No longer the pivotal shot caller in Parliament, Bob Katter is in danger of staining his Levis when the new parliamentary power bloc establishes an integrity commission … because he knows he could be one of the first called before it. At issue: the Katter family links to the $1.7billion CopperString project.
There’s a chance LNP Senator Susan McDonald will face a similar please explain on the same issue for the same reason … family advantage.
From Prime Minister to pinata – Smirko cops a pasting, with the Albanese Government taking a relative back seat while the Liberals read their entrails for the future.. The Magpie selects some choice quotes.
And is there a power struggle going on at The Townsville Resident and Ratepayers Association. Is Pete Newey’s position under threat? A Magpie exclusive.
Plus our regular US gallery is dominated by one single and tragic event … the Texas school massacre has evoked many angry and eloquent messages, but the official indifference to action is staggering … again.
(Bentley’s on a break, he’ll be back next week.)
Kat On A Hot Copper Roof
No, Bob, that’s not what ‘talk to the hand’ means.
In the last parliament, Bob Katter strutted, gurgled and tee-hee-hee’d through the corridors of power, confident in his position as a deal maker or breaker, and he wasn’t wasting the opportunity.
The member for Kennedy was being courted by the Morrison Government to keep him on side if they needed him as a casting vote down the track. That’s how a totally bulldust $5.7billion promise for the Hell’s Gate Dam project featured in Morrison’s desperate election campaign, after Katter made hints of stirring up trouble if he didn’t get what he ‘dam ‘well wanted. Well, The ‘Pie is pretty sure you can kiss that one goodbye, Bob, especially with all those city Greens sitting next to you on the cross benches.
But before that, the Coalition had ponied up various amounts – one tranche of $22million – for Bob’s other pet project, the controversial CopperString power project, a power line linking Mt Isa to the national grid at Woodstock near Townsville. It’s controversial because just like the Hell’s Gate proposal, there are informed detractors who dispute Katter’s claim of cheaper power from CopperString, and they heap scorn on what they see as the sprinkling of fairy dust side projects along the path of the line.
But there’s been little publicity for a side issue … aside issue which may shortly become a front and centre issue.
CopperString’s John and Joseph O’Brien
The CopperString project is owned by John and Joseph O’Brien the brother-in-law and the nephew of Katter, a fact few in the media were much bothered about with the exception of the Financial Review. The respected paper has consistently taken a dim view of that situation, in a couple of articles but to no avail while Morrison was in the Lodge.
But now, Katter’s protector is no longer in the Lodge, and the new power dynamic in Canberra appears certain to push through legislation for an Integrity Commission. And this could have Bob sweating bullets, because this deal-making project has conflict-of-interest in flashing neon lights all over it.
As the Fin Review pointed out in one article, if CopperString eventually gets listed on the ASX after being set up with government money, the O’Briens may very quickly become billionaires. And it would appear all courtesy of the Australian taxpayer.
Here’s where it gets interesting – Those new folks now sitting next to Bob on the cross benches all got there on a platform that included accountability, transparency and integrity. And all, including Labor, want an Integrity Commission. And they’re all educated and intelligent, so Bob’s fabled boofheaded bush charm may suddenly become redundant, if not an actual a liability.
His situation is not helped by son Robbie pushing the barrow at state level, and has manoeuvred Premier Alphabet in Brisbane in the same manner as his dad has done in Canberra, although the Premier’s main promise so far is mostly of the cashless ‘nice noises’ variety, until things move along a bit further. So anyone familiar with Palaszczuk MO knows what that means.
At no stage in The Magpie suggesting that the O’Briens have done anything illegal, or even, as they say in business, ‘sharp’. But if reports are correct that Bob was instrumental in putting them into their position years ago, any Integrity Commission may question any claim that Bob was simply using his position in the interests of his electorate. It certainly isn’t a good look and no amount of tittering, blustering and spraying spittle around will not address.
