Skulking about in the early hours, council gestapo are snooping into your yellow tops to check on your recycling discipline, handing out what amounts to fines for slackers. But has the Walkers Street dictatorial shiny bums actually considered the obvious unintended consequences.? The Magpie offers reasons why this is a densely stupid Big Brother policy.
Nothing much to say about the election, but The ‘Pie says not much.
AND IT’S A TWO-FOR-ONE BONUS BLOG THIS WEEK … an avid reader has sent in a lengthy response to the dopey attempt by TwoNames Thompson to use Nest comments to bully and threaten The Magpie and Nest readers for voicing their disapproval of this public-scamming pustule. Clever and scathing, with a laugh-out-loud twist.
The Bulletin’s craven attempt at bum-kissing the community with a pouting, sulky front page and story which inadvertently confirms the ineffectiveness of the Dudley Do-Nothings aka TEL. Which is confirmed with Townsville again becoming fly-over city. And sad proof that our city is the laughing stock south of the border, getting an snide laugh on national television.
And a happy upside of the wet season damage for Maggie Island …. a significant project tied up in red tape for more than a decade is happening … not that The ‘Pie’s read about in the local media.
And we find the quip of the week comes from the wonderfully acid pen of our favourite columnist … it’s a devastating four-word put-down.
The ‘Pie knows there’s been a sharp rise in costs for all of us, and that inevitably includes matters linked to The Nest. If you can see your way to lend a hand meeting this expenditure, it will be of great assistance, and will ease the load. You can donate by using the big button at the bottom of the blog.
The Election
So many others … like bloody everybody … will be dissecting the now finished snoozathon campaign and its outcome, so The ‘Pie will just allow himself a brief observation or two.
…. Dutton nutted … he was never ever going to PM … but now the danger is very real for the Libs, as they decide on a new leader. Dan Tehan will be in the blocks along with Andrew Hastie, but if the blue boys decide on frontrunner Angus Taylor, then they are really out of credibility. Taylor may be visually better than Dutts (well, who isn’t?) but he is a proven business wide boy who has used his position when in government to line his family’s pockets in dodgy deals.
….Biggest danger now is the size of the Labor majority, it’s never good for a government to have no checks and balances, and that leads to both arrogance and the misconception that everything they decide is mandated by the populous. Which it most certainly isn’t.
And best fun was watching the ABC’s Liberal Party guest James McGrath getting more shirty and shitty as the night unfolded, doing his ‘Black Knight never give in’ act, refusing to acknowledge the Labor win and Dutton’s defeat with the matra ‘let’s wait until all the numbers are in’. Finally had to stop when it was spilling over in owl-faced absurdity.
The ‘Pie is over it already.
Whose Bright Fucking Idea Was This? Did Elected Councillors Vote To Spy And Pry Like Thieves In The Night?
Short answer, the idea comes from previous state Labor regime, but had to be approved the current mob …. and by the current council.
When The ‘Pie saw this posted on the very useful Everything Townsville site, and read what it was all about, he wasn’t sure he believed it.
It’s the early hours of the morning, and these blokes are members of the TCC’s new Rubbish Police, starting a sinister blitz of an ill thought and frankly creepy policy to pull recalcitrant recyclists into line. It is the jackboot outcome of what is not just a bad look, but bad … and in The ‘Pie’s book, unacceptable … policy with big downsides.
This is the TCC media release, slipped in quietly in March, with the program started later that month.
The brief version is that these blokes look into your bin, and if they see anything naughty and not recyclable, they tag your bin with one of three emoji faces (FFS, really?!) denoted by their colour as
HAPPY
SAD
… and the call the firing squad emoji,
DISAPPOINTED
And if your offence of having forbidden garbage in your yellow top is heinous enough, or your naughtiness not improved over the three midnight visits we’ll all get by September , they can tag your bin with ‘do not pick up’ sticker. if you remove what is advised to be offending material, you can have the bin collected on the next regular collection – two weeks later. No penalties are proposed … or are they?
And here’s the thing: if you want it collected earlier, than have it sit around for two weeks, you the ratepayer can fork out another $37.50 for a special pick-up. … that is, to pick up what your sky-high rates have already paid for.
At this point, before the usual; suspects start foaming all over their keyboards, just be clear: The Magpie wholly supports recycling, and he and his fellow unit neighbours are and always have been pretty diligent about it. And yes, it is disappointing that 24% of recycled material is described as contaminated (a judgement The ‘Pie highly doubts).
So what’s the beef, you ask?
Several things, paramount being the old rule never make a law that you can’t enforce.
This is inviting protest or just plain delinquent responses, from the simple to the extreme .. the simple one being given that the inspectors just lift the lid on recycling bins, either chuck excess recyclables in your green top weekly bin, or if extra space is occasionally needed, anyone not wanting to play the game can use the yellow bin bottom half with general waste and just cover it with kosher things that won’t give your old snoopers a hard on. Then there may be disaffected souls somewhere who decide to go in for illegal dumping if they don’t wish to part with $37.50 or wait two weeks. Or another extreme to be employed only by the very pissed off, would be to wait until the recycling truck comes into sight and wheel your bin out then … unless there is a travelling inspector with every truck, Bob’s your uncle, even if Uncle Bob himself is in there among last night’s left over beef wellington. BTW it is legal for inspectors to do this, but only if the bin has been wheeled out onto public land or road, where it instantly becomes council property. They cannot come on to private property for this purpose.
By choosing to spent the allocated money to employ professional muckraking inspectors’ – brought in from out-of-town The ‘Pie is told – the government and the council have given up any idea of the traditional ‘persuasion over prescription’ model of using the money for an advertising campaign. That method has proven very effective in multiple other campaigns.
One answer is to fix the problem at the other end, spend some money on enhanced sorting facilities … if we can put a man on the moon and bimbos in space, surely we can manage a better end system.
Cunning Stunt By A Stunning ….
During the week, The ‘Pie was reminded of the schoolyard joke of his youth about the two African Americans on a bus trying to impress a couple of pretty women sitting nearby by pretending to be lawyers.
#1: I’se in a big trial in Supreme right about now.
#2. What’s sup, man, what charge?
#1: It’s a case of rape.
#2: Well, brother counsel, who is you fo’, the fuckor or the fuckee?
Nest comments got lively in during the week when some pompous oaf calling himself Andrew Radley, took up cudgels on behalf of TwoNames Thompson, spinning a yarn in high faulutin’ legal speak about our scumbag mayor that would make Mother Teresa look like a brothel madam by comparison. This Radley fella appeared to have inside information on the case Thompson intends to run against various entities, and also did a nice passive/aggressive line with a thinly veiled threat of litigation not only against The ‘Pie, but also anyone who made adverse comment here. There was a lively exchange with this turkey which amused Th ‘Pie and readers greatly, but there was a bit of mystery …. a quick search found there actually is a Brisbane-based barrister named Andrew Radley. Our commenter claimed to be him but was just an interested bystander fascinated by a case where Thompson was right about everything and everyone else was wrong. This tosh went on for a while, with Mr Radley dodging obvious questions, then he huffed off in a final post. Suspecting that Mr Radley’s name had been either hijacked, or that Mr Radley is actually the most stupid lawyer around since Stephen Lane, doubts were expressed.
Soon after, a regular reader, who calls himself Southern Comfort, and in the past, has shown he has detailed background information of our festering lesion of a mayor, offered his analysis. SC sent the ‘Pie this wonderful summation of the sound and the fury of Radley’s honking and posing … which raises the question of TwoNames hijacking a real barrister’s name to run his case here in the Nest. (IF THIS LINK CANNOT BE ACCESSED,THE WHOLE POST HAS NOW AVAILABLE IN COMMENTS AT THE END OF THIS WEEK’S BLOG.)
And here is the key takeaway from this correct conclusion which tends ensure Thompson will never plonk his lying arse in the mayoral chair ever again.
”
Radley says:
“Mr Thompson has been fortunate through business connections…”
and SC replies:
Wait, hold up. Business figures are funding Thompson’s legal escapades?
That’s not a throwaway line — that’s a front-page question.
If private business donors — with potential interests before council — are secretly backing Thompson’s comeback tour, we’re not just talking about dodgy ethics. We’re talking open invitations for CCC scrutiny. Conflicts of interest? Undue influence? Backroom deals?
If true, Radley may have accidentally lit the fuse on another round of corruption probes. Thanks, Andy.
This is very clever stuff, and doubly so when SC cheerfully admitted using AI software ChatGP ‘to write in the style of the Magpie.’
Flattered. We think.
Our Battered City Reputation Is Good For A Laugh, Apparently
Watching Gruen Nation Election Preview show on the ABC during the week, The ‘Pie was both amused and irritated at an unexpected exchange, which tended to show our city has an entrenched reputation not to be envied.
The question was who would be the better PM to, let’s say, Chinese aggression. That led to this exchange.
Russel Howcroft:
Host Will Anderson:
Wonder if Claudia “Ms B-S” Brumme-Smith from TEL will take credit for gaining us fleeting national attention.
Has The Message Finally Got Through To The Astonisher?
