Will the threatened Olympic Games hosting by Queensland (read Brisbane) take over from COVID as the go-to excuse for failed or cancelled regional infrastructure? Our kids, and their kids, will be paying for this self-preening populist mistake for decades.
Whacky Weed Warning To Dope Smokers: don’t buy your grass from the Townsville Council – you’ll be ripped off. Big time .The Magpie won’t bore you with many words on this one, just a few contrasting pics for you to decide for yourself.
The invisible highway travelled by a select few … why do so many Northern Territory bureaucratic rejects, second raters and Labor favour-takers end up on the Townsville City Council payroll? If they beat all others candidates fair and square for plum positions, is Townsville really is the Last Chance Saloon for serial grifters?
Why Liberal absconder Craig Kelly could become an unlikely hero of North Queenslanders.
The Facebook farce – Frydenberg dropped his trousers to assume the position to be comprehensively Zucked … perverted stuff, amendments were inserted. it’s George Orwell’s Animal Farm revisited.
And The Queen is startled.
But first …
Our Accidental Hero?
MP Craig Kelly
The former Liberal MP for the NSW seat of Hughes, Craig Kelly, best known as Alan Jones favorite public pleasurer, puts one in mind of a cross between a retired vice squad copper and a shady rough-neighborhood publican, bringing with him all the wisdom, fair-mindedness and social enlightenment that encompasses. And while those qualities may be ideal material for hero worship in North Queensland, he may be lauded hereabouts for another reason – Kelly may be accidentally. instrumental in north Queenslanders getting a fairer deal out of this federal government.
Because, when he resigned from the Libs government (in the strange logic of politics, so he could continue lying about a variety of issues – yeah, incredible, isn’t it – but the issues HE chooses) and moved to the cross benches, he, like a can of Ajax , immediately added some extra foaming agent Bob Katter’s vote.
“Don’t answer me back, hand!!’
And if the leader of the Kattertonic Party with EXTRA foam may just dismay reporters who have to interview him, it is going to strike fear into the heart of any PM who commands a parliamentary majority of ONE.
Bentley certainly thinks so.
So with a sneer, a giggle and a high-pitched gurgling cackle, Bob may be able to get us some concessions long overdue around here. Don’t count on it, though, his track record of wins on the floor is about the same as Steven Bradbury’s is on ice. But if we ever need a boost, it is now, soon will be too late.
Don’t They Ever Learn? First The Cane Toad, Now Another Ruinous Import …
Locals up this way are well aware that we share our lives with very dangerous critters, – not just the two-legged variety – amongst which is the deadly Blue Ringed Octopus.
The unpleasant fella, despite its small size, carries enough venom to kill 26 adult humans within minutes. Their bites are tiny and often painless, with many victims not realizsing they have been envenomated until respiratory depression and paralysis begins. No blue-ringed octopus antivenom is available.
Now for the bad news … we face a sudden danger from a new variety and vastly more devastating threat from a cousin of the Blue Ringer, known as the Multi-Coloured Five Ringed Octopus. It has proved to be far more fatal and debilitating in other parts of the globe and is now suspected of trying to make its home in Queensland. And, worse than it’s Blue Ringed cousin, you can be ‘envenomated’ by the 5-Ringed without even knowing it – even if you never go near the water, because it is largely land-based. Symptoms sometimes do not develop for years afterwards. In fact, when you are unwittingly bitten by a 5-Ring, it’s toxin is designed to have a momentary and pronounced up-lifting sense of euphoria. But the eventual effects have been proved to be a slow withering death.
So be on the alert for the Multi-Coloured Ringed Octopus, this is what it looks like.
Paradoxically, this creature is most deadly the further you are from it, spreading its tentacles up to thousands of kilometres from it ‘s chosen home (in this case the Brisbane area), stretching out into the regions and the sucking the lifeblood out of unsuspecting outlying areas, chomping up massive helpings of vital infrastructure funds and upgrade plans, slurping them back into it’s great maw, because it’s voracious appetite for fodder to fuel its insatiable needs cannot be satisfied in its immediate environment.
It can, and will, quickly leave outlying areas devastated husks of lifeless shells, many inhabitants forced to gravitate zombie-like ever nearer to this creature’s home base to find sustenance.
OK, Enough Of This Fanciful Guff, Let’s Be Serious About A Serious Matter
There are some hoops to get through yet, but if the bribes of other candidates don’t work, it seems Queensland will get the nod to stage the 2032 Olympic Games. Or more correctly, Brisbane will. This is a cock-up that has been waiting for the right crack to come along. Now, we’ll all likely be rooted, but especially anywhere outside the SE corner.
The short version: the already neglected regional areas of Queensland can expect a further battering if this over-hyped and now ludicrously over-extended (breakdancing is now an Olympic sport FFS) hootenanny eventuates. Sure, we hillbillies will get the odd bone … a training camp for lawn bowlers here, ditto for Paralympic Frisbee throwers there, and a special exhibition visit to Total Tools Stadium by the pushing-peanuts-with-his-nose world champion (Tickets $200, no concessions, apply TCC to go in a ballot. ) But nothing will ever compensate for the real damage in the decade leading up to this palliative circus. That damage will be all the public money needed to be diverted from vital infrastructure outside Brisbane –regions already fucked over by the current carnival of experts in George Street, ironically partly because they’ve already poured millions into the Olympic BID; imagine what a wrecking ball the actual Olympics will be to an already tottering state economy.
Here in Townsville, The ‘Pie’s bet is you can kiss goodbye to the suddenly unfashionable stage 2 pipeline.
If Hitting Nails On The Head Were An Olympic Sport, Here’s Your Gold Medalist
KAP leader Robbie Katter
Leader of the Kattertonics in state parliament, Robbie Katter, who has long been regarded as the keeper of the Katter family marbles, warned of a total loss of focus on the rights and needs of half the state’s population.
“I’m pretty angry every time I hear about the Olympics bid because I know there’s an insatiable appetite by modern governments of any persuasion to distract the public with large social infrastructure. The problem with it is it’s expensive, it costs us our taxes, and if they’re spending money on these large social infrastructure projects it means there’s no money for our hospitals and schools.”
“When I’ve got hospitals being downgraded in Julia Creek and upgrades needed in hospitals throughout the region and dams to be built that can’t be funded because they’re committing money to large social infrastructure projects like (an Olympic Games), well that makes me pretty cranky.”
And here’s Robbie’s killer line, that should be engraved on Anna Palaszczuk’s forehead.
“You might see a slight increase in outback tourism, but that is just nonsense to think the benefit outside south-east Queensland would be commensurate with the imposition it will put on us in the future,” he said.
With rare exceptions, the travelling Olympic roadshow itself has left a trail of destruction and social problems in its wake over the decades, LA, Greece, Brazil. Sure there have been exceptions – Sydney was an outstanding success with much less negative after-effects than other venues. But Brisbane ain’t no Sydney, it’s not even Melbourne with sun. And The ‘Pie cannot imagine ANY Queensland government of the past generation being able to successfully plan and mount this 5-ring circus – none of them could be trusted with organizing the Mothers Three-Legged-Race at Oonoomba local primary school picnic day.
And don’t expect Kid Crisafulli to ride too vigorously to the rescue, either, Anna Alphabet knows she has him by the political goolies on this one, the wrong take and it will cost votes. So forget any principles, and don’t expect a policy statement until LNP polling and number counting is finished. The Kid well knows he’s going to have to carry the can for this one, if it goes ahead.
Unlike that other social scourge, herpes, Anna Palaszczuk will be long gone when the 5-ring circus of beads and blankets for the natives rolls in, but the damage in the next decade will be her legacy.
Another generation will have to pay the price of a short burst of irresponsible fun – a classical case of political herpes.
Work This One Out
With much fanfare and little explanation, Mayor Mullet recently trumpeted this addition to Castle Hill, a pleasant grassy area and some shade structures which will be useless if you’re caught in a storm.
A pleasant little park with an unrivalled view … that has just one stunning other feature. Financed 50-50 by the council and the federal Government, this whole thing set taxpayers back just a smidgen under $4million. Just in case you think that is a misprint, here it is written: four million dollars. It is fair to say that if this area was not planted with TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda or even Nullabor couch, but instead with ganga varieties like Texas Tea, Acapulco Gold or Mexican Primo, the cost even including the return on sales down in Via Vomitorium would not even be $250,000. So The ‘Pie is reliably told, anyway. Now there is little point for The Magpie delving into the arcane mystery of civic accounting. But riddle yourself this – just a hundred metres or so down the hill from Hill’s Park, is this place.
This snazzy 4-bedroom house, with pool, large backyard and fantastic views belonged to Cowboys coach Paul Green and wife Amanda. Features include views of the ocean and Castle Hill, smart technology that streams through the bar, living room and top-level patio area, a separate media room and an air conditioned gym.
There is also an open plan kitchen with stone benchtops and wood accent cabinetry, an executive style bar featuring polished concrete floors, an oversized master bedroom with a large walk-in robe and ensuite, an alfresco covered outdoor entertainment area overlooking the infinity edge saltwater pool, accommodation for three vehicles and a cellar.
It was sold a month or two ago for $1.95 Million. … exactly half the price of this.
Surely this is at least worth a ‘please explain’, or better still, if not a sniff or two from the CCC?
And They Rant About Fake News – The Barefaced Cheek
From comments on the day of the government defeat.
The Magpie
February 24, 2021 at 11:39 am (Edit)
The Government’s Clayton’s Deal With Facebook.
Quick question: why was the general tone of the media in reporting the government’s agreement with Facebook as ‘Facebook Back Flip’?
