But while the handsome old Townsville Station is going under the hammer, it will never be going under the wrecking ball …
He’s got no excuse now … Premier Crisafulli gets a reality check while in Townsville for Anzac Day.
An explainer: why footy man Andrew Johns can easily be mistaken for the Dali Lama … The Magpie defends a tiny Bulletin mix-up.
A local magistrate gets the Quote of the Week Award.
And who said right wingers political dingbats can’t occasionally be funny … and accurate. Fox News’ Megyn Kelly is devastating when demolishing that girly ‘space’ trip. Never knew the truth to be so hilarious.
Care to help keep The Nest top of the tree with a donation to meet the never ending costs of putting this weekly load of old cobblers together? The donate button is at the bottom of the blog.
The Costs Of The Wedgwood Exhibition Is No Storm In A Teacup … Is It A Massive Crock?
The ‘Pie brings this up on learning that not only has the council accessed $340,000 to stage the Wedgwood display at Perc Tucker, but on top of that, rate and tax payers who have unwritten this niche elitist exercise are slugged a $12 entry fee, (it’s up to $30 for out-of-town visitors). It is inconceivable, at least to The Magpie, that this local slug can actually be justified in any shape or form.
While it can’t all be populist footy and petrol fumes that get the public funds, there still has to be a demonstrated demand for anything underwritten by the public … even the fact of a $25 slug to have a gander at what are undeniably beautiful artistic pieces (if that’s what snaps your elastic) smacks of a ‘let them eat cake’ attitude.
This is an unjustified exercise all round, but especially given the parlous state of the council’s finances, and the whopping rates that are demanded to try and shore up the Walker Street’s piggy bank against calls for a forensic audit.
At the very least, the community deserves an explanation about how this venture was chosen. What data suggested there was some sort demand? Because people are a bit bewildered by this and aren’t happy at all with such irresponsible expenditure. If the councillor for the arts lobby, Liam Mooney, would have the grace to sent us his side of the story, it will be published unedited.
Anything wannabe mayor Foodtrucks Greaney has to say could not be trusted, since in other matters she has shown top be both dishonest (the Kelly Street dump on Maggie) and totally out of touch with community sentiment and concerns (Strand Parking meters.)
Anyone Wanna Buy A Railway Station?
According to obscure documents spotted by an alert reader tucked away in a bureaucratic data library (State Government Surplus Properties Report for local councils) earlier this month, this beautiful old building was declared surplus to requirements by owners Queensland Rail.
But good luck to potential buyers interested only in the land … the building is quite correctly listed on the Queensland Heritage Register, so it’s protected under Queensland heritage laws. But it would be nice if the piece of government architectural excreta, the later add-on next to it, met a wrecking ball … this is an insult to the eye as much as the police station on Charters Towers Road.
This is one instance where Heritage laws are completely justified, unlike the North Rail Yards along the road a bit where a similar order is in force.
This crumbling, historically neglected rat-infested site covered in derelict tin-roofed iron eyesores of no real historic value is deemed to be of heritage value to Townsville. Which is a cruel joke. But it means contractor Brad Webb will have to accommodate these silly, decaying sheds into any plans he has for the site once he’s gone through the utterly over-stated nonsense of land decontamination.
Just A Though In The Area Of Public Design
If we are to eventually get a pointless) bridge linking the Strand with South Townsville, perhaps proponents could look for inspiration at the award winning Alfred Street Bridge in Parramatta, the first true diagonal arch bridge in Australia. Admittedly this bridge is for pedestrians, cyclists and scooters but the design also points to aesthetics, something Townsville seems to be generally lacking.
The Parra bridge came in at just under $20m, and a road traffic bridge, which will be of similar length, would cost a bloody lot more, for a number of reasons, two being , well, this is Queensland, and this is Townsville. But The’Pie’s point is, that for relatively very ,little extra, there could be a striking design element of the sort that the twits at the Bulletin will start calling iconic from day one. And a memorable design would go a long way to brighten up the city’s image, indeed give us something else to hang our image on besides Castle Hill. If we have to have a bridge there, make it work for the image as well as the practical imperatives.
PS. And while we’re here, surely this council which is so generous with wasteful grants to all sorts events and organisations can find a few lousy grand to enhance Palmer Street by painting that dreary red rusty brown marine buoy at the intersection of Palmer and Plume. It would cost the equivalent of about a third of a meter of a Lansdown access road.
What A Time To Do The Crime
The Magpie admits he perhaps uses the word ironic overmuch, but hey, he pleads what else when you live in this city, in this world and in this age.
So yes, it was ironic that with Premier Kid Crisafulli in town for Anzac Day ceremonies that this happened.
As they say, you couldn’t make it up … a stolen RAM ute (another irony, given what the police feared) on a rampage a few streets away from Thuringowa Drive posed a threat to the gathered crowds who were hastily moved well back.
But perhaps the upside is that Premier Crisafulli was in the city when this happened … no time, no day, no event is respected by these hoodlums … and this could serve as a reality check of life and crime in a real scenario. One wonders if this galvanised the tough talking Premier into considering tougher powers for police, and stronger directives to the judiciary about greater public protections from this scourge.
The Magpie Could Not Have Said It Better
The quote of the week goes to Magistrate Steven Mosch when dealing with this discombobulated dingbat.
The developmentally delayed idiot in question was Andrew Robert Paterson, one of those tedious sovereign citizen fuckwits (wonder if he’s a member of MyPlace?). The court heardThe court heard Paterson identifies with the anti-social, quasi-evangelical beliefs of a ‘sovereign citizen.’
Paterson’s litany of offending – including using a slingshot to keep police at bay, (that’s the shooting at police bit) drew him a three month suspended jail sentence, a $3500 fine and lost his licence for two years. In handing down the sentence, Magistrate Mosch said “I acknowledge Mr Paterson identified as a sovereign citizen and he has strong views about it. Some might argue it’s an intellectual disability.”
No argument here, yerronner.
Speaking Of Intellectual Disabilities ….
You’ll recall last week, we asked if Jeff Bezoz had pranked the world with his all gal ‘space’ venture’, because of the dildo shaped rocket that took five women into a high altitude jaunt … (it was hardly space). At a time of tragedy and disaster in the world, this was one of the few stories which because of its grossness, lent itself to savage humour and spoof.
But the best put-down of the air-headed pretension of the travelling dingalings came from an unexpected source …
The far right wing Fox News star Megyn Kelly was interviewed on Sky News by Paul Murray, when she came up with this scorchingly funny acid burn that this silly event provoked. And hardly any jokes (but don’t miss the one about Bezoz sex fantasy timing), it was mainly just the simple truth, laughingly told.
BTW, Ms Kelly has an interesting view about Larry David accusing Bill Maher of ‘dining with Hitler’ when he visited the White House. ‘Unspoken Jewish rule is never talk about Hitler’., quoth the shiksa Kelly. That gunna be big news to around roughly a gazillion Jewish comedians over the years.
Nice One, Harry
Lots of words and pictures about Pope Francis over the week, with the overwhelming reaction from all sectors agreeing that he was a compassionate, reforming influence on the Church. There will always be argument when someone of great influence dies, but The ‘Pie thought the majority feeling that rose above earthly schisms was beautifully captured by Harry Bruce in the Bulletin.
An Understandable Mix-Up
The Magpie’s self-appointed role as Chief Scold of the Daily Astonisher doesn’t generally allow for excuses but does admit to reasons for cock-ups … usually the reason is unsupervised, illiterate kids behind the keyboard – mostly in the digital area, where mistakes are often caught before going into print but aren’t corrected in the original.
Like this for instance, from the bulging ‘Alleged’ file.
Sigh. Alleged means unproven and not yet supported by any facts, so whoever wrote this is actually claiming that the writers of the court calendar may be lying and there might not be any case against this bloke at all. It’s a sort of ‘sez you’ accusation. This bit of ignorance, the result of lazy misinterpretation, was caught before the main story was put together, which explained that the man charged was (correctly) alleged to be the perp. and was yet to be convicted of it.
But there are sometimes reasons beyond simple ignorance , reasons that explain but do not excuse stuff-ups. For instance, take this regular On This Day op-ed filler in Tuesday’s Astonisher.
Second last item was this ….
But the picture referred to was this one. And no matter how many in the Hunter region think Andy J is the messiah, that ain’t him.
But wait …. to be fair, this was understandable mistake because only close followers of Andrew Johns’ career know that when he’d finished playing for Newcastle, he played a final year on contract for the Lhasa Lions in Tibet. His performance in their grand final against the Kabul Kunts earned him a coveted Dali M Award.