A strange thing has happened down at the paper. The week started out in it’s usual groan-worthy fashion:
… and
There were a few more, then come Thursday and an edition without one single punning headline. Not one, believe it, The ‘Pie looked thrice. He was still scratching his head when the same thing happened on Friday, … and then on Saturday … not one single weak dad joke graced their news pages. Not even in the bought-in stories from the south.
Can this possibly be a breakthrough, a conscious policy shift to stop treating those readers they still have like retarded children? Let’s see if they can resist temptation in the coming week.
Sadly, the Friday’s front page didn’t do us any favours, making us sound like sulking kids upset because the next to us got a bigger bit of cake.
But irony is never far away with this mob … the basis for this negative mega-whinge was reheated statements from TEL’s Brumme-Smith, who bemoaned that we wouldn’t be getting what she had asked for. Ms B-S apparently didn’t realise … and it never occurred to the paper, either … that this was a massive condemnation of TEL’s lack of effective advocacy and political contacts. Colour me unsurprised.
But nothing like revving up a bit of the traditional inter-city rivalry on a slow day, eh, Bully, with this follow-up to the news that the Cowboys women’s team (the Cowpokes?) was heading north in a couple of years.
But the Astonisher missed another snub when singer Kate Cerbrano decided to overfly us to our northern tinsletown neighbour.
Will we ever get over the humiliation.
Upside To Our Recent Downpour
The NLP promised a end a long running stoush over a controversial, red tape stalemate on Maggie Island during the election campaign last year.
Seems that it happening, and has been given a hurry-along by the recent wet weather loosening up the Brisbane purse strings releasing disaster recovery money to restore vehicle access to one of Maggie’s most enchanting bays. The cratered road, washed away in several places, has been the subject of a jurisdictional wrangle for years, and the impasse saw one major resort developer walk away (buying Lindeman Island instead). Radical is an unforgettable experience, and soon will again be accessible to more holidaymakers as well as locals.
And the more urgent Sooning street restoration is now underway.
And back on the mainland, the Port of Townsville ignores all the bluster and bullshit from some quarters and just gets on with it without fuss or fanfare. As reported by the ever reliable IQ Industry Queensland news site.
Some People Need A Smack In The Teeth
Those tedious and insufferably stupid anti-fluoride MyPlace mob are bad enough in normal times, but they have no shame in trying to use Anzac Day to promote their ignorant agenda.
The unfortunate truth is that many a brave man died to ensure that even idiots can have their say. But to link the Anzac tradition with a discredited, harmful fruit loop agenda is deeply disrespectful.
Grow up FFS.
Quip Of The Week:
Marina Hyde, discussing pommy PM Keir Starmer’s attempts to curry favour with Donald Trump by trying to coerce British Royal& Ancient golf executives to schedule the 2028 British Open at Trump’s Turnberry course in Scotland. Trump has long wanted the tournament to boost the failing Turnberry business. Trump’s latest request via the pommy PM clearly breaks rules about Presidents using their office for private business gains, but hey what’s new. What was new was Starmer’s cringing agreement to ‘put in a word’.
Hyde called it ‘The Art of the Kneel’.
Christ, she’s good.
The Week In Amerika
As seen by the funny – and not so funny – penmen of the good old USA.
\
Unfortunately, The ‘Pie Can No Longer Be Of Much Assistance.
Not that he was much help before, he has occasionally been told.
But thanks for sharing.
……
That’s it for the week folks. keep an eye on comments, there might be a few sparks flying over a couple of this week’s Nest. The donate button is below.
https://www.competitiveeating.com.au/
Hello ‘Pie,
Completely off topic but here is another example of why, as a species, we are fucked. Competitive Eating.
As in Gaza? Another reason.
Albo should acknowledge the debt of gratitude he owes to P. Dutton’s parents!
The Labor Party has been returned with a mandate and a large enough majority to put it in the catbird seat for the 2028 and 2031 elections, meaning six to nine more years of sensible, progressive government at a Federal level.
The result was enhanced by the Trump effect but also because the opposition had a thug of a leader, an incompetent front bench, and a half-baked policy platform, all of which turned off wary voters when the election came around and they started seriously considering their options.
The Coalition is being sapped from the left and the right, losing moderate votes to teals and independents and conservative votes to the populist right wing parties. The Liberals and Nationals need to tear up the Coalition agreement and run separately again – even if it means competing against each other in some seats. That will give the Liberals room to moderate, while the Nationals will be free to offer populist pork barrelling promises without necessarily tying the hands of the next conservative government. (The two parties can negotiate a deal after each election).
Fortunately for the Coalition, Dutton is gone and they can scapegoat him (deservedly) as they reset, hopefully to traditional Liberal values, what James McGrath characterised as small government, lower taxes and greater freedom and away from Trumpist popularism and culture war bullshit. News flash for Coalition MPs taking cues from Sky News: the Sky commentators are playing to an American audience, chasing American online viewers! Their interests are not aligned to yours!
One more thought: this will be the end of the Coalition’s nuclear delusion. It was never the right policy for Australia, but now they have a graceful way to drop it. “We thought this was the right energy policy for 2025, but with three more years of energy transition, it’s not the right policy for Australia’s grid in 2028. We still support ending the ban on nuclear, but won’t commit any funding to nuclear plants, we’ll let the free market decide, in line with traditional Liberal values.”
Sky News Commentators clearly unhappy that the LNP didn’t go hard enough into the culture wars. And the voters were wrong.
News flash idiots, it was a national trend. And that’s how democracy works.
Andrew Bolt says it was the voters who were wrong as Sky News commentators grieve Dutton election loss | Amanda Meade
https://www.theguardian.com/media/commentisfree/2025/may/04/andrew-bolt-sky-news-react-coalition-loss-australian-federal-election?CMP=share_btn_url
The Coalition should ban their MPs from watching Sky News for the next three years. Or going on it for that matter!
Dutton was in trouble as soon as he left the molly coddling embrace of conservative media. The Coalition need to face regular grilling from serious journos in the wider market to build up those muscles before the next election.
And sooks like James McGrath should accept reality and drop the ‘Black Knight tis merely a scratch’ approach of absurdity.
This means six to nine more years of Federal neglect for Townsville because Phil Thompson has increased his margin to an even safer seat!
We need to work together to MHMA “Make Herbert Marginal Again”.
I suggest at the next election locals commit to an odds and evens vote by your address: odds Labor, evens LNP.
That will bring the result pretty close to 50/50. The following election the majors can roll out the pork barrel for Townsville!
Yeah, and good luck with that.
Also means because Phil won’t achieve anything of significance Federally (again/still) he will continue to meddle on local government politics. Fucken yay.
Don’t fret, we’ve got Ms B-S Brumme-Smith on the job. Until she puts her hand up for a Senate spot with anyone who’ll take her. (Somebody please take her.)
Oh we already have Susan McDonald representing the region at useless shite and and junkets.
While we are on about Pollies not achieving anything dont forget the Gold Medal efforts of Bob Katter he has made a career of achieving nothing.
Oh, don’t know about that. His fierce, rapping advocacy of CopperString in parliament made members of his family very well off indeed … more so if it ever gets finished. Robbie chimes in at state level occasionally.
CopperString is not a bad concept, but this is as dodgy as a wing run by Josh Addo-Carr.
During Albo and labors first term this is what happened: 1.15 million migrants were let in; Rent increased 36%; Power went up 32%; Groceries went up 26%; Real wages went down 3%; Biggest ever drop in our standard of living in our economic history and we are heading for $1+ trillion in debt; 27 thousand business’s shut up shop; 7660 construction business’s closed down, There were 12 interest rate hikes; and at the end of 2024 we had higher core inflation.
Albanese was never pursued by media over those issues, but the media got the result they wanted, just like Canada.
Nothing to do with the Libs losing their way? Going off message with things way down voters’ priorities (scares about the Voice, nuclear policy and such trivia)? Nothing to do with Dutton’s total unacceptability as a PM … and now rejection as even local member, first time in history an opposition leader has been rolled from his seat?
And being the reasonable and sensible fellow we all know you to be, you will surely accept that while Labor may not have acted to stem many problems, those problems were set up by a series of disastrous Liberal governments. The problem didn’t happen overnight, and were spawned long before Albo launched for the Lodge.
Peter Dutton is to be congratulated for the 24 years that he served in Australia’s Parliament. It was remarkable, that he managed to hold the seat of Dickson for that long, with the slimmest of margins. He was bound to lose as the media relentlessly pushed Labor lies. He was on a hiding to nothing.
Dutton had the policies but wasn’t as direct as he should have been. Dutton and the Liberals policies were never allowed to be front and centre. They were always overshadowed by Labor lies which, in my opinion were given media precedence.
So unfortunate he was beaten by a disabled woman in his own electorate.
That was Dutton NOT being direct?
Ali is disabled how? I know because I did research.
I bet you don’t.
Not sure what you’re saying. Some years ago, Ali France was in an accident when a car pinned her to a wall, and she had a leg amputated above the knee.
Come to think of it, what was your whereabouts when this happened, Jonny? Eh? Eh? Eh?
Yes Labor have won, however it is disappointing that people have voted for Labors values which are ugly, myopic, racist, and economically devasting. Labor won because they arrogant and are better at lying.
