It’s not because some Australians question the wisdom of giving billions of Australian taxpayer dollars to a company judged very dodgy even by its own government , it’s because we are racist against Indians. Apparently. What a race to the bottom from these shysters.
Mayor Mullet’s economic mayhem … it’s now just getting plain silly …
Karma might be Buddhist in origin, but the Catholic Church is learning about in spades …
Why Winne’s in the pooh in China …
And why did the Astonisher reporter cross the road?
But First …
Cardinal George Pell is back in Australia to answer numerous unspecified charges of paedophilia, and says he welcomes his day in court. The one thing The ‘Pie can say for him is that he is no Christopher Skase, holing up in the Holy See, which he probably could’ve done. He will face his accusers and cop whatever the outcome may be. But Bentley sees it as karma of sorts, turning the tables on years of abuse.
A Text Book Case Of Reverse Racism
It’s a standard strategy …
Launch an ad campaign across all media saying how you beaut you really are, then quickly follow up with a PR strike calling into question the motives of those who would naysay your claimed benevolent efforts. But Adani couldn’t sink much lower than trotting at an Indian-born Australian executive to accuse holus bolus all opposition to the Carmichael mine as having a racist agenda.
Muthuraj Guruswamy, Adani’s general manager of corporate affairs in Australia, disguises his part of the ‘we’re you beaut but you’re racist’ campaign under the guise ‘just wonderin’, you know, just sayin’ like’, but it is a clear ploy but a dud one if ever the was one. Because it is clearly aimed at the Green-led opposition to Adani – and Mutty old boy, you might find the ethnic mix in the protest marches knocks down your racist agenda somewhat – the comments at the same time tend to target ANY Australians who have their doubts about giving a highly questionable company, which just so happens to be Indian – billions of taxpayer dollars and deals of deferred royalties.
It’s a stock standard ‘silence by bullying’ PR strategy, hoping that anybody who has questions about this project to shrink away for fear of being labelled racist.
The Magpie has had his small say about the highly suspect Adani company, questioning their motives and suitability for Australian taxpayers subsidies, but NOT because they’re Indian, but because they ARE highly suspect. On their record, their own government want no part of them, and are looking closely at some of their dealings.
But maybe Mutty Guruswamy is right. Because mate, if you are opposed to the Australian freedom to protest matters of community concern, allow The ‘Pie to fall back to an earlier era’s catch-cry and suggest ‘if you don’t like it here, fuck off back to where you came from’.
Not that you can expect any sober examination and balance on the matter from the Astonisher or local TV for that matter. The Townsville Bulletin has three whole pages devoted to Adani advertising (including the premium-priced back page) and a front page strap. And we all know there’s no biting the hand that tickles the financial fun spot down at News.
Fool Me Once, Shame On You, Fool Me Twice, Shame On Me
Wonder how many Astonisher and Courier Mail readers had that feeling when the election season thought-fart story broke about a series of charging stations for electric cars would be established between Brisbane and Cairns.
The ABC teased a little but didn’t lie …
… but both The Courier and the Townsville Bulletin ran the same story under the deceptive and juvenile headline.
And revolutionise the way we receive our news.
Clearly given the decades of debate about the parlous state of the Bruce Highway, this is just cheap deception – childish deception that is generally only seen on low level ‘alternative facts’ click-bait sites that sell advertising by number of viewers and have no regard for factual matters. You don’t expect to see it on establi … oh, wait a minute…
Crew Of Planet Rupertania Retreat To The Mother Ship
The Astonisher, feeling the pinch of its own ineptitude over the past few years by alienating itself from its bread and butter (i.e the community), have been forced to break the lease on their current offices and look for new digs (as reported here last week). But News has managed to save even on moving costs. They’ll just pick up their keyboard s and walk across the road to the press hall site. They can now play happy families, watching as the presses start finishing earlier and earlier as the issue runs gets shorter and shorter.
It is a sign of the times, certainly, but hastening the end with a Trump-like regard for the truth is a strange business tactic at best, and disgraceful journalism at worst.
The Economic Dullards Are At It Again.
This is completely unfathomable … both the story itself and that it remains unchallenged by the paper – well, not really, we know why.
Some cold hard facts.
The State Development Area of 4,915ha was declared in 2003 … 13 years ago. It is empty. Still very empty.
And now, we have this nonsense from a council desperate to look like they are doing something.
Glad to see the Bully ask the hard questions like:
Given the State Development Area has been around for 13 years and nothing of note has happened there, what makes Council think there’s even the remotest possible need for this exercise?
What point of difference does this council propose for the Woodstock rezoning that will set it apart from the State Development Area?
If the SDA has been such a roaring success (NOT) what makes this mob think they will succeed where the State has failed?
Will council propose to give this land away, or use it has a virtual currency via equity swaps?
Come one, come all, promise us a pre-feasibility study and we will tip in the land. Rather than waste time on this sort of nonsense, they’d be well advised to get the basics sorted, like getting dog registration bills out on time, or food safety bills out on time.
And whatever happened to that regional saviour – the supersize feedlot for Wellards live cattle exports down at the area? Do you think Wellards used our Mullet to boost its share price? Didn’t do them much good … Wellards recently announced it was down the tubes for $65 million for the half year.
Did our Mullet take the bait, hook, line and sinker? It would seem so.