Senator Susan McDonald
Another pollie acting as a CopperString pom-pom girl is Senator Susan McDonald, and she has already said publicly that she knows her position might look a bit suss because her family owns huge acreage in the Cloncurry area where they run one of the biggest cattle herds in Australia. She says of course they would greatly benefit from the alleged lower power costs from CopperString. But she says that is no reason not to support what she believes is a major stepping stone for industrial and agricultural progress, not just for Queensland but for the whole nation. Which seems fair enough, hobbling a major voice for northern Australia over a matter like this would be self-defeating.
But McDonald is in a different position to Katter, since her family’s holding was well established and in fact there is no reason why they shouldn’t benefit from the project. And there really is no reason why McDonald shouldn’t push for it.
That’s a lot different from deliberately positioning family members to own the project and benefit personally from tens of millions of taxpayer funds sought to set up the project.
This may become a personal climate change issue for Bob, who may be about to find the climate in Canberra is about to get chillier than he is used to.
Speaking Of Integrity
The ethically if not actually corrupt state government will soon enough it’s own questions on integrity to answer, particularly about lobbying activities by certain parties.
Lethbridge in the Courier Mail
Scomo’s Farewell Gesture Sums Up His Base Tenure
It wasn’t meant to be a farewell gesture, it was actually intended to be a brilliant winning strategy by a master marketer but in the end, breaking his own steadfast rules was a fitting send-off.
The man who so dismissively told journalists repeatedly that he didn’t speak about ‘on water’ matters when it came actions relating to asylum seeker boats showed his true deceitful nature on election day. When a boat was intercepted and ‘turn back’ to Sri Lanka on election weekend, against his own previous unwavering protocol, he ordered that the attempted arrival and it’s ‘turn back’ be announced publicly. And in tandem with that, he directed the NSW Liberals to text the news to voters in four key marginal seats. A good old scare campaign at the last minute.
The scare-the-pants-of-‘em ploy spectacularly backfired, with many recipients of the texts later saying they turned against Morrison for the thinly veiled insult to their intelligence. For some Liberals, that last dirty trick ended any lingering reluctance to put in the boot to the man who had led the Liberal lemmings over the cliff.
A senior MP in the now former government tells The Saturday Paper Morrison was “the kind of clever who believes his genius can never be decoded by someone else. Sometimes, that is indistinguishable from the madness of kings. And in his case, Morrison believed his infallibility until the very end. His office enabled it, they briefed it and they injected it into the campaign at every opportunity.
Another one put into more no-nonsense Australianese.
“He fucked us and his fingerprints are absolutely fuckin’ everywhere on that,” a moderate Liberal MP says. “The bloke thinks he is a master strategist. He is a fuckwit.”
But as always, Scott Morrison tried to blame someone else but The Magpie believes it wasn’t just the voters and his former colleagues who were unhappy with him.
And what hope for a party that believes Peter Dutton is the man to bring them back out of the wilderness?
And Even The French Cockerill Is Crowing
The Magpie Is Easily Confused
Tricky things, names. When The ‘Pie inadvertently got the name Kristina Keneally’s conqueror wrong, he was set straight by a reader.
Is There A Power struggle For Control Of The TRRA?
Peter Newey has long been thre guiding conspiracy theorist behind the misnamed Townsville Residents and Ratepayers Association … basically he’s been a one man band. But now, The Magpie has been advised there will be a challenge to his authority. A bloke he said he was Al Foyle contacted The ‘Pie, and without giving too much away, said he was about to unseat newey is a bloodless coup, using a Majorie Taylor Green Jewish Space Laser. he wanted The Magpie to introduce him to what he hopes will be his new audience, and sent in a pic to that end. Good luck, Al, if the cap fits, wear it.