It is anything but, the exact opposite is the truth. This is classic ‘emperor’s new clothes’ territory, – it was the government, the same government that kept vowing it would not change its mind and would not amend the proposed legislation, that has ‘back flipped’ – with an added pike and twist and a clumsy landing on the political mat. It would not be unkind nor inaccurate to describe the outcome as a complete capitulation by Canberra.
This from The New Daily report on the deal.
“It’s Facebook’s win for the most part,” said Axel Bruns, a digital media researcher at Queensland University of Technology.
“It’s watering down the news media bargaining code in the way that it’s been designed. It essentially means that Facebook can’t easily be forced into any kind of arbitration it doesn’t want.”
In other words, as long as Facebook has signed commercials deals with some “significant players” like Channel Nine, News Limited or the ABC, it will not be included in the code.
There is no getting away from the rock-solid truth that Facebook and Rupert Murdoch have run rings around this Federal Government.
Murdoch used barely veiled threats and the carrot of a big tax windfall to get the Morrison Government to be his personal instrument in a wholly commercial deal between his News Ltd and Facebook. And the other big Aussie media players were happy to let Rupert make the running.
As Dr Tama Leaver, professor of internet studies at Curtain University, told The New Daily:
‘“The biggest winner is News Limited.”
“That’s because they got what they wanted, which was finding a mechanism to get some money out of social media companies, which they’ve never managed to do before.”
So the world’s most recognisable pickled walnut got his way yet again. And like pickled walnuts, some love him, some loath him, but all have to agree he is one of the smartest pickled walnuts in the jar.
Way smarter than those in Canberra who think they govern us.
The last words go to George Orwell, from Animal Farm.
‘“The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.”
Is Darwin’s Gain Townsville’s Loss?
A reader has pointed out some strange migratory habits of a particular Northern Territory invasive species which has decided to start roosting in Walker Street in Townsville. The species, quitus abruptus, genus bum shinus, would have Attenborough intrigued. A typical member of this group suddenly resigns – often inexplicably and most often from it’s previous nest at the Northern Territory Governments Department of Planning, Infrastructure and Logistics (DPIL), and then, with the little understood but unerring navigation of many predatory species, suddenly turns up here in Walker Street.
Our nature study reader became particularly interested in the unusual behaviour of this particular migratory bird – known as Phil Harris – and the timings listed on his Linkedin profile.
Our intrepid reader, who like The Magpie suffers the time-consuming curse of curiosity, then found this in the NT’s Katherine Times …
The Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics has confirmed the regional director of infrastructure for the region, Phil Harris, will be handing over the reins of the senior position to Claire Brown due to “personal reasons”.
Mr Harris, who worked for the department for about 11 years, was in the midst of executing a major $25 million project to protect the township from flooding.
The Department has been working on plans since the large bucket of money was allocated in 2014, following the sale of the Territory Insurance Office.
The research shows there is no hope of holding back a 1 in 200 year event like that of 1998, which some in the town are still feeling the effects.
But, measures can be taken to mitigate effects of smaller, more frequent floods, similar to 2006.
… which then led to this story, featured under this headline.
Now this doesn’t add up to Bogey’s famous ‘hill of beans’ – as the cops say, there is no such thing as coincidence, just evidence. And The ‘Pie is simply pointing out facts, that may or may not be unrelated. but like, politics, timing is always vital.
But our man wasn’t finished there. As The Magpie has pointed out previously in these august pages, we in this city have been the beneficiaries of receiving a number of cast-off Darwin migrations – Adele The Impaler Young chief among them (although via Adelaide), and her successor Mike Chiodo, who also has an colourful past at the Ballarat Council before heading to the NT some years ago. Young also was instrumental in some other names.
Here’s the list our man compiled of current arrivals and from where, and an accompanying explanatory note.:
Phil Harris – DIPL
Brett Brogan – DIPL
Adele Young – not sure which Department, I think she was an advisor to Chief Minister’s Department
Mike Chiodo – NT Local Government
Inga Davis – DIPL
I’ve heard that Brett Brogan may have been “pushed” from his role. He was General Manager of DIPL.
Maybe, just maybe, this is all a coincidence. That all these people from the same, very small population, of Australia, all ended up working for the Townsville City Council. And furthermore, they presumably beat other who would have applied for the job. I mean, these jobs were publicly advertised, were they not? They all went through a impartial selection process? Young and Chiodo must surely have had input into the final choice, no?
I just don’t know. I just like finding patterns!
So does The Magpie, mate, so does The Magpie.
Cartoonists In Crisis
That bloody Joe Biden, threatening the jobs of a vital sector of the US economy. Yes, we’re talking about cartoonists and satirists across the great Yoonited States of Umerica. mAnd even news journalists are in his line of quietly spoken fire, a dilemma that heads up this week’s gallery from the USA.
Dining Out In Townsville, Doggy Style
But Over At The Palace, The Dogs Don’t Always Get A Choice
……
Seems the piece last week about the Facebook Follies hit a nerve, and somehow The Magpie’s Nest became number three in search engine results on the subject (don’t ask The ‘Pie how that happened, he has trouble sharpening a pencil). But it was amazing, watching those numbers click over, readership actually increased 10-fold, the Bulletin would’ve been so jealous. But since the primary purpose of this blog is the local parish pump, the numbers will no doubt soon recede to normal but healthy levels. The bright lights of a metro readership do not attract The ‘Pie. As a Canadian missionary, turning down an offer of a post in Rome, said, ‘It sometimes takes more courage to stay in one place for 5000 days, than it does to travel 5000 unknown miles.’
But feel free to have your say on any subject – local, state, national or global – that tickles your whizzer. And if you feel like tickling your personal till, The ‘Pie is ever in need of hand to meet running expenses. The donate button is below. it’s a big bugger, you can’t miss it.
Excellently penned masterpiece this week!
Nuf said.
Your cheque is in the mail.
Pie , clearly Townsville Port and Townsville hospital must use the same recruitment policy as Townsville Council as both the Hospital and Port have no issues appointing friends our ex / current Labor contacts after all those resumes from the recruitment company . What is the definition of insanity “ doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result “ .
Funny how Palasczuk thinks we can afford the Olympics, considering she has been holding out the begging bowl to Scomo of late. And speaking of money, It seems the ghost of Trad lives on in Queensland.Trad agreed to pay the cost of hotel accomodation during national crisis talks held just weeks before she was deposed. Apparently she was among the nation’s Treasurers who, at a Board of Treasurers meeting on April 1, agreed that states would fund the costs of hotel quarantine accommodation. It’s been recorded in meeting minutes.
So that grinning fuckwit Steven Piles looks like an even bigger fool for going on TV and tearing up that invoice and saying that we will not pay it .Once again, Palasczuk shows what an incompetent pack of morons she and her ministry are. No wonder they think that holding the Olympics in the SE is a good idea.
One thing to avoid for the next 10 years will be the Courier Mail, it will just be the Olympics pumping mouthpiece, day after day of the shit, we have already had Peter Gleeson writing if you don’t support the Olympics then leave, then again it’s probably the best advice he has ever given, leave.
Add Greg Constantine and Michael Bissell to the Darwin to Townsville pipeline. Although Constantine has now been moved on.
Let’s put things into perspective. Darwin is a shithole. Nobody wants to live and work there. All the big cities usually attract top tier managers, so those positions are filled. So the smaller shithole cities get the dregs, the leftovers, the dross. So, the useless managers go to Darwin or central Australia or the top end of W.A to the two-bit retard Councils. Once their true lack of ability, incompetence and uselessness is discovered they get punted or they ‘walk’ before getting punted. They then come to Townsville.
And make no mistake, these dipshits aren’t hired on ability, they are hired based on connections with the ruling party of the day. That’s why Adele the Impaler, Mike Choadblow and the Prince Railway have all been CEO of TCC – LABOR LABOR LABOR.
The rot goes deeper and into less visible parts of council. Those ALP toadies have imported their own “conga line of suckholes” to say positive things about them and cover up their failings. They also provide a wall of ears against the rest.
Look at almost any incompetent (excluding me. I just cant be bothered moving) in the place and they are here because they are beholding to the Mullet, Dolan Hay, or one of the ALP Darwin click.
Id memory serves it was Mr Hay who left Townsville and went to Darwin and first started this import-export business.
Two things: not suggesting you have implied this, but just a general observation that we have to be careful not to tar all TCC employees with the same brush, many are workplace victims of political shenanigans and callous policies. Many unpublished emails to The ‘Pie from TCC employees reveal a similar thread of an undeclared cabal of bullying and disquiet, so something is going on, but not by everybody.
As for Dolan Hayes, Th ‘Pie, who has been on friendly speaking terms across the political/PR/journalistic divide since his days as Mooney’s media manager. He’s a proud Labor man, and one that opponents see as the dangerous sort, a smart one (unlike the mayor and her hobnail boots). But The ‘Pie hasn’t heard anything about a Darwin connection, although it is no secret that he worked for Prins Ralston as a consultant when Prins was running Mission Australia.
Young Mr Hayes has actually been very busy in Darwin in many guises. Here is just o e.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-28/darwin-development-planning-fears-as-population-grows/11741834
‘o e’?
And The ‘Pie wasn’t aware of hat. Busy boy indeed, but seems a legit marketplace exercise, to be fairly adjudged by the authorities, Dolan wouldn’t lean on his government contacts, surely?
This is true and also reminds me I forgot to add Eber Butron who came from the thriving metropolis of Port Headland to tell Townsville how to do urban planning.
Yes, We soon learnt, that standing at the urinal discussing controversial matters, we soon learnt ‘the walls have ears’
iF you weren’t concentrating, perhaps what you were holding was a mouse … with ears.