Hence the understandable photographic confusion.
Amerika: Another Week When The TrumpMobile Went Into Reverse
‘Walking something back’ is the weaselly euphemism for flip-flopping on an issue. Not so much changing one’s mind, but being forced to go back on a blustering claim. The mathematically challenged Trump has been back-pedalling faster than a circus unicyclist. Suddenly realising he might end of with a phoneless country, he has had an embarrassing backdown about his idiotic tariffs on certain Chinese goods. He hasn’t quite worked out that now China knows what sort of shit he’s in over mobile phone components, Beijing now has a massive mallet to to whack him with. And his role as Putin’s useful Idiot is coming into the daylight as well, as well as challenges to his callous immigration agenda.
Next Cab Of The Vatican Rank?
But he has some stiff competition. There was a time when you’d instantly know that this was a joke front page … but nowadays, not so sure …
More Proof That As A Species, We Are Fucked …
Well, at least it didn’t cost the punters $340K.
Hard To Come To Grips With
The web pests tried to get The ‘Pie to buy a pair of stretch pants with this pictorial demonstration, which seemed a tad ambiguous.
But an alternative pic leaves little latitude. But what makes these people think I have. a hernia.
Which also reminds The ‘Pie of the funniest cryptic crossword clue of the week: ‘Sounds like dad’s vasectomy turned him into a vegetable’.
Answer: Parsnip.
Boom tish.
…
Bit short this week, just letting this bullshit election slide by, we’ll get whatever we’re going to get. Which is also how The ‘Pie feels about your generosity in supporting the blog with a donation. Necessary button to click is below.
You might want to check the link to Megyn Kelly piece on the earth shattering space trip, the link took me to a random YouTube channel called “watch”, people might think you have lost the plot completely
Any plot The Magpie ever had was safely stored and undiscovered with the Dead Sea Scrolls. It’s now in a museum somewhere, still untranslated.
Dunno what happened with the link but hopefully now amended, try now.
I just googled and there it was.
Decades ago I was trapped in the british education system in a primary school called drayton green. We used to watch various programmes at school meant for school children (with their teacher) .
In those days school children were forced to drink an white, oily , stinking fluid delivered in small glass bottles – everyone at school was relived when Thatcher banned it, it was one of the few good things she ever did. At lunch time we’d throw bricks at each other, swing long bits of timber at heads and take part in monumental full contact battles with stones and stinging nettles involving hundreds of kids (?)
Periodically the BBC would turn up to the school to film sound bites for various programmes. One of them we’d watch was called, “Watch”. Out of nowhere, our class teacher , a highly unstable if not psychopathic lady that slapped our faces, hit us with rulers, stripped us and dragged us naked down the corridor for P.E. decided we were going to learn a play – i was worried as were others as the announcement was met with a silence.
The play would be about the Exodus from Egypt, she decided i was to play Moses – Moses had to learn a lot of lines, failure would not be tolerated. I remember one day as the teacher read aloud to her charges the grisly details of the Assyrians ( they would impale and flay their enemies alive – she took us to the british museum to see the stuff they’d taken out of iraq). a girl called Ruby sat near her sighed. She stopped , put the book in her lap, turned and viciously slapped her across the face. With this in mind I realised that the position of Moses was dangerous and would face Pharaoh’s wrath. I was able to renegotiate my position to Aaron his brother.
The BBC turned up and filmed this play for “watch” , i got a few seconds cheering from the sidelines as the Egyptians copped it sweet by the Red Sea, happy as everyone that with the end of filming the danger was finally over.
Around that time Pink Floyd’s “the wall” came out and would be loudly recalled in unison by hundreds of primary school kids – probably for good reason.
Watch.
That explains SO MANY things.
Got a little worried when you mentioned the BBC turning up to film all the kids. Thought it was going to be a whole other story!
I call bullshit
It sounds far fetched Kenny but its all true, I remember one male teacher, in primary school – a shorter man with an affable personality but with a sadistic side, explosive temper. He had powerful body odor, ostentatious blonde afro ( for a white man ) and platform shoes to give him some height. Remember, this was the 70’s Kenny the teachers OPENLY hated the kids , they didn’t need to use “the rules” and “deodorant” in the passive aggressive way as they do now, they were chain smokers – hard drinkers – and the kids drank too.
He went over the edge in the classroom one day.
Contextually , the kids were out of control , fights would break out daily everywhere, chairs would be thrown across the classroom, if you were caught you’d got sent home.
One day he was up the front of the class and some kid called Darren was sitting back on two legs , he told him to sit forward a few times, the kid gave him some cheek. With a swift leg swipe the legs get swept away by the teach’ and Darren goes sprawling on the floor.
Up to that point his face was red, now it was ghostly white, snatching up the chair swinging it over his head pub fight style; he towered over darren – yellow eyes bulged and in the silence of the classroom i noticed a single sickly bead of sweat running down his cheek ; you could see the clockwork in his brain doing the calculation, could he get away with it ? Would his deputy head position be compromised? He was an inch away from bringing the chair down ,Darren was a mouthy git anyway – we all were.
In your case, Guy, wrong tense.
Are you sure you were at school and not in Juvenile Detention. I still call bullshit and yes, I was in the public education system throughout the 70’s.
Actually, Kenny, The ‘Pie thought Borstal.
There may be an issue with the Megyn Kelly video clip. When I clicked on it I got gibberish.
Hopefully fixed, try now. Thanks for the heads up.
Pie,
The link to Sky News is going to a YouTube about personal perfection.
Dunno what happened there, but have redone. Try now.
Did Troy boy dress up and wear is service medals at this years ANZC ceremony? After all, he served his country and served time with the SAS.
Saw him at The Strand wearing the same medals as last ANZAC day on the right side, in a grey suit, he was surrounded by some mates from a football team, he copped a bit, not as much as I expected, but didn’t say a thing, he just smiled and waved, the narcisistic prick! My mate said he approached him at the remembrance wall before the ceremony, he was at his dad’s plaque, so he didn’t say anything to him, instead he just moved on. No Michelle in sight, just 6-7 blokes with him, 2 were in uniform.
Megyn Kelly and Bill Maher both clutched their pearls about comparing Trump to Hitler because they have no real defence. Larry David is the most Jewish man who ever lived, and part of a long tradition of Jewish comics using Hitler to make comedic points. He’s also smarter than Maher and can see that normalising Trump is abetting him in the destruction of US democracy and freedom around the world.
Maybe the old railway station could be turned into a hotel ?
Maybe you’d call it “The Station Hotel” ?
Sensible suggestion Guy, just don’t do it again, (make a sensible suggestion), it’ll ruin your reputation as a MRL (monster raving looney)!
Would make a good rail museum, for schools and tourists.
Another quite sensible suggestion that ticks more than one box is the building could be converted into a 200 seat concert hall. Imagine an arts venue in such a beautiful setting … and the money that could be saved. Available night time parking less than 100 metres away.
Probably too sensible for the Goths in charge of this sort of thing, though.
How about we turn it into a giant shopping mall with the major tenant “Platform Shoes” ?
The new pills not working yet, Grumps?
Great idea Pie! Wonderful building. Lovely setting. Fuck the cost of renovations. That building is like a memorial to our times. At my age, memories from almost 80 years.
A performing arts space would be perfect for this site. 200-300 seats. Smaller than the Civic and more spacious and versatile than Dancenorth. There would be plenty of demand. Amateur and youth theatre performances and programmes, cultural performances, chamber and musical performances, maybe a recording studio to rent, cafe/s on the platform and a space for buskers etc. I’m sure it would be utilised by local and regional performing arts and music schools/groups to rent. It may be a good small step in revitalising our city centre. An easy stroll to City lane as well. Ive often thought that providing beautiful public spaces in the city e.g decent museum, galleries, theatres, interactive childrens playground and of course our Reef HQ, all within a 1k area will be what will save our city centre. Bricks and morter retail spaces will not draw people to the CBD. The days of city retail centres are over. Recent visits to the UK and US and noticed plenty of regional cities similar in size to Townsville and sadly, equally as bleak. Boarded up and abandoned high streets and malls were to be seen all over. The towns which were most enjoyable all had public performing spaces, gardens, museums and galleries with cafes and a few retail spaces to cater to the increased foot traffic.
No I’m still getting the hotel vibe from the railway station, the best hotels have a history behind them. There’s ample PARKING, which is perfect for a building like this. As a hotel the railway would be used in a practical way that makes money and brings jobs rather than another sterile building housing – “art” or “performances”.