America Home Of The Brave, Land Of The Free? More The Country Of Cowards And The Land Of Slain Children
The statistics are dumbfounding but just these two for now: there have been 27 school shooting in America so far THIS YEAR, the latest massacre of 19 children and two teachers in Texas. And the cowards aren’t the shooters … almost all mentally disturbed and/or evilly influenced teenagers … no, the cowards are those mealy-mouthed Republican senators bought by the National Rifle Association money to do nothing to curb the flow of weapons into the wrong hands throughout the country.
Their reaction to the Texas shooting? Thoughts and prayers, but not a skerrick of outrage or guilt. Thoughts and prayers? The New York Post put that one to bed … 7 long deadly years ago.
Coming And Going, There’s Always A Problem
During the week, this roll through messages appeared on BBC screens during a news bulletin
Outrage, and an apology ensued. Turns out a trainee was learning to use the messaging equipment, and one of his messages was inadvertently put to air. Understandable, but at the other end of the spectrum, why would you let anyone finishing up anywhere near public electronic messaging?
But the best from Scotland.
………
That’s yer lot, join in comments if you like, they run 24/7 and its free. If you can help support the blog to meet its bills, the donate button is below. The ‘Pie will be grateful for any assistance.
It will be interesting to see how far Albo pushes any enquiry into anything Bob does. I’m sure Albo knows everything first hand. Albo has started well but things that involve mates might really push him. It really could be the Greens and Teals that are the new age Don Chipp and the Democrats aka keep the bastards honest. How close they are is presented in this link: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-04/katter-and-albo-take-bromance-to-the-bush-on-power-trip/8869016
On the face of it a reasonable question, KK, and thanks for a good background link. But the odds are surely that Katter is in for a dose of karma.
However, even if Albo wants to continue his bromance with Katter, he may not be able to do much about the CopperString issue. As The ‘Pie sees it, here’s how things have gone, and then will go, down.
Labor has already committed to an integrity commission, and any wavering on that commitment will be met with threateningto disapproval and clout of inter alia Penny Wong and her mean girls in the Senate, and the entire TEAL and Greens brigade. So integrity commission, here we come.
Once it is set up, whoever is appointed run it is supposed to be someone independent of politics – that person will found feeding his/her unicorns and flying pink pigs in the backyard of their gingerbread house at the foot of the Big Rock Candy Mountain. However, it will be that person who will decide matters to be brought before the commission for adjudication and judgement … Albo might just find himself in a bind on this, because he will have effectively lost control of the process (incidentally, the exact reason Palaszczuk is so desperately trying to hold back such an effective state commission). Which is exactly how it should be, and any ‘bromance’ will count for nought.
On top of that, The ‘Pie doubts that Albo would go in too hard to deflect any investigation of Katter … given that Albo’s biggest headache will be the economy in the short to medium term – and Chalmers has already signalled ‘sacrifice’ cutbacks to get back on the rails – having a commission flinging a few turd bombs at Katter will serve as a handy excuse to can further money for CopperString, along with the surely certain nixing of the highly questionable Hell’s Gate imbroglio.
Most people see Katter and his clan (although Robbie does seem to be the keeper of the family marbles) as a bunch of yokels led by a garrulous harmless old galoot, but The Magpie is starting look more closely at the Katter schtick in light of CopperString. It will be interesting to see how Katter adjusts to his new role of humbled bully. He certainly knows the game has changed, and his fellow cross benchers aren’t for turning – so to what extent he realises he is a newly minted feather duster will be fascinating sport to watch. Times have certainly been achangin’ since he gurgled this bullying bit of hubris back in 2017:
“If you have any political skills or brains you know your Government is one by-election away, one by-election away, from needing my or [Nick Xenophon Team MP] Rebekha Sharkie’s vote, and only a very, very foolish person would treat in a cavalier manner, Rebekha Sharkie or myself.”
Well, the Magpie crystal ball is working to the max, with the news yesterday that the Labor Party has formed a Government all by themselves, effectively neutering Katter and all the other hopefuls who THOUGHT they were going to have a chance to get their election promises filled. The first to go will almost certainly be the Hells Gate Dam! Albo is also off to a flying start with the dropping of his major commitment to raise wages by 5.1%! AND they’ve discovered a black hole in the finances of the previous mob,- well what did they hope to find anyway??? Should be a very interesting 3 years ahead!