Ha Ha!
Olympics, I stopped watching years ago when they started getting overtly political. However they might have been a success for Sydney but the rest of NSW suffered big time. The Newell Hwy which I used regularly at the time from Bogabilla to Tocumwal was a disgrace. The ruts from the trucks on a sealed road were deep enough to tug on steering. Locals at truck stops said everything outside of Sydney was neglected for the olympics and resented that. Brace yourself for it, if Brisbane wins the bid the same will definitely happen to Queensland but it will be worse. The infrastructure is already neglected and run down by 20 years of ALP neglect. I drove up to the city in January and the Gregory Developmental rd north of Emerald and parts of the Carnarvon Developmental rd/Hwy are in an atrocious state.
As for Robbie, agree. The Cowboys and Lancini himself laughed all the way to the bank with Lancini Stadium at the expense of more important infrastructure when a cheaper upgrade of Kirwan would have sufficed. Hate to say it, love the city but as soon as I get the chance I am selling up, Mullet’s re-election along with Ryder in my ward and latest rates notice the last straw. Also sick of renters, some very lowbrow types moving in from The Isa and similar places, even the wife noted the already poor standard of driving in the city has taken a definite change for the worse. We just rid of absolute grots of tenants with horses digging holes all through the back yard but that is another legal mess I am currently dealing with…
But apart from that Mrs Kennedy, how did you enjoy Dallas?
I’m probably a bit young to get the JFK part, I wasn’t even born when that occurred but since you asked enjoyed the stay apart from the irritations above mentioned and having to get involved with legal matters. Always good to be back, stayed in Palmer st again. Townsville has wonderful potential, just needs someone with vision to step up to the political plate not the second rate hacks we are getting now. Suppose it’s time for me to get off my soapbox and enjoy the day.
On the point of humour, it is just one of many variations of an old gag ‘Apart from that Mrs Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play’ was probably the first.
IOC Board member Matt Carrol said in an interview this morning that the Brisbane bid will include events in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and regional Queensland. Some of the Soccer events will also expand out of Queensland to the likes of Sydney and Melbourne.
Should Townsville be included to host say, basketball, like happened in the Commonwealth Games, perhaps the legacy will be a brand spanking new Convention and entertainment centre; and if so, this one will be built without Mullet and her minions getting her hands on the funds and redirecting them. However, we need to remember that Townsville’s inclusion is limited due to low numbers of available accommodation and flights. Perhaps future bids could include a bipartisan bid from Australia and New Zealand as has been done with Rugby and Cricket World Cups.
Maybe but see reply to Jatzcrackers.
The Olympic Games movement is dead ! Has been for some years now but no one will fucking bury it !
Cities do not and have not made a profit from past Olympic Games…Montreal is still paying off their debt from 1976. Only 1000 athletes completed from half the worlds countries.
The only individuals who want the Olympic Games to be held today are the Games organisers who are paid very handsomely to arrange competition between countries/cities. Everyone has an agenda and theirs is to keep the gravy train moving so members of the public can supposedly put hand on heart with pride while their cities politicians and OG organisers can put their hands in the pockets of that public.
Sport is probably the worlds biggest business today (besides drugs, illegal and legal) and the growing trend is World Championships of individual sports ie Rugby World Cup, Americas Cup sailing, World Soccer, the list is endless.
Breakdancing. Skateboarding and tennis as an Olympic sport ? Give me a fucking break ! The original Greeks would be rolling in their graves by now !
Christ, you silly bugger, now you’ve got them thinking … expect ‘grave rolling’ to be included in the roster of sports any time soon.
But the ‘big is better’ principle has been discredited time and again across so many human activities (ref: Small Is Beautiful by Prof Scumacher circa the 50s), it would a greater and more equitably spread policy for individual sporting championships to be spread across the globe on a staggered schedule – like the World Athletic championships, but all carrying the cachet of an Olympic medal. Hard sell in Australia, though, which has long traded on our sporting prowess as confirmation of the myth of our greater social outlook.
No, The ‘Pie will stick with his long held conviction that the Olympics in its present form (less those idiotic inclusions) should be held every four years in Greece.
Yes agree with you 100% that individual sports on a sort of roster around the globe as apposed to a big shebang with eye watering debts to cities/countries.
Americas Cup a classic case where racing is held by current Cup holder and welcomes all challengers.
Mind they should rename the Mug as the Yanks won it back circa 1850 in the UK, took it home and refused to give it back with its original name.
Anyway Brisvagas isn’t a done deal is it…just on the short list ?
The America’s Cup is named after the yacht that first won it, not the USA.
Don’t disagree Cajun, my point is that the Cup or Race already had a name before the US syndicate won it and took it back to US. Imagine the shit fight if a country decided that because they won the Ashes Series, they could decide to rename it !
Olympic movement dead? Oh come on, escape from your hidey hut and look around. If anything the Olympics has become more inclusive and will continue to be. Take a look at events driven by the Olympics; Paralympics, Special Olympics, world Championships (which in most cases are qualifying events for the Olympics, and paid for by the sport federation), the evolution of major women’s sports that took decades to catch up with some sort of equality in their sport. Olympics has also been the front runner in drug testing, illegal gambling and keeping politics and commercial saturation out of sport. As for breakdancing, I’m not a fan but the philosophy to keep up with the times is commendable. Breakdancing and other urban sports (3×3 basketball, sport climbing, BMX, etc) are popular and modern. As for the IOC, 85% of their income comes from Broadcast rights as they don’t receive a lot from sponsors as the Olympics is a clean venue (relative commercial free) event. The Board obviously receive income (by way of per diems I believe) Blame your local broadcaster for all the commercials. And as for numbers, there are approximately 11,000 athletes from about 240 countries over 45 sports that compete. The Olympic movement is still alive but yes, it’s an expensive event to host.
‘ …keeping politics and commercial saturation out of sport’. A courageous attempt at humour, there, all those brown paper bags (specially purpose made by Prada) filled with petro dollars and roubles have nothing to do with governments and dictatorships?
BUT Townsville’s BIG opportunity!!! ‘Inclusive’ and ‘keeping up with the times’, then why not ‘Fastest Car Theft’ and ‘Most Effective Car Jacking.’ Move over, LA, the ‘ville has got you covered. Bro.
KK, where did you get your 240 countries number from. There’s barely 200 recognised countries in the world and not all send competitors despite Rio boasting they had competitors from 206 countries.
And the Olympic committee/organisers etc are definitely not at the forefront of drug testing. They simple can’t and won’t ever be able to afford it. Besides there’s too much corruption and kickbacks to the drug testing companies. Never forget, who’s refereeing the referee of the game !
There’s actually 265 countries vying for their athletes to qualify for Tokyo, but as you know a lot of the qualifiers haven’t been complete (I think 45%) because of COVID. So I rounded it down to 240. That number may go up or down depending on the outcome of qualifiers over the next few months. And yes they are at the forefront of drug testing- unfortunately like all big organisations (and lots of National Organisations around the World) there are always some bad eggs. In fact there is talk that Weightlifting will be dropped from the next Olympics because of the recurring doing problems in that sport. And as a FYI, there will be around 5,000 athletes in the Tokyo Paralympics as well. Not bad for a dying event, eh?
Kenny, a headline article in the SMH starts off: “Every athlete from the 206 countries competing at the Tokyo …
NMD, it’s not like you to believe everything you read. This shows what bullshit the media talk. All athletes and countries have NOT been confirmed as per my previous comments. I think 206 countries is a go to number that the bullshit press throw around.
FFS, Kenny, I named my source, you can check it if you like. What’s yours?
The UN has 195 countries and two of observer status (one of which is the Holy See)
NMD, your source is fucking wrong.
I can’t believe 240 countries are vying to put athletes into the next Olympics. 2016 had 207, and 2020 ‘expected’ 206. With all the COVID crap, even pushing out into the next Olympics, 206 would be an incredible outcome. This from the www –
195
How many countries are there in the world? Since South Sudan became an independent state on 9 July 2011, there are now 195 independent sovereign nations in the world (not including the disputed but de facto independent Taiwan), plus some 60 dependent areas, and several disputed territories, like Kosovo.
Kenny, we can test the veracity of my source (the SMH) and call it for how we see it – as you have. But you haven’t named your source. Unless you are some sort of font, or fount, of wisdom (you aren’t), I’d say you just made up some number and now you’ve been exposed as a fraud. Ho hum. Stop digging.
Stop wasting everyones time, both of you.
https://www.worldometers.info/geography/how-many-countries-are-there-in-the-world/
I get your point about possible long term debt, but Montreal was clear of Olympic debt in 2006.
What’s with the ‘but”, buddy? 30 years not long enough for you to be paying off something that gained you nothing in real terms? Especially when every self-seeking politician in every country seeking the five ring circus promises infrastructure benefits immediately after the carnival is over, wilfully ignoring any cost of such ‘rewards’. And that goes in spades for this government and it spangled pom pom cheer leaders like the ludicrous Peter Typo Gleeson.
Facts don’t matter when they don’t match a particular view I guess. The original post said the debt for the Montreal Olympics was still being payed for. That is incorrect.
I didn’t indicate anywhere in my comment that I felt carrying extensive debt for such a long period of time for the ’76 games was a good thing.
I stand corrected on the debt status of Montreal. A quick search provides plenty of reports on the level of budget blow outs, corruption from numerous parties and the ‘hangover’ that hangs around for decades after the five ring sporting spectacular.
It probably won’t occur to the dills running the State but you’d think that Anna would have someone do some research, at a generous fee paid by rate payers, to see if there’s any major benefit to a city for being awarded the Games.