You’d should be able to section off parts of the building for rooms – as a crazy Idea – get some railway carriages, put them on the rails still there and turn them into accommodation. A hotel would bring round the clock customers to the CBD, they could walk to the stadium, walk to the entertainment complex or walk into the CBD proper.
The great Northern hotel could be made over to be a hotel again , you need to get bodies into the CBD.
A lot of these buildings get made over in the end. Having lots of smaller hotels with character in the CBD is better than art galleries and auditoriums that don’t work. You can utilise all that parking for the customers of the premises ( paint up the street around the great northern as customer parking and / or use the parking space around the railway station.
No.
The Townsville Museum has been after space in this building for years but without success. It’d certainly get them out of their current cramped building which regularly floods adjacent to the Townsville Ambulance Station on Hugh Street.
That Wollongong sculpture prizewinner brings back memories of that butt ugly piece of junk on The Strand that Cr Greaney thought was worth $90,000 of ratepayers’ money.
By the way, your “coveted Dali M Award” wins Quip of the Year.
Went to the footy last night. Great win by the Cowboys, however there was another winner announced on the big screen. One ‘Brody Phillips won the 50/50 draw to the tune of $22,000. If it’s our councillor, will he contribute to council coffers?
Why?
Because envy! That’s why.
So? He bought an entry, he won
“BRING IT ON”
Tomorrow’s front page headline in the Bulletin/Courier Mail Mr. Pie?
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-26/crisafulli-hits-back-taunting-thugs/105219528
A rather childish and foolish response from Crisafulli.
This is not a contest Mr. Premier, it is a criminal disease that has contaminated QLD.
It has festered since you came into power, despite your ineffectual promises.
People all over the State are suffering, and, you want to “Bring It On?”
Grow up and do your job!
“It has festered since you came into power, despite your ineffectual promises.”
Utter fucking bullshit you shallow one eyed moron!
Aboriginal youth crime hit my house in a minor way and my neighbours in a big way, three times in the one week 17 years ago. ABORIGINAL YOUTH CRIME HAS BEEN FESTERING FOR A GENERATION!
The teenage snots back then are probably grand parents by now, inculcating their sprogs with the same disrespect for other people’s property that they have.
Cristifulli is the first to have a go at making the community safe, with a long way to go. A pox on do nothing Annie Puddleduck.
You, you ignorant insect, are part of the politically correct pox that prevented this disease from being stamped out at its inception.
I would love to see you at Ford’s Theatre.
That boy needs therapy
Purely psychosomatic
The ‘Pie thought long and hard before leaving in his last line – but the humorous way of suggesting a serious act won the day – also, it’s fantasy across centuries.
Good on him. I don’t hear Miles supporting victims of crime. There’s only one way to deal with these fuckwits and Crisafulli is heading in the right direction.
EB I respectfully suggest you are incorrect.
– from the Courier Mail
The number of children committing serious offences has dropped by a third in three months – the first evidence the state’s landmark “adult crime, adult time” laws are working.
Government figures show a 32 per cent drop in cases against children charged with at least one of an initial 13 offences included in the new laws, with 1359 cases lodged between December 13 and March 28 – down 756 cases on the same period the year prior.
EB,
So how did that go for you ?
No Mike Douglas again this week. Very unusual. Is he at school taking writing lessons and too busy to post?
Having trouble ungluing his finger from the spacebar .
Good to see some observations of the going’s on of the local council and some background on the players thereof seems like they are hanging on against the inevitable. The railyards should be demolished yes it has rustic appeal and could provide a sheltered space but really it is decrepit and probably beyond salvaging. The railway station should be kept but what use it could have as a going concern? the extension should be demolished as well as a few other eye biters around the town.
There’s a difference between rustic and rusty.
And a 200 seat auditorium for music, plays et al is an idea that is growing in The ‘Pie’s imagination.
At $200+ per ticket you might get an act worth going to see. Waaaaaaaay tooooooo small.
It’s an art gallery looking for some art.
So what acts will you get for the planned modern 200 seat concert hall? By any standard, even with our population, a 200 seat venue is mainly niche use … but packed out during the CMF.
Political fund-raisers perhaps. Small but lucrative niche market
It’s quite a narrow building, do you think there would be a big enough auditorium space? Also, is 200 big enough to be worth doing?
200 is the number The ‘Pie has seen given for the concert hall, and as for space, it may call for some architectural brilliance. Also, if that god-awful addendum building is included in any sale, it could be incorporated and linked internally. But these are all just questions, in a conversation worth having. Because it goioves Townsville a chance to be innovative, create something unique and show some vision.
This would appear to be a different figure from the 1,000 referenced in the publicly released business case. Even the smaller auditorium associated with it was 300.
OK, let’s make it 300. But there have been many permutations put forward, and there is no reason hy this one involving the old railway statioin cannot be credibly added to the mix.
You sound a little negative there, Z, do you not think it a good idea?
would be a great Conservatorium for the arts. stop young people having to go to Brisbane.
It’s a great building, and it will be good for something innovative. I also would like to see a concert hall. I’m just not certain if this is the best fit.
North Yard workshops would make a good location for a market place like Rusty’s in Cairns. Might help bring some life back into the city.
Agreed, but the economics i.e the value of the site is against the otherwise sensible idea. Also, CBD traders may not like competition for Cotters, if it brings people to them (which I don’t know).
Northern Railyards is Brad Webbs legacy project, all his museum pieces etc. He is refurbishing all the steel, rolling his own roof sheets and it will be a viable large museum, with markets, restaurants and food traders. That aligned with the 3 other sites now subdivided, where there will be an office tower, and two high rise accommodations, linking a boardwalk to the centre and stadium.
Brads plans are incredible and very much ready to go, he secured free rates (20-30 years) from council by taking on the trunk infrastructure himself, now it’s making sure the NRY board is moving the same way. For a $20k railways purchase , it has secured $70M so far, plus $20M in infrastructure, Webby’s legacy is secure, as with the trains, fire engines etc, it’ll be the go to our tourism and city.
Not sure how you know all this, Derek, but that makes sense, The Magpie understands Webbb has one of the best private car museums in north Queensland, if not the state.
And although it always fashionable to knock success and particularly successful developer/builders, if anyone can get NRY done in a credible manner, based on track records, it would be one Brad Webb.
@Magpie, I worked with him, he’s a good man, and loves Townsville, his car collection amongst other items is worthy of such a site. The work he has done on Webb drive is a testament to the man, even after the covenants have expired, it’s his team that maintain his development area, trees, drains etc, I’m certain it’ll be well maintained for years to come, that’s why I’m certain NRYwill be so successful!
Have a great week.
No argument here.
Hey Derek, perhaps you can tell us about his recycled water project at Mt St John
Stop being a prick teaser, Ducky. What about it?
I’m sure Derek can fill us all in since he has intimate details of Brad “Fucking” Webb’s business. And if you’ve fucking met him, you’ll know he fucking likes to fucking drop an f’ bomb or ten.
What’s a fucking ‘f’ bomb?
Linda Reynolds has impeccable timing. Launching legal action against the government over Brittany Higgins a week out from an election. Most people had forgotten about this, despite findings that Walter Sofronoff engaged in corrupt conduct over his handling of the inquiry.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-25/linda-reynolds-legal-action-commonwealth-brittany-higgins/105217660
Oh, Ducky…talk about cherry-picking. What about the rest of his unchallenged findings? And since when is wanting to get into Janet A’s pants corrupt?
Was curious what Ducky said about Janet A, couldn’t recall a mention and couldn’t find any reference. help us out, grumps.
By the way, answer from The Magpie’s point of view is it would not be corrupt but for The Magpie, academic anyway … nowadays, the cage door is open but the beast is asleep.
Correction: The Wedgewood exhibition is $12 for a local adult.
And for a non-local adult? Name and address checked at the door?
Reality check Magpie, even the museum checks if you’re local or not
You select your postcode on the ticket page. Are you going to correct your story?
This statement is simply untrue.
“The ‘Pie brings this up on learning that not only has the council accessed $340,000 to stage the Wedgwood display at Perc Tucker, but on top of that, rate and tax payers who have unwritten this niche elitist exercise are slugged a $25 entry fee, according to Nest reader.”
Secondly, the $340,000 comes from the existing arts budget, it’s not new money.
Whether or not it’s a good use of money is definitely up for the debate but it’s worthwhile getting the details correct.
Oh, do stop mincing about fluttering your hands, Simon, you’ll do yourself a mischief and need a stiff Midori Slipper to calm yourself. Appropriately amended.
I did expect you to get so defensive about a simple correct. Good work though.
Stop pouting.
So Simon, where does the arts budget come from?