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/to-hells-and-back-voyage-of-the-dam/news-story/596aba97809200f883dfffe803b83dae
And so it starts. New Treasurer says that the business case for HG needs to be done properly. That can only be seen as code for we need a new BC that says it doesn’t stack up so we can spike the project.
A cynic might suggest the fact that Katter running dead in the story, paves the way for a pay off in the form of Copper String funding. The ALP can fund $2B under their rewiring the nation plan, and give the Greens and Bob a handjob at the same time. The ugliest ménage à trois in the world.
Well said, Steve of Belgian Gardens, TEL in the sights but you can bet The Daily Mulletin won’t say a peep.. Not a ringing endorsement of the Dudley Do Nothings … now they seem to be the Dudley Do Everything Badlys. Massive waste of money in an effort bom produce the commissioned outcome, which is bullshit start to finish. And Bob’s a bit of grifter which he tries to cover with his gurgling fuckwit act … he was never going to make as much if anything out of Hell’s Gate, but Ah…CopperString, that’s a different matter for Katter.
Another great blog Pie . With all the costs , recommendations , fines of the banking royal commission Australia with only a .25 % interest rate increase to .35 % ( N.Z. 2% ) Pop Track Finder has 500 Qld suburbs already under mortgage pressure . What people dont understand is the debt to equity ratio banks work on . You can be compliant with your repayments but if your property values havnt grown like many areas of Townsville ( Pop Track signals out Rasmussen ) then as interest rates go up the increased debt of your property does and you have to supply more equity cash / other assets . If you cant then you have to sell and and hopefully your sale covers your loan . Labor have made lots of promises in many areas which i doubt they can deliver on .
The north west province needs CU2. At the moment those wind farms and solar farms cannot connect to the grid because existing lines cannot handle the capacity.
John O’Brien was an engineer with the old NEA, So his knowledge on energy requirements for that part of Australia is invaluable. He has probably had that vision for a while. Just so happened to marry Bob’s sister.
Quite so, but it is Bob’s activities in terms of conflict of interest that are the subject here. Don’t know about the ‘just happened’ about the marriage, CopperString started to be talked about around 2008/9, didn’t it? No idea when he got married, and it’d be a bridge way too far to suggest CopperString was part motive for the coupling. However, the facts remains, and no slight intended towards the O’Briens.
CUString 2.0 is old tech with remote area, off-grid renewable energy having killed any opportunity for O’Brien Katter clan.
shhhhhh don’t tell anyone. The CU ponzi scheme has been decades in the making.
Go Winton! Suing LGAQ for the complete failure of their thermal power installation. ‘Allegedly’ it has not delivered any power since completion.
Bit like Aaron Harper.
You will note that federal pollies where asked a while back if they would like the laws relating to a new Federal ICAC to apply to acts done in the past. I think , unsurprisingly , that the general answer was no. But they would say that wouldn’t they .
One of he best description of retrospective laws can be found in the decision of Justice Brennan in the Polyukhovich war crime case . That a law is retrospective where –
“ it attaches penalties under Australian municipal law to the doing of an act to which that penalty was not attached when the act was done” https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/cases/cth/HCA/1991/32.html
You will see in s107 of the Qld Criminal Code that many corruption offences in Qld from s99-104 have 2 years imprisonment https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-1899-009#sch.1-pt.3 . That s107 make the time for prosecution of these crimes 1 year from the commission from the commission of the offence. Not from the discovery of the offence which may be years later . s52 of The Justices Act says that crime with 1 years imprisonment have a 1 year limit too. But some offences have a period of 2 https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-1886-017#sec.52
This is why the CCC dropped charges again many who had committed crimes during its Belcarra Inquiry because they had to drop them for people who had escaped by hiding them. P13 -14 https://www.ccc.qld.gov.au/sites/default/files/Docs/Public-Hearings/Belcarra/Operation-Belcarra-Report-2017.pdf An agency that may prosecute aswell refuses to do so.
