Despite the unsurprising and comprehensive slap-down of 2023, it seems out Prime Minister and cohorts have no intention of learning any lessons from a democratic referendum result … the yapping and whining is continuing from the usual suspects, but The Magpie has come across a document that might help close the yap. Although available to the government in mid-August – just a few weeks before the referendum – it was kept under tight wraps. You’ll see why as you scroll – and scroll and scroll and scrollllll – through it.
‘Tis the season for Australia Day to again be next Yap target, with Albanese trying to be all things to all people. Bentley isn’t fooled.
The Townsville Bulletin declares itself kingmaker (queenmaker actually) in the local mayoral elections. They have boldly told candidates if the paper doesn’t like what you say, it won’t be printed. How very Murdoch/Fox News of them! The Magpie has the proof.
Still with that local council election, The Magpie has an EXCLUSIVE (cop that, Astonisher!!) peek at Jenny Hill’s main campaign poster … Dolan might have to have a word in her shell-pink.
Was that $9million Townsville Marina property that sold late last year ? Maybe maybe not, that’s the big buzz doing the rounds of the local property market … if it has sold, the rumoured buyer is really no surprise.
And The Magpie breaks the record for broken New year’s resolutions.
You can help ensure that The Magpie’s Nest continues through the year with a donation to help meet costs, but we know you’re probably maxed out right now. However, any coins which spilled down the back of the couch during any lusty celebration to greet the New Year will be welcome. And a special shout out to those folks who offered their invaluable contributions – both financial and information – in 2023. Sincere thanks.
Now, onward into the unknown.
Australia Day Creates A Cornucopia Of Cowards
Anthony Albanese is sweating bullets this January, seeing his bank of goodwill after the election now all but liquidated – all because of his vainglorious grandstanding and legacy seeking on the surefire losing issue of aboriginal overreach for spurious ‘rights’. He went into feverish double-speak and evasion on the issue shortly after the October referendum, in which 60% of the country rejected the absurd Indigenous racist demands based on a mythical ‘vibe’ with a hidden agenda now exposed (treaty and ‘reparations’.) He has now unconvincingly denied that there are background moves undermining Australia Day being held on January 26 – replacing it with the fanciful Invasion Day. With his track record of lies and evasion about the Voice to Parliament, people simply don’t believe him anymore. Bentley sure doesn’t.
But bad luck, Albo, your scrapping of laws last year requiring local councils to hold citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day is now sinking it teeth into your woke arse. And carrying on your sterling campaign of creating division within Australian society.
81 councils across Australia have scrapped the citizenship ceremonies, and …
…there were 10 in Queensland, until Burdekin and Charters Towers were forced into a re-think by furious residents. Townsville will continue the tradition – they had little choice as a garrison city which enjoys record rates of aboriginal juvenile crime.
But the outright lies from some of the other council’s were laughable … Bundaberg, Rockhampton,Toowoomba and Gladstone all said the ceremonies were scrapped for unnamed ‘logistical reasons’, Rockhampton mayor Tony williams said plans to have the ceremony in the evening of the 25th was because someone last year suffered heat stroke. Only Gladstone had an acceptable reason – Mayor Matt Burnett said for 25 years, they had held the citizenship ceremonies on the 24th – ‘We didn’t move it, it has always been the night before’, he said.
The Magpie’s view: just when the ceremonies are held is largely irrelevant, it’s only vaguely symbolic, and the problem here is the other political and election agendas are being fed into what is essentially an unimportant matter of scheduling. What does matter is any shifts that are made because of racist and woke pressure groups forcing timid, even cowardly, authorities to bow to their minority will. It is not what is being argued, it is why it is being argued.
However, from a common sense point of view, ceremonies on Australia Day eve make perfect sense, allowing our new citizens to step into Australia Day festivities on an equal footing in their adopted country.
All the rest is just yap, yap, yap.
The Document They Didn’t Want You To See
A good friend down south sent a link into The Nest on Saturday morning. This was the covering letter in the link.
When The ‘Pie opened it, he was expecting a quick read requiring a pithy comment or two. Well, he was wrong about ‘quick read’ (just 270 pages) and as for comments, he is at a loss. Especially when thinking back to the racist bile piled on him and the 60% of the population for daring to cite democratic and racist grounds to oppose the indigenous Voice to Parliament scam. When you’re looking through this document (hope you’ve got a while), might be best to remember two things: 1. this is all Australian taxpayers money, and 2. this is for just six months – there will be a similar report EVERY six months. And yet, we’re told we’re doing nothing for our indigenous folks, while certain elements prey on theirn own people.
A disclaimer to those reading this: The Magpie takes no responsibility for burst blood vessels, kicked cats or vile swearing in front of the kids.
There Will Many an Aussie Looking Wistfully Across The Tasman Sea
The Shaky Isles new government hasn’t wasted time in nailing its colours to the governmental mast.
Dutton and Crisafulli will be watching with interest.
2024 Is Destined To Be A Pivotal Election Year
And while all eyes will be on the state election in October, and across at the United States about the same time, Townsville will have its own little electoral hootenanny in March, with the mayoral head-to-head – incumbent Jenny ‘Mayor Mullet’ Hill up against Fightin’ Fran O’Callaghan about to burst upon us. It’s been a pretty sedate affair so far, Fran clearing her decks but restricting herself to holding mayor and council to account for breach of rules and decency – real and alleged – and the mayor apparently seeing no need for drastic measures yet – like her usual ploy of helping place stalking horse time wasters on the ballot to syphon off votes from the opposition (but you never know, the campaign is but a pup, so we’ll see). The Mullet is getting a dream run from the Bulletin (more on that in a minute) while Fran facing indifference from the paper and the Labor machine assisting the ‘independent’ Hill.
But the corflutes will be popping up all over the place shortly. The Magpie has an exclusive look at one proposed one for Jenny Hill.
That’s one political promise The ‘Pie believes.
But The Bulletin Comes Clean … It’s Backing Jenny
The paper has shown more interest in the Mr Isa council and the political bitch slapping going on out there than it has in council matters here in Townsville. But its support for Jenny Hill and the totally question-free incuriosity, resulting in all sorts of minor stories with large photographs and making tenuous links with the mayor to all sort of fairy floss nonsense has been a clear message for some months now … Jenny’s their gal. (Although many believe it might be the other way around, the Astonisher is Jenny’s paper).
But all that was just assumption.
Until the past week.
It all started when Clr O’Callaghan inquired about the paper’s policy, because her letter in reply to a number of incorrect claims about her by another letter writer had not been published after several days. Her letter was then published. This is Fran’s reply to a disgruntled former supporter (and former Bulletin employee, The ‘Pie suspects).
Fair enough, late as it was, Clr O’Callaghan’s reply was given prominent pride of place. But soon after, council candidates, presumably (and laughably) including the mayor, received a most interesting email from the the Bulletin’s Caitlin Charles.
Hello,
Any fuckin’ questions? as that kamikaze pilot said in the briefing room. While all candidates received the missive, Clr O’Callaghan decided she had a query or two.