They treated people as if they were stupid and it proved to be so, as people did not do a deep dive into what Labor were offering, which was lies, lies and more lies.
We now have a PM who has never had a real job, and that has showed during the past three years, as Albanese proved he is nothing more than an undergraduate socialist. Australia will now over the next three years, become poorer, weaker, more divided along with a massive debt increase.
Deflect away, it’s all you got.
but you’ll always be here to cheer us up, Jonny.
Enjoy the next nine years of Labor ya sook!
Touch grass
Big ********
I’m not sooking about anything.
I am going to get shafted by Albanese and Labor just like you and Slagpie ( seeing we into name calling). So, you will also be here to enjoy.
Luckily I have a very generous taxpayer funded pension including injury compensation.
Please enjoy your next three years of left wing socialist euphoria, as Albanese screws you over.
The left are such slow learners.
The ‘Pie sympathises with you, JR, (who shot you? heh heh heh). The old bird is at a loss to understand how the people could reject such a scintillating, on-point, cutting edge campaign by one of the most attractive PM candidates leading a nuclear-visionary party who put Welcome to Country jitters ahead of sleeping in the street.
BTW if it was a beauty contest between the two leaders, what does it say about Dutton, to lose to Albanese?
Jonny, if you don’t like socialism you should probably pay back that generous taxpayer funded pension.
Well, maybe, but a good part of the AP is funded by taxes paid over the working life of the recipient. Just sayin’.
Weren’t pursued by the media? Then how did you hear about them? If the coalition listens to blamecasting clowns like you they’re toast. Even more toast.
Immigration is normal levels, insolvencies are at normal levels, interest rates are on the right track as is inflation.
WTF are you smoking, those numbers are from the ABC.
That was BM’s point, Jonny. You got the numbers from the very media that you were lambasting.
JR, It wasn’t up to the media to take on the incumbent with this data, it was the Opposition’s responsibility. Instead, they fumbled and bumbled around until not only they, but no one else knew what they were standing for.
Labor began their campaign in January and the LNP were like startled wallabies caught in a spotlight. Their campaign managers need their collective assessment kicked. As an old friend tells me every time we meet, “Mate the country’s “fucked.”
This time, he may be right.
You sound as bad as Guy. Try to get a grip.
HEY, ANYONE HAVING TROUBLE ACCESSING THE RADLEY LINK IN THE BLOG.
One message says it can’t be accessed, but works fine this end.
Feedback please.
Morning Pie, I’ve tried the Radley link and can’t access it. It’s asking for a password.
Yup, apologies, have now posted in full in comments for those who can’t access it (quite a few have).
It requires access (free) to Google Links, https://docs.google.com/
Yes.
Go to comments, Ben, posted there as an alternative. Apologies.
Re said link. No problems encountered by myself. Clicked, it opened Google Docs which asked me to submit a click request to open doc and I would receive an Email allowing me to access said doc. Email was received approx 5 minutes after request. Interesting doc too.
Thanks the feedback.
That’s fine if you don’t mind sharing your email address with whoever owns the document you want to see.
That’s probably why the Nest’s many ASIO and AFP readers don’t open them.
Just read it all by scrolling through last week’s comments section. I didnt see a link. It’s always the same with this guy. Begins with unconvincing and vague claims of disapproval of TT to ensnare readers then the bad punctuation, robotic delivery, grandiose claims to inside knowledge of high level litigation (involving every man and his dog), refusal to answer questions directly and escalating threats tinged with spite. Yup..thats our boy! KP, Blackboard and now Andrew Radley Barrister. Given Thompson’s online capers it is not beyond the realms that he is now cosplaying on-line as a real-life Barrister (no-less). I notice he is very careful about not confirming this as his true identity. When interacting with consummate liars and the delusional, the parsimony principle should be applied. Make sure to let your nest readers know when you receive an answer back from the real Andrew Radley who I trust, you have already approached.
Have made some attempts but can’t find email and since I can’t use the phone, a friend is contacting his office tomorrow for verification or otherwise.
Difficult to believe that even our pustule of a mayor would be stupid enough to hijack a barrister’s name, but then we are talking about TwoNames, advised by MyPlace whackos among others. But if he did hijack the name and therefore make a ninny of a possibly quite sensible lawyer, he may find himself getting a pretty short sharp ‘please explain’.
But then again, so might The Magpie.
The respoinse to Radley is now in this week’s comments if you can’t gain access otherwise.
Just rang the offices of Mr Radley, the receptionist stated they can neither deny or confirm that Thompson is a client, also sent the comments and your link, they repeated the same response.
Oh, yeah? Which office? The disability employment one? Or the one in the UK.?
Link not working for me Malcolm. Comes up with “Google Docs – you need access – request access here”.
Yep, was unaware of the requirement but it’s easy to access. However, as an alternative, it is now posted in full in comments.
Thanks, Russ.
One positive out of the election circus was that Phil Thompson retains Herbert.
The Port’s activities whilst a small step forward are nothing to crow about as trade is still 15% down on 5 years ago.
More government transport related forehead smacks Queensland Rail is moving employees out of Flinders St – another kick in the nuts for the CBD.
Not sure of the logic of your first statement … the Port doesn’t create trade nor does it diminish trade. It is more like a tidal marker.
The second matter is further bad news. Didn’t know that, thanks.
Read the post and link about our mayor. There is no way a barrister contacts this blog, it’s a cooker member for sure. His lawyer is Guest Lawyers, he’s stated it many times, seems to be another play on words, it did make this weeks story,, keeping him front and centre, for this dickwad it’s all about relevance.
Tend to agree but it doesn’t matter who is lawyers are, they bring in barristers when they are deciding how a case should be run. One severely doubts Guest Lawyers would appreciate their supposed tactics being aired on a publicly accessible blog.
Not that the Coalition was any great shakes this time around, but a dark part of me was nonetheless holding out hope for a result that would wipe the perpetual tooth-sucking I’m-smarter-than-everyone smirks from the faces of Katy Gallagher and Chris Bowen. And especially Jim Chalmers.
You should be used to encountering people smarter than you.
I am very happy with the election result. The best team won. Well done Albo, you’ve made us proud.
I wouldn’t go that far, nothing about Slbo makes me proud. Handouts mean debt, we will have to pay it back. I’m fine with Dutton not being re-elected, his party self imploded. Waiting cautiously for how Albo looks after Townsville, Nita will be getting a lot of frequent flyer mileage for sure
Week 3 and still no Mike Douglas. I’m now getting worried. Have some lawyers shut him down? Is he overseas on holidays? Has he carked it? Is he no longer interested in politics or the magpies nest? He is as quiet as Thompson. Surely not one and the same??
On the last count, no.
I feel for the CCC with their investigations on twonames. Every day a new chapter is added to the scope and they must be thinking will this ever end.
Anyone can see it’s not a barrister from Brisbane. TwoNames has been quiet for a month, this blog gets comments from all sorts, far too much attention being put on the scumbag for my liking.
The LNP are idiots. It’s personalities that win elections. Hawke was loved, Rudd was loved. Love them or hate them, they had personalities that attracted people. The likes of Dutton are doomed to failure. If the LNP want to claw their way back then they need to make Hastings the opposition leader. Put the egos and dick measuring aside and give the people what they are asking for. The factions won’t like that suggestion and neither will the people who feel they are entitled to be the leader. But it’s a simple fact that you need a leader who connects with the public. Andrew Hastie ticks that box. Ley is a retard and Taylor is another muppet that hasn’t connected with the voters.
Let’s get some real personalities into political roles, rather than the dried toast miserable c#nts that we’ve been peppered with.
Tehan or Hastie would be viable choices (if he ever got the Lodge, Hastie would be only the second Sandgroper to become PM after Curtain.)
Taylor would be found out to have a bit too much baggage … some very dodgy business dealing were revealed a little while ago.
Pretty miserable choices, just goes to show the lack of depth and talent. Hastie is a young earth Creationist fundamentalist isn’t he? That and his comments about women serving, (and his geographic location), count against him being leader in a party trying to rebrand.
If the coalition hadn’t spent a few decades as climate denying misogynists they might have Allegra Spender on their front bench ready to step up and take the reins.
There is a universal requirement for military personnel to be capable of moving their body mass plus an external load. The load carried by military personnel is typically comprised of clothing, protective ensemble (i.e. body armour, helmet), combat equipment (i.e. webbing, weapon systems, ammunition, power sources, radio) and sustainment stores (i.e. food and water). Can weigh 50 -60 Kg.
In addition, the diversity and complexity of military operations often requires dismounted personnel to carry mission-specific
equipment and move, on foot, through various climates and terrains for long and continuous periods.
Hastie’s comments were in relation to frontline combat troops. You know the warfighters.
All other roles within th ADF are open to women.
So, remembering this is within the framework of an election campaign at a time when women have a heightened sense of their usual sense of being victims of discrimination, this was a cool move.
Labor was being force fed victory with stuff like this – and this is not to open upo the argument of this issue, which hardly anyone fucking cares about while shopping or paying their often rapacious landlords.
Similarly, the work from home issue was an epic home-goal. Dutton and his advisors should have known that, what once was a Covid novelty, has turned into some perceived right for lazy buggers who couldn’t be bothered to put on pants to go to work.
