. The ‘Pie didn’t exactly have to fight off the clamoring hordes for his copy of Wednesday’s paper which mysteriously carried the bishop’s world shattering yarn on the front page.
The ‘Pie was non-plussed that such a dud story would be ballyhooed in such an amusing manner.
THEN, a divine revelation … it was probably something to do with regular, lucrative Bulletin insert Catholic News. And the whole page ad ($5000, thank you) welcoming the new dog collar in Saturday’s rag.
And if you were annoyed at being asked a dollar-forty for this overblown tosh, then the paper has the appropriate answer GET LOST.
Which is exactly what happened to 2000 bundled papers recently at a local kids soccer field on a Saturday morning.
They were FREE and they still couldn’t give it away! Regular occurrence, one hears, but you can bet it will all be counted as circulation, to keep up ad prices at rip-off levels.
Just To Show It Ain’t Just The Astonisher
Sydney Morning Herald journalists walked off the job during the week, when the company announced it was cutting a further 125 journos from its books. They will stay out for seven days … and maybe management can’t wait for them to return, so they don’t have to have executives doing the subbing.
Perhaps sacking those 125 journos is false ‘ecomomy’.
Don’t Mess With The Mufti
Here are some words with which The Magpie is only too familiar, which appeared during the week.
‘News Corp had previously defended the claim, arguing that the imputations of the articles were substantially true. It also argued that some of the defamatory imputations were an expression of honest opinion’.
But in this instance, they don’t refer to The ‘Pie’s recent Appeals Court victory in his defamation case against News, although these almost exact words were used in their failed case against his claims.
Seems to be on a loop for Rupert’s legal folk, though because this is what they argued when they were sued by the Australia’s Grand Mufti over a rabid and unfounded (read lying) attack on him, claiming he supported terrorists through inaction.
But you don’t muck around with The Mufti, and News have caved in, reaching a no doubt eye-watering settlement with the aggrieved religious scholar, who it seems is anything but a radical. Further reason to question anything you read in a News Limited publication … which in Queensland means every print publication bar the Mount Isa Northern Star.
The Lizard Lies Low In Cardwell
While accused fraudster and general grub Craig Gore cools his heels in Cardwell, ordered to remain there until his court appearance in June to answer a dozen fraud charges, the town has still got the jitters about the local resort, Port Hinchinbrook, with which Gore was – or is – involved.
It would seem that The Magpie was onto something when in recent blogs he said a big question mark hung over Hinchbrook Resort’s new owners, American backed Passage Holdings. Even outside the fact that they employed Gore even while knowing he was a known corporate cheat heavily sanctioned by the ACCC.
Passage has been trying all sorts of questionable ploys to both screw money out of, and just generally screw, residents in the beleaguered resort. But residents have had a victory, with th Supreme Court ordering Passage to remove barricades on Port Hinchinbrook roads. The company was attempting to create a gated community with restricted access, but residents rebelled, sued and have had an initial victory.
On all evidence, the horror run for Hinchinbrook – and Cardwell – is far from over.
A New Medal For Our Politicians
Needs no comment.
And although the Lindy Chamberlain saga is done and finished, there are still some confusing encounters out at Ayers Rock.
And Since It’s Budget Week In Canberra ….
THE NEW POLITICAL SYMBOL IS THAT OF A CONDOM, because it more accurately reflects the Politicians stance….
A condom allows for inflation, halts production, destroys the next generation, protects a bunch of dicks, and gives you a sense of security while you’re actually being screwed!
That’s it for this week. Join the comments during the week, it’s fun. And if you like the Magpie’s Nest, any donations to help the blog along will be greatly appreciated , how to donate button below.