HelloCan I please be advised if a candidate or councillor will not have a letter published by your paper even if it is in response to a text or letter published by your paper regarding that candidate or councillor, or will your paper now cease to publish any letters and texts about candidates or councillors.RegardsFran O’Callaghan
Hi Fran, that will be a case-by-case basis.
Now, to the uninitiated, that really is a big deal … it’s a big deal for the community, for the candidates and most importantly, for an electorate that deserves to be informed in an unbiased, honest and timely manner of what various candidates have said, and what they stand for. Let’s put it another way …. the paper could well have … and indeed may have intended to … leave the vindictively incorrect and twisted criticisms of ‘Max’ unanswered . And the paper would see nothing wrong with that, according to the policy stated by Ms Charles. A ‘case by case basis’ is clear in language and intent … i.e. ‘we will publish those candidate statements we like and agree with – others, no’.
And there’s no point, Ms Charles, in pointing out that this only applies to the letters column (and no mention of Text The Editor content, we notice). Because now candidates will be at the mercy of totally incurious and unprofessional reporters to have what they say faithfully reported … and also where it is placed in the paper, always a major consideration in elections. The track record doesn’t bode well in this regard … we are now having to trust a staff of rotational blow-ins with no real interest in this city that they see only as a stepping stone to greater Murdoch glory.
This city deserves better … much , much better than this.
The ‘Pie’s advice is opt for the watermelon, better value, a more pleasant experience and just as much intelligence. If you doubt that, check out this headline.
Nepture? Whatever, if it looks more like Uranus, it’s a newly discovered Brown Planet … same colour as the headline writers nether regions.
A Nine Million Dollar Guessing Game
The chum hum around the local real estate folks asks this question – has the handsome house on the marina with three boat possies, five bedrooms and the other expected accoutrements at 48 Sir Leslie Thiess Drive been sold?
The reason for the speculation is twofold … the property is being marketed internationally by Sotheby’s International, no muckin’ about with the local yokels, and about the only local (sort of) around this town with that sort of coin in casino kingpin Chris Morris … you know him, the bloke with two hotels and a gaming palace just across the road from the house. While there is no ‘under offer’ sign on the Sotheby’s site, people with this sort of moolah like to keep things on the low down, as people suspect talks are underway And Morris could have a couple of reasons to dip into his petty cash … it could be used for high rollers he wants to attract to the casino. OR … given the lengths he is reported to have gone to to retain the services of his magic general manager Michael Jones, fighting of the LNP desperate to have him as a candidate, this might just be the new managerial digs.
Trumped Again!!
An early entry in the Word of the Year selection by literary boffins would have to be ‘projecting’ … not in the Dolly Parton sense, but in the psychological sense :
In future times, ex-mobster President will be cited multiple times as a textbook example of ‘projecting’. The latest is a doozy. Trump and his toadies have been ramping up unsupported accusations that President Joe Biden has and is accepting personal funds and gifts from undisclosed people and unknown countries for reasons equally obscure … they are staging this charade to try and impeach Biden.
But now it is revealed, – with proof – that while President, Trump accepted at least $8million from Chinese interests for an unknown quid pro quo. Plus a lucrative agreement, again with the Chinese interests, for groups to stay at his hotels. All this while his daughter was doing rip-roaring business secretly with Chinese companies, while daddy was talking tough to disguise copping a massive backhander. No wonder Xi is always got a half smile on his dial. Our opening US gallery for the year doesn’t strike a cheery note.
Best Fun Tweet Of The Week
… and The Magpie reckons he’s got the record for breaking NY’s resolution. True entry.
…………..
So we’re off and running into 2024 which should be great fun. Spread the word that The Nest is back up after a week’s break, and dive into comments for a lively old time. To support The Nest, the donate button is below.
It seems that Les Messageblank Walker has the drop on Aaron (Who?)Harpic
In my travels around the City of Rocks I noticed a roadside sign on Bowen Rd with a beaming Messageblank announcing the duplication of Stuart Drive. Work has actually started with the great Stuart Drive tree massacre.
Out in the Upper Ross there is a roadside sign complete with a smirking Aaron Who? portrait announcing that Riverway Drive duplication will commence in 2023. That would make the project 3 years later from the original start time.
Note to Aaron Who?: It is now 2024 and no roadworks have commenced. Please amend your roadside sign to read,
“Riverway Drive duplication commencing fuck knows when?”
motorist, les was taken to task about the 4 lane Stuart Drive pie in the sky in the Astonisher, and the time frame for widening the bridge on Bowen Road. The replies stated that the bridge has been funded and I can’t remember when but it will be sometime in the next Millenia perhaps? I can see this turning into a complete fiasco, hundreds of Traffic Control operators will be employed for years on this, disruption to one of the busiest roads in the ‘Ville, a whole Aboriginal under bridge housing estate will have to be re-located to some where else! The mind boggles, and Les probably (hopefully, along with his mates) won’t be there to own up to it anyway!!
Probably most immodest of The Magpie, but allow him to point out that the Townsville Bulletin had to ‘take Les to task’ only after two expose’s of the paper’s incompetence and lack of local history on the issue in this blog.
Yes mostly all credit to yourself Magpie, but one thing the Mundingburra Mauler has not yet learned is the ability to duck and weave sufficiently. Perhaps he’s been lulled into a false sense of security by all the ‘commercial in confidence’ deals that surround him leading to the belief that questions won’t need to be answered! This roadworks will effortlessly exceed any budget costings by squillions, ( not a problem for Spielcheque apparently?) and I for one would like to retire on just the traffic ‘control’ costings by themselves – what ever happened to the idea of a side detour road operated by two people with a radio each?
Happy New Year Pie and nesters . Council and State elections , a chance for perspective on the parties and independents from the nest you won’t get from the Townsville Bulletin . Xi Jing Ping President of China and Australia’s largest export market must be shaking in his boots concerned a Bogan Mayor of Townsville claims mistrust and unethical mineral supply from his Country . Team Hill won’t be pushed around by National Australian Companies like Qantas / Chemist Warehouse ( still waiting 3 yrs for Council approval ) . Different story if you are an Indian miner , busted arse mining companies as Council will provide airports , free land with civil works and water access all behalf of the battered Townsville ratepayers . State wise, the Miles Government failed their first natural disaster . Senator Murray Watt when challenged why it took so long for defence force assistance in Cairns / Gold Coast / Hinterland said the Miles Government didn’t ask for it believing they had enough resources .
Ever wondered why the Courier Mail is ready willing and able to expose the failings of the State Labor Government but its News Ltd little sister the Townsville Bulletin protects the local Labor Mayor from criticism?
The local paper will be closed down the minute it stops making money and Jenny Hill’s recent advertising splurge with ratepayer’s money is making sure that doesn’t happen, at least until after the election
Might be time to get that sign made up for the front of the Townsville Bulletin bunker
OFFICIAL JENNY HILL RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN OFFICE
A good time to bring up an important element leading into the election/s. For many years it was an accepted and respected unwritten rule that all media (newspaper, TV and radio) charge election candidate and political advertisers the rack rate for election advertising. Those years are now long past and the rot started to set in around the time that the Mullet got the ropes to the council advertising budgets. Watch her use the Council’s rate at her convenience and also her collective card and cash payments over the front counter.