FYI
The entry fee to the “Wedgwood: Artists and Industry” display at the Perc Tucker Regional Gallery in Townsville is $5-$30. Additionally, there are specific events like the Gala opening and floor talk with associated entry fees: $60 for the Gala and $40 for the floor talk.
How admission cost comes about is a mystery, for the $5 – $30 range.
Can you all put this BS to bed.
A very selective choice of ticket. And still too much after the ‘locals’ havve been stiffed $340,000 for the show … should be free for locals.
A ignorant lack of simple foresight, imagination and professional coordination involving this exhibition recently highlighted what is best termed The Townsville Malady.
While the local buffoons were sending themselves herograms full of unproven fanciful claims of success about the embarrassing cruise liner program ….
… The Magpie discovered an example of just what a uncoordinated clusterfuck we have in charge of this city and our money (as if we didn’t know already).
On Easter Monday, one of the largest of the visiting cruise ships, the Norwegian Sun, paid us a visit. Now, being a public holiday, what to do in Townsville, which is a tough gig even on fully operational days? I know, how about that Australian exclusive, the Wedgwood Display at the Perc Tucker Gallery. You won’t see it anywhere else except London. An entry fee of $25/$30 would be well worth it. Have a bus standing by to make sure the gallery could be quickly accessed. That would pull a massive crowd of out-of-town punters who have to pay the top whack (locals apparently get away with just $12.)
But no, ‘fraid not.
You see, the gallery is closed on Mondays and public holidays, so it was a double whammy, no way Jose. As the gallery has loftily declared in the past, it would only open on Mondays’ if a paying group of customers had booked.’
Put as gently as can be, this is an example of the deep unprofessionalism, uncoordinated and lazy performance of TEL, the TCC and the gallery.
Did not a single person have a light bulb moment, especially the tourism goofs at TEL, that this was a great opportunity to get a nice wad of tourist money to help defray the costs of the exhibition (which is faring VERY poorly by all accounts from mall traders.) Did no one think to get the council to stump up for a few hours of one-off overtime to enhance that much gibbered ‘visitor experience’? Didn’t occur to she of the permanently vacant grin, Lisa Woolfe? Or her boss, the perpetually voguing for the camera Claudia Ms B-S Brumme Smith, or Foodtrucks Greaney maybe (after all she appointed herself to the scandalous ‘events panel’). Could not Ms Woolfe have contacted the cruise ship to advise passengers of the one-off unique treat that awaited them? Could not Foodtrucks Greaney have ordered the gallery to open for the unique opportunity?
Put as gently as can be, this is an example of the deep unprofessionalism, uncoordinated and lazy performance of TEL, the TCC and the gallery. That’s the long version of clusterfuck.
Did not a single person have a light bulb moment, especially the tourism goofs at TEL, that this was a great opportunity to get a nice wad of tourist money to help defray the costs of the exhibition (which is faring VERY poorly by all accounts from mall traders.)? No one think to get the council to stump up for a few hours to enhance that much gibbered ‘visitor experience’? Didn’t occur to she of the permanently vacant grin, Lisa Woolfe? Or to her boss, the perpetually voguing-for- the-camera Claudia Ms B-S Brumme Smith? Foodtrucks Greaney maybe (after all she appointed herself to the scandalous ‘events panel’)? Could not Ms Woolfe have contacted the cruise ship to advise passengers of the one-off unique treat that awaited them? Could not Foodtrucks Greaney ordered the gallery to open for the bonanza, which would have the spin-off of boosting the tourism-based shops in the struggling CBD (who opened because of the ship despite the holiday).
No not one bloody word, not a single fucking spark.
We can just shrug off this whole matter and mutter ‘stiff cheddar’, but as a symbolic example of the Townsville Malady, you couldn’t get better. And it’s bound to be repeated again and again until we get some truly professionals people involved.
And speaking of gibberish, try this on for size, from a Port executive who does a fine line in incomprehensible and embarrassing child-speak to adults.
Really, I mean, FFS!! A probably, easily amused retarded child with a helicopter mum throwing a frisbee to a dog!?! And all those chats and trips in private cars .., sooner or later, the smart money that is going to turn out to not be such a friendly experience in this town when our admirable youth cotton on to the possibilities.
And of course, the Astonisher accepts all these highly doubtful, unproven claims without a murmur.
And to think these are the people who will decide on the distribution of a $1m+ kitty to attract events here.
Can we not find at least one professionally competent person to add to the rapacious food chain at this ratepayer funded trough?
The council could install a docking meter for cruise ships to make some extra revenue. The departing passengers would be met by some TCC officials and hustled into vans with blacked out windows to keep’em guessing. After an hour or so the sliding door is pulled back and they stumble out squinting into the precious sunlight and forced at gunpoint into the wedgewood exhibition (everyone’s given a free copy of the bulletin).
The group is walked back to the Port and treated to a bum fight in Flinders mall as a thank you and goodbye.
That’s the spirit, Guy. Back to your MRL (monster raving looney) self!
Come on Guy, share the drugs you’re on. Sounds like a great trip.
Kenny if you saw a fraction of what I think you’d seriously worried.
Think we already are, Guy.
Thanks for the correction – I looked at the first price on the list “Standard General Admission Adult”, assumed that it applied to me, and thought stuff that, and closed the page.
Maybe PTRG should advertise that locals are discounted?
Also, this makes the exhibition even less likely to break even.
Outside of metropolitan blockbusters, art shows rarely break even, but they’re usually not meant to, politicians allow such things to raise the cultural tenor of their office.
So listing the railway station on the State Government Surplus Properties Report for local councils is only the first step in selling it.
It looks like the local council gets first dibs.
Is anyone in council motivated to take on this asset and keep it in public hands? We lost the customs house back in the day.
https://www.statedevelopment.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/32383/land-transaction-policy.pdf
I still say turn it into a hotel. The prison from “midnight express” in istanbul was turned into a four seasons hotel ( i rented out a room on the same street near it). All you’d do is liase with the new owners to maintain its character.
Rather than build another monstrosity just repurpose existing charismatic buildings into viable businesses. I saw in the news Scots college in Sydney had created a new wing using older architecture that people want to look and interact with – rather than creating another soulless box that’s destruction will be celebrated.
As a further thought – maybe they shouldn’t have destroyed the railway tracks to the old railway station?
Just watching the interminable election interviews, and P. Dutton is either foaming at the mouth (well right corner lip) or he had a boiled egg for brekky.
Surely his minders could have pulled the plug, wiped his mouth and plug him back in, to avoid the cartoonist gift.
It’s ok. He’s got some time to reset today since his campaign tour bus has become stuck on Pitt St in Sydney and is blocking traffic.
The bus was carrying the media!!!
Yep. So he some nice quiet media free time. And they got a chance to see the Dutton campaign get back on track.
Sadly, Dutton is walking the green mile. The Libs had their chance and they blew it with a lacklustre campaign, a leader that physically frightens people, and a smattering of weak policies and hollow slogans. Perhaps the ghost of Scott Morrison frazzled them and they weren’t sure how to approach this election? It’s an opportunity lost. Looks like 3 more years of Mr Magoo and his team of fuckwits.
Yes, there’s always been a bit of the staring retard about Dutton.
Interesting to hear the Port of Townsville Cruise Co-ordinator’s examples of positive feedback from various passengers.
I was near the Picnic Bay jetty when a couple from a cruise ship asked me why the the water clarity was so poor.
I said it’s because they have just spent the last year dredging the channel so bigger cruise ships could visit.
Their response. Oh! That’s a real shame, is that why the jetty is closed?
I said ‘ No, there was some minor damage done approx four months ago during a storm.
The passengers replied ‘Why isn’t it fixed’
I replied ‘Well I don’t know for certain as the State government give the council a significant amount of money every year for maintenance, and to be honest I haven’t seen any done!
Maybe they funnelled the money into more important things like grants for someone to go away and play a violin in Cairns, or some dubious minor dance exhibition here on the island.
They answered jokingly ‘ OMG sounds like they have their priorities in order’
Council has ignored the island often, Greaney is their least favourite, and to attend she has to bring the TCC bully boy, Richardson.
Perhaps Twonames received a grant to renovate mummy’s house?
Troy Thompson is sitting home on $225+ per year, while you are left to be part of a worthy conversation in the comments section of the popular and only worthwhile forum on such matters in Townsville.
He probably does not deserve it, but you can thank the previous iditor of the Bulletin for why he is sitting at home, on a nice little earner.
I don’t think he needs a grant of any kind, as he is sitting pretty I would think.