Can we go back to the word : ” soldier ” instead of “warfighter” ?
And so they should be. After all, who’s going to make the sandwiches!
Jonny, you must not be aware that combat roles are open to women now and have been for years. Both sides of politics support this. Hastie has walked back his comments too.
Bullshit, why dignify any of JR’s comment with sense and facts … he is a sad little turd who defies any polishing. He is occasionally published when his comments aren’t mindlessly abusive and don’t spew tinfoil fantasies about Trump.
I volunteered for Rennick and Cole on Saturday, I heard rennick speak a few weeks ago and liked everything I heard. Rennick outlined what has gone wrong and when with Australia and pointed out the beginning of this disaster as we know it as starting with Bob Hawk and Paul Keating.
Interestingly enough I bumped into the rank and file of the liberal party stood outside the school handing out and found them to an absolute delight to talk to , knowledgeable and down to earth ; council elections don’t see dedicated liberal grass roots handing outside of the schools so i’d never met them.
As for the labor ” victory” given the pain and hurt the Labor party has caused the working class of Australia over the last years , no-one has won. i still say if you are working class still vote for Labor and/or are a member of the Labor party you should leave NOW for your own psychological and financial well being. As with britain you cannot keep handing out money ad infinitum to demographic voting blocks forever – eventually the system crashes.
As pointed out here, the next number years are going to be tough.
Rennick and Cole should have paid you to stay away instead of giving them your political kiss of death.
Did you wear your tin foil hat?
There’s someone impersonating Guy. That’s not Guy as we know him.
Guy doesn’t even know himself.
Well Guy, that explains why your political aspirations have remained just that, aspirations.
I have no political aspirations as such, I see myself more as someone that needs to do some necessary house cleaning.
The Labor victory just seems to be the natural conclusion of a mental health crisis. The people being hurt by Labor will still be voting labor even if they end up living out of a shopping trolley, there’s very little to do or say now except let the ball roll.
Immigration means a natural 60/40 split in Labor’s favour in elections, put thousands of new passport holders into marginal seats and the seat turns red. Its how democracy works.
With more Immigration the future is Labor
The Labor victory certainly seems to be a mental health crisis for some people, eh, Guy?
The Boys at The Shovel are having a field day.
And Clive didn’t waste all that money completely.
https://theshovel.com.au/2025/05/05/lonely-widow-already-missing-trumpet-of-patriot-texts/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=public_servant_gets_job_cut&utm_term=2025-05-05
I agree with Guy about immigrants.
He should self deport immediately for the sake of natural born Aussies!
Cool story bro
I was born here
I’d be happy to deport myself if I were given the choice of who and how many to take with me.
Hello Mr Magpie
Interesting to note looking at full vote tallies that where a Trumpet candidate and a Legalise Cannabis candidate were running in the same seat ie Leichhardt. The Legalise easily pulled in more votes.
A message to Clive to stick his annoying election cash splashes somewhere and smoke it!
D,
You have caused my memory, such as it is to drift back a long long time.
Rolling lots of weed was a trumpet, if a bit skint, it was a race horse.
Paper can bugger up your lungs. I used a pipe, Ropp brand from France.
At least I think that was the case.
Explains a lot.
Mad Jack – I have a lot to thank the GLM for. Back in the early 70s, I was particularly concerned about an exam for which I had barely studied. A quick spliff in the Quad settled the nerves and got the creative juices flowing. Resulted in the top 5%. Unfortunately, shortly after I developed an intolerance for the stuff and a mere whiff really opened the sluices at both ends.
Yeah so you say heh heh heh.
The election has come and gone. Results ok, sort of. Moving on.
The earlier comment about competitive eating reminded me of the newest assistant dog.
There are seeing eye dogs to see for the blind, dogs to hear for the deaf, and now the Anorexic Eating Dog.
I think that Thompson posted under Radley’s name for the purpose of drawing out negative comments in the nest which he will then use as a crux for suing the nest. He is suing everybody else so it stands to reason he will sue the magpies nest. He must want your Corolla Malcolm? As for the majority of nesters we are from various walks of life, some of which are financially poor, so he has little chance of winning money. But, he is vindictive and spiteful and he would get a kick out of shutting down the nest, out of revenge. So watch this space Malcolm, I have no doubt that he is coming after you.
He won’t be. He couldn’t afford to.
Not convinced, he has money, new house, new car, furniture, and he has a few lawyers helping him out. I think Stephen Lame might be the first to feel the pain though, as he helped the ex mayor throughout, until Crisafulli told him to pull back, it’s all in writing.
Long story short, the Andrew Radley saga, the subject of some expert sleuthing by two seperate Nest readers, has confirmed that he is all hot air, obviously is up Thompson arse and is NOT a barrister. Maybe he meant barista … Thompson needs one of those for his caffeine habit.
I think my over the road neighbours do 24% contaminated waste by themselves. Their yellow lid bin is overflowing with plastic bags every fortnight.
A bit remiss of The ‘Pie to not include this list in the blog …. and yes, plastic is, a bit surprisingly, a no-no.
What to recycle in the yellow bin:
Glass: Bottles and jars
Hard Plastic: Bottles and containers
Paper and Cardboard: Including office paper, magazines, brochures, catalogues, wrapping paper (no foil or glitter), toilet rolls, cereal boxes, cardboard boxes, egg cartons, juice and milk cartons
Steel and Aluminum: Cans and foil trays
What to avoid in the yellow bin:
Black plastic, polystyrene, and bubble wrap
Plastic bags and wrap
Personal protective equipment (PPE) like face masks, gloves
Nappies, wipes, or tissues
Wrappers and packets
Pouches and tubes
Plastic wrap, film, or carrier bags
Ceramics and plate glass
Food waste
Contaminated food-tainted items
I would bet bricks to billions that the TCC inspectors will steer clear of housing commission places
For the aded reason that in the early hours, there would be too many unfriendly locals loitering in the shadows, eyeing off the vehicle they left down the road.
Don’t the trucks have smart cameras that detect non-recyclables now? Why pay inspectors to rummage through the bins at night?
Don’t think so, not sure how that would work.
The cameras monitor what is put in truck, as well as fires, explosions etc. They can emergency dump if they see a problem.
Damn … no more binning grandma when she becomes surplus to requirements.
They have cameras inside all dump trucks.
To do what?
A nephew of mine worked for many years in the UK in the area of high end computing. He talked about the ‘internet of everything.’ A local government entity installed onto its garbage trucks sensors and cameras to record just about everything, and garbage trucks go just about everywhere. This informed the council of road conditions in real time as well as the condition of the natural and built environment throughout the LGA. This allowed the timely conduct of works, as priotised, with a manpower saving. That said, the Poms do like their CCTV surveillance.
Yes, they do have cameras. But mainly to detect rogue bins going in, that are reported for replacement and help with faults.
I’ve got an idea
The council should create a UV/ weatherproof sticker that can be stuck on the bin itself with only what SHOULD and SHOULDN’T be in the recycling bin. You’d see if you could get some environmentalists to volunteer to stick the stickers on the bins on collection days before the truck arrives. You’d do it early morning. By rights anyone that votes green or similar should have no problem with helping in a small way to save the environment
The stickers gives a constant reminder of what should and shouldn’t be in the bin.
The yellow top at our small block of units came with exactly that. Have they stopped putting them on the lids?
There’s nothing on my recycling bin.
What you really need is a sticker that goes on the very top of the lid to fit the squarish shape at the very top. Define what can go in the recycling bin at the start.
Ie
BOTTLES
CLEAN PAPER
CARDBOARD
The end of the note should define what shouldn’t go in.
Make the sticker of a high quality to survive in the sun. after say 5-8 years the next sticker gets laid on top of the old one.
TCC are paying inspectors to do random bin checks on suburbs, they need the money, it’s good revenue, billing ratepayers or not providing the service.
The council is raising revenue, and will fine, the state has stepped up its financial support
No more punny business at the Astonisher?
The Bulletin has continued its welcome run of more professional headlines, shunning the punning that was an insulting indulgence by the paper in the past.
Today, Monday, included just one single headline pun, which was inoffensive in that it told the story as well make a mild dad joke.
There are other signs that new editorial policies are. taking shape. There seems to be a tentative move towards investigative reporting with useful, and informative piece pre-election about the Reef HQ / Aquarium imbroglio.
Sure, it’s just a trawl through the archives, but even that has been lacking in the past, except when reporting on their beloved TwoNames.
Now, another area the Bulletin might like to look at is their clickbait teasers. These ‘enticers’ are chock full of howlers, slip-ups and childishness, which all reflects on the credibility and respect for the overall news platform.
Like this clumsy, primary school-level effort today.
‘…was being broken up with’?!? It is accepted that clauses and sentences can end in a preposition nowadays, but it’s a stretch to end a clause with two prepositions (one possibly an adverb, but let’s not confuse the dears). However how did they miss the more simple but acceptably sensational ‘A jilted lover who …’
These teaser’s, vital to get money-spinning clicks, are a new art for news organisations … indeed for any online entity … and it is a mistake to leave them in the hands of learners.