Warner has retired … some years too late but now he’s gone.
Another cheat gone, just one more to go. But what a lame attempt to garner sympathy before the final curtain to blunt any criticism of the plain fact that David Warner should never have been allowed back into Australian colours after Sandpapergate … the dumb blatant cheating was his idea, FFS!!! Then he tells us he lost – then found – his baggy green.
The Shovel doesn’t believe him either.
Got to agree with you on this one Magpie – Warner, Smith and Bancroft permanently scarred Australian cricket the same way the Chappell’s’ did when bowling underarm against New Zealand. Sandpaper gate will never be forgotten. The real shame is that Warner, Smith, and Bancroft are all talented players. It should’ve never happened. Anyway, it is what it is and Warner will always be known as a talented batsman (or is that batsperson), a talented fielder, and a fucking cheat.
Agreed, but a big difference with underarm … not illegal, and by the rule book, it wasn’t cheating, it was allowed by the rules (that were subsequently changed) that’s why the outcome stands in the books. In a way, it was worse from the spirit of sportsmanship point of view, but not blatant cheating.
Very true. And the other one is the Mankad. It is a legal action within the rules of cricket, however it goes against the spirit of the game. Just ask Adam Zampa. He still copping shit.
https://www.cricket.com.au/videos/3005562/high-drama-as-zampas-mankad-called-not-out
Would it be fair to say that’s amateur sport instills good sportsmanship in kids, but the obscene fees paid to elite sportsmen encourages all forms of corruption/antisocial behavior, including cheating, social influencing, and thrusting their particular view of politics on their adoring public.
Happy New Year Magpie.
Rockhampton Regional Council along with Gladstone & Bundaberg have all shifted their Australia Day Awards. I asked a local Rocky councilor why the Australia Day Awards had been shifted from the 26th to the 25th January. Their answer was – “The last few years it has been so hot and uncomfortable for all that attended. So council has gone back to the previous Australia Day Awards and Citizenship Ceremony arrangements” Shifting one day in January doesn’t make sense unless they know it will be cooler (Relying on BOM?)
Good point.
Casino CEO is Michael JONES. LNP didn’t really want him, but he played it up to his boss, Morris, and pretended it was a done deal. Never would have beaten cashed-up ex-farmer and former mayor, Andrew Wilcox, in preselection. Morris doubled his pay well into 7 figure territory to be sure. Make no mistake a pound of flesh is required for a fee like that though.
Oops, thanks for the heads up, amended.
And yes, but fair enough, you don’t get that sort of doughfor sitting on your quoit.
If the Bulletin won’t accept election articles from councillors and candidates, maybe ‘lightweight’ could get out and do a few interviews so the voter can get an idea who is out there in their divisions.
But first he will have to find the key to the padlock chain to Jenny’s desk.
Always have liked your whimsical humour.
Great to be back for the year, Pie. Just a reminder that while I don’t have a penny to scrape the salt of my toes – let alone make a donation -I do sincerely appreciate the work you do for us each week.
Serious question: the councils in NQ/FNQ were surely not scrapping Citizenship Ceremonies in Aus Day protests, a couple of months before elections? Is it not more likely that there are simply no would-be citizens waiting to be minted and so no need for a ceremony?
Otherwise these mayors will all be shot for such behaviour.
“The Document They Didn’t Want You To See” is a report released twice a year.
Also letters from candidates are printed on a case by case basis in every newspaper in the country and always have been. Try and be objective.
So that’s OK then? On the principle that they’re all doin’ it so it must be OK?
Like was so famously said, all power and no responsibility, the prerogative of the harlot throughout the ages.
Jimmy Olsen is that you?
PR, It’s strange that ‘lightweight’ gave himself that handle. Jimmy Olsen was considered and casted as a bumbling reporter. Then again he was spot on.
I see Cr Fran is advertising on Instagram but only mentioning accountability and transparency. Advertisement notes that she is paying for the Advertisement herself.
The Pie’s understanding is that she is funding the campaign solely by herself … she has limited donation to under $500 and is keen not to be seen to have any conflict of interest if elected. The ‘Pie has heard that several businesses have offered biggish bucks, but she has declined those offers.
Fran is not a political animal with a win at all costs conventional attitude – for instance, she appears to have decided to not directly attack Jenny Hill, and concentrates on the policies she believes should be implemented.
It’s a very dangerous strategy but that’s Fran for you.
And what’s interesting about Fran is that she doesn’t need to resort to desperate measures. Unlike Hill, Fran has a proven business head on her shoulders, a proven track record, and has a real people personality. Hill on the other hand can only survive in life by sucking on the taxpayer/ratepayer teat. She has no business sense and has completely fucked Townsville’s finances. Sadly I don’t feel that Fran will get the numbers to beat Hill because Fran isn’t the type to play grubby and dirty politics. That is Hill’s major asset.
SHOW HILL THE DOOR IN 24
She’s dead in the water. No one gives a rats about accountability and open govt (apart from Nesters it seems). She has 2 months to go for the jugular … Cost of living and safety. Roads, rates and rubbish a distant third. Water security is not even on the agenda these days. Nice lady but no cut through. Hammer home attack ads? Not her style.
Labor and the unions will slaughter her in the last couple of weeks if she appears to be a threat … like they did with Cox in 2020.
Hill can sit back this year and do nothing and win in a canter. Sad but that’s the situation. We will lose a good councillor.
This is the man the MAGA fruitcakes want to be the leader of the free world and have the nuclear codes. Ape-shit bonkers doesn’t start to cover it.
https://twitter.com/DavidCornDC/status/1743555221551280318?cxt=HBwW_MK7rY-PrbIwAAAA&cn=ZmxleGlibGVfcmVjcw%3D%3D&refsrc=email
Just a dumb piece of shit! But how can this happen? Only in the usa?
Looks like it’s time for the Pie to sell his Aerosmith Albums…, Dream On….
Just heard Councillor Maurie Soars New Year greetings and all the best for 2024 on MMM . Maurie will only be a Councillor for 1/4 of 2024 . Team Hill voting themselves + 56 % increase on their expenses . What is considered Political vs accepted Councillors expenditure ? . Council is budgeted to make $3.54 mil loss 2023/24 . Any thoughts that Councillir should cut back their expenses until Council is in the black .
Some cost cutting initiatives;
Councillors to halve their travel expenses and conduct more meetings via Zoom or Microsoft teams. No international jollies and no domestic travel for LGAQ events.
Cut Ralston’s salary but $150k.
Councillors to have their expense allowances halved, not increased.
Travel budget for TCC staff to be halved. Again, meetings can be attended on Zoom or Microsoft teams. No travel to be approved for seminars or other such events.
A review of TCC $600 to -$700m debts, in particular what is owed to Queensland treasury, should be undertaken. Is Treasury offering the best loan rates? Are there financial penalties for refinancing Council debts with another loan provider? Treasury are loan sharks.
A review of Hill’s personal staff numbers including advisers should be undertaken with a recommendation of making at least 2 of those positions redundant as they are not needed.