Any and all time limits for state, territory and federal electoral and dishonesty/misconduct/corruption offences , and all laws dealing with attempts , conspiracies and co-offending and perverting the course of justice relating to them must be abolished by federal law if they are to come under the remit of a federal ICAC. That’s because local ICAC’s are getting nobbled. Again, this is not retrospective because they have always been crimes . But for various reasons, haven’t been detected or prosecuted within time . CTH person who have committed state or territory offences whilst in that jurisdiction could also be picked up under THOSE criminal laws.
Ironically, its Jenny Hills case , where the federal electoral act was found to allow councilors to run for federal elections that will allow this. See LGAQ v Qld [2001] 517 https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/cases/qld/QCA/2001/517.html .
You will see in the definition of constable in the Interpretation section of the CTH Crimes Act, and the entire Part 1AA that , simplified , the CTH can order state and territory cops what to do to https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdb/au/legis/cth/consol_act/ca191482/
Mayor Mullet has been spotted in Darwin. Anyone know if it is in an official capacity, or just winding down her leave balance?
She’s probably on a recruitment drive. She seems to have a penchant for hiring old labor hacks for posts in the ‘Ville.
That could be a comment of amusing commentary or a comment of grim truth. We’ll soon find out … unless she’s there to get some tips on how to sell Townsville Port to the Chinese for her mate Premier Alphabet.
The next round of the V8’s is in Darwin although she is a little early
Probably looking for a new CEO and other staff?
The ‘Pie is waiting for the call. Probably will lose out to Steve of Belligerent Gardens.
Probably just there a bit early for the 2022 Fertilizer Australia Conference at the Darwin Convention Centre.
ALL HAIL DARTH VOLDEMORT
If you want to see one of the best gotchas of all time, have a look at this. These thickos were lapping up every word of it and even applauded a little uncertainly at the end.FMD
https://twitter.com/TheGoodLiars/status/1531019935308304386
And to put an exclamation mark to that, this tweet from Bette Midler.
NRA conference section. What a shocking lot of bullshit !!!! Idiots kill people. I think with fewer guns, fewer idiots will kill fewer people.
Yup, pretty simple really. But the truly unforgivable part is that military grade rapid fire assault weapons are allowed in the hands of civilians of any age. There cannot be any excuse for this in any country claiming sane, responsible leadership.
Yes. What sane or insane John Citizen would have need for such things? Also, Trump’s address to the NRA was sickening.
When I was a kid my parents forbade even the sight of a Falke 50 air rifle ( very common at the time) in our household. I contented myself with old editions ( free) of U.S. magazine ‘ Guns Quarterly’ and marvelled at the fact that an anti aircraft 40mm cannon could be purchased for, Gasp $200! It all started way back then, and it hasn’t gotten any better with assault weapons available to the unhinged! I was shitty when Howard made me give up my guns which had laid dormant for many years, but now believe it was the RIGHT decision. If only we could get the scum to hand in their knives, we might have a chance! Vis. today’s bulletin with a stabbing victim, probably not the only one today!
I seem to remember one Jenny Stirling spruiking Copper String in the media before she left. Wonder what that was all about?
This has nothing to do with this week’s story.
The state government gives Townsville Enterprise $130,000 to do a Masterplan for Magnetic Island. They contract out two companies to consult with the community.
I had a dream last night that this Master Plan was drawn up way before the consultation process.
Can we assume that the two consultation companies are from the deep south because both Townsville Enterprise and Townsville Council assume that Townsville is a talent backwater and everything good has to come from elsewhere?
Our our very own AEC which does seem to be provided with the desired result before they start any job and just build enough justification to make it plausible.
Their slogan *is* “Outcome Driven”, after all.