Agree, Thompson has played his cards right, gets $225,000k, while sitting at home renovating mummy’s house, all while the councillors face the new rate hikes they have to impose, the whole system is a fail, and he’ll look better for it. Saw him on a plane to Brisbane a day ago, he’s enjoying the time out by the looks of it.
‘ and he’ll look better for it’.???
Are you suggesting he is so seriously deluded that he thinks he’ll return as mayor? Looking good by odious comparison was his initial tack, but even he now appears to have decided to just accept whatever dough he can swindle. He still has the CCC verdict to come.
@magpie Not saying that at all. He is being paid to sit out, his lawyers are clearly going for all they can, and there will no doubt be collateral damage. From what I have read and seen, he is thinking he’s coming back, and feels his lawyers will get him there, and or the government pays. It will be a very high profile case in the media for sure.
And how does you think the general Townsville populous would feel about that?
The ‘Pie knows that you, Andrew, as a barrister member of QPILCH, would not take even clear community sentiment into account (you are after a lawyer first and foremost) But our town is battered enough without that disaster happening. The only way he would ever return as mayor would be by ultimate government order. He/you will NEVER be voted mayor at an open election.
But Andrew, given the twitchiness of your profession, one hopes you’re not assuming or even presupposing that the CCC matter is done and dusted?
@Magpie
I am not pre-emptive of the outcome, but the correspondence I am aware of certainly could be interpreted that the TCC has acted in a matter which involves discrimination, and bullying, ad in part coercive control. While the pre-election matters are there, using case studies, you would interpret these are not as serious as the media would like to think. Personally, the precedent set by the local government, as well as the political discrimination (easily proven) and interference of the investigation by both Miles and Crisafulli State Governments is very much at play, and a court may very well rule in Thompson favour for a return, though my advice would be take a deal, and move on, I am not sure he is motivated that way. It is a case many private firms would fight over, high profile, government discrimination and poor decision making. Even you would have to agree, take the person out of the case by name and its a litigators dream, following on from that will be the numerous defamation items. We are a long way off from this one.
So lying about one’s qualifications, abilities and personal history (including lying by omission) in order to win an election, and therefore have a large say in the direction of the community, in your books, “are not as serious as the media would like to think”. And you are apparently suggesting that those elected to frame the laws of this state have no business (‘political interference’) expressing preliminary opinions about a prima facie case committed at variance with, if not Local Government laws, accepted ethical and moral behaviour.
The ‘Pie now calls on his dwindling powers of self-control and not indulge in some snide retort involving barristers and self-serving selective versions of truth. Or the given legal disregard for public ethics, let alone morals.
However, one aspect of your argument intrigues me … although you are always welcome here, especially as someone who is willing to identify himself, The ‘Pie is mystified by your very presence on this blog.
You are, are you not, a Brisbane-based barrister apparently operating on the touchy-feely human rights boo-hoo side of the law – what possible altruistic motive drove you to engage with a piss-ant, relatively obscure little blog in North Queensland? That’s not false modesty, it is reality, The Magpie has never made the fatal mistake of believing his own publicity.
Passing strange.
@Magpie
The evidence supports Mr Thompson had no clear recollection of service, until he received his service history report, at which time he made corrections but never had intent to lie, that can be demonstrated. The university degrees are not evidence, he did not use these pre election, the LinkedIn page was not used as part of his campaign, and therefore, negates any onus of alleged qualification, by all accounts, he stated he had not completed his university. He stated business graduate, and by interpretation that does not mean university, that is but one interpretation.
The local and state government have used coercive measures in removing a mayor, with zero basis, the recent suspension, and supportive committee ensures their is prejudice by the state government against Mr Thompson, my interest is law, the discrimination and repetitious poor behaviour of government officials is enough to show doubt, and intent, it’s a case many lawyers would be interested to represent. The CCC would have to prove there was intent, and it’s not clear, I’d suggest the media has played into Mr Thompsons hands by its consistent defamation and coercive behaviour when no judicial process has takes place. It could be thrown out. My advice to Mr Crisafulli is to come to a payment agreement, or this will end up in the high court of Australia, and Mr Thompson would have a long list of legal people wishing to represent him.
To quote the local councillor, Liam mooney, who memorably said to Thompson himself ‘Sez you.’
This blog has been discussed in defamation terms with Brisbane legal firms, all comments and replies have been copied by now, these will form argument for Mr Thompson, as the case progresses.
You would be well aware of how media has been utilised in this case against Mr Thompsons, he has a rightful claim of discrimination and bullying, this alone has many case similarities and brings to mind a few I have seen personally. I believe the only solution will be a settlement, and restriction of information to the public moving forward, the outcome is a long way off, the longer it goes on, the more likely it will further favour Mr Thompson, as has past cases.
Flattered.
So you have been retained by him, Andy?
And this blog has been discussed in defamation terms in many other huddles on many other issues. Check with Barry Taylor in aliis.
And just love the implied threat and attempted bullying of blog readers who comment here. Even The Magpie doesn’t knows who they are, but The ‘Pie is curious how you intend to find out.
Oh, and btw, don’t forget to ask you client about his attempts to illegally disable this blog, asking a person to sabotage it … I have the proof of this.
Threats now? You really are a useless prat, Radley. And, in true barrister form, have been prolix without saying a bloody thing.
@Magpie
The matter of taking down a page due to defamation is not an uncommon request by a complainant, and certainly is part of the ongoing private investigations. The issue you may find is the reporting and comments are now part of a wider defamation suit and all comments and participants are passed on. Your blog along with other pages, news print are subject to a much larger matter soon to appear before a well funded QC driven claim. Admirable as your defence is, your blog has tied in many people who are now being investigated, thank you. For now, I can only advise you take on legal advice, it is important to stay ahead of any litigation that may arise, I understand you know the process.
Who said anything about taking down a page? Go back to your client for clarification, but remember, he’s a proven liar. But unlike you, an unpaid one.
@magpie
The blog is a webpage, therefore, it may be removed under court determination, or a cease and desist, that is conclusive. The allegations against Mr Thompson are that, allegations, there has been zero charges, and they will be defended should anything evolve. Any and all media at this point is a simple case of political discrimination and bullying. There is nothing further to say, thank you for demonstrating your position.
So its just allegations that he lied before and after the election on matters of fact.
You have certainly demonstrated your position, too, a what revealing line in nervous passive aggression attempt at bullying and harassment.
You really expect us to believe that a barrister from the lofty heights of the law would be bothered in offering altruistic comments on a blog like this. C’mon, pull the other one, it yodels.
With your denial of involvement, you come across as grubby, lying scumbag with a clear anti-community bias, Andrew, so on available evidence, that’s not an allegation … that’s a fact.
The ‘Pie assumes you will no longer be gracing this page with your insights again … to quote Mr Bennet to his daughter piano playing daughter in Pride and Prejudice ‘You have delighted us long enough.’
The journo just reported the story that unfolded, and the editor published it. They had nothing to make up as it all just fell into their lap, time and again. They are very deliberate in reporting stories that won’t create defamation cases. TT on the other hand has defamed the Bully. They have a really good case on him if they wish to proceed.
The Newspaper certainly have a case to answer with defamation and receipt of confidential material, they are aware of their obligations, the case is being prepared and is well funded, Mr Thompson has been fortunate through business connections, there is also a private investigation firm involved. The journalists, yes plural are themselves involved in a matter that will become very high profile.
Interesting that you have chosen to unburden yourself here in The Nest of what one would normally think were cards to be held close to the legal chest.
Sort of flattering in a way.
BTW Andrew, and of course you are under no obligation to reveal anything about yourself, but are you by any chance a member of MyPlace?
@Magpie
There is no burden for me, nor concern, there is a level of comfort with the information under investigation. I’m independent of any such organisation, the case is interesting to me, as the discrimination and bullying is very clear, and a case I’m envious of.
BTW if everything is so open and closed, why is there still an investigation? Are you suggesting the CCC lack some basic insight into the law, that only you possess?
Muppet.
It is not defamation if it is true.
Don’t think that’s strictly true. The ‘Pie’s lay understanding is that juries in civil cases can, unless directed otherwise by the beak, find that revelations of truth were designed to strategically damage the plaintiff in a certain time frame or for a particular reason. This is because the information may lead to others making inevitable inferences.
Not sure, any you legal bods out there?
Bradley -”QC driven” ? You mean KC? Have you been hacked or just a natural-born idiot?
MM – you are more nutty than your namesake. Your opinion piece that water clarity is because of the port dredging is not fact. Would love you to prove me wrong – provide your source of facts to make such claim.
Pie, referring back to a previous blog about the Bruce Highway, and now another death on the weekend.