Councils $750k funding of TEL should be trimmed to $500k with surplus TEL positions made redundant as they are overstaffed. This mob are an absolute waste of Council money. I would like to see them gone altogether, but in reality that won’t happen.
Council advertising costs to mainstream media etc. To be cut by 50%
Council funds being spent on events such as the Superpests and supporting sports teams. This should cease.
There you go Hill and Ralston, some budget findings and cost saving by applying the above. Now do it you retards.
Most younger people today don’t care about how much money Team Jenny Hill wastes or how secretive they are about it because they foolishly think it’s not coming out of their pockets.
The younger generation also don’t read newspapers nor watch much tv or listen to the radio, because they get their info and news online, mostly from community Facebook pages.
So, unfortunately, it’s highly likely that Jenny Hill will be re-elected. Our only hope is that some genuine independents are elected to council to break the dictatorship.
But transparency? Forget about it.
Before the last election Hill promised to be more transparent but since then the concrete wall surrounding the council has become thicker, and higher.
Hill’s legacy, when she finally escapes back to Malta, will be a massive council debt, which the now younger generation will be paying off for the rest of their lives with higher rates and less and less money left to spend on the basics like roads.
The future is not looking good.
Magpie, for some reason my first attempt at this reply was abbreviated in the process – a bunch was cut out of the middle.
Doug, the tenor of your comment seems to suggest that because younger people don’t follow the usual media (such as it is) they won’t be aware of the shortcomings of political candidates and likely cause the re-election of the incumbent mayor. But who are these “younger people”? I’ve looked up the last Census details for Townsville and discovered the following age distribution (approx. figures rounded where necessary):
Too young to vote (40 years, comprising 2/3rds of the actual voting electorate) easily have the numbers and seem to think we have the political experience. Many of us also have advantages that come with age – rates discounts for pensioners, cheap bus tickets, ‘seniors’ discounts – partly or wholly paid for by ratepayers. We know which side our bread is buttered on. No good foisting our political frustrations on ‘younger people’ as if they don’t know better.
I give up.
Yes Wetcheque, you should give up because you are a complete muppet. Now go and take a nap and save some of your brain cells before you become completely void of any cognitive ability.
That’s really helpful, added brilliantly to the issue under discussion.
As the saying goes: “If you can’t baffle them with brilliance, befuddle them with bullshit.
Should be The Nest’s motto.
Yaaaaiiii!
Typical response from Butterflog, never has any sensible input or discussion points.
Hey, kiddies, can we try to keep to issues and not make this an arena for pointless slagging.
Drew – nah, nah
Spieler, this is the latest of the two longer version of the comment you made – the duplicate has been deleted – and it has not been edited this end. Did you have a link to be included? The WordPress platform does not accept certain inclusions to be embedded in comments (photos for instance, plus certain other file formats), but links to just about anything work, unless behind a paywall. If anyone wants to include a photograph, it can be sent to email hidden; JavaScript is required but few do, because in most cases, it will reveal the commenters identity to The Magpie (like he gives a fuck).
The gist of the stats I was trying to present is that in Townsville about 25% of the population is too young to vote, young people (18-40) are about 30%, older people (40-70) about 35% and old people (70+) are about 10%. This means that oldies outnumber “young people” (under 40) by 2:1 at the ballot box.
So?
So if Doug wants to convince a part of the demographic to vote a certain way, rather than working on ‘young people’ who probably don’t have a clue, he should be working on those he knows best – the ones that consume his media the way he does. After all, they have the voting power and they can be reached.
Under nonsense, a weak attempt at trying b affle with statistical bullshit. Jenny doesn’t try to convince anybody because of lazy, rusted on Labor – the people any candidate would try to persuade would be those ‘who don’t have a clue’.
OK then. Reach out to those that don’t have a clue. You won’t find them here though will you?
No, quite right, with the notable one or two exceptions, Nest readers are very clued up.
Still waiting for all those urgent pipes to be laid too. $70 million wasn’t it? All sitting in the sun hiding off in a labor party donor’s padlock. But Jane arlett was going to send us broke with that project, how’s that going I ask? Will it be finished with riverway drive duplication??
Doug I have to say if your infrans camp and her ear she needs to take the big money offered to her because she’s got fuck all chance winning if she thinks using Facebook will do it. She needs to front up to every media release the mayor puts out and challenge her right there instead of waiting for the media to ask her reply. Don’t wait for the debate take it to her so every media conference she will be there to rebut. I really don’t think she has a chance I hope I’m very wrong.
Pipe dreamer, with RR dam capacity above 60% and a wet season in front of us, there is no “urgency” to complete the duplication of the Haughton pipeline.
Now we really know that you ARE either a paid or unpaid hack for Mayor Mullet.
The ‘wet season’ is almost exactly at the halfway point (Nov-March) and we’ve had bugger all as the dam level shows. And Mayor Mullet may well carpet you for suggesting a lack of urgency is OK, which will not be welcomed by the two or three outfits listed in Lansdown. And it won’t be OK if she is forced to introduce water restrions before the election, after all the years of stop-go and secrecy surrounding this non-urgent pipeline.
On average, January (270mm), February (301mm) and March (190mm) are the three wettest months in Townsville.
God better get his finger out then, eh? We’ve had SFA so far. BTW has worked stopped on the pipeline on the predicted downpour? You know, the pipeline that was meant to be finished years ago until covid provided a spurious excuse for expedient delays?
And hey, since you’re based in Walker Street, can you check on the status and latest timeline for the Double Cross Hotel near the stadium, please.
Onya’ Leighton aka Jimmy Olsen, Spielcheque.
Leighton is no Spielcheque – trained as a spin merchant, the Spieler has a superior grasp of grammar, and clearly with the aid of TCC computing scope, does some research – one sided as it is.
I have a feeling that SpielCheque resides somewhere near Gurumbilla.
Where!?!?
Covid was 2 years ago and those pipes sitting in the labor sponsor holding yard on Shaw rd and also hidden behind truck line parts in Maxwell drive the bohle, have been there now since start of wet season 2022. Explanations please?
I will also add the the mullet herself declared this project the most important projects Townsville has undertaken with the growth of the city this water project will secure water for decades to come but we need state and federal funding to accelerate this before time runs out. Her words not mine. This is a 79 million dollar bill to ratepayers why are they not in the ground 2 years after being transferred from the ship? So question is is this going to be an election winner for the mayor because she promised the pipes but a loss because she hasn’t put them in. It’s been very very quiet about the pipeline for over 12 months
Very, very quiet you reckon? You must have missed this:
Date published: 27 October 2023
Pipes have started going into the ground as construction has started on Stage 2 of Townsville’s largest water infrastructure project.
More than 28km of pipeline is being installed as part of the Haughton Pipeline Project Stage 2 to help bolster Townsville’s water security.
“Construction of the project is currently scheduled to finish in 2025.”
There’s even a video showing the ‘damaged’, sun-exposed pipes being put in the ground. Have a nice day.
Ummm, you don’t say where this is published?
Magpie, if you google Haughton pipeline stage 2 start, there is a selection of articles and media releases + some videos. Take your pick.