PS Was going to give the new editor a guernsey for the pleasing changes, but trying to check the spelling of her name, all that was available everywhere, including Wiki, was Cas Garvey.
Another tribute to yesterday’s news tomorrow.
I’d be happy if state government simply handed over the aquarium money to pay back the debt of the council. The aquarium is in the wrong spot anyway , little to no parking in an already overcrowded space. If it has to be built there using state money, build apartments over the top of it and rent out said apartments to help fund the maintenance of the aquarium. Apartments over the top would create a guaranteed income stream.
Guy, we’re well aware that you would be happy with a LOT of things … except apparently politics and life in general.
Realistically I’m a nobody that posts on a lesser known blog in a regional town, ultimately what I think is neither here nor there.
You do give us a laugh Guy. Please keep posting.
Guy, I agree with your self-declaration that you are a nobody. Thank you, Kind Regards, Plucker.
Guy sounds like the type of guy who wouldn’t even be happy with a happy ending.
You see that’s the response of a dull mind , it goes straight to the ad hominem , its as reflexive as vomiting. I implore you to try and construct something wittier as this bores me.
Bit harsh, Guy, we are all always at pains to entertain you, it is our mission in life.
Fatty Palmer has spent close to $200m on failed political ambitions. Nice to have money to burn. Question is, will our cheesecake eating Hawaiian shirt wearing tubby boy make an other attempt in 3 years time? Indeed time will tell.
He says no, he’s done with politics and has announced he wants to help the homeless. Seriously, that’s what he’s said.
He’s going to house them on his titanic!
I have a great idea. Get Phil Thompson to resign. Parachute Twonames into Herbert, make him Leader of the Opposition and get him to face off against Albo in a couple of years.
What could go wrong?
Some of Grumpys aforementioned Spliffs may have been involved in the posting of this comment.
No ‘may have been’ about it.
I too watched the ABC election night coverage.
Antony Green had the shits with the Amazon tech package that dropped out for most of the night ( on his last ever election call)and Sarah Ferguson’s treatment of Jacinta Price was an absolute disgrace.
It was Price who was the disgrace
Yeah that’s backwards. Jacinta Price was the disgrace but with her trump style outburst she answered the question without answering it.
Price is disgraceful, it’s a pity she’s still in the senate.
Sarah Ferguson has gone up in my opinion, originally despised her, however her panel interview with Michael Sukkar (who also lost his seat) was outstanding.
The Magpie believes Ferguson is one of the most tenacious and worthy interrogators in our media, but she let herself down with the phrasing of her question, stating as a fact (Price’s culpability with her Trump comment) rather than a proper question ‘Do you think …’. And Price showed her shallow approach to matters other than aboriginal affairs, and put on a physically ugly face not previously seen. As ambushes go, it was along the lines of Richard Carlton’s famous ‘blood on your hands’ interview that made Bob Hawke go thermonuclear (Bob always hated being confronted with the truth of backroom back-stabbing.)
Well, I should know to be careful what I wish for. Knowing that the LNP had no hope, I hoped the Bolshies would win government in their own right. However, I didn’t mean it to be a landslide! At least that poisonous little pygmy Bandt looks like he is going the way of Dutto – so there’s that. At the end of the day, however, no matter who’s in, I’ll still comb my hair the same way every morning and life goes on.
You have the advantage on Dutton there, Grumps.
Dutton is on the pre-2004 pension scheme. He’ll be OK. About $270K a year before he gets out of bed.
Each year, plus free air travel … at the level of his previous positions, that would include international travel.
Plus a huge government superannuation account, plus the millions he has and does earn from his personal businesses. He and his family will never end up scrounging around for enough milk and bread money. Almost all of our politicians are multi-millionaires. That tells you something. Snouts in the trough. Offshore complex bank accounts. Piggy wiggy’s.
On the bin thing, I agree on the hiding and dragging out as the bin truck arrives. Again though file in do we have a budget crisis or what? What will this cost enforcement wise? Priorities seem slated to that time honoured practise of revenue raising.
How much these guys costing in wages. Early hours morning would be drawing penalty rates even with a contractor. What if I pull my sticker off? Any tracking on offenders? One would hope so.
OK, renters. What if they just ignore the fines? How they going to enforce compliance and to who especially if no vehicle or identifying features of the occupant is on the house or driveway? Say somewhere like Garbutt near the IGA or Rasmussen? Good luck…
Lastly why not just mount cameras in the bin truck like they do down south, that with GPS soon weeds out non compliers and if nastygrams don’t work they just black ban the address for recycle collection.
Last one doesn’t work, because if people won’t comply and are black banned, they are the sort of people who will illegally dump.
The money to fund this is state but the council get the ‘fines’ although the pick-up cost would be cost neutral.
this whole thing is a ered tape bureaucrtatic out-of-touch clusterfuck, all done the wrong way.
Dave, All trucks have cameras and GPS trackers. If a bin is not out at time of pick up a photo is taken and reported back to the depot. So when ratepayer rings up and complains that the bin was not collected, the photo tells the story.
If its a government owned house you just up the rates on that house to double.
From todays Bulletin on the bin cops:
“But residents can rest easy knowing the $240,000 program isn’t being funded by ratepayers — the council secured the cash through the Queensland Government’s Let’s Get It Sorted (LGIS) Partnership Program.
On top of that, Townsville secured $440,000 to fund a ‘Behaviour Change Coordinator’ for the North Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils (NQROC), whose job is to roll out waste education and behaviour change programs across the region.”
Not funded by ratepayers? Where does the Bulletin think the State gets its money from? Every other Qld resident but here? And $440K for a “behaviour change coordinator? I guess we should keep an eye out for Jamie Durie again. Jesus Christ. Make. It. Stop.
Perhaps Peter Dutton will apply for the job?
Nope, he’s moving to Vatican City to take on some big job there. Something about white smoke and big hats.
On the ABC-TV “News” they just aired a clip from NY of “Stars” Gala show, what a mob of weirdo’s, apparently the ABC doesn’t know how to spell Galah!
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/stars-come-out-for-met-gala-showcasing-black-dandyism/news-story/b999cf3afc31fcf2f84e4123b972e914
Can anybody confirm whether our recycle trucks have cameras inside them? I thought it was common practise that they now do?
Interesting events during the the Cardinals voting in Rome for a new Pope,
All roads lead to Rome Open for Sinner after doping ban!
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/all-roads-lead-to-rome-open-for-sinner-after-doping-ban/news-story/3663a9606552684920a0c9b561205a48
The king of danish pastries and fatty foods has confirmed he is not looking at funding a polical party in 3 years time. Surely diabetes, obesity, or heart failure will have him dead and buried by the time the next federal election rolls around;
Words from the fat man;
https://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/clive-palmer-claims-hes-too-old-after-failed-campaign/news-story/782ae1a11a9d2ec7fdfba9e0dccbd7cf?amp
I don’t know if TCC garbage trucks have cameras to monitor the garbage being tipped out of bins but please can TCC fit these cameras to all of their garbage trucks and then act immediately on the information provided by the truck cameras
https://bigrigs.com.au/2025/03/30/garbage-truck-cameras-deployed-to-fix-council-roads/
Hmmm..should we fit out half of our fleet with these useful and cost effective cameras for accurate data on recycling non-compliance ? OR should we squander hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars on paying actual humans (penalty rates and all) to skulk around a selection of streets in the dark of night conducting cursory inspections? The added effect of option two would be pissing off local residents, risking the safety of the bin inspectors and setting off every friggin dog within a km radius?
Holy shit, this Councillor has some similar issues to Townsville’s very own Twonames!!
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-06/snowy-mountains-councillor-andrew-thaler-suspended/105259006
Bin ‘Audits’ have been done often over the years. It’s really the only way – they know and like – to get data on contaminants in recycling. Of course this time it’s made its way onto the public agenda.
There are cameras in trucks – do they use them to see what contaminants enter the truck? Na…. Could they? Maybe – might need a camera upgrade but technically no barriers.
Recycling rates have been woeful – a lot has to do with a shambles of a system that has residents in different areas be able to recycle different things. Whereas bagged recyclables are ok in the capital cities, as is styrofoam. It’s no good here – the reason being that all recycling is being fed through a MRF – material recovery facility – and the very first station is a manual sort, staffed by a revolving door of unfortunates – and opening a plastic bag is deemed a hazard.
‘Education’ is supposedly the he key, and it is to some degree, but not the system us too complex for most – definitely for the few thousands that voted for fatty Palmer or Pauline….
Absolutely, let’s cut all social spending and community grants so we can finally afford the true pinnacle of civic progress: high-definition cameras for the rubbish trucks. Who needs food programs, youth services, or domestic violence support when we can zoom in on a rogue pizza box contaminating the recycling stream? Imagine the power of 4K footage revealing the shocking moment someone dares to recycle soft plastics—finally, accountability! Forget fixing the broken system or investing in consistent public education. Let’s just surveil the bins harder. Because nothing says “smart city” like sacrificing community wellbeing for cinematic garbage monitoring.
While that view makes its point about priorities, it fails in one vital aspect … cameras in trucks does not create an either/or challenge. Surely, even as a dainty, even-tempered and well mannered lass, Nancy, even you can fart and chew gum at the same time.