The $9 billion, 3 star promise, we are being sold for the Bruce, north of Gympie (by the way, to my knowledge this star rating they have used is not an engineering term), of overtaking lanes, wide centreline treatment and widenings is just throwing good money after bad.
In fact, the accident where young man that died in that horrific crash on Friday a couple weeks ago at Alligator Creek and the one at Cromarty both happened on a section of wide centreline… the main treatment they are promising us to make it safer!
All both parties are giving us is a patch up that will never result in a dual highway of the standard of the Pacific or Hume highways, or even the standard of the Bruce between Brisvegas and Gympie for that matter.
What is needed is someone to actually plan for the end result we need. Anything that is designed should be able to be incorporated into what should be the the ultimate design – dual lanes, dual carriageway with traffic separated by a median barrier or wide median strip.
For example any overtaking lanes built should be dual (separate) carriageway, flood proof, on the alignment correct for future connection. Land tenure and road corridor alignment need to be assessed and included in these early stages. Any upgrades like the section at Alligator Creek that is a safety issue should have a complete separate carriageway constructed, ultimately 2 lanes on the existing going one direction and 2 lanes on the new carriageway going the other.
If this isn’t what they build… and they proceed with what they are offering, you might get to Brisbane 30 minutes quicker, but there will be no noticeable improvement in the road toll on the Bruce.
The Bruce Highway takes lives. More people die because of the poor road condition than because of poor driving. It’s a national disgrace that has been ignored by state government for many decades.
And the Feds … it is still part of National Route One, isn’t it?
Was catching up on some episodes of 4 corners last night, and got as far as last weeks episode. Given the Fed election is in full swing, it was looking at the impact of minor parties, and key seats for the 2 parties to win or flip. In the episode they covered the fed seat of Werriwa in South West Sydney. I was a little bit flabbergasted when I heard mention of a fully committed (50/50 fed/state split) $1Billion (with a B) road upgrade. Thinking that was a lot for a road project within a single electorate. Having done a little bit more research today and confirmed that the project is for the following:
The corridor is expected to be 8.1 kilometres in length and is comprised of:
5.9 kilometres along Fifteenth Avenue (between Devonshire Road and Cowpasture Road)
2.2 kilometres along Hoxton Park Road (between Cowpasture Road and Banks Road)
It aims to support:
More than 22,000 vehicles travel along the congested two-lane Fifteenth Avenue each day, with about eight per cent of those being trucks. Liverpool City Council predicts a significant increase in housing in the areas around Fifteenth Avenue – an estimated 63,000 more people living there by 2041.
Compare that with $9Billion to redo the Bruce from Gympie to Cairns, and one might think regional Qld is getting shafted. Sure, the Werriwa road project will link to the new Western Sydney Airport when it opens in a few years. But the Bruce Hwy is the main artery for most of Queensland. And I’m sure we’re expecting more than just 63,000 people moving to all those towns and cities along the Bruce in those years.
What will $9Billion get us per kilometre, versus the $1b for 8km of Sydney?
Now this isn’t a party political issue, as both Labor and Coalition support the Werriwa Road project. This is a capitals versus country issue.
Add to this one of my nightmares when I’ve been visiting family in Brisbane in recent years, some cock-eyed roundabout rebuild in Indooroopilly which the Coalition Fed Govt co-funded with Brisbane City Council (bypassing the then Labor State Govt) that costs between $500m and $750m depending on which cost blowout you believe. All championed by one LNP member to save 80 seconds of commute time for a well to-do suburb just to the south. Only for that LNP member to lose his seat to the Greens anyway. Horrible pork-barrelling that didn’t even work.
I see a lot of very expensive road projects in capital cities that deliver barely anything in improved road surface area. And we are expected to get by on $9billion for 1,000km+ of road.
Help it make sense please?
I don’t have a problem with the $9 billion, it’s how the money is spent. At the end of the day, upgrading 1,000km of road is going to take years.
It seems to me that the current proposal is to buy votes, and not save lives… what price a life (or 2) a month?
Any road design engineer will tell you the wide centreline treatment is a pretty low bar in safety, as we are seeing first hand at the moment.
Recently spending some time down south. Yup supermarket gripe.
Seems to be no real egg shortage in the southern capitals and some places like western Sydney they are back to full supply.
2 days in a row every store no eggs at opening, nothing, zilch, zip! Then butchers like the one I saw, profiteering with a few $11 cartons of eggs.
Still signs blaming weather on shortages despite again down south nil problems now with fresh produce.
With the crime inaction, house prices starting to uptick and big business appearing to pay us off as we don’t matter, I’m thinking upping stumps again.
Dave are you suggesting it’s a conspiracy?
We have to get over this silly idea that Townsville is a tourist destination. It just isn’t
As The Magpie has said from the very outset (20 years ago), let. cairns be Tinsel Town, and Townsville Muscle Town, as in manufacturing and business.
It started quite slowly, but then
Folks Acknowledged the Country again
And again and again
And again and again
And again and again and again.
Yeah, I’m with Dutton on this one.
As dawn broke over the Gallipoli Peninsula on 25th April 1915, there definitely was not a welcome to country. As dawn now breaks on 25th April at Gallipoli, and the many cemeteries in France, Belgium and New Guinea, those countries honour our fallen as their own. They have been welcomed to their countries.
Blame, tongue in cheek beginning with Richard Walley and Ernie Dingo and sucked up by the loonies (most of em) in the ABC who jammed it down our throats.
Same as the alleged “ancient” stippling dot paintings, that were actually introduced and adopted in the mid 1960’s at a reserve West of Alice Springs by a white English Teacher.
If that is true (always a question) said teacher would have been familiar with the actual first exponent of ‘dot painting’ – Pointillism – Georges Seurat, the froggy dauber who invented the technique about 150 years ago. In this technique, small, distinct dots of colour are to create an image, which the human eye blends together, creating the illusion of a single, solid image.
From the attached article.
You’ll be surprised to learn that dot painting on canvas emerged in central Australia only in the early 1970s as a result of Aboriginal people working together with a white art school teacher, Geoffrey Bardon. [1]
Source: Are dot paintings traditional Aboriginal art? – Creative Spirits, retrieved from https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/arts/are-dot-paintings-traditional-aboriginal-art
https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/arts/are-dot-paintings-traditional-aboriginal-art
Question answered.
Someone’s never been to art school.
Pointalism creates an illusion of an image by the placement of the dots. Not all dots are placed evenly and colours are designed to look as if they merge.
Aboriginal dot paintings aren’t doing that at all. They are creating symbolic meanings using evenly spaced dots. Colours are distinct. Traditionally dots were painted on bodies for ceremonies or on rocks, because, and I know this may come as a surprise, they didn’t have access to canvasses for painting.
Silly waffle irrelevant to the comment, which was about the teacher’s experience and adaption to the circumstances.
And no canvasses!?! Next you’ll be telling us out noble indigines didn’t have the wheel, horses, or MacDonalds. geez, mate …
Silly waffle yourself. Fact check shit Magpie
https://www.aap.com.au/factcheck/attack-on-indigenous-culture-fails-to-connect-historical-dots/
Read the comment correctly. As your link says:
“Mark McKenna, a history professor at the University of Sydney, said Mr Bardon did not invent dot painting, rather the technique had not existed on canvas until his encouragement.”
Stupid criticism, it doesn’t matter if welcomes to country are new or not, the point is reconciliation.
A blended 3% of the population telling the 97% that their trespasses are forgiven is both childish and insulting … and does exactly the opposite to reconciling any racial tensions.
And they havee to cheek top demand payment for this twaddle, which tends to damage the sincerity of the ‘welcome’.
That kind of attitude doesn’t help anyone. Least of all yourself.
Reconciliation isn’t about you having to apologise. It’s about acknowledging what happened. And taking an interest in a culture that’s been here long before white people and acknowledging that’s important.
You’re fixated on money like some miserly old Scrooge.
Now that really is a joke … that the aboriginal industry isn’t interested in money and it’s all greedy whitey’s ‘fixation’? Well, maybe you right, why wouldn’t it be whitey’s fixation, after all it’s his money you’re after. When there have been billions poured into trying to bring fairness to the disadvantaged, only see so much of funnelled off to an Indigenous Blended Elite. And vast tracts of land returned to aboriginal governance. And you Ducky would be at the head of the parade with your hand out for undeserved wads of the folding stuff. treaty, my arse, you’re the one interested in only other peoples money, and sow division in the hope of getting more.