OK, we’ll try again, so you don’t avoid the obvious thrust of the question … who published this selection of pipe information? And yet again, you somehow fail to back up your point with any links to the same. This is very rude and arrogant behaviour. And tell Jenny I said so.
Has anybody asked wetcheck how much it is going to cost to pump this water from the Clare Weir to the Ross River Dam where it will evaporate, also has anybody asked Captain Cupcake Stewart why he wants to raise the Burdekin Falls Dam to 2 metres when it can’t be extended to 14.2 metres to give gravity fed water to Townsville.
Doug K , it’s interesting to note just a few years back when assets / property values in Townsville were flat Council asset values increased by 20 % which didn’t make their debt to equity ratio look as bad . Stephen Miles has been the local Council Minister with over 40 Qld Councils struggling financially . Regarding Townsville Bulletin editorial integrity . Nearly a full page today to the boy who has ” Townsvilles biggest Mullet ” . Whats next ? .
Nice try Doug, and you’re right. People don’t read the crap passed off as a newspapers any more. However, Jenny’s team will win, purely because there is a lack of a viable alternative. Fran hasn’t made herself known. She hasn’t been smoozing the community at events, she hasn’t had a catchy social media presence and she hasn’t been on the TV. I haven’t even had a letter from her. These are all opportunities available to her and all of which Jenny and the Bulletin cannot control. So either she’s got some shit campaign advice or she’s just not serious.
Young people are definitely not on Facebook.
Try tik tok and Instagram
Looks like the Kiwi’s common sense progressive idea has crossed over the ditch. Getting rid of the almost mandatory indigenous ceremonies.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/breaking-news/cumberland-councillor-declares-war-on-welcome-to-country-and-smoking-ceremonies/news-story/ebc92cd808ba486a7202454e8ed4f3c3
I see the ‘astonisher’ went to another low today with “Townsville’s best mullet”. I know where they can find Townsville’s worst mullet. Lightweight, can you help.
So Bounced Cheque has “given up”.
That’s a relief.
Just to set the record straight for him/her and others who are insinuating that I am in Fran’s “camp”, like many others I did offer to help her in any way I could when she announced her mayoral bid. Even had a couple of coffees and informal meetings with her and others back then.
But I have never been a part of her campaign team.
In fact I had contact with her last week for the first time in months, and have no reason to increase contact in the future.
The simple fact is that I am appalled by the waste of ratepayers money and lack of transparency provided by Mayor Jenny Hill and her Labor “team”.
I’m also appalled that the Townsville Bulletin continually allows Hill to hide behind her “commercial-in-confidence” excuse, and appears to publish her media releases without question.
Which begs the question: If Caitlan is serious about her new censorship rules, does that mean Jenny Hill can issue media releases criticising rivals, but they aren’t allowed to respond in Letters to the Editor?
Please explain, Caitlan.
Doug, there’s plenty of light relief if you want it. You wrote in your earlier comment about “a massive council debt, which the now younger generation will be paying off for the rest of their lives with higher rates and less and less money left to spend on the basics like roads.” I was on Maggie Island over New Years and noted three large Council projects, including a complete rebuild of the Arcadia to Horseshoe Bay main road, which have been completed since the last election. Must have cost upwards of $20 million, most of which would be commercial in confidence – although BMD would have a pretty good idea. All of these works were carried out in your council division (you told us you live near the Wagner walkway) seemingly with your ardent disapproval. Stop and smell the roses, bloke. Younger people are lapping it up and hiring ridiculous JeepsOnMaggie to prove it.
Spielcheque, you are now embarrassing yourself.
And surely a project as massive as the one you make your Jenny campaign spruik for CANNOT BE CinC? If so, why, what intellectual or commnercially sensitive information is at risk?
Christ Magpie, you were here when the stadium was being built. We all watched (and gasped) when the builders told us there would be a cost overrun of $50 million. Suck it up. Then the port expansion had a cost overrun with some shortcoming in the design of the breakwaters. $30 million. Suck it up. Government jobs are playgrounds for rent seekers and they get paid, no matter what, no questions answered. You know why as much or as little as I do. I gather that it’s not illegal. Suck it up.
You really are rambling now, and strayed way off point. How do we know about the blow-outs in the stadium and the port? BECAUSE THEY WEREN’T AND CAN’T BE COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE, YOU DOLT.
Yet you do your best prissy, Alan Jones’ cat’s mum lip purse and slyly suggest to Mike ‘but how much did it really cost?’ You are slowly disappearing up your own arse.
So what does this opening statement in a Townsville Bulletin story from March 2023 mean to you?
“Port CEO Ranee Crosby said an increase from $232m to $251m in overall project costs was required to cover the risk on an unfunded overrun in its …”
To me it means that the government has been informed that there is a need for more money in the budget. They expect a cost overrun – like the one at the stadium. The explanation is vacuous bollocks that means the taxpayer can just suck it up. OK, that is not C-in-C, it’s actually something worse ie. there will be no explanation. The price for the job has been increased for whatever reason you would like to write on the dotted line. And the government will pay it without hesitation. Job done. Oh, and we’ll come to the AUKUS submarines in due course.
Spielcheque , Finger on the Pulse again . Horseshoe to Arcadia $9 mil funded by Queensland and Federal Government . $7 mil under local road funding , $2 mil Feds black spot budget . You did get BMD correct doing the work . All details available online. You just can’t help some people, can you?
Telling porkies for a living is should be left to the politicians, Spieler.
Oh, wait a minute …
Yeah, Mike. That was the budget but how much did it cost? C-in-C I betcha.
C’mon, surely cost overruns CANNOT be CinC? Nor variations to publicly declared contracts?
But Magpie, variations to public contracts is exactly what happened at the stadium. Here’s how the Queensland minister ‘explained’ it:
“Minister for Housing and Public Works Mick De Brenni told 9NEWS in a statement, he made “no apologies” for fighting to ensure workers’ pay and safety.
“It’s not uncommon for there to be variations in project costs after detailed design is finalised,” he said.
Mr Di Brenni confirmed the stadium is on track to be completed in time for the 2020 NRL season.”
$50 million. No explanation. Suck it up.
This will shortly be heading into tedious territory, but one last gasp. Wasn’t the stadium extra money to do with demands (or else!) from tradies over pay and maybe conditions? Which would be a reason given the to the public. the demands came at a crucial time, so it was deemed better to let the tradies have this one.
“9NEWS understands the stadium’s $250 million price tag has blown out to $300 million. While some have blamed industrial action by the CFMEU, the trade union denies it’s to blame and has pointed the finger at construction company Watpac.”
The money was paid to . . . .? The accounts were audited by . . . .? And it’s all laid out on the table at ?
Yeah, nah. It’s Townsville.
Thanks for the advice Dud Cheque. Hope you don’t mind if i ignore it.
You could earn money on farms cherry picking.
Doug – if he is actually interested in cherry-picking, I have a job for him in Raminea.
As Stephen Fry would say to Bilecheck, “I can see that you are trying very hard to appear interesting. “
Spielcheque. DeBrennie admitted himself that the cost blowout for the stadium was for increased wages, although tries to gloss over it.