Mater Hospital Car Park Pay Station
First up, I prefer to use cash not credit.
This pay station has not been accepting notes for six months or more. A week ago I reported the problem to the volunteers. Today the pay station has a sign, no cash payments. This is NOT true. The pay station will accept coins, but not the 5c bit.
So there you go.
Postscript:
Early on I had notes only. Do not carry a credit card. I called the pay station help line, explained the situation and the very grumpy voice at the other end instructed me to proceed to the boom gate and he would raise it, which he did. This occurred twice.
So there you go, again.
The’Pie has had a similar problem at TUH …. I don’t carry any money nowadays, haven’t for a few years, and have only a bank debit card, which the TUH machines do not accept. On a couple of occasions when I’ve forgotten to cash up for a visit, the help line blokes have always been friendly and understanding, and raise the gate. I do not take advantage of this policy of generosity … and an alternative would be another very long return walk to the hole in the wall near front reception.
Cry me a river. Cash is over mate.
Interesting to see Matt Canavan in the press talking about divergence between the Nationals and Liberals. As I argued above, splitting the Coalition would help both parties, but particularly the Liberals.
Similarly Jason Falinski arguing, in the basis of Liberal principles, that nuclear should be allowed but it should be up to the market, not the government to dictate where energy sources come from.
The partnership of the Nationals and Liberals has been brought into question on numerous occasions over the years. Especially when Morrison and the Beetrooter continuously butted heads over various topics. The election result will be interesting in the long term as the Nationals did better than the Librards did, so they will be fighting over coveted ministerial positions. McCormack the cardboard cutout is hungry for the position of Dep PM, Littleproud has some accountability to accept for the disastrous outcome, and the Beetrooter is just a piss drinking fruitcake who blames the wrath of god for the country’s droughts. Perhaps Credlin will be able to help the LNP regain their love of one another?
While we’re in that arena, spare some thoughts and prayers.
https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/news/politics/australian-politics/federal-election-2025/2025/05/07/adam-band-loses-seat?ahe=23676aa9e345a49970821953c201efdb08c2528c93634ba5833b667755cf0e95&acid=2684885&utm_campaign=PM%20Extra%20-%2020250507&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Adestra&lr_hash=8354ef75044f1fde4f992c35488f6e6d
Shit hot!
This is the prick who would not be photographed with the Australian flag and helped bring foreign ugly politics to Australia and stopped policies that would provide housing construction. The Greens are no longer the cute gnomes at the bottom of the garden. They are purveyors of radical division. Like vegans, you cannot have a conversation with a Green, you have a monoversation. From them to you only. They are on transmit only, never on receive.
That would be fine if the market was allowed to operate as such. Unfortunately we have been subsidising solar and wind for a long time and there’s no relief in sight. This is indeed the Government dictating where energy comes from, or is this your point – that the Government knows best?
Try reading my comment again, Russell, maybe slowly.
How many times do you numpties need to be reminded that the fossil fuel industry has also been subsidised in Australia for years?
TROY CANCELLED CHRISTMAS.
Well, at least the Mayor’s Christmas Tree Appeal.
It’s official – (now suspended) Mayor Troy Thompson has rescued the Townsville community from the burden of… giving to the poor.
In a report and recommendation that went before Townsville City Council’s meeting TODAY, we learn how Troy approved this, even though he was well and truly suspended by the time Christmas rolled around last year.
Yes, that warm-hearted Townsville tradition where the community rallied together to donate over $90,000, the last time it was run in 2023, to local charities for people doing it tough at Christmas – poof! Cancelled.
Why? Because, according to Council’s policy paper, “the policy and subsequent ATO Deductible Gift Recipient endorsement restricts benefit… to providing relief for individuals in Australia who are in necessitous circumstances.”
Translated: We had to give the money to people who actually needed it.
But let’s not be unfair. This wasn’t Troy acting alone. No, this was a strategic, collaborative effort: “The Appeal did not proceed in 2024, as determined in consultation with the Mayor, Mr Troy Thompson.” In other words, Troy gave the green light to put the tree through the shredder.
Even worse? The Appeal didn’t cost Council a cent to run – it was community funded, with locals donating to organisations like The Women’s Centre, Yumba-Meta, and Family Emergency Accommodation. You know, boring groups that help the homeless, survivors of domestic violence, and vulnerable women.
Apparently, there were “increased community-led Christmas time-based appeals” – but nothing quite says leadership like shutting yours down entirely.
Townsville’s (then) Mayor just killed off Christmas charity because the policy did what it was supposed to do: helped people in need.
Good tidings to all – except Troy’s Christmas spirit. That’s now been archived under “minor impacts involving operational resources.”
Handy read, if this opens
https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/news/townsville/townsville-city-council-could-be-ending-the-mayors-christmas-tree-appeal/news-story/c72782500fa91d082aeb465c88d50839
Caitlin Charles is proving to be one of the more capable and trustworthy reporters at the Astonisher. (The ‘Pie knows nothing of her co-author of the above story, one Holly Fishlock, seems to be a newbie.)
And The Magpie apologies, Caitlin, for any hurt and emotional distress you suffer by this comment … it is well known that any approval from this quarter is frowned on by News Ltd.
But you shouldn’t worry, it seems you are developing enough skills to get a job with a real news organisation any time you like.
The absurdity of the local council cancelling the Christmas appeal because donations from locals have been decreasing, while at the same time arguing for the reduction or scrapping of community grants with the expectation that the local not-for-profit community projects should be funded by local donations alone, is absolutely mind-boggling. Are these people on crack? It’s a perfect example of contradictory logic at its finest. How can they simultaneously claim that donations are declining and then insist that everything should be funded by those same declining donations? The lack of critical thinking here is staggering. It’s as if they’re completely oblivious to the fact that community grants exist precisely to fill the gaps when private funding isn’t enough. The whole approach is nothing short of a farce. I think we need to start implementing an IQ test before anyone’s names are added to the ballot. Suzy B might be good with a ball, but boy is she bad with budget strategy. Talk about dribbling in circles. Financial sustainability means balancing diverse income streams (government, earned income, private sector)—not bludgeoning not-for-profits with blunt for-profit logic like a pack of greedy grubs.
Certainly. Here’s a sharper, more strategic version of the impact statement that challenges
While Councillor Suzi Batkovic points fingers at artists, and community groups., her critique misses the mark and targets the easiest scapegoats. These sectors are not luxuries—they are core to Townsville’s wellbeing, identity, and future. Arts, culture, and community programs deliver measurable outcomes in economic development, youth engagement, mental health, and regional visibility, particularly in the lead-up to opportunities
If Cr Batkovic is serious about budget accountability, she might start by questioning the millions spent annually on Townsville City Council’s executive salaries and top-heavy administration. A meaningful review would look beyond cutting frontline services and instead examine inefficiencies, duplications, and structural overspending at the highest levels of Council.
Attacking grassroots initiatives while ignoring the bloated top is not reform!
Catch-22 is that the ‘bloated top’ will be the ones influencing if not making the decisions. It’s worse than the legal profession self-evaluation of worth.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-07/origin-energy-introduces-electricity-competition-to-regional-qld/105262414
Electricity retail competition coming to Townsville, but not just yet for those with solar panels.
So the new player, Origin, won’t get the regional subsidy. Let’s see if they start with great prices to lure Ergon customers away. Then Ergon bumps up prices to account for the reduced customer base. The Origin contracts come to their end dates and their customers end up with massive rises.
I hope all this doesn’t happen but I reckon we’ll all end up paying more.
Origin is in it for profits and Ergon gets recommendations to increase prices to mirror the national grid.
As an extra million people flood into the country every year water, power, everything will increase in price ( so will taxes to pay for ALL of the infrastructure – never mind new infrastructure). Every year will be worse than the previous.
Try not to panic, Guy.
In 2023-24, Australia’s migrant arrivals decreased to 667,000, marking a 10% drop from the previous year. This represents the first decrease in migrant arrivals since the borders reopened. The largest group of migrant arrivals in 2023-24 was temporary students, with 207,000 arrivals. Net overseas migration was 446,000 in 2023-24, down from 536,000 a year earlier.
Electricity retail competition has been here for 20 odd years just not in the residential capacity. There are no profits in that.
P’raps Canadian PM Mark Carney should have countered bully boy
Trump, by proposing Canada take Alaska off his hands!
The ‘Pie cannot fathom why Canadians … not just the generally excitable populace but also their political leaders, took seriously Trump’s drivel about Canada becoming a state. It surely should just have been laughter all round while they muttered, ‘oh, that guy, what a card’.
perhaps because he was serious
I think the Magpie knows Trump was serious but that Canada should have played it off as a joke.
Yep … thought that’s more or less what The ‘Pie said.
All this talk about cameras on garbage trucks is all very interesting. Fearing that they did have cameras I always double bagged my euthanized feral European pigeons and put them lose in the bin. We don’t want them traced back to the prestigious Willie residents. There are French and Maroccoan recipes for these birds but Mrs. Willie is resistant to plucking and disembowling these pest birds.
A strange anomaly in taste and sensitivity for Mrs Willie, since she somehow manages to co-habit with you. It’s all her rotten luck, one imagines.