Like they say, keep up or keep out … The 97% that aren’t members of the baying blended 3% aren’t the ones holding back reconciliation by urging those who claim aboriginal heritage to demand a complete reversal of roles, with absolutely no acknowledgement of the benefits of modern medicine, transport, education, lifestyle, a written language, and most importantly, the rule of law. And instil in their children all the bile, disrespect and hate of the prevailing beneficial culture.
And PS, if you hadn’t been cosy under your rock of self-righteous ignorance, reading the likes of Pascoe, you’d know that all Australians are interested in the initial culture of this country – in part fascinated at how it made so little if any progress beyond subsistence in the claimed 25,000 to 60000 years (take you pick.) There are literally tens of thousands of books, videos, podcasts, articles and documentaries on the subject, and because no truly aboriginal person would have the single-minded ability to encompass the overall concept of 350+ warring, different-language tribes, all but a few of these items have been created by intelligent and thoughtful non-indigenous people.
The wrongs of the colonialists and their descendants is unflinchingly well documented and accepted by the non-indigenous (hence the reparations poured in so abundantly as a material way of apologising, adding to public statements of regret and shame).
But there’s never enough for people like you and your likeminded bruvvers, is there, Ducky?
My main problem with Reconciliation is the no-doubt deliberately fluid, open-ended nature of it. Nowhere in any Action Plan that I’ve ever read is there anything that neatly completes the sentence: “Reconciliation will have been achieved when (x)”. If we don’t know what we’re working toward, how can we possibly know when we’ve got there? Truth? Treaty?? It won’t end there. And because it won’t, we’re going to be hearing ABC presenters telling us what ‘lands’ they’re coming to us from until the end of time (or until they get some leadership with the backbone to tell them to shut up about Gadigal land, already).
With Welcome to Country ceremonies, I attended one such so-called Welcome address delivered by Gracelyn Smallwood back in the day, and she spent ten minutes telling the audience of (yes, nearly all white people) how awful their ancestors, and by clear association they themselves had been to indigenous people (this was 15 years ago, so the term ‘first nations’ was thankfully not yet in widespread use). It was spiteful and mean, and if I hadn’t been there in an official capacity, I would’ve stood up and pointedly turned my back to her. Disgraceful, it was, and I’ve witnessed similar ‘Ceremonies’ many times since. Easy fix: make ‘em unpaid.
The backlash that’s building against all this nonsense interests me.
The backlash is already here, starting with the comprehensive rejection of the insidious Voice To Parliament ploy. Which went down the tubes for exactly the reasons you have stated … no one supporting the idea would give a simple, plain language explanation of the reasons for and role of the Voice.
The ‘Pie has personally witnessed the overt racism of Townsville leading racist Disgracelyn Smallwood. Both instances were in courtrooms. Once when an aboriginal man from her ‘mob’ was convicted of raping an aboriginal woman, Smallwood yelled from the gallery ‘Fuckin’ white man’s law.’ And in another instance, she supported a personal attack on my work as a reporter of the facts as stated in court. No opinion, just facts, but this divisive sanctimonious shit stirrer told me I had not shown sufficient respect to the family who had allowed their drunk pre-teenage son to be eight kilometres from home at 2am when he was killed by a reversing car.
And the Bulletin could actually ask around the indigenous community what they think of Smallwood. Many have been at painsn to distance themselves from her, taking the trouble to loudly point out she represents no one of any mob.
And still the bile filled rants continue.
No wonder the younger generations hate old people. You’re so fucken miserable and small minded
It’s all a one way street for you, Ducky, ain’t it? But seems you’ve run out of coherent arguments, if you are reduced to describing people defending their own human rights and property as ‘miserable and small minded’.
Oh, Ducky – discombulated as ever. If, to quote you: “Reconciliation isn’t about you having to apologise.”, then why the heck was there such a national brouhaha about Rudd saying “Sorry’?
Awww Grumps… I’m sorry you don’t understand the nuances
Nothing nuanced about that at all. Admit it, you stuffed up and didn’t think through your smartarse, gotcha comment. You don’t have to apologise – but we demand you say”sorry” . Idiot.
Untidy in the Upper Ross?
It seems that something or someone became a bit untidy in the Upper Ross earlier this afternoon.
About 2 PM four police cars, just about in convoy, at high speed, lights and sirens going heading outbound. They all seemed to have a great sense of purpose. The lead vehicle was an unmarked 4×4, but in this case it’s otherwise discrete red and blue angry lights were on for all to see.
Would love to know what was happening. Nothing on WIN (not so) Local News.
Can anybody alleviate my curiosity?
Motorist, Three ‘snots’ arrested in a house hiding under a bed and in a cupboard arrested and charged over their weekend rampage. A fourth is on the run.
Thank you.
I noticed Fattu Palmers ads all over the TV tonight. One ad, with the Shelia from the Gold Coast went for 2 fucking minutes. No ads with Fatty or Dowling appearing in them. My wife also received 5 unsolicited text messages from them today also. How much coin is Fatboy wasting this time around?
One of my fantasies is to get bankrolled by Clive palmer and set about creating public places for people to visit for free.
Things you’d never believe
Sounds like a series of flasher dunnies.
Don’t you know how to change channels or is that beyond your capabilities.
It is legal for political parties to send you unsolicited text messages.
ACMA (the Australian Communications and Media Authority) regulates spam text messages in Australia under the Spam Act 2003.
Political parties are exempt from the Spam Act and the Do Not Call Register, meaning they are allowed to send unsolicited text messages without an opt-out option.
The Australian Electoral Commission told SBS it does not supply political parties with voters’ mobile phone numbers.
Political parties may have accessed mobile phone numbers through a marketing agency, which could have obtained your number through online databases. Parties or marketing agencies might also use random number generators when sending out bulk messages, so receiving them can be by chance.
If he gets 5% (I think it is) he can claim it back or if not, as a tax deduction. It may be even less %. Perhaps someone can clarify.
Fatty Palmer is the best advertising money the left never spent.
Nailed it.
He reminds one of the old saying that if you want to know what God thinks of money, have a look at who lets have it.
The man and his choice of ‘next PM’, a lady who looks passable with the light behind her but not close-up on TV, always put the ‘Pie in mind of the lines from the Carousel song Soliloquy ( known popularly as My Boy Bill)
“No fat-bottomed, flabby-faced, pot-bellied, baggy-eyed bully will boss him around
And I’m hanged if he marries his boss’s daughter
A skinny-lipped virgin with blood like water
Who’ll give him a peck and call it a kiss
And look in his eyes through a lorgnette”.
The old railway station was renovated for the 50th anniversary of the end of the war in the Pacific. I was given a tour right through and it was truly magnificent.
Sadly, a few years later after the new railway shelter shed was built, I heard the old station was infested with white ants. If so, the whole interior would have to be gutted and fumigated and, even then, it would be a risky proposition.
Sounds like it would right up TCCs alley.
More knowledgeable contributors to this tome may be able confirm/dismiss the matter of the pest infestation.
That may be true .. sounds about the standard level of neglect around here … but it doesn’t make a bit of difference to the validity of the concert hall/arts centre and hotel suggestions. Because in these matters, unless there is intrinsic value in the interior, (there isn’t in this instance), it is just the facade that must be preserved. As is the apartment block in the old ES&A bank on Flinders Street and the old NSW Bank building further along opposite the Cowboys.
Another advantage is that on the southern side looking towards the stadium, there is a goodly chunk of bare land belonging to the side which could accomodate any modern working area of a stage or even new rehearsal/training studios.
Hi Pie. Didi you notice that article at the bottom of page 5 of this morning’s Bulletin? Not only did Cameron get the location wrong in the caption but he added TWO extra, unrelated, stories at the end – each of which should have had its own article if considered important enough to report in the first place.
This seems to be becoming the norm, with the story of the fatal crash near Cromarty on the weekend having tacked onto the end of it an, again totally unrelated, story about a young girl being injured. Why is this so?
Yup, bit weird, might’ve worked if there was a sub head saying Fire and Accident Round-up. Certainly covered a bit of territory.
But the real weirdness is a new development, typified by this story … telling us what a photograph showed rather than showing us the photograph. That is idiotic for a newspaper. And it’s not only this story …. last week they ran a this filler …
…of a large (sorry ‘huge’)snake found on a NSW golf course, with a wildlife expert saying of the three metre Troy ‘never seen one that big before’ etc … but no photograph!
There’ve been quite a few snakes on golf course stories in the Bulletin over the years, and every one of them claims players and onlookers were ‘shocked’ or ‘terrified’. The ‘Pie has encountered quite a few snakes at his Rowes Bay club, and no one to his knowledge has been either shocked or terrified … in fact, hardly interested if the Troy (as we call them) is no danger.