Minister for Housing and Public Works Mick De Brenni told 9NEWS in a statement, he made “no apologies” for fighting to ensure workers’ pay and safety.
“It’s not uncommon for there to be variations in project costs after detailed design is finalised,”
Shot yourself in the foot there.
Hey, Alahazbin, you remember back on January 6th, you pointed out that a story was repeated in the same issue of the Bulletin?
Well, mate, bet you’re happy you paid your sub for the paper to get the latest news today January 9. See bottom right.
Yes Pie,
$520/year for that shit. Wait till ‘lightweight’ gets going this year.
I hear that our local Dudley do-nothings, TEL, are pushing for changes to the national insurance scheme, the one that is meant to be a safe haven for FNQ folk. How the fuck can this group of misfits, incompetents and useless women be entrusted with such a task? TEl produce nothing. I’ve had the unfortunate experience of contracting to them. All they do is spend TCC money on consultants and report writers anyway. They don’t do their own work. Gill is well suited to being board chair as he is soft and effeminate.
TEL are an absolute waste of money. Council would be better off shutting TEL down and hiring to admin staff to do the work.
The Bulletin is a pathetic rag. Running late/old stories, printing biased articles, even doubling up on the same articles twice. The hard version is only good for placing in bird cages or for lighting your fire pit. The newspaper is not fit for purpose, it does not deliver local content that we need, and it bends over and takes it in the ass from its advertisers. It’s living on borrowed time anyway, it’s only a matter of time until it and The Astonisher are confined to the history pages. A region needs a local news service, but we have lost that in Townsville. Pull the plug on the local papers now, they suck. Give lightweight Leighton a job at Townsville hospital in the records department sorting patient charts.
Do you really want someone with such poor attention to detail in charge of important medical information? There is probably a job scraping trays in the kitchen more suited to Jimmy Olsen.
A good metaphor for what he and most of his colleagues already do.
Mr. Pie…I’m curious…why do you permit and persist with the comments from Spielcheque?
He/she is obviously someone, who has recently discovered your blog, and. now finds he/she can dominate it
He/she spends 25 hours a day, researching… through Google… just so, he/she can influence your blog and look so clever.
He/she has no other life, right now, just the task at hand….which is demonstrating how fucking intelligent he/.she is?
He/she has no respect for your blog…just wants pure confirmation that, “because people respond to me, I am highly intelligent”!
Love ya blog…but mate…he/she is bringing it down.
It is now an obsession….of he/she!
You are in error in a bigly way … comments here are NOT the blog. The blog has just one author and the opinions given, the questions asked and the low level yukyukyukkery are solely The Magpie’s. The ‘Pie does not envision the day when he will include opinions or alleged fact like those of Spielcheque – or you for that matter – without a second or third verification.
And your second bigly boo-boo … Spielcheque is so incompetent in trying to hide his/it’s agenda, he falls amusingly short of appearing as intelligent. Think of him/it more as a fun example of someone who ignores the warnings to stop digging.
But, hey, a guy/thing has to make a living and do as their told.
Craig Emerson presents another episode of ‘Jobs for the Boys’. He leads the Grocery review that has finally been activated after so many normal Aussies have been suffering for over 3 months when it was originally announced. While they’re reviewing the supermarkets perhaps they can review the ridiculous amounts of money they are paying their mates to do these (Independant??) jobs but I guess they’re also Commercial in Confidence.
Exactly. Just how can an ex-politician from one of the major parties be ‘independent’? Emerson is about as independent as he is a good singer.
Great comment Kenny. Lickspittle Albanese has been providing comment about unfair pricing at the supermarkets blah blah blah. But the reality is that the ACCC is softer than my cock. The ACCC is a toothless tiger, void of any real powers. Everyone knows it. And Albanese is part of a collective spending hundreds of billions on armoury and war. He is also driving this net zero bullshit which is contributing to higher energy costs which also has a negative bearing on the economy and our fiscal position. What the fuck would he or his mini-me Chalmers know about high lettuce prices or the increased cost of milk? These morons sit in their well padded ivory towers which are filled with expensive cars and houses, luxury goods, massive superannuation funds and other investments. The fuckwits wouldn’t know what it’s like to scratch around for a few pennies to pay some bills.
It is a major challenge for AnAl and Labor … this is either a free market economy or it isn’t, and the only solution is that … it isn’t. And good luck with that.
On a different note, very sorry to hear about your personal downturn, thoughts and prayers, but look, there is help for that sort of thing. Good luck with this.
David Crisafulli was on Sunrise this morning and the blonde socialist bimbo host put him on the spot for answers. Without hesitation he hammered home his policies, albeit in broad terms. The main answer she was after was whether the Olympics would go ahead under his Government. He said yes but with complete transparency and without the ridiculous expense of the Gabba renovation and secret lefty committees collecting cash for comment.
On a different note, is Piggy Pallachuck still getting paid as a MP or does her electorate now have no representation in Parliament? Or is she on her fourth holiday in 12 months? Perhaps they’ve passed the point where a bi-election is beyond being value for money so the Labor party will just continue to vote one comrade down.
Finally I see Miles of piles is still denying there’s a crime problem in Queensland.
Hope this link works.
https://www.afr.com/companies/energy/magnis-says-claim-it-was-making-300-battery-cells-a-day-was-not-true-20240110-p5ew93#:~:text=Magnis%20Energy%2C%20the%20battery%20manufacturing,of%20300%20cells%20per%20day%E2%80%9D.
Oh Mr. Pie, I am far more intelligent and intellectual than Spielcheque, the Prince, and you. The remainder of your cult followers don’t have a brain cell between them.
Intelligent AND intellectual!! WOW! Redundancy corner, no?
And as – apparently – a cult leader, The ‘Pie does not wish to discourage anybody, but tell us, why does someone of your exalted abilities inhabit the lower depths of this particular comment world?
If only you weren’t so modest, you’d be perfect.
EB, P’raps you should change your sycophantic moniker to Oscar Wilde! Look where a similar boast landed him!
EB, In your case I defer to the Mark Twain defence.
(Via email)
Choice conducted a survey wondering what we were most worried about looking forward to 2024. Here is my answer. BUREAUCRACY in every way shape and form! Career bludgers who are only seeking to make things complicated and are keen to be part of the problem not part of the solution! ESPECIALLY climate change urgers who generate more hot air and Co2 with their Climate Change Conferences and love ins than the rest of the riff raff (us the ordinary people) generate in a lifetime.
Bully online story yesterday included an unflattering photo of Mayor Mullet. Today’s paper has a much more flattering pic.
Wonder why it was changed.
Cos she ripped the iditor a new one.
You mean this one:
…. when they should’ve used this one …
Dr Jekyll and/or Mr Hyde! Or night before and after the V8’s.
Jesus Christ! She looks like she has just turned 90
I hear Stacey Coburn has resigned from TCC and has taken a position at TAFE Qld. Thoughts on this?
Is that so? Well, here’s a thought. The The Magpie must have missed something, since it appears Ms Coburn left Walker Street’s hallowed halls 11 months ago. Or at least according to her pro forma shining gush of insincerity she herself posted on social media.
… or was there a recall of which The ‘Pie was oblivious?