A couple of points on the Mayors Christmas Tree Appeal.
When the appeal first started it was about the only appeal in the city. Over the years a number of other organisations are running similar appeals. There was no coordination between these various appeals and some organisations took advantage of this and received food etc from a number of appeals and other organisations missed out on receiving any food etc.
The point that this appeal did not cost ratepayers anything is incorrect. A number of council staff worked on this appeal and council also paid for advertising, publicity
collection bins and so on.
The level of donations was falling over the years and some organisations attributed this to the number of appeals and cost of living.
It was suspected that the staff of a couple of organisations which regularly received goods from the appeal also were given these goods instead of giving all goods to clients.
The ‘Pie may have misheard or misunderstood, but wasn’t money raised used to pay council costs and keep the event cost neutral, with surplus being distributed? It was in fact a pretty confusing discussion this morning. The idea that a Daddy Warbucks council is snatching food from the mouths of the needy is a bit of stretch. A new system may evolve from the councillor workshop, not that The ‘Pie has ever put much faith in such closed door gabfests.
It also have been a welcome change if a councillor had put forward the staff snaffling goods for themselves as one reason different oversight is needed.
A recent change to the Council’s events policy means that a contracted company that both supplies goods and services for Council events and runs events on the Council’s behalf will continue to receive multiple funding. In contrast, an organisation like “Stable on the Strand” would lose half its Council funding and be restricted to funding for only one event. Meanwhile, community events involving multiple organisations would still be eligible for single-event funding for multiple organisations.
Surely other councils have more effective grant systems that we could adapt or learn from. The current system seems vulnerable to misuse by unscrupulous operators. From my perspective, Townsville’s vibrant arts community is being consistently undermined at every turn.
The local Arts community is up in arms at this measure. Theatre INq was the first to bring it to attention, but TCS and NQOMT won’t be far behind. NAFA hasn’t been affected by the funding cut – apparently these is still money for blow ins – just not locals.
So black smoke from the Vativille chimney. I look forward to the new African Pope. Now to find out the gender- blue or pink smoke? The blue flame created by a farting competition; but the pink flame? And how do they pay for all this? Papal?
Papal? hahahaha.
Bet the Bulletin headline writers are green with envy.
Saw the useless, grossly incompetent blowhard Don Farrell on the news this morning, seemed more like a Freudian slip move to get himself noticed as his boss sharpens the axe.
Thompson is back on Facebook today, posting one of his carefully worded surveys as to whether TCC should be put into administration or not. It must be killing him not being able to post vitriol towards the Councillors.
Woohoo Trroyster is back on Facebook, albeit briefly. Desperate to keep his dream alive of putting Council in to administration and see his fellow Councillors sacked. That’s his dream ain’t it, he gets a big litigation payout and the Coincillors lose their jobs, perfect.
He is a devious, sociopathic, revengeful grub of the highest order. Pox on him.
He can’t be suffering RDS .. Relevance Deprivation Syndrome … he was never relevant to anything in this town.
Dear ‘Pie,
I lament that for a very brief time he was most relevant.
He was not Jenny Hill.
And then the truth came out.
Fair point … The ‘Pie meant morally or ethically relevant.
Best new of the day
https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/news/crime-news/2025/05/08/cassius-turvey-verdict?ahe=23676aa9e345a49970821953c201efdb08c2528c93634ba5833b667755cf0e95&acid=2684885&utm_campaign=PM%20Extra%20-%2020250508&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Adestra&lr_hash=8354ef75044f1fde4f992c35488f6e6d
Second best news of the day …Rupert’s reign is rooted. Margaret Simons is the most longstanding and trusted commentator on Australian media.
Ok then, which of the Cardinals has the Murdoch blessing?
Saw the report of this on the news last night and was really impressed with the way his mother and the family spoke of their loss. No arm waving, no tears and hair pulling just well spoken thoughts! I hope the cowardly low life animals who carried out this murder get life!
Yes, very dignified.
Malcolm, Saw the report of the murder of Cassius Turvey in WA on the news last night and was really impressed with the way his mother and the family spoke of their loss. No arm waving, no tears and hair pulling just well spoken thoughts! I hope the cowardly low life animals who carried out this murder get life!
I copped a naughty (upset face) sticker on my recycling bin.
I admit that I was at fault and didn’t follow the rules and put garden waste into the wrong bin.
It was not an inspector but the actual Lady recycling truck driver who did it.
After they emptied my bin, she got out and put the sticker on the bin lid.
The naughty label actually had the reason it was on there for and it was hand written on the sticker.
I believe it would have to be a camera on the truck and or the weight of the bin set off a sensor when lifted to empty it. Likely a combination of both in my case.
While that may be a pain in the arse for the drivers, it is a far better approach than having people skulking around in the night.
This is a waste of money.
The view held by some local councillors that local government funding should be limited to seed funding for the commercialisation of community projects is both alarming and naïve. It misunderstands the role of not-for-profit organisations, which often exist precisely because commercial models are inappropriate or ineffective in addressing complex social and cultural needs. Such a stance risks excluding vulnerable communities and reducing public value to profit potential.
Conflating for-profit logic with not-for-profit purpose is not just misguided—it’s intellectually lazy. It reveals a fundamental failure to understand that community impact cannot and should not be measured solely in dollars and returns.
Local governments should fund local not-for-profit organisations because they:
1. Address Community Needs: NFPs often fill service gaps that government alone can’t meet—especially in areas like housing, mental health, arts, youth, and community development.
2. Boost Social Cohesion: They foster inclusion, participation, and a sense of belonging, particularly among marginalised or underrepresented groups.
3. Provide Cost-Effective Services: NFPs can deliver high-impact programs efficiently, often leveraging volunteers, partnerships, and additional funding.
4. Enhance Local Democracy: They give residents a voice and role in shaping their communities, aligning with the core purpose of local government.
5. Stimulate Local Economies: NFPs create jobs, support local procurement, and generate economic activity through events, services, and outreach.
6. Leverage Additional Funding: Government investment often unlocks philanthropic, state, or federal funds that require matching or seed support.
The council should be absolutely ashamed of themselves.
“Conflating for-profit logic with not-for-profit purpose is not just misguided—it’s intellectually lazy. It reveals a fundamental failure to understand that community impact cannot and should not be measured solely in dollars and returns.”
That’s the nub of the matter, and is not restricted to NFPs …. think parking meters on the Strand.
It’s not the easiest information to find on the somewhat hostile TCC website but this is one link that I found to the TCC list of approved grants. Looking back its interesting to see the number of organisations that repeatedly come back for grants each year.
What doesn’t show are grants made to organisations such as Professional Bull Riders, (PBR acknowledges TCC as a sponsor on their Australian website) Cowboys and I’m assuming others.
https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/townsville-city-council-community-grants-and-partnerships
If they are running activity every year for the benefit of the community and the grant is assessed on merit by a fair process I don’t understand the issue with annual applications. The problem is grants are assessed internally by staff and councillors. It should be assessed by community members. The current council has completely abandoned the various community advisory boards. The current council doesn’t stand for the community. How much money have we spent on staff members working overtime to photograph bins FFS.
That would be a nightmare f feuding interests and wailing comparisons. It’s the same self awards a Parliaments deciding their own salaries (don’t give me any malarky about ‘independent review boards’ and legal firms making up their own fees when glowing evaluating their worth.
The current ill-thought out wrangle is another little gift from ur dishonrable mayor, who signed off on it without a murmur or mention before being revealed and booted.
A few years ago, I was with a NFP organisation who were putting on a large event. We hired the baskeball Stadium and paid a deposit before we were allowed to apply for a grant. The grant application was successful provided we advertised that TCC was a major sponsor.
2 months before the event we were notified the cost of the hire had increased coincidently by the same amount as the grant. Much too late to change venues.
TCC got free advertising and got the stadium hired the same initial cost with no f*&cks given. The Mayor turned up for a free feed to open it.
Neville, fuck off with your AI generated comment. If you surrender your powers of thought and speech to computers you don’t get to participate in public debates on issues.
Just because I have enough intelligence to compile a numbered list doesn’t mean I am using AI, you complete tosser.
Give it up Nev, we’ve had your sort here before that list is formatted EXACTLY as chat gpt formats lists.
Here’s a list of reasons why local governments should fund not-for-profit organisations:
1. Community Impact: Not-for-profits often deliver vital services directly to vulnerable or underserved populations.
2. Cost Efficiency: These organisations often operate with lower overheads and mobilize volunteers, making them more cost-effective than government-run programs.
3. Expertise and Specialisation: Many not-for-profits have deep expertise in specific social issues (e.g., homelessness, mental health, youth engagement).
4. Innovation and Flexibility: They can often trial innovative approaches faster than government departments bound by bureaucracy.
5. Local Knowledge: Community-based organisations understand local needs and cultural contexts, leading to more tailored and effective support.
6. Social Cohesion: Supporting these groups builds civic engagement and strengthens community bonds.
7. Economic Benefits: Not-for-profits create jobs, provide training, and stimulate local economies through service delivery.
8. Leverage Additional Resources: Government funding can help unlock private donations and grants from other sources.
9. Preventative Approach: Many services offered by not-for-profits are preventative, reducing long-term costs in areas like health, justice, and welfare.