This childish newspaper continues to wonder why people don’t like being told how they feel and don’t read this kiddy stuff.
Why is this even a story? Snakes are everywhere. The local snake catcher catches them inside houses, cars, businesses on a weekly basis. Golf courses are often surrounded by bushland, are regularly watered, so a great habitat for snakes. No big deal, leave them alone and they will pass through. Dumbarse paper making up a sensationalised story about nothing. Fools.
When is Shitafulli going to start taking locking these entitled untouchables up to take them off the street.
Yes he’s changed legislation but that seems to be it. Giving us statistics on what’s happening doesn’t count as the government doesn’t give information on the source of the information, how the statistics were gathered and interpreted and so on.
On ANZAC Day this trash caused interruption to an ANZAC Day parade in Kirwan
Now I read that in Mossman, north of Cairns, the trash has vandalised the local Uniting Church.
There just doesn’t seem to be anything which will stop them.
https://www.newsport.com.au/2025/april/vandals-trash-mossman-uniting-church-in-overnight-break-in
Hmmm.
“Yes he’s changed legislation but that seems to be it”.”
And what, pray tell, you social genius, should he be doing than that? A dopey politically biased comment.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-30/virtual-fences-livestock-shock-collars-to-be-legalised-nsw/105230292
This is absolutely brilliant, with far reaching applications.
I am now thinking of Townsville’s over-abundant supply of thieving snots.
Forget ankle bracelets. (Where they ever used?) For community safety it should be virtual fences and electric shock collars on the snots.
But wait, there’s more. The very fashionable solar panel accessory to keep your shock collar charged. See the pictures in the article.
I’ll get an OAM at least for this sound and reasonable suggestion.
How about genital collars? Hook the electric charge up to their scrotums and see how they like it.
When you go to the vet and request a shock collar for your dog, responsible Vets make you test that shock collar on yourself so you understand the shock the collar imparts. I’d recommend you do this. Several times. Make sure you test it at the lowest level, and at the highest.
The ‘Pie can think of a more instructive place to test it.
Ooooooow, a bedroom toy. How exciting.
Happy to, Ducky, if you’ll agree to hop into the pot of boiling water next time you’re about to sit down to a lobster dinner. It’s only fair, as you suggest…
Does anybody know why Thompson has effectively gone completely silent on social media? He has literally gone stone cold silent overnight, starting a few weeks ago. Surely somebody must know the reason? Was he threatened legally by TCC over his ongoing comments about TCC staff? Was he threatened by the state government with dismissal if he didn’t stop posting diatribe about TCC? Is he close to receiving a big juicy payment hence him going deathly silent?
“He has literally gone stone cold silent overnight, starting a few weeks ago”. Overnight, starting a few weeks ago?!?
With that type of oxymoronic statement, there’s a job waiting for you at the Bulletin. Now all you have to do is call Thompson ‘iconic’.
TC, let me guess, you are upset the mayor is no longer posting social media.
You must have a miserable life, if all you have to do is sit and stare at his Facebook page. How mentally stimulating.
Anyway it deprives you of the opportunity to come here and bore everyone shitless with posts that are about as interesting as a video of a colonoscopy.
Give it miss.
Says the person who has posted at least 50 unpublished comments for the Nest, along with a handful that made sense, on a blog you keep deriding in abusive and foul language.
Who is really the one with the sad and miserable life, eh? Not to mention boring people shitless with foam flecked, spittle sprayed rants of questionable stability.
Oh yes, Johnny Rotten. The dipshit who posts irrelevant and dull comments here on a regular basis. You’re a bit of a hypocrite Johnny, not to mention you are Thompson fan and one of his cooker buddies.
Fair’s fair and credit when due, so congratulations to the Bulletin on today’s edition … there was not one single headline pun on any story (except two predictable and lame ones in sport, but that has never counted as a serious part of the Townsville news cycle.)
Well done, keep it up.
Tomorrow being the first Saturday in May is World Naked Gardening Day.
I just thought you would like to know.
C’mon, you’re just forking around.
I will be there, doing naked sit-ups in my cucumber patch. Nudity isn’t foreign to me as I often ride my bicycle while naked. And that’s without the seat on it of course.
On Sunday, watch a salad dressing? “Fruit” salad optional!
One more for the Harumph! File: Headlines that suggest an accompanying article contains “Everything You Need To Know” about a particular topic. Either the piece doesn’t actually contain ‘everything’, or it’s about a subject of utter non-importance or interest (E.g. apparently there’s a ‘Sorcery Tournament’ or some such, involving the kicking of egg-shaped balls, afoot in Brisbane this weekend? There is nothing that I or anyone else Needs To Know about that), or both.
Close runners-up: “…As It Happened” and “Welcome To…”.
Harumph!
In a very similar vein rhymes with pain, “Where to find a voting snag”. includes a map of Oz but no info. As useful as tits on a snake!
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/breaking-news/where-to-find-a-democracy-sausage-on-may-3-federal-election-day/news-story/e3f344ccb756ae878130e9219d9378e8
Looks like over 50% of votes have already been cast. There should be a set of TV Channels accessible only to early voters that have no coverage in any shape or form of the ongoing election bombardment on our TV’s.
Something similar to “Ad-Blocking” could be installed in the “remote” and to activate it you receive a 6 digit code after voting that gives access to these channels.
Your a deep thinker, aren’t you, mate?
troy goes quiet on social media but comes here to post under andrew radley, pretending to be a lawyer like his pretend service, pretend legal advice, pretend everything.
hii troyyyy missed you xo
Way off the mark. Radley is a Brisbane-based barrister who is clearly privy to information held by Thompson’s lawyers. He may well be retained in that capacity, but don’t really think so … cannot see how a barrister involved in a case would actually start aguing it here. Something’s going on, not sure wha, though.
But you masy rest assured, Thompson has nowhere near the ability or knowledge to himself make the legal arguments that Radley has highly selective though they are..
cmon magpie. no one who is privy to any information would be arguing or stating it here. unless you have confirmed with radley outside of the blog that it’s him.. i think the wool has been pulled over your eyes.
the commas, the take a deal, the interference, the aim at this blog… its screams two watches.
Well, The ‘Pie imagines he will be hearing from the real Mr Radley shortly, advising The Magpie of the old bird’s well known gullibility. Because there is most certainly an Andrew Radley based at the bar in Brisbane. And barristers are not the wisest target for imposters.
and i wouldnt put it past the vindictive narcissistic psychotic delusional pos troy to try and imposter anyone especially when he thinks he will get away with it through the anonymous way of here. hes a fraud all round
Ooh I do love a fees and charges increase
Queensland government set to increases fees, including vehicle registration – ABC News https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-02/car-rego-increases-queensland-lnp/105239342
Olympics tax
I read the Andrew Radley comments with great amusement. One thing is certain, Twonames Radley is very happy to take a big payout and leave TCC behind. It’s always been about the money. What a narcissistic arseclown wanting to sue Council, state government, Magpies Nest readers, the newspapers and so the list goes on. Poor poor Twonames, boohoo. Twonames, you are a fucking stain.
A reader has supplied a brilliantly forensic take down of the Radley/TowNames saga, it will feature in tomorrow’s blog.
Thompson’s in a panic right now about the CCC, which is the only major hurdle before moving on to the Big Rock Candy Mountain.
I am looking forward to tomorrow’s Nest. I’m seriously hoping that TCC have/are litigating against Twonames. Hit him where it counts the most, his hip pocket. It would be wonderful to see him have to fork out precious money. As Melba said, he is only in it for the money and couldn’t give a tuppence about the community.
Part of that quote also includes Melba’s advice to a fellow diva visiting Melbourne at the time ‘Sing ‘em muck.’ Seems an apt analogy for TwoNames.
That’s a PT bait Pie, Print Teaser!
Wasn’t his case against TCC dismissed in November because he didn’t show up twice. Have I missed something? You would think his legal team would be all over that.
He’s got going some bu,llshit argumentv that he didn’t receive any notification of appearance dates … so at the very least, he should’ve sacked his legal mob, they generally need to know when they are required in court. but of course, it’s more bullshit from this venal pest.
“Boohoo Radley” hah!
Clearly someone hasn’t grasped the gravity of the situation’
Latest News
A woman has been rushed to hospital after falling up from a height of about 5m at a major airport.
BREAKING54 minutes ago
Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dylan Coker
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/breaking-news/woman-rushed-to-hospital-after-5m-fall-at-sydney-airport/news-story/84823d78bccb725b7bf2d39fb2aec6cd