Definitely plenty of ‘look, here’s a good well timed distraction’ me thinks !
Like Hee haw, Magpie you do a great editorial each week. Wonderful experience and talent from Magpie on display. I hope my cheque is in the mail too.
Certainly … oh, damn, suddenly got claw cramp.
Just looking at the Astonisher site and noticed that a lost half of the stories are from and about Cairns.
Interesting to see that our BOM radar is down and Cairns is scheduled for maintenance.
According to two Townsville crime web sites, there are currently five stolden cars careering around our wet roads.
Good time to stay at home!
Another Bulletin Giggle from a pretend “journalist.
“ANOTHER innocent Townsville motorist was hospitalised last night after an alleged stolen vehicle crashed into her car before fleeing the scene.”
As against another “guilty” Townsville motorist!
And what a clever car…fleeing the scene!
Really! Are they serious??
Just got text from a mate who was driving past Stocklands. Car thieves at it again and more innocent people hurt. Sooner or later this will boil over in an ugly way, it already makes the news in the south regularly now.
Forget grave rolling, try cheese rolling. It’s very entertaining and they usually have the event at Cooper’s Hill, near Gloucester in England. Obviously these unprecedented edges COVID times would have stopped that event, so the olympics would be the perfect place to bring it back. And a return to Roman gladiator games in which selected members of the public hunt down politicians would be a great sport. Mind you, I don’t mind the Olympic swimming events with all those camel toes and moose knuckles.
To stay up with the times, as it is suggested the Olympics should, why not be a little more imaginative, and combine the politicians’ hunt with rolling their heads down Castle Hill. Can just head Pricey commentating at the finish,’It’s close, oh so close, but it’s AARON HARPER – by a head.’
But there’d be a protest, Harper had an unfair advantage … his head was empty.
So the time limit is up regarding the Messagewank boxing match CCTV. So where is it?
Why have the police not released it?
Why aren’t the media requesting copies of the footage?
Why hasn’t Messagewank done the honourable thing and resigned?
Why hasn’t our disgraceful Premier sacked the fool from Townsville?
Why aren’t more people demanding accountability from this disgraceful government?
Shocking situation. You should ask your local MP to look into this.
There is a reasonable question raised. Everyone was told that the footage was going to be released toot sweet once the statue ran out and our mate Ray Hadley was all over it. All we hear is crickets.
Where is the grandstanding populist “Ray Hadley”?
Thought he was all over this?
I guess he was too busy making coin
https://www.realestate.com.au/news/2gb-radio-veteran-ray-hadley-is-selling-his-stunning-dural-acreage-for-7-million/?rsf=syn:news:nca:news:spa:strap
Come on TD, that’s a cheap shot. The blokes allowed to sell his property and go in a new direction, profit from a sale or not.
That’s a pretty ordinary shot and I reckon you’re probably better than that.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Hadley
A quick look at this charactor and his use and abuse of both process and people, makes me quite comfortable to ask that him bragging about his wealth be considered by the Pie for publication.
Probably the most disfunctional city council in the country and our illustrious Deputy Mayor rattles on about private health insurance in the Townsville Giggle.
“TOWNSVILLE’S Deputy Mayor is on a warpath to tackle rising insurance costs across the board, but he’s now putting pressure on the federal government over private health premiums.
Cr Mark Molachino has written to Herbert MP Phillip Thompson about the rising cost of private health premiums, asking him to act now.
Cr Molachino said in 2020, almost 9500 people did not renew their policies and reported to the public health system for healthcare.
“Australia was once proud of its health system where the private and public systems complemented each other, and was the envy of the world,” he said”.
What has private health got to do with a city councillor and how the fuck is a federal backbencher gonna change things.
Health cover premiums have been increasing for decades you buffoon and nothun is gonna change!
Stick to the myriad of problems plaguing this city or go back and fly helicopters.
Unbelievable!
Steady on, The ‘Pie is feeling faint … we agree on something , Flutterby!!
And this from a bloke whose illustrious leader, Mayoir mullet, berated Thompson for having an opinion on her mismanagementb of this city while at the same time, assuming the position to receive big dollops of Federal cash from him for incidental TCC projects (see latest blog for the Hill’s Folly on Castle Hill.)
It’s a standard media distraction. Now go looking for the real story they are hiding.
Molachino is the ultimate Pissant. At least Hill is cunning and shows some amount of clever from time to time, but Molachino is bottom of the barrel dregs, if he ever became Mayor of this town I would leave immediately because this place would truly be fucked.
EB, from what I have heard you would be better off using your elusive wings than sitting in a chopper with this bloke.
EB you and Mark the Moll need to know how Qld Health was financed to a huge extent by profits from Golden Casket profits. Shitheads in authority changed the gambling poo and we have this situation.
Canberra nightlife motto: ‘Stop yer grinnin’, and drop yer linen.’
‘So Twitter is all a-tweet that ABC reporter (or is that respondent) Jane Norman is dropping the linen for Minister (Un) Christian Porter. Nothing new … as the Townsville Magpie has long pointed out, compromising consensual couplings have been around forever inside the Canberra Doona, (as so aptly expressed by resident ‘toonist Bentley).
Sounds like a prerequisite for most male aspirants entering these illustrious corridors. The female must be on top, as the male can only fuck up.
Would TCC please explain why a critical piece of infrastructure such as the Townsville Local Disaster Coordination Centre on Dalrymple Rd, next to the TCC Dalrymple Rd Depot, is built in an orange storm tide evacuation zone. This building is just over 2 years old and I have to wonder who in TCC made this decision.
https://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/community-support/community-safety/disaster-management/disaster-plans-and-resources/brochures-and-videos/storm-tide-evacuation-maps
Be helpful if you could read maps.
Suggest you improve your map reading skills it is in a yellow zone bordering a blue zone.
I also wouldn’t worry about the LDCC these buildings are designed to operate during and after a disaster with minimal damaged. They are very over engineered and have all the backs ups like generators and provisions.
All the operational areas are on the second level as well so the building could easily ride out a storm surge with out evacuating.
Bogan names.
There is a trend for Bogans to give there most unfortunate offspring Bogan names to make them ‘special’. Poor little buggers. See video and web page link.
Now it seems the BOM is starting to drift into this territory for their cyclones. How sad.
What ever happened to names like;
David,
Malcolm,
Sue, or
Elizabeth?
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.facebook.com/jimmyreesofficial/videos/baby-names-amiright-jokes-kids-parenting-dadlife-mumlife-parentlife/228448141814655/&ved=2ahUKEwjp6MyUz47vAhVYc3AKHYRPAecQo7QBMAB6BAgAEAE&usg=AOvVaw1JeEYBdiQwltqU7CJqS48p
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.bhg.com.au/bogan-baby-names&ved=2ahUKEwi6n76_0I7vAhWyIbcAHWkIC1UQFjANegQIMxAC&usg=AOvVaw27picNjTTeVPGvlycPJ3v_
In the spirit of diversity, BOM is including some “non-English” names in the list. It’s about time too – but I don’t hold much hope that my own woggie name is going to appear any time soon.
Don’t stress DOK, Paddy, Ruby and Vernon will be coming up in due course.
Que?
Stuff “diversity” its our cyclone, on the coast of our State in our country. I’m fed up with all this PC touchy feely BS.
Then you’re gunna just lervvve this week’s blog. Have the blood pressure pills ready.
Thanks for the “heads up” I’ll stock up a few extra bottles.
You can’t be completely opposed to non-English names, Achilles.
Well, dunno ’bout that, how would you feel if your house was blown away by a cyclone named Marmaduke, Tarquin The Third, Chodmondely or the biggest blow of all, Donald? Karen wouldn’t be too popular nowadays, either.
Hmmmm good point from a bloke who resides in “Belgian” turf.
Where are all the Richards
Nothing better than enjoying the company of and a drink with a dick
Usually a strong bloke with a healthy sense of humour
Upstanding chap.
Elusive Butterfly, I hope Cr Molachino is reading this. The Government can’t fix the Health Insurance problem because the Government FCCKED it up in the first place! MBF (BUPA), Medibank Private and (not health, but good example) AMP were all fine profitable companies when they were MUTUAL SOCIETIES. The ACCC allowed them to DEMUTUALISE and list on the ASX. The huge profits they ‘used’ to make previously and reinvest back into their own companies to ensure financial profitability, innovative products, great services and reduced premiums are now going to shareholders as dividends. That is the problem, it is a vicious cycle and not an easy one to fix. Demutualisation profited a select few who made untold millions, but left the crap for the rest of us to live with. Also, Cr Molachino, nobody listens to backwater councillors in a poorly performing council like TCC. Stop trying to be a health insurance expert, and become a council expert who can bring our Rates down.
It was the same twisted anti-social rampant capitalism that led government in their greed for more income to allow poker machines into pubs – a more undeserving breed of beneficiaries if ever there was one, and a social wrecking ball that costs the taxpayer dearly in increased social services. This forced many small clubs that formed social cohesion in their immediate communities to go under, unable to compete. And pubs were under none of the compunction that clubs were to return profits to their social groupings like junior sport and keep their amenities current. And, as America continues to discover to its puzzlement, no democratic government has ever been able to make medicine a business that universally benefits society. And neither should it.
ABC TV news tonight.
House prices throughout Queensland everywhere are rising, except Townsville.
Down 6%.
Well done;
Mayor Mulett,
Aaron Harper and the other two Puddleduck servants, and
Puddleduck herself, and her (so called) Youth Justice Act.
Courtesy of the above mentioned, Townsville is getting media advertising that money could not buy.