But It Seems To Be Becoming The Norm in Mulletdom
Sadly, the comments from the Mayor on any economic matter shows how shallow she has become chasing what she perceives as a populist agenda, and how little real world business nous she has. She says Clive Palmer should sell up and move on … for a dollar. Why would he?
This is from April last year. It reports that Council is pursuing Queensland Nickel for unpaid rates. At a business lunch at the Townsville Club in (from memory) May 2016, the Mayor joked that if the rates go unpaid, Council has the lawful authority to confiscate the property in question and liquidate it.
So, one wonders:
- Is this action still pending?
- If not, did Council receive full payment of rates in arrears plus interest (charged at 11% pa)?
- Or, was some other settlement reached with Queensland Nickel to drop the matter? If a settlement was reached, will Council advise the community on the terms of the settlement?
- If the action is still in train, can the community be updated on its status, and expected timeframe for resolution of the matter?
- Can Council advise the community on the legal status of creditor priority, particularly in reference to where Council stands against other creditors?
- Will Council release its legal advices that went to its decision last year to pursue Queensland Nickel for rates in arrears, and any subsequent advices since? (No doubt, Council will claim legal privilege.)
- As this matter has (possibly) been in train for over a year, what legal costs have been incurred by Council in the pursuit of this matter?
- More than that: Why would anyone in their right mind buy it when (1) there are two liquidators all over the refinery and its various companies, (2) where there’s so much uncertainty generally as a result of the mountains of litigation around Clive, (3) when nickel prices haven’t picked up to where they need to be for the refinery to be profitable and (4) where there’s so much risk of being hung out to dry on future environmental remediations despite having no responsibility for past actions (under much more lax regulations).
If the Mayor thinks it’s such a good deal, confiscate the property and sell it to recover unpaid rates. … oh yeah, one problem, who’d buy it?
There’s That Pot And Kettle Syndrome Again
As for being responsible for people getting the chop, Clive’s failure resulted in 770 losing work (a result of a combination of excess – remember the Mercs to staff, and the overseas holidays and the $3m staff party? – and a collapse in nickel prices) … the mayor is responsible for close to 500, most departing with their deserved generous pot of gold courtesy of the ratepayers. Pots and kettles indeed.
Can’t Get The Bills But Can Still Stick The Boot In
Ya just gotta love ‘em for their chutzpah. The TCC can’t get their dog rego’s out because of the Walker Street staffing chaos, BUT they can still manage a surprise slug on pensioners. We wrinklies used to be allowed free dog rego, but all of a sudden – with no explanation – we are now told that we will be charged $10. Most are pensioners, which triples or quadruples that slug on what for many is their best mates and companions.
Watch water charges closely, folks, rates freeze will have to be made up somewhere.
What with late dog regos, food licenses and some rates notices, it is increasingly being realized those in charge in Walker Street could not find their own arses with a mirror and two hands … even if you threw in a torch to help.
Adele Young’s Hero? Donald Trump?
It’s a stretch but plausible, in terms of empire building. As the TCC CEO hacks her way through the staff ranks, she seems to match The Trumpet’s efforts.
Trump so far has fired or driven out his:
* NSA boss
* Deputy AG
* FBI director
* Communications director
* Press Secretary
* Chief of staff
As the world watches and wonders, though, it would seem reasonable to believe the end if nigh for Donald The Menace. He could pretty much do what he liked if the undrained swamp of Wall Street was happy, but that’s starting to tank bigtime and jobs are still disappearing through broken promises and unworkable deals.
That’s when he’s in real trouble … which is NOW. Stand by for ‘ka-boom!’
Not that that has stopped him starting on his next ‘terrific’ project.
China Sends Winnie The Pooh To The Naughty Corner
In the US, not much The Trumpet can do when folks make merry with his image and compare him a more famous Donald.
But try making merry with your leader in China and your parents will be receiving a bill for the bullet – old Chinese custom.
It all started with Trump’s predecessor, Bazza Obama during a meeting with China’s Xi Jingpin.
Chinese bloggers took up the idea with enthusiasm, including this when Xi met his traditional enemy, the Japanese leader (and looked none to chuffed about it) …
… and it would seem this was too much bear for the censors to bear.
This was unbearable ridicule of the country’s leader, and might also make Winnie a mascot of subversives. Which is clearly what A.A.Milne had in mind when he created Winnie back in 1926.
Now They’re In Real Trouble
Apparently, despite their medieval teachings, the islamic terrorists know what everyone else knows … the female of the species is the deadliest … just don’t mess with momma.
So it appeared that canny Philippine Prez Duterte had pulled a masterstroke against one terrorist group, when we read …
Alas, not so scary after all – just another acronym lost in translation. It stands for the somewhat more boring Moro Islamic Liberation Front. A big let-off for the terrorists.
But The Green’s Now LKnow How To Recruit
The inimitable Paul Zanetti reckons we all learn by our mistakes, and the Greens are no exception. They now have a rigorous background check, as Paul discovered when he went down in the woods one day.
That’s it for this week folks, sorry about the unavoidable delay. Do join in the banter, jolly japes and slanging match that is the comments section, which goes 24/7, it’s great fun, so have your say. And a donation to help the blog along would be a great help. Thanks, how to donate button below.