Finally a comment from Steve that I can get on board with.
The Katters are true blue Australian businessmen and politicians. As usual, the Magpie goes into attack mode on some Aussie icons. Give it a fucking rest Magpie, you tall poppy slayer.
Your comment would’ve been more mature had it addressed and even refuted the issues raised instead of an ad hominem (or ad avian) pointless gurgle. But we’ll put you down as a ‘move along, nothing to see here’ advocate.
Defending the corrupt seems to be a theme for the rusty razor, but we shouldn’t be too hard on it as living with chronic pain can make people bitter and twisted. All that time under desks has damaged its back and knees. And this is an “ad thingiam” attack.
Please note the small helpful edit to make the humour a little more sophisticated … as said before, let reader’s have the satisfaction of adding the punchline.
A man has been charged over a stabbing at The Strand on Monday.
Katie Hall,
Leighton Smith
and
Shayla Bulloch
less than 2 min read
May 31, 2022 – 9:31AM
Townsville Bulletin
Unbelievable Mr. Mag…10 sentences and it took three of this shit newspapers’ “journalists” to write them.
And they all get by-lines.
In my day, you’d kill for a by-line, and, only get one if you commented.
But the last sentence is the “killer.” Obviously these three hacks know nothing about correct tense.
“Charges were yet to be laid.”
Pathetic!
No mention of the Townsville Bulletin/ Daily Astonisher this week. Was that a first?
Are things improving or did it just slip under the radar?
Apparently hasn’t improved … refer comment by Sticky Fingers.
Sticky Fingers is actually Elusive Butterfly, aka No More Dredging, aka Not The ECQ and so the list goes on. The ‘new’ handle sticky fingers is appropriate.
The art of humour includes ‘to imply’ without hitting the reader over the head with a Mr Obvious punchline. Let’s the reader think a bit, then feel clever that they got it. Helped you out with a bit of editing.
Ok, The ‘Pie risks being a goose, but he can’t find the appropriate answer anywhere, so he turns to his always informed readers: where the fuck is all this smoke coming from? Could have a big effect on folks with respiratory vulnerability.
OK goose it is … spor of. It took a lot of blind alleys but finally found something about a controlled burn at Mt Stuart being postponed until tomorrow BUT defence folks were burning on their land up there anyway. Can’t find a single mention in the Bulletin, although in. past seasons, the paper has wet itself over controlled fires. But The ‘Pie is sure Jimmy Olsen will point out where I missed it, or ask what does it matter anyway. Don’t they check the wind direction and make decisions based on that. The ‘Pie is in North Ward, and because of his tractotomy, he is uncomfortably aware of the smokey atmosphere. If it can affect a vulnerable person in a relatively sheltered area from Mt stuart, how will be affecting those in the smoke’s direct path?
https://www.facebook.com/ABCnorthqld
ABC Got it locally
Of course it was a “controlled” burn. You could tell it was going to happen by the gusty high winds hitting the city. But the smoke did make for a lovely sunset, so thanks Defense and Council.
But isn’t the person in charge of local disasters in Darwin at the moment?
The Magpie June 1, 2022 at 10:38 am
But isn’t the person in charge of local disasters in Darwin at the moment?
Just for the sake of clarity should that read “…the person in charge of causing local disasters in Darwin…” or :…the person in charge of managing local disasters in Darwin…”
Asking for a friend.
Thank you for pointing that out, Steve. It was a multiple choice comment … read as one wishes.
So work starts on the $7m Wulguru sewer upgrade in a few weeks time. Long time overdue. And TCC should hang it’s head in shame that it has taken this long to get to a commencement date. Hopefully they pipe the shit back into Jenny Hill and Ponce Ralston’s offices in the CBD, as those two people epitomise what shit is.
The upside to all this is that Townsvill-based Civil Plus Constructions won the contract for this half of the project.
How’s this for Irony in a land where they don’t get Irony
At the recent NRA Convention, the Ammosexuals that attended were prohibited from taking their guns inside!