Yep, I know two people in the last month who sold for significant losses, one to get away from disgusting feral neighbours and the other just wanted to leave Townsville and head south, put the house on the market so cheap it sold in a day, didn’t care about the money, just adamant they no longer wanted to live here or have anything more to do with this place.
Geez you guys need to learn how to copy and paste. Townsville down in February but up for the year below is from the ABC.
In Brisbane’s east, house prices went up by nearly 10 per cent in 12 months.
The Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast also posted strong price hikes, rising 2.6 per cent and 2.5 per cent in February, which pushed the 12 month gains up to 10.5 per cent and 11.2 per cent.
Townsville was the only region to record a drop with prices falling 0.6 per cent in February.
But the north Queensland city still posted a 12-month increase of 6.2 per cent.
Wasting your time, George. Dave and Cranky have obtained their figures and talking points and are locked in. Cranky’s got the population falling (even as it rises, but don’t worry about evidence), Dave’s still finding his way to the dam wall to see if it’s up to the spillway yet.
The blinkers hinder fact checking.
The ones you had on when Bill Shorten raped the girl on a Labor jolly?
And you need to apply some perspective dickhead, a pissy 6% gain is worthless against the 30-40% drop in house values that many have had since the Mullet got control of this place.
Unfortunately I can vouch for this statement with my place. Still would be in the red today if I sold. It’s catch 22, do I deal with the hassle, lawyers advice fees and worry more ferals renting like the last tenants? Or do I sell out and make a loss?
Look Kelso, in the nicest possible way, if you’re not happy, just fu.k off! Please.
Yep, that would be right. Shoot the messenger, ignore the message. Well done.
Ironic how Frau Mullet was in The Bullshittin whinging about the BOM radar being out of service. Ironic because anything in Townsville related to infrastructure is, well, fucked! The BOM can’t predict a rain event and Mayor Hill’s pipes can’t deliver the water that comes with a rain event. Two peas in a pod do t you think? TCC and BOM are a match made in heaven.
Just more grandstanding by the Mullet about the BOM Radar – while the Townsville radar has been down, other radars are working as usual. I have been observing the event on the Cairns radar without any problem, and the rest of the BOM site is still functional for warnings, etc.
But wtf is the name “Niran” the cyclone has been named.
MJ, They skipped a letter in the alphabet to name Cyclone Kimi. Allegedly named after one of their staff. So this one is the probably the same.
The name Niran is a boy’s name of Thai origin meaning “eternal”.
Got to ask BOM Why?
Had a Thai girl working for The ‘Pie once named Fon, lovely word, but not cyclone material … means ‘soft rain’ in Thai, she told me.
I don’t think they skipped a letter Ala. The cyclone before Kimi was named Joshua, but it was well off the WA coast and moved in a westerly direction, heading off into the south-West Indian Ocean, so we didn’t hear much about it
The Mullet at her “Wits End” over the BOM Radar.
At least she didn’t have far to travel…….
Pity she wasn’t at the ropes end.
Now, now …
From the front page of today’s Bullsheet, it also appears that the Mullet’s pipes can’t get rid of water either. Imagine having to put up with sewerage flowing into your yard every time we get a half decent downpour.
Hopefully with a newly minted independent councillor onto the case, the issue will be properly fixed.
Welcome to Hillturdistan.
Well, that didn’t take long, did it?
These allegations fail the most basic of mathematic tests.
1/. Victim age = 16 when offence alleged to have occurred in 1988, therefore born in 1972.
2/. 49-year-old woman was located at a home [in] Adelaide by South Australia Police on Wednesday, 24 June, 2020, therefore born in 1971. https://tributes.theage.com.au/obituaries/134901/katharine-jane-thornton/
Outcome = it is impossible for someone born in 1971 to be aged 16 in 1988.
With the seriousness of the allegations you’d expect someone to at least check basic facts. To protect the integrity of the writer.
The problem with those blinded by an opinion is they only find facts to match their point of view and discard all others. Tragic, sad and horrible for all those involved, where even if you win, you will lose.
Maybe a journalist from the Townsville Bulletin was involved in the maths.
‘Pie, I think it might depend upon what time of the year in question you were born – but I haven’t done the maths.
Yeah, reckon you’re right, it is possible there’s an overlap, but despite our resident expert, pretty sure the cops have got that covered. The ‘Pie initially thought along those lines and started to scribble some numbers but then the brain started to hurt, so got diverted by some cat videos. We ain’t gunna solve nuthin’ round here.
Rene
I shouldn’t bother but it really shits me when crap is posted as fact and also when it has fuck all to do with the issue at hand.
Let’s use the victim you refer to who was born on the 23rd February 1971 and died on the 24th June 2020 then she would have been 49
now lets say the alleged incident took place in 1988 at any time prior to the 23rd February 1988 then the victim would have been 16 at the time.
As you said with the seriousness of the allegations you would think people would check their facts.
Or does this not match your point of view. FFS
Which raises a point of The ‘Pie has only briefly canvassed … is there a definitive date given for the offence.
According to Crikey yesterday “…the night of January 9, 1988.
Thank you Hee Haw – I think it is accepted the alleged offence took place prior to 23 February 1988.
No Ralph, you won’t cop any flak and neither will The ‘Pie, because that’s not going to see the light of day here. We can’t sit at home and pretend to be cops on the job with all the information they have … and which you can bet they don’t share everything … including your hypothesis … with reporters. Maybe there was, maybe there wasn’t, but it would just be straight wrong to start playing amateur Sherlocks like that.
Sorry.
I have a relative with drug induced schizophrenia who regularly accuses me of having sabotaged their car 25 years ago (for the record I didn’t).
As horrible as it is, if the police think there isn’t enough evidence to convict then that is far as it can go.
The Federal Government sex scandal has taken a very sinister twist with this latest revelation. The Attorney General and the Morrison ministry is now compromised. A bad situation has quickly turned much worse.
Head of the BOM was on the ABC Radio (wireless?) this morning and Michale Clarke asked him about the mullets outburst re non communication. He said he was at a loss as to how to answer that because he had a personal telephone call with her Friday night to discuss the cyclone and also the issues with the MT Stuart radar. He then had another phone call with her Sunday morning after the radar went down altogether (apparently failed 3.30am). He also went on to say the surrounding radars like Bowen and Cairns cover Townsville area quite well (in my opinion, they do) and have no bearing on forecasts. Maybe the mullet forgot she had those calls?
Rupert, the radar is on Hervey Range.
Yes correct, my mistake. I always refer to it as Mt Stuart as that is where it originally was. From the BOM – TC Larry – 512 km Townsville – Mt Stuart Radar Loop (Historic) ·
Hey ‘Pie, talking about NT connections, have you been following the “coke fuelled sex scandal” going on up there? I think it will bring down the Gunner government. The same Gunner Government that has links with all our friendly NT imports at TCC. It’s all a little on the ‘nose’……
I’m shocked it’s not getting more media attention outside of the NT. Especially not by ‘our’ ABC. Wouldn’t have anything to do with the current (for now) Chief Minister’s wife and her role up there?
The NT Independant has done a great job covering it all, especially considering the blanket ban by the NT Govt on speaking or responding to them. This is the same news mob that sparked the outcry last year about freedom of the press and their access to governments of the day.
Best be careful tarring all TCC Darwin/NT expats with the same brush. There are those we know who have left under questionable circumstances, but others may be just climbing the greasy pole of the PS.
Sorry Pie. But if you came from Darwin (or other places) on the coat tails of Adele you are connected to the corruption. Climbing greasy poles the easy way requires turning a blind eye or participation in certain activities.
Well, OK, Plannit, if we’re going to smear everyone who comes from Darwin, please detail what corruption you refer to and have proof of. The ‘Pie at least does his best to back up best he can when he makes some broad suggestions about our Walker Street second raters. You’re approach is to bring an M-60 to a sideshow alley duck-shooting gallery. As a journalist, The Magpie is never happy with a lazy one-size-fits-all approach. have even known two or three honest politicians.
As I said, those who came on the coat tails of Adele.
BTW, speaking of Adele, she’s been hiring ex TCC staff for Palm Island. Maybe they are just the quality ones.
My understanding is she is using at least one now independent consultant who used to be with the TCC, but went back to the private sector. For what, The ‘Pie has not a clue.
Holy smoke!!! Townsville comes second again, even in the scandal stakes. Just have read about the NT/ABC sex, cocaine and ex-copper father of five MP’s sleep-around saga, which also paints the Darwin ABC newsroom in an interesting light for selective editing of radio interviews. That’s the ABC newsroom where the wife of the NT Chief Minister works.
Christ, even the Bulletin couldn’t MAKE up stuff like this.
https://ntindependent.com.au/abc-interview-segment-with-cocaine-sex-scandal-woman-altered-at-labor-mlas-request-texts/
It’s a lot. I’ve been watching it unravel for the past few weeks. The Facebook ‘Lives’ with the Bondage Mistress involved are like watching a breakdown happen in front of your eyes.
I think a change of government will not be far away, what say you?
The NT sure is a special place!
https://ntindependent.com.au/death-by-a-thousand-cuts-gunners-leadership-questioned-over-persistent-cover-up-allegations/
I’m calling a new government (or new Chief Minister at the very least) by the end of the month…
It appears that yet again the Lefties can be accused of being hypocrites. For the current rape scandal they are calling for a parliamentary enquiry and investigations by the AFP.
When Shorten faced his own historical rape allegations a couple of years back, apology was accepted and everything was quietly brushed under the carpet.
Christian Porter Will address the Media @1500 Canberra Time Today 3/3/2021
Will Mr Porter fall on his sword (pardon the pun) or will he deny the incident ever happened, and make a ‘“I never had relations with that woman” Clinton type statement?