10. Public Trust: These organisations often have strong relationships with their communities and can engage residents that government agencies might not reach.
11. Crisis Response: They are often first responders in times of crisis, from natural disasters to public health emergencies.
Would you like this tailored for a grant proposal or policy briefing?
Yeah, Yeah, very droll, also quite interesting.
And the list makes an unspoken point we’d do well to remember … we have delineate between NFPs that actually assist those that through no fault of their own, need a helping hand from their community, and those that are just bread and circuses, like ethnic festivals and the like. They are fine and appreciated by the whole community, but they really should be self-funding with private sponsors, mostly from within those communities. And there is ample anecdotal evidence of sticky fingers in many of these organising committees which private funding would ensure didn’t happen.
Also, the double dipping of ‘professional event organisers’ needs to be better monitored.
Aside from all the chat gpt nonsense, none of the points raised explain why council should be the funding source.
The election result is nothing short of terrific—a clear, confident rejection of fearmongering, division, and the tired theatrics of the culture wars. Voters have spoken, and they’ve said no—loudly and decisively.
No to Dutton and his politics of paranoia.
No to racism, dog whistles, and scapegoating communities doing it tough.
No to trashing the arts, sidelining First Nations voices, and demonising diversity.
No to treating compassion as weakness, or public services as optional.
No to the idea that economic growth must come at the expense of decency, humanity, or vision.
This blog—full of smirking attacks on community, cruel austerity dressed up as “fiscal responsibility,” and endless appeals to the lowest common denominator—is everything the electorate just rejected. Voters chose decency over division, facts over fear, and progress over performative outrage.
It turns out people do care. They just needed a real choice—and this time, they made it count.
” …full of smirking attacks on community, cruel austerity dressed up as “fiscal responsibility,” and endless appeals to the lowest common denominator.”
What drooling nonsense. Attacks on community? Any examples. Cruel austerity, ditto? And what do you describe as ‘the lowest commn denominator’ transates as ‘people having an opinion contrary to yours’.?
Normally, that comment would be binned as pointless political claptrap, but The Magpie posts it as a warning and an expamle of AI and ChatGP in the hands of the truly ignorant.
One person’s “austerity” is another’s “budget repair”, Hawk, and I think we need a fair-sized dose of the latter just now. Unfortunately, I don’t think we’re likely to see it in the next three years, more’s the pity, because if we get another GFC-grade crisis anytime soon, we’re in pretty lousy economic shape to respond to it because of years of living beyond our means at both governmental and average-household levels.
Oh, and you forgot one, Birdbrain: No to Adam Bandt and his own peculiar toxic brand of divisive politics. I am over the moon that that man’s been unceremoniously turfed out. Time to write your memoirs, punk.
How much are we investing in Townsville Enterprise for their event development and acquisition activities? Does anyone know?
Hawk, more like a cuckoo.
From his extreme socialist days at university, Comrade Bandt asserted that the best way to destroy the system was to do it from within. He certainly gave it his best shot.
The Townsville Cukoo is one of the drooling permanently outraged mob screamers (POMS -no resemblance of our English cousins). They spend their hate filled days searching to offend them and then try to stop it. Undoubtedly, this weirdo will be eagerly awaiting the next edition of the Nest.
I hope the ‘Pie will exercise his editorial responsibility regarding this contemptible ratbag.
I wonder if Trump had included The Vatican in his global tariffs hike? Being such a mercenary bastard he’ll probable convert to Catholicism pronto!
His first confession would be a bloody ripper!
Think of the lighting bolts from above!!
Trump should include the Vatican on his list. With an estimated worth of between $30b to $260b, and with other sources saying close to $1trillion when you include all of its assets, antiquities and properties such as hotels, they can afford it. Millions of deluded souls readily handing over money in the hope of buying their way into heaven. What an absolute scam.
Seems the American Pope might be a MAGA fan, taking a leaf out of Trump’s book on how to wow his followers by hoisting the holy hemline.
And while we’re in the area of images for which we need a wire brush to scrub our eyeballs, did anyone note this small story in today’s Astonisher? Oh, Bentley, where are you when we need you?
The ‘Pie stopped reading when he got to this bit.
And no, we do not need any commentary of schoolyard humour, thank you.
Sounds OK to me, my fear is that she’d take ‘em off!
All a bit academic for both us, The ‘Pie suspects.
Interesting to see Emily McDonald’s name. I’ve wondered (very occasionally) what she might be up to these days. I see that she’s changed mastheads again (and maybe yet again) since infesting the Townsville and Gold Coast Bulletins.
The ‘Pie remembers E-Mac as a nice, generally quite and competent colleague. She feigned outrage with The ‘Pie when he, having noted her boyfriend was two or three years younger than her … dubbed her the Newsroom Cougar.
Nice kid, as I remember.
Concerningly, it has come to my attention that behind closed doors the council are discussing their intentions to cancel the annual carols by candlelight event.
Not likely. Surely.
There has not been a candle at Carols by Candlelight for years. All been politically correct LED lights. Turn up with a candle and you will get booted as a fire hazard.
Boo hoo!
It’s pretty alarming to see how much is being spent on senior executives in Townsville, especially when you compare it to what we pay our elected representatives. Last year, the total reported spend on executives was $3.6 million. Of that, $1.7 million went to termination payouts alone. That leaves $1.9 million in standard, ongoing salaries for just five people: the CEO and 4 directors. The CEO is earning $500,000 a year, while each director is on $350,000.
Now compare that to our local councillors. The Mayor earns $225,000, the Deputy Mayor gets $153,000, and each of the eight Councillors is paid $135,000. Altogether, that’s a total annual cost of around $1.46 million for all 10 elected officials.
So we’re spending more on 5 unelected executives than we are on the 10 people who actually represent the community and are directly accountable to voters. That’s a real problem. At a time when so many residents are being told to brace for cuts and tighten their belts, it doesn’t make sense for executive salaries to be protected or quietly inflated. If savings need to be found, they should start at the top.
And it’s not just the executives. The structure beneath them is top heavy too. In addition to the CEO and 4 directors, council has 16 General Managers, 35 Team Managers, 14 Team Leaders and 68 Coordinators.
That’s 138 management and coordination staff in total, sitting above the rest of the workforce. When you factor in their salary bands, which start from $105K for Coordinators to around $280-300K for General Managers, we’re spending somewhere between $20-25M on these roles alone. When you look at the total employee benefits of $173M, these 138 senior and middle management staff represent only about 5.3% of the total workforce, yet they account for around 11-13% of the total employee benefits expenditure. This highlights a disproportionate allocation of resources to a relatively small group, underscoring the need for budgetary reconsiderations, especially when looking for places to make cuts.
The financial irresponsibility of the council becomes even clearer when you consider the community grants program, which is currently on the chopping board, is only $1M.
While the council spends millions on inflated executive salaries, it allocates only a fraction of that to support the very community it’s meant to serve. This puts into stark contrast the priorities of the council: excessive pay for a small group of senior staff while essential funding for grassroots community initiatives is kept at a bare minimum. It’s clear that the council needs to reconsider its financial priorities and focus on serving the people, rather than indulging a small group of high earners.
As The ‘Pie understands it, the councillors do not set PS salaries, except for the very senior levels, the wage bands are set by the government and unions.
But the general thrust of your argument is worth thinking about.
Once you are paid outside of the EBA and on a contract, the PS does not factor in. Directors, General Managers etc are on contracts
OK. Who sets the pay, then, CEO?
I thought the CEO salary was close to $700k and the 4 exec positions in the mid $400k range?
KPMG, are the salaries you have quoted inclusive of superannuation? If not, then you can add a few more million to the annual figures.
CEO is on $750k+ Car, Card, expenses, $1k rental assistance. Directors are on $480k+ car allowance & expenses. KPNG is short. GMs are on $280k-$350k bands, vehicle or allowance etc. they are on employment agreements, CEO determines all salaries except his own, councillors and recruitment determine CEOs package.
So much for the argument that councils have to pay competitive top dollar to get the brightest and the best away from the corporate sector.
Don’t believe it? Look around.
Peter, the figures you have quoted are incorrect.
Senior executive (key management personnel) remuneration needs to be disclosed, and is printed on page 92 of the Council’s Annual Report. https://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/253234/Annual-Report-2023-24.pdf
The actual figures I have listed are within the reported ranges published in the Annual Report and were calculated from the information released by the Auditors Office about overpayment of termination payments in 23/24, as reported by the ABC. This contained a breakdown of termination vs current employee benefits.
https://amp.abc.net.au/article/104615890
KPNG wrong again mate. That was for the previous year, the CEO salary went up under McArthur recruitment, and the CEO raised the director fees. These salaries have confirmed from within the executive offices, not an outdated ABC / Auditor past year report. The CEO gets more than the old one, Julie Barr from McArthurs made sure of that, a bigger commission.
KP? Sounds like our ex mayor is now KPNG @magpie?
Anything is possible in this forum.
Sweet baby jesus, if your figures are correct Peter then the fish rots from the head. Those wages are astronomical. Regardless, the point still stands – the council must reduce their top heavy headcount.