Sort of blows the theory that “a good man with a gun is the only way to stop a bad man with a gun”
Guns don’t kill. People kill. Don’t blame the gun. I don’t believe in gun restrictions whatsoever. Just because some 18 year old headcase goes troppo it doesn’t mean guns should be banned. I own guns, several in fact, and I believe it to be my right to bear arms. Break into my house and be met with some .223 lead in the forehead. I then go back to sleep and indeed sleep soundly. Gun control = people control, and we all know that the gutless parasitic governments want to control all of us people. Never surrender.
Very amusing. Are you related to Tropical, by any chance? Or one and the same?
But just in case other readers don’t get your humour, some observations to save them sending in replies.
1. Dense as you are (let’s pretend you’re serious) you do NOT have any right in this country to ‘bear arms’ and never have had in the American sense that you are mickimicking like a pimply teenager playing a video game.
2. This willy-waving nonsense about lead to the forehead (it would seem an affliction you suffer yourself – courtesy of cruel nature) will likely result in a murder charge, depending on the circumstances. Manslaughter at least.
3. It would seem on available evidence you have never slept soundly, poor bugger. bet many a mouse has made you shit the sheets.
4. In the case of people like you, the sort of control the government and the community want is called ‘sectioning’ …. they have a special ward for you at the TUH. Or are there already and the doctors have decided it is good therapy for you to work off your frightened thoughts by writing posts like this in between mastabatory sessions.
You are not to bright in your old age Malcom. I am a regular troll here at the Nest and I just managed to annoy you and waste your time with my silly made up comment (I actually do that quite a lot under different pseudonyms) Bahahahahahahha. I do this for giggles and I am giggling now hahahahaha. Old fool.
Well, gosh, you sly devil, didn’t you fool us … not. As previously said, amusing but so save the angst of those not quite up to your shoe size … sorry, IQ level … saved the angst of righting your faux outrage. The guess you are Tropical after all.
… and in your efforts to give The Magpie ‘ell, you missed out one, as in MalcoLm.
Wow, Fake Gunny/Stolen Valour. I never would have thought of using different pseudonyms! How clever of you!
Regards,
Grumpy
…oh shit
Dear ‘Pie,
Perhaps SGH is a member of your international readership, in his case from the land of the elementary school massacre, in which case his comments are normal. Dangerously illogical but normal for many in that tragic country. I expect that SGH is very proud of his bright red baseball cap.
Well, he says he’s a fake and he’s just trying to stir you up. The ‘Pie has always published him on the basis it was someone’s twisted attempt at parody. Now he’s ‘fessed up for some reason. What a spoilsport.
I love this blog each week. So much silly folly.
Magpie, I’ve been away in Brisbane for the past week, and I’ve noticed today that you have some freaks posting on your blog old mate. Full moon? Anyway, I see that The Kid is again calling for transparency in relation to Nanna Anna’s dodgy dealings with the Wagner Mafia over their ‘sweetheart deal’ with Wellcamps ‘day spa for COVID positive internationals’. Anna reckons every other state has a facility that isn’t being used, so we should have one also. What a bunch of dishonest and inept assholes that we have in all levels of Government. FFS.
Malcolm, please accept my sincere apology for being rude and childish.
hmmm … will think about it – heh heh heh
Struth! It never ends. Another mass shooting.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-02/oklahoma-police-mass-shooting-medical-building-tulsa/101119704
At least the Tulsa police didn’t fuck around counting cattle under big hats and small hearts. They nailed the prick on sight. And the local police chief proved to be as deductive as Sherlock holmes, when he old the media:
“We also found who we believed to be the shooter, and still believe to be the shooter, because he had a long rifle and a pistol with him,” Captain Meulenberg added.
He was probably acutely aware of the stick the Texas cops are getting for being spectators at the horrendous event there last week. This is just one example of the scorn they are deservedly getting.