Or are you a Townsville Bulletin reporter just catching up on the news within the paper’s normal time frame?
Lol, no. I have just come across her appointment to TAFE. I’m wondering What shld TAFE expect?
It seems, Mr. Pie, that Scott Stewart had a little more than car thefts on his mind in Townsville this week?
Naughty, Scotty, blatantly checking out Di Farmer’s ass like that!
Wonder what he was thinking?
https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/news/queensland-police-data-shows-200-per-cent-increase-in-townsville-car-thefts-since-2015/news-story/de82e529d795de6d76bbe8e1290748c5
Gerontophiliac. Probably into a bit of frontage as well.
Umm, would that be frottage?
Piss poor on the part of Woolworths to refuse to stock Australia Day merchandise. They are joining the Blactivists who seek to destroy and denigrate modern Australia. It makes my blood boil!
You just beat The ‘Pie to the issue, Loser Penis. And The ‘Pie reckons there’s a bit more to this idiocy, a lot more than just a good old bitchslap between duopolies.
Woolies started an inexplicably dangerous and totally unnecessary strategy.
Lickety split, Coles initially matched, announcing a ban on Australia Day merch … but then some of the smarter ones had a little thinkette about it, and quickly reversed their initial knee-jerk decision – and are now sitting pretty, polished halo and all.
Woolworths – aren’t they owned by South African interests nowadays? – put out a gutless statement saying demand for Aussie Day stuff had declined in recent years … as though that’s a reason to actually ban all such material. Could you just stick it in a corner and not promote it? At the very least, they should replace their marketing and PR oafs.
But there’s a wider possibility here …. The Woolworths’ decision comes less than 48 hours after PM AnAl announced former Labor karaoke star Craig Emerson would head an vastly overdue inquiry in supermarket price gouging … which both big chains insultingly deny, despite the evidence before our eyes daily.
Like the rest if us, Woolies are certainly aware that Prime Minister AnAl, who still sooking from his arse kicking over the failed Voice scam, has dog whistled a white anting of January 26 as Oz Day, to keep his woke constituency on side.
So some addled muppets in Woolworth’s mahogany row may have decided that semaphoring support for Labor’s not-too-clandestine agenda might hopefully get some leverage when they are taken to task over their legalised thievery. That is, if they actually are upbraided… a desperate government appointing a former Labor minister to the task is anything but independent – especially the mildly deranged Emerson.
And this weasel-word quote of the century was floated by Woolworths:
‘The retail giant cited a “gradual decline” in demand for the products in recent years due to “broader discussion” about the January 26 date and “what it means” to different parts of the community.’
They added they took the step to foster ‘greater inclusiveness’ … by giving the finger and excluding 60% of the populace.One imagines Woolworths is about to find out what their decision means to that part of the community. The message will be a simple – stay the fuck out of our politics, you thieving arsesoles.
Anyone taking bets on how long before reality intrudes and the decision is reversed?
What next, Woolies and Coles to sell midden shells and goon bags??
I wanted to send Woolworths a shit-a-gram online and found it difficult. As my shit-a-gram did not conform to any one of their predetermined subject matters (“For shit-a-grams please press 8.”) I doubt my views got through to the Woolworths Pot of Public Opinion.
Upon reflection that pot must have all of the characteristics of an over full spitoon.
Pie, I see Coles come out pretty quick to announce they are dropping prices after AnAl announced a review of the Food & Grocery code to be lead by Craig Emerson (Independent indeed)
Page 5 of 11/1 of the astonisher.
Risk business by those who have quickly forgotten the Voice Referendum results (Aus 60% Qld 68%).
The numbers show picking race base themes as a business or political strategy is a losing game. Time stop listening those on social media, or with marketing budgets.
Woolworths is listed on the ASX. 14th largest today. Plenty of Australians like me own shares. Got super? You probably have a stake. Not much margin in Australia Day thongs. More profit in hot x buns.
A deeply venal response which misses the important point. Which is that I prefer to elect the people who make broad social decisions on my behalf on controversial issues. Woolworths attitude is exactly the one that sank the Voice, Australians do not like Big Corporate Brother butting in, like Qantas did.I can’t get too worked up about waving a flag on Australia Day, or even when it is, but I do get worked up when a large corporation, part of a gouging duopoly, decide to enter community debates using merchandising power and politically motivated decisions – the Woolworths’ board were not elected to make partisan decisions like this. They say there is fading demand for the goods in question, possibly true, but if that is so, why actually offer what they know will be a controversial reason grossly inappropriate for a public company. Just don’t stock the damn stuff, and say nothing until someone complains, and even then, just simply say it was a marketing matter of supply and demand …. not some cynical and deeply dishonest bullshit about a ‘debate in the wider community’, a debate they have nothing to do with.
Or maybe it might be OK with you if Woolies makes some decisions about who they will allow in their stores, Jews or Muslims because of their boardroom take on the Mid East war. No probably not, because that definitely would affect your all-important bottom line. In fact, if you could drop the blithe smugness and think for a moment, it is shareholders like you who should be concerned for your investment being put at risk at risk.
Have you got a source for that quote about greater inclusiveness? I understand it’s a purely commercial decision
Quote from one of scores of reports … this one from the ABC site
“There has been a gradual decline in demand for Australia Day merchandise from our stores over recent years. At the same time there’s been broader discussion about 26 January and what it means to different parts of the community.”
That is a clear reference to The ‘Pie’s general comment about inclusiveness. And the basic thrust of th Magpie view is why on earth so unnecessarily announce such a move that can hardly have any commercial upside. They say they will continue sell the Aussie flags (made in China) as thy do year round. But why make a point of announcing the withdrawal of a product range for which they say there is little demand. Indeed why announce it all.
Such an inexplicable move invites speculation about Woolworths acual motive, especially when the wildly pro-indigenous truth and treaty PM has just announced an inquiry into the supermarket duopoly’s undeniable price gouging.
An d for t record, so short circuit some throbbing temples out there, The Magpie doesn’t care what thy sell or about it being Australia Day merchandise …. he simply asks th question why.
The question is then: was this an announcement by Woolworths, or a response to a question. It’s not on their press page, and reads to me like a reporter was ringing around trying to drum up an Australia Day story.
‘Drum up’? As in ‘beat up’? It’s not the latter, it is a legit story, if wildly overblown, and no analysis in th first instance – some outfits are slowly getting around to it. . And good on the journo if that is the case … that is what reporters are meant to do. But The’Pie’s question remains – even in a response to a journalist’s inquiry, why, oh, why go down this woke grandstanding path, why not just stick with what is probably 95% of the truth from these venal arsesoles, it was just a matter of supply and demand?
Hmmm, Labor all concerned about grocery prices is reminiscent of KRudd’s Grocery Watch and Choice. And the result was $Ms down the drain.
Inquiry should also examine the food processors we have left. Over the years both sides of the House were lauded by economic experts for ther enlightened support of the sale of these companies to overseas interests who promptly shut so many of them down.
I asked my local chain butcher if the price of lamb would come down and he didn’t believe so because there was a bottleneck at the abottoirs.