This whole presser was to distract, the lady went to police in 2019, they launched an investigation.
It ended sometime later because she sadly committed suicide.
I could only imagine the pressure she was under accusing the current attorny general of rape.
Was it that preesure that drove her over the edge? That is where the investigation needs to focus, not on what did or did not happen in 1988.
Crikey, you nearly broke the record for being completely wrong on multiple matters in the fewest words.
The media conference was to hear the accused person to confirm his identity which everyone knew anyway (didn’t hear any gasps ‘Christ, it’s Christian Porter! when the door opened and he came in), and make his statement about what did or did not happen. He unequivocally said it didn’t.
Distract from what? English not your first language?
Certainly there would be pressure on the woman there is on any woman who decides to go public, but as far as The ‘Pie has heard, she didn’t, she went to the police. Otherwise, why are we hearing about all this just now? And whatever consequent pressures she felt, why should that be the focus of an investigation … part of, sure, but focus? And to suggest that what did or did not happen in 1988 is, seemingly in your view, coincidental to this whole matter is a deeply flawed list of priorities.
The matter has now become completely political, with a lot of attempts at point scoring and virtue signalling, but the fact remains, the woman is dead and can no longer offer or add anything, Porter has denied emphatically that nothing happened and there was no sex involved, and the investigating police say there is no evidence to take the matter forward. The coppers use of the term ‘insufficient evidence’ is their way of signalling that while there is no substance to the allegation, they are clever chaps who have thoroughly investigated and know some stuff, but not enough to take to court.
Porter is correct … if he resigned over this, it would set a precedent that would lead to all sorts of politically motivated allegations and dirty dealings by both sides of political ‘dark backroom’ schemers. And that would put many
blameless if not innocent people a grave risk of injustice at the hands of darkly motivated media conglomerates. Morrison is the real target here, and while he is a prick of the first water, you don’t ditch entrenched legal, moral and ethical principles to get him, that would be an unforgivable trade-off in any circumstance.
And while we’re on this subject, here’s another ‘Pie take-out on this.
Porter should fire his media manager, chief-of-staff or whoever advised him on this. Even if Smirko had forbade him to say anything until it was inevitably forced on him, Porter should have had the self-esteem and personal courage to personally ‘own’ what is essentially a personal issue days ago. He should NOT have left it with the media pack to play around with in an information vacuum, and should have taken charge of the issue instead of it taking charge of him. At the earliest possible point, HE should have called a media conference to make his point that he made today. Why should he be teary about this issue? Where was the indignant denial verging on anger at being subjected to an accusation he plainly – and we must take him at his word – says did NOT happen. If there is no ambiguity, why the waikt? Morrison in the background here? Porter could’ve softened his statement with a merited sympathetic tone regarding the woman, but appear confrontational to those ‘friends’ who sent the letter anonymously.
That’s called issues management.
Curious, ‘Pie, that when the AG and the PM had a little chat about the matter last Wednesday, neither of them actually read the letter/submission/ whatever. PM said his staff ‘briefed’ him on the contents, AG said (today) he still hadn’t read it. If this story, apparently about you, was a complete lie and fabrication, wouldn’t you be slightly curious about the details?
So we’ve been told.
Porter has so far avoided or denied all allegations against him, including those raised last year, despite mounting evidence to the contrary. He has shown no evidence of having empathy or remorse. This isn’t a media manager issue. This is a psychopath issue. This man doesn’t even understand he has done something wrong. His career shows he has destroyed anyone in his path. He’s not going to let a little issue like raping some girl when he was younger stop him.
What is that he has done wrong/ Provable with evidence?
‘Pie, in the matter of “issues management”, things have moved along a bit in the last couple of days. The police are finished with it so there’s no longer a criminal investigation, no new facts, nothing the ‘law’ can grapple with. Now it’s down to political considerations and that’s a completely separate and different matter for issues management. The PM has his hands on some of the levers but not all. If he wants to leave it to the court of public opinion, which is more or less what is left, it’s going to be a lonely couple of weeks for the AG.
If it is … and The ‘Pie doesn’t think it will be all that stressful, perhaps a couple of relaxing cigars with fellow West Aussie Mathias C and a few chuckles about the media fuckwits, more likely … it will only be as you say because of the piss poor media advice received all round.
More from the Townsville Giggle!
“Townsville police have arrested the man at the centre of an eight-hour siege in the city after spending a week on the run.”
Can someone please explain why the police were on the run for a week??
I see Wally Lewis is in Town doing a book signing of hi book ‘My Life’. I hope ‘Miss Gamefish’ doesn’t show up and ask why she didn’t get a mention.
She will be in the sequel, ‘Mow’n da Grass’.
I wonder if during the signing he will just suddenly stop and stare into space for a few minutes? Bring back some Channel 9 memories!!
Miss Gamefish? Sorry not picking up what you’re putting down…..
Didn’t know the King had released an autobiography? Sounds like an interesting read then!
Droopy Draws, Back in the ‘80’s when they had the ‘Billfish’ event each, boat had a figure head. (Topless Sheila) The winner was called ‘Miss Gamefish’
One winner was a certain Weather girl from one of the TV stations.
Wally was staying at a boutique hotel on the Strand and they both came down for breakfast. She was not a guest.
By the sound of your ‘handle’., you could be a relative of said girl.
Thank you for the explanation, get it now.
As for whatever it is about my ‘handle’ you refer too and being related to some ‘said’ girl; sounds like I need to get out a bit more.
Or maybe you should.
If Police surround a VACANT house for seven hours, are they allowed to call it a ‘siege’?
I believe that’s vacation
It has now been revealed that Minister Linda Reynolds referred to Brittany Higgins as a ‘lying cow’ over her rape allegations.
Reynolds is a despicable piece of shit. If Reynolds thought that it was all bullshit why would she call in the cleaners to deep clean her office that night? These political have no moral compass and are just pathetic scum. Sack her, sack Morrison, sack Porter, sack the lot of them. Capitol Hill should me called ‘Rape Hill’, fucking self-entitled parasites who think they are above the law (well actually they are as none of them ever get sacked).
As for Morrison in particular, this so-called man of god is a disgrace. He presides over a culture of sexual assaults, rorts, dishonesty, bullying, coverups and denials. What a grotesque human being.
Now do Bill Shorten and Labors nest of convicted pedophiles.
I understood from the reports that she didn’t call her a lying cow about the actual rape allegations, it was more about how Ms Higgins reported the Ministers reaction to it. Perhaps I heard it wrong, but the way you’ve reported it CTCOC, sounds a lot more sensational. Ever thought about a job in the media?
Spot on, KK, but you’re fucking up a good story with facts.
THAT IS SIMPLY A PERNICIOUS LIE. And very unhelpful to all sides.
Linda Reynolds said no such thing about Ms Higgins rape allegations … she said those words (in private, which means nothing nowadays to the bandwagon jumpers) about Ms Higgins’ timeline detail of what happened after the rape. You deliberately make it sound like Reynolds is claiming Higgins rape claim is a lie. Reynolds has done enough wrong without making stuff up.
But hey, that old journo’s motto must be tattooed on your forehead: never fuck up a story with facts.
As we speak we have a garbage truck broken down on army intersection. The poor driver is guiding traffic around him. The traffic is backed up everywhere. Im now late for work. Wasnt it the mayor saying that the BOM should investigate these maintenance schedules because the radar is down??????? Well mayor fuck tard how about this??
Bushy, Garbage trucks are a high maintenance vehicle and are prone to breakdowns.
Trust me, it is not due to lack of maintenance.
Cement Trucks are also high maintenance.
We all suffer inconvenience at some time. Very frustrating!
Pull the other one Allah … granted the mechanism to lift & tip the bin is a ‘high maintenance item’ … however the truck itself is just a diesel powered heavy vehicle … lack of maintenance will always result in the breaking down of a heavy vehicle.
So you have worked on them WD. Probably had a can in your toolbox. Go out to Webb Dr and ask the mechanics how much overtime they spend on those things
Alah … don’t go off point now
… I don’t doubt the boys are still working a lot of O/T on the refuse trucks, they always have … Bushy commented on the truck itself breaking down … the side loaders, front loaders & rear loaders have always ‘attracted’ a lot of O/T … not on the truck chassis’ themselves though but the bin lifting & rubbish compaction mechanisms … the Iveco, Isuzu & DAF’s purchased back in the day were top of the line truck chassis'; well maintained by an adequate number of competent diesel fitters & mechanics … the Superior Pak bodies were/are also top notch (built in Bundy) but inherently require a lot of maintenance; even back when they were all maintained at Bamford Lane (long before the Webb Drive facility was set up) … point is, the truck itself broke down, not the mechanisms that lift and tip the bin & compact the rubbish … peace bro 
Yep! 38 years on the darn things.
Take Back Townsville Protest
This Saturday starting 10AM. Assemble on footpath outside Phillip Thompson’s office prior and we will be directed from there.
Why?
Under the changer to the Youth Justice Act breach of bail is still not an offence. Why not?
Further there is no legal mechanism that explicitly ensures parents comply and with and enforce the bail conditions set for their little snot.
There is a lot more information on farcebook for those who have it.
And lastly;
MY CAR MATTERS
Kelso, waste of time mate. We have a bogan V8 driving doona wearing mullet head for a Mayor accompanied by an assortment of neutered Councillors, underpinned by impotent drunken fighters as State MP’s.
A protest is pointless. You would get a better outcome throwing eggs and pop at the elected officials as they arrive for work each day.
Banjo plucker – you are assuming the the local state MPs actually attend their electorate office once in a while.
Eggs hey? I could get arrested for that.