These lunatics who are going on shooting rampages in the USA are the same lunatics who supported Trump during his disastrous tenure in office. They are of the same ilk as the far-right Australian fringe dwelling psychopaths. The world has gone mad. Well, except for the people of Belgian Gardens.
And while you’re at it, you should stop writing comments under my name, Pie, it looks obsessive.
Now, now, Stephanie, wring out your hanky and listen to Uncle Pie. The Magpie has NEVER used another commenters name to have his say. Why would he? It is only dingbats like you, Amanda et al, who indulge in such juvenality. But just as a matter of interest, Steph, care to point out any comment under your name that you think The ‘Pie would be happy to be associated with. There’s your challenge for today … now go away and finishing your anguished blubbering in private, it’s getting embarrassing.
Stevie, haven’t you got some washing machine filters that need cleaning? Lint buildup can cause a fire. Also, some of the coo slots on the laundromat are refusing to accept $1 coins. Please attend to these matters urgently.
Yep – we definitely need something more tangible than thoughts and prayers to address this decline in social rectitude. Something like say #hashtags and focus groups, which seems to work for domestic violence & homicide.
When The ‘Pie saw the first tweet, he simply didn’t believe it, put it down to fake news and deliberate disinformation. But turns out it is accurate … the American government and more specifically, the individual states, can deliberately and knowingly put to death – i.e. can murder – innocent people without any retribution.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-supreme-court-just-said-in-in-shinn-v-ramirez-that-evidence-of-innocence-is-not-enough
And just to add another veneer of human indignity in our society, not much was made of it in the media when the details of the judgement were released last week because of the Amber Heard/Johnny Depp media circus. Says a lot about us as humanity.
The ’Pie now thinks a legal mate has been right all along – a kind of civil war is now inevitable.
Forget ‘something evil this way comes’ … it’s here. The only way Biden can combat this (can’t sack the life-appointed SCOTUS justices) is to appoint five or six sane non-religious judges to sit alongside the current fascist zealots and block this heinous decision making. The ‘Pie isn’t positive, but believes there is no limit to the number of judges that can sit on the court.
America, the land of the free. A democratic nation where the rights of all people are respected. A nation where freedom, liberty and justice prevails. NOT. What an abomination they have turned into.
America, a nation that has indebted its people by trillions of dollars so as to please the military industrial complex while its constituents face poverty, crime and unrest while navigating fucked infrastructure and a decimated moral fabric.
America, a land where the medical system is completely rooted, a land where everyone has a university degree and the associated debt however the only jobs are at Walmart or Starbucks on $3.00 per hour.
America, a nation where the people look up to the Kardashians and the make believe pretenders and pedophiles of Hollywood. As their role models.
I agree with the Magpie, America is a nation that is just one pull of the trigger away from complete civil unrest. Tick tick tick tock…..
Home of the brave! Land of the free! Pharq!!
Sorry Pie, but your sensible proposal of introducing balance to the SCOTUS is not permitted under the US constitution.
The Supreme Court was created by Article III of the United States Constitution, which stipulates that the “judicial power of the United States, shall be vested in one Supreme Court,”[7] and was organized by the 1st United States Congress. Through the Judiciary Act of 1789, Congress specified the Court’s original and appellate jurisdiction, created thirteen judicial districts, and fixed the number of justices at six (one chief justice and five associate justices).[8][9]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_justices_of_the_Supreme_Court_of_the_United_States
Incorrect on two counts, Heel. There are currently nine Justices (one chief, the rest indians) on the current SCOTUS.
And the number of justices can be changed by Congress. This from Brittanica:
Basically, the U.S. Constitution grants Congress the power to determine how many justices sit on SCOTUS. This number has ranged between 5 and 10, but since 1869 the number has been set at 9. And the number of justices on the Supreme Court has been politically manipulated over the years.
But this course is unlikely to be open to Biden at present, with the Republicans holding sway in Congress. That might change after the up-coming mid-terms.