Smart countries don’t don’t place food industry in the hands of foreign countries.
News.com meeting their usual standards:
“He then accused the supermarkets of making a controversial issue “more divisive” and suggested that Woolies (which is South African owned) and Aldi (a German company) should “bugger off and let us get on with Australia Day”
Right on Aldi ownership, but wrong on Woolworths ownership.
From Wikipedia:
Woolworths Holdings Limited (JSE: WHL) is a South African multinational retail company that owns Woolworths, a South African luxury department store chain, and Australian retailer Country Road Group. Woolworths, however, has no association to Australia’s Woolworths supermarket chain.
I guess the “staff writers” didn’t read past the first 10 or so words. Plonkers.
Well, if you’ve yourself had checked around a little further, you’d see it is you who haven’t read far enough, old chum. Or if you have, you’re just playing semantics.
As you can see, the major shareholder – at 17% – is the Public Investment Corporation (SOC) Ltd.
Who owns the Public Investment Corporation SOC Ltd?
The Public Investment Corporation SOC Limited (PIC) is an asset management firm wholly owned by the government of the Republic of South Africa, represented by the Minister of Finance.
So you did a Bulletin bit of investigating and failed to see that while the Aussie Woolworths isn’t directly associated with the SA outfit of the same name, the major share holder of the Aussie outfit most certainly is the Yarpie government. (Was that you, Leighton?)
17% does not make them South African owned.
It appears The Magpie may have been in error, and the SA mob only have 17% of th unaffiliated SA Woolworths. But 17% of any multibillion dollar outfit is, if not control, certainly clout.
Hmmm humble pie!!
Sometimes semantics matter old chum. Particularly when it comes to Goggle searches.
The Public Investment Corporation (SOC) Ltd do indeed have a 17.45% shareholding – in Woolworths Holdings Limited, the South African company. https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/WOOLWORTHS-HOLDINGS-LIMIT-1413424/company/
Woolworths Group Limited, the Australian business that “owns” the supermarkets here in Australia don’t seem to have The Public Investment Corporation (SOC) Ltd listed as a major shareholder anywhere that I could find. https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/WOOLWORTHS-GROUP-LIMITED-6491360/company/ or https://markets.ft.com/data/equities/tearsheet/profile?
s=WOW:ASX or https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/WOW.AX/holders/
But either way, given I own a few hundred shares personally, and I imagine a few through my superannuation, I guess I could consider myself an “owner” of Woolworths supermarkets here in Australia too. You know, for semantics sake.
Great to see heaps of new people on this blog – just hope they’re not the usual suspects changing names to avoid being embarrassed, again.
So Been There, your ethics would condone Woolworths selling automatic rifles, if they made a profit and your superannuation nest egg received a boost?
To settle this Australia Day question once and for all, why not have a referendum on the issue, which rears its ugly head this time every year.
My tip is that it would produce a similar result to the Voice.
Minority groups have far too much say in matters of national significance.
In the meantime, shop at Aldi or IGA.
Elusive butterfly/Spielcheque/ Not the ECQ/No more dredging, and god knows who else this fuckwit pretends to be.
Nice straw man you constructed there with the automatic rifles argument. Also lol @ Aldi
Interesting article in the astonisher where an 18-year-old charged with entering homes and stealing cars has been bailed to Palm Island and told he can’t return to ‘the mainland’ without risking prison. Has the island reverted to a penal colony?
I always love it when Elusive Flutterby talk dirty about the other members on this blog ! Flutterby, a recent comment from Jeff, Condon re lamb prices would interest you. Apparently some one wrote into a newspaper commenting that lamb prices being paid to farmers was still around $10 a kg yet Woolies prices had gone up to $45 q kg.
A Kiwi emailed in replying that lamb at $45 a kg was nothing as he was being charged $45 for 30 minutes !!
Jatzcrackers, I heard the kiwis were more into (intended pun) deer, these days. The antlers give them something to hang onto.
Magpie, that photo set that you put up of Frau Hill. I almost choked on my lamb shank. Seriously mate, please put up a warning before posting such frightening photos. She looks like a cross between Freddy Kruger and Ruprecht Murdoch!
Dept of Resources land Valuation for 6 Esplanade, Picnic Bay is $325,000
Dept of Resources land valuation for 8 The Esplanade Picnic Bay is $540,000 or A WHOPPING 66% HIGHER.
WHY IS IT SO?
The above two properties are in the same street and are twenty metres apart. Number 6 however interestingly appears on the Dept of Resources land valuation page as ‘Esplanade’ and not ‘The Esplanade’
Looking at both properties and you will find they are both similar except for one major difference. Number 8 only has one access via The Esplanade whereas Number 6 has access to the Esplanade as well as access to Picnic Street via an Easement.
Now if you’ve been to Picnic Bay you will be familiar with The Esplanade between Granite and Yule Streets. This area is sign posted as The Picnic Bay Mall.
It stands to reason that any reasonable person would assume number 8 with its only access via The Esplanade or the Mall would be the lessor of of the two values and not 66% higher than number 6.
The general public may even have the opinion that number 8 has no vehicle access,
SO WHY DOES NUMBER 8 HAVE A LAND VALUATION 66% HIGHER THAN NUMBER SIX?
According to the Dept of Resources they believe the road ‘The Esplanade’ has NOT BEEN CLOSED and is not a MALL.
So who’s lying?
THE DEPT OF RESOURCES or the TOWNSVILLE CITY COUNCIL?
Has the Townsville City Council breached the Land Act and the Local Government Act.
My legal advice says yes!
OK, followed that up to the point of involving th TCC. What lie might either party be telling?
Firstly, The TCC has advised the area of road ‘The Esplanade’ between Granite St and Yule St at Picnic Bay is a Mall.
Section 58 (3) of the Local Government Regulation 2012 states: The local government’s planning scheme must include all existing or proposed malls in the local government area.
Section 1.7.1 of the Townsville City Plan states there is only one declared Mall in its local government area, which is at Stokes Street.
It would be fair to say that the TCC has clearly breached the Local Government Act
The TCC has been providing written advice to the public over a number of years relating to vehicle access to the Picnic Bay Mall.
The advice stated that they have power to control vehicle access by way of their Local Law which controls motor vehicle access to Local Government Controlled Areas.
A Local Government Controlled Area however DOES NOT include a ‘ Road’
This advice is once again false and another significant breach of a Local Governments duty to act in accordance with the Local Government Act
The Townsville City council have advised the owners of the property at 8 The Esplanade they require a permit to use The Esplanade for vehicle access, and the permit can be revoked at any time leaving their property landlocked.
The Dept of Resources has advised the owners of 8 The Esplanade there are no constraints which affect the value of their land.
Good clarification. Thanks.
I know that it is obvious that I have some form of involvement in town planning, but I’ve taken courage from other posters who have contributed to your blog over the years, who have not feared being run out of town by the horrible Mayor and her footstool Prins. This blog reaches more people than you probably realise.
The Magpie takes heart not nin how many, but who reads the nest. It both flatters and frightens him.
I am made three comments at 9.55am, 10.45am and 11.11 am. I am not the author of the comment made by Julius at 1.08pm