About the protest, you may be right, but I feel that I have to lend support. If everyone did nothing, Puddleduck would maintain legislation that encourages the snots and their derelict parents.
Also, this is my first protest and my wife and I, having made our signs, are quiet excited about taking part.
Allow The ‘Pie to unburden himself of a little experience. He knows there are two circumstances where one thing leads to another – in a manner that has nothing to do with cops, more with copulation. One is if a bomb goes off or there is gunfire out of the blue – as there was in Belfast on more than one occasion – the most unexpected people figure its the end of the world, and you can be virtually bossed into bed. Or, as in one memorable occasion, under the tables of the plush as-Rome-burns Europa Hotel restaurant.
Sorry, where was I? A dewy-eyed moment of memory there.
Ahem! And the other is protest demos. Union demos are the gold standard for getting it off, but any old demo will do. Seems it’s the shared social desires that makes folks feel they are not alone in this cruel bed of nails that heightens the desire to – ummm – get nailed. Once they stop the chanting, they start the panting. And then the de-panting.
So Dave, don’t park the car too far away … and Mrs Dave … DON’T LET HIM OUT OF YOUR SIGHT.
Methinks thou hath protesteth too much… and it’s coddled your memories so they have set into something else altogether.
Whateverth.
I, too, have fond memories of the apres-demo party after the Tower Mill shindig in the early 70’s. Like ships in the night…
… bumping into each other … again and again … and then just before breakfast.
Good stuff Dave, get out there and give them heaps mate, can you also just ask any of the people there if they voted Labor, because it would seem a little strange if they voted Labor only a few months ago but now turn up to protest, they should be easy to spot, they will be holding the “I’m an ignorant dickead” sign.
Cranky, I recall that, in the Joh years, I never met a single person who confessed to voting for him.
Cbc,
Fair point. We have made double sided signs. One says “AARON WHO.?”
I do not have the strength to hold up the ideal protest sign;
HANDS UP ALL YOU IGNORANT FUCKWITS WHO SURRENDERED THIS COMMUNITY TO THE THIEVING SNOTS, SUPPORTED BY THEIR DELINQUENT DOLE BLUDGING PARENTS, BY VOTING FOR THE 3 USELESS PISSANTS WHO REPRESENT ANNIE PUDDLEDUCK AND HER COMMUNITY CRIPPLING YOUTH JUSTICE ACT. YOU PUDDLEDUCK VOTERS ARE HALF OF THE PROBLEM.
Now that would be the ideal sign, but a bit too much for the passing motorist to take in.
Maybe we well meet on Saturday morning.
“Canberra the capital of coverups” obviously you have insights many do not, where you can speak with absolutely authority as you know everything.
I thought the comments from Reynolds related to Higgins where about the comments about Ministers response to the rape which she thought they were inaccurate. She has never denied the rape allegations.
On the Porter matter it is interesting that it is only the woman’s friends who are pushing the issues (with the media’s help) not her family.
I thought civil societies had rules, and laws to slow down and stop angry mobs from committing atrocities…..
Hello Nickster,
After seeing your grammar I now understand why you do not fully grasp what Minister Reynolds said, and the context of her comment. And you seem to be so certain that it is ‘only the woman’s friends’ who are pushing the issue. It seems that it is YOU who “can speak with absolutely authority as you know everything”. Dipshit.
Witty retory CtCtcoc,
Isn’t great to see the mob arguing for the Federal Government to walk all over Federation asking it to question and over rule statutory rape laws each of Australia’s States and territories.
Absolutely fantastic to see society descending into a putrid mess, devoid rules where the loudest voices rule with no care for the need of corporeal evidence.
Looks like success is now – my opinion is first and the loudest so I must be right.
Apparently Penny Wong knew about this allegation in April 2020. Why did she keep quiet until now? It does seem a bit sus that she already knew about it, but was then one of the 3 people that was sent the anonymous letter.
Probably masterminded the idea. Which, we all know, she wouldn’t have done as an ardent feminist, no matter who was in government, right?
Interesting remark. I seem to recall a story on the 7:30 report (I think) not long after Mr Wong reportedly received the letter. The story focused on the womanising Christian Porter. It really stuck the knife into him. Could this have been the start of a well planned scheme by painting an early picture of the Minister? No no no Kenny, Penny would never leak her newly found info to the ABC. I wonder if Ita will approve the resurrection of the Porter story plus more? Give ‘em an inch…shut up Kenny, you’ll be accused of being a right wing racist homophobic chauvinist.
Just by the by, and a small byway on this matter … Twitter was all atweet l;ast week about ABC reporter Jane Norman being currently dicked by Minister Porter. Wherever did that widely circulated accusation end up? Oh, what’s that? She denied it? Oh, well, that’s that, then, end of story.
Pie, As she did with the ‘Citizenship’ fiasco.
Nickers. The family have come out in support so that clears up your first point.
Ref the rule of law. One of the basic ones is don’t rape vulnerable people.
The police seem to have terminated the investigation when the victim sent them a message saying she couldn’t go on the day before she committed suicide. A message which they took as being along the lines of thanks for your help but I no longer need this support, instead of I can’t take this anymore and am going to kill myself. Easy mistake to make, especially if you really hope the complainant goes away. Whatever happened to their duty of care?
This seems to swing on “admissible “ evidence which again seems to hang on the fact that the lady is dead and can’t be cross examined on it, not that there is no evidence.
C’mon, you’re getting a bit tangled up in your emotions there, old fella … a basic rule of law is that you don’t rape ANYONE. And The ‘Pie hasn’t kept up with the babbleanche of info on this one, so what is your reference to ‘vulnerable’? How was the woman ‘vulnerable’ at the time of the alleged offence, any more than any woman is to a determined criminal sleazebag? Are you suggesting that her deteriorated mental state existed at the time of the alleged offence? If there is evidence of that, then there is a whole new dimension to the allegation. Not saying there is, just trying to clarify your words.
And of course the whole thing swings on ‘admissible evidence’, every single criminal proceeding does. Which clearly means the cops are saying what evidence there is cannot be used under admissibility rules.
And before anyone sensitive souls hitch up their industrial strength undies and head for the keyboard to rip into The Magpie, understand that this and other comments are concerned only with the LAW. And not necessarily the truth of the unimaginably dark fate that eventually befell this woman.
Yes, fair points and well made. My “Vulnerable” comment came from the allegation that he undressed her after she lost consciousness from drinking too much as a 16 year old and vomited on herself, then (again only allegedly) anally raped her as he said he didn’t have a condom and didn’t want her to get pregnant – very caring.
I put an unconscious teenage schoolgirl into the “vulnerable” category, but that’s just me
Hearsay I know but widely reported on TV during the week.
… and YES I am a bit emotional about people ending up dead when the system fails them. Our rule of law seems a bit one-sided.
… and your idea of system failure is a bit one sided. And not on the side of the rule of law, not the mob – that would be the media mob.
OK, The ‘Pie has avoided speculation to this point, but here’s a small speculation on your speculation. Christian Porter anally raped a vomit-covered teenager – a heinously revolting act hard to believe – and just when did he TELL his unconscious victim why the reason he anally raped her? There is also a twitter comment that disputes the claim that he put her in a bath to clean her up back at the Uni accommodation, but a former tenant says there were no baths in the complex at that time, only showers. And she was unconscious through all this?
This prurient stuff can go on forever, but it gets us nowhere, so from now on, unless relative to the current reality, comments will be limited.
And here is something relative to reality. Respected journalist Annabel Crabb sums up the current situation with a masterful piece of perfect balance, and in so doing, demonstrates that there are some fine journalists out there with the ability to present and interpret facts combined with the rare ability to lead the reader down paths of inquiry in a fair minded and balanced way. She will never be offered a job on SKY.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-05/christan-porter-rule-of-law/13216806
The woman in question was interviewed by NSW Police after they were forwarded the complaint made by her friends to SA Police.. They were concerned about her mental health and contacted her visited her five times.
She was diagnosed with Bipolar Disease a very nasty affliction. I know I had to deal with my ex-wife who had it.
The complaint said she attended a formal dinner with Porter and then went dancing with him at the Hard Rock Cafe in 1988. Problem is the Hard rock Cafe did open until 1990, I think.
She also stated that she was sick on her dress and Porter placed her in a bath at Sydney Uni College accommodation. Problem the college does not have baths it only has showers.
Having decided to commit suicide (Bipolar induced?) she made no statements and withdrew her complaint formally by email and committed suicide the next day. NSW Police then closed the case. Porter had and has no case to answer.
His presser was a disgusting example of a baying media behaving no better than a pack of Hyenas.
This afternoon attempted car jacking at medical center opposite KFC on Ross River Road. Also something happening vicinity delerict Aboriginal reserve on Ross River Road. This from Facebook that my wife follows.
Proof that the Townsville Bulletin editor is Jenny Hill’s lapdog number 1567:
On Ch7 local news last night there was a video of Mayor Hill grandstanding at a TEL breakfast about Phillip Thompson refusing to hand over $50 million of that $195 million in federal funding the State Govt knocked back for Jenny’s pipeline to nowhere. (NB: Thompson is adamant that is yet to receive anything more than a one-page flyer on the project).
With her trademark smirk our poor excuse for a mayor warned:
“Never get in the way of a mother who is out to protect her young. She will cut you apart.”
This quote is reported in today’s Townsville Bulletin, but for some reason the editor omitted to print the Mayor’s next sentence, which warned that Phillip Thompson would be “cut” if he didn’t come good with the cash.
Nice one, Craig.
Meanwhile, on another subject, this morning’s four-page racing liftout contains tomorrow’s race fields and form for Eagle Farm, (Brisbane), Flemington (Melbourne) and, would you believe, Flemington (Melbourne) again, but no fields or form for Randwick (Sydney).
The Bully has stuffed up with the TAB results/dividends many times, but this is a new low.
And we thought all that Facebook money was going to be spent employing more journos and improving standards.
Sigh.
Ever since the ‘Pie has been associated with the Bulletin (in one way or another since 1992), it has been local lore that the Courier always outsells the Bulletin on Friday’s because the Bulletin’s form guide has always been a bought-in mess. Locals of course don’t write it, but it their responsibility (or it was, who knows nowadays0 to lay out the supplied information in its correct form. How fucking hard is that? Too hard, it seems, and always has been.
Try Buying the Winning Post each Friday .It comes up on the Freighter Aircraft PM/AM Thu/Fri Most Newsagents will order it in. It does Cost $5.50 But This weeks has 103 Pages Full Form for 13 Meetings and this week has full fields & form Guide for the Monday meeting at Morphettville (Adelaide Cup) .. I,ve been getting mine From the the Stockland News Agent for over 10 Years … It also covers Townsville & Cairns Fields if racing is applicable Fri-Mon…. Good Punting
The Sportsman is $8 mid-week. Not game to check weekend price.
From “Crasher Hill” to “Slasher Hill” not sure it’s an improvement but don’t they say that any publicity is good publicity?
Mayor Mullet to Phillip Thompson:“Never get in the way of a mother who is out to protect her young, she will cut you apart.” The language of a playground bully is this woman’s idea opf civil discussion about this city’s future, a ‘my way or the highway’ attempt at some sorely needed mayoral swagger.
But has she considered she has now put Phillip Thompson in an untenable position, because if the requested funds come our way, he will appear to have caved in to this bogan bullshit. And ‘caving in’ is not a political tactic anyone in politics wants.
And Bogan Brains did not ask the Feds why they believe the submitted paperwork is inadequate (Thompson has described the mayor’s submission so far as ‘nothing more than a one-page glossy flier) and what else do they need to provide. No just the usual Labor backstreet brawler language for detailed paperwork to secure taxpayer funds for the ill-starred Landsdown adventure.
One page !!? A question for Jenny Hill: You want $50M + of public money for your Landsdown ‘baby’, and provide a just one page summary. Madam, measure this next what a ratepayer must submit to your council to build say a garage on his own land with his own money. Answer: reams and reams of needless and costly eco gobbledegook, impact this, amenity that, and so on.
Hypocrisy writ large, you grandstanding rebarbative stand-over merchant.
Magpie, I had to look rebarbative up but I like it and the context of your use of it. May I file the numbers off it and use it myself? Another favourite of mine used for government officials of all ranks keen to be part of the problem rather than part of the solution is Myrmidons.
Our commenting colleague Achilles will appreciate Myrmidons.
Indeed I do; as I have a crew full who are always pulling hard at their ‘oares.
ho, hos.
What is even worse is the 3 disgusting arseholes standing behind her smiling and laughing as she said it, these people are lower than vomit, there is no point low enough they cannot reach. Thompson has the high ground here and can easily come out of this looking great by simply bypassing the local fuckheads and dealing with the companies directly, that way he can also gauge the level of commitment from them, or are they just like the Mullets other busted arse loses she associates with, big on ideas, short on cash.
An now, Phillip Thompson has taken the gloves off, reasonably casting doubt on Jenny Hill’s mental state. If you check out the comments, doubt you’ll find one that doesn’t support Thompson. She really is an embarrassment for those with any sense of shame … which I guess answers that.
The Mullet is an embarrassment. Her comments towards Phillip Thompson show that she is a bully, nepotistic, vindictive and untrustworthy. Probably pretty standard for most politicians, but she really is unfit to run a raffle, let alone our city’s economy. Her fucking days are numbered surely? Townsville have had enough of this freak and her freak show.
“Never get in the way of a crook who is out to protect her kickbacks”
I find it odd that no one has asked the obvious question in all of this. Why do we need a third industrial estate when the government-owned Stuart Precinct is largely empty even though it is gazetted for industries just like these and already has all the infrastructure and services needed, and the Bohle Estate still has lots of space.
Where is the benefit of another being behind someplace where Slasher can park her white elephants with no real intent of building anything. Perhaps our Planning pen friend can shine some light on the level of planning and design done for Toonpan?
Ahem … The ‘Pie has repeatedly asked EXACTLY that question numerous times when discussing the Landsdown matter. It is more than strange, indeed irresponsible for a supposedly environmentally aware Labor foghorn of a mayor to bulldoze through an industrial estate idea which will require far greater pollution with truck, car and rail travel, heighten the chances of deteriorating roads, greater traffic congestion (if her job number predictions are anywhere near correct) and the greater chance of industrial transport and just plain old car crash mishaps. Not that the last one seems to both our chuckling chucklehead. If we had any real journalists in this town – Mr Raggatt, where are you when we need you, the mayor’s lap dog iditor got you pinned down? – the question of why Landsdown and not the SDA at Stuart show be asked loud and clear … BUT NOT ASKED OF OUR SHAPE-SHIFTING MAYOR, THE QUESTION SHOULD BE PUT SQUARELY TO THE COMPANIES SUPPOSEDLY EAGER TO MAKE LANDSDOWN THEIR BASE.
Questions of cost should be foremost, considering g the Stuart SDA is right on the door step of the Townsville port import-export hub. And whether their shareholders know of this less financially onerous SDA alternative, which is presumably already cleared of any necessary EPAs.
This is sheer bloody-minded madness.
Yeah, well the Port of Townsville has just brought itself in on the act. In their March 2021 newsletter sent around yesterday they announce:
“Queensland Pacific Metals has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Port of Townsville to assess development options and determine the infrastructure required to facilitate QPM’s TECH Project.
The project is an advanced, sustainable producer of critical chemicals for the emerging lithium-ion battery and electric vehicle sector, to be located at Townsville City Council’s Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct.
The proposed Townsville energy chemicals hub project requires sufficient capacity at the port to import up to 1.5m tonnes of bulk high grade nickel ore a year and export in excess of 500,000 tonnes of product, including nickel sulphate, cobalt sulphate and by-products such as high purity alumina and hematite.
The Townsville energy chemicals hub, intended to be Northern Australia’s first environmentally sustainable advanced manufacturing, processing and technology hub, will re-energise North Queensland and boost Port of Townsville’s trade growth.”
This “project” is moving way beyond some scam by TCC. All levels of Gov are up to their ears in it. And don’t expect that the show (there or on the state land) is “presumably already cleared of any necessary EPAs.” Ah no, it isn’t cleared of anything until we know what it actually is. Cynical me sees this as the move to shift the Ville’s development focus away from the north and into the south. An industrial precinct at Lansdown or nearby, not on state land and next to the pipeline, power and transport connections and with thousands of hectares of urban expansion potential all around it, is gold. Follow the money I reckon.
To all the PC and other mindless morons https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9_bI789Gog
This vid has actually been posted here a couple times over the years, but it is so good, it’s worth looking at it again. And Jonathan Pie (no relation) is absolutely correct in everything he says even if some don’t liked the way he says it (The ‘Pie loves the stream of consciousness delivery). And despite being familiar with the video, The ‘Pie splatter laughed a mouthful of coffee at his take on J.K. Rowling at 6.06.
“J.K Rowling got a pasting from LGBT activists because Dumbledore isn’t openly gay in the new Fantastic Beasts film. Is this really the height of the gay community’s oppression? I don’t for one second believe that it is, but if it is, the war’s already been won, OK. If the worst thing that is happening is a wizard not being shown taking it up to the elbow, you’ve made it, chill out, it’s all fuckin’ good, mate.”
We still have not seen Memory Blank’s video. why not? Has he got everyone on the ropes? This bloke should be called Ankles.
Given their craven support for the Puddleduck, will Aaron Who?, and the other two, front up to the protest on Saturday morning to expound the virtues of their Youth Justice Act.
Being the consummate cowards they are, I expect they will be consuming coffee in Cardwell.
Ando has done a ripper of a column in the Bullsheet, highlighting the various should be Olympic sports that NQ could host.
Really, it could start in Cairns with the Bog Snorkelling, followed by mountain biking the Kirrama range, croc dodging in Ingham, motor cross in Charters Towers, the Demolition Derby in Townsville and ending in the Burdekin for mud crab trying.
Hold it over two or three days, with nightly pub brawl tournaments refereed by Messagebank Walker.
The ongoing spat between the Mayor and the local Fed MP is becoming very embarassing for our city. It seems like the Mayor is largely responsible for the current state of affairs. Who is advising her on these bizarre and offensive outbursts?
The Mayor advises the Mayor. Finito!
Dave, the mayor knows that Phillip of Herbert has $195m of ScoMo’s dough to spend in Townsville. He’s not going to blow it on a new Tax Office building or Centrelink child care facility let alone anything whatsoever for Annastacia’s Labor state government. So who is left? However the money is spent it will have to pass some sort of pub test and Townsville pubs aren’t that choosy. It’s disturbing to ponder but I can feel a federal LNP news release coming down which mentions the word Lansdown.
That is a reasonable hypothesis, Druging, except now Mayor Mullet has made it a direct Labor/Liberal challenge, any agreement for the funds now will be seen as a Labor win and making the feds seem to be caving in, so there may be a re-think. At the very least, a delay.
And, argue this as long as you wish (as you always so tediously do) the Landsdown issue is not a vote loser or winner in terms of Herbert, voters around here couldn’t give a dog’s toss about the mayor’s ‘baby’. There will only be one divisive issue come the election … ScoMo.