Fred Salazzo is a very unhappy camper, and in a surprising and totally unsolicited email to the Magpie during the week, he unloaded on his sister, Jennifer Lorraine Hill nee Solazzo. He says in his experience, Mayor Mullet is not to be trusted. The Magpie shares.
But The ‘Pie has his own questions for our mayor on other matters that call into question her honesty, and her divisive race baiting, let alone her self-proclaimed transparency. As has been said here before, you misunderstand Madam Mayor being seen through is not transparency.
Sam Cox finally bites the bullet, and makes a concrete pledge to immediately start cutting back ratepayer support for Townsville Enterprise. TEL are already soiling their Victoria’s Secret undies, but we wait with bated breath for Jenny Hill’s reaction.
…and Bob Katter’s attempt at being trendy (no, not THAT trendy, dear heart) …. and a couple of headlines for the archives.
But first …
Holden Folds ‘Em
This week, another little bit of Australia disappeared into history, with Holden closing up shop for good. The name is embedded in Aussie culture, literature and movies. But Bentley sees one of the most of Australian of slogans needs only a slight modification for Townsville.
Like they say, many a truth in jest.
It’s Mainly About Mayor Mullet This Week. So Settle Back, Are You Lying Comfortably? Because She Has Been All Week
It would seem that Jenny Hill has learnt nothing from her expensive little defamation loss to Fatty Palmer. Seems like karma that the $50 grand she coughed up with gritted teeth now is now being used as part of the campaign by Palmer puppet Greg Dowling against her in the mayoral campaign.
But this hasn’t stopped her running off at the mouth, and denigrating other people. A couple of weeks ago, she prattled away merrily to the Australian in yet another ‘wither Labor’ think-piece. The story began thus.
“Jenny Hill knows the leafy electorate of Batman like the back of her hand: the daughter of Maltese migrants, she was baptised in the Catholic church on Rossmoyne Street and laughs at how the nuns kicked her brother out of the local primary school. The pub around the corner was so rough the family packed up and moved. Their dad thought the area would never change.”
She may not be laughing when she reads the following, because one person was mightily unamused amused. This bloke, successful Melbourne businessman in the automotive trade, is Fred Solazzo – Jenny Hill’s elder brother.
Melbourne Businessman Fred Solazzo
The Magpie almost spilled his breakfast bourbon when during the week, he received an email from Fred, whom he didn’t even know existed, which began in a pretty straight forward way.
Dear Magpie
My name is Fred Solazzo and I am Jenny Hill’s brother.
I have just today received a copy of a headline article in The Australian dated 12.00 am Feb 10, 2018. The Headline reads “Adani folly puts Labor in a bind” wrItten Jamie Walker and Michael McKenna.
I refer to the total lies that Jenny Hill has stated in the article.
- Fact! I was never kicked out the local primary school as stated. My mother had me change schools from St Mary’s Catholic School in Thornbury to Wales Street State School in Thornbury so as I could look after Jenny when she started Prep grade. I was then in year 6. The reason was that Jenny was not accepted at St Mary’s because she did not meet the age criteria for entry at the time.
- Fact! My father did not move the family out of Thornbury because of the pub (Croxton Park Hotel) it was because he and my mother had decided on buying a new home in Doncaster. They in fact had been visiting display homes for some time. This was in 1966.
To say that I was shocked in reading this article is an understatement.
There is not much that can be trusted about my my sister.
Fred’s email continued with a variety other allegations and grievances against his sister, involving claims of last minute changes to the wills of aged relatives, including the mayor’s private trip to Malta a couple of years ago, which subsequently resulted in a considerable inheritance for Mrs Hill, according ton Fred. The details of most of these matters fall into the area of private family disputes, although the wealth of detail Fred lists suggests there is some evidence of unusual happenings. He DOES NOT suggest that his sister has overtly done anything illegal within the family circle, but he included this interesting line.
“Did you know that when I questioned Jenny some two years ago at a Christmas lunch about the Adani deal and what guarantees Adani had given to employ local workers her response was that there is no requirement for them to do so. She has been in bed with Adani for some time.”
And a little later, after making certain allegations which The Magpie will not repeat, Fred said he believed “There is much more that has gone on than you or I will ever know.”
Mr Solazzo supplied a phone number, which The ‘Pie used to verify that the email was genuine. He was an articulate and even tempered man, no ranter at all, but was most disappointed that he felt he had to eventually speak out. On the phone, he added a few other snippets, which again, it would not be wise to be aired here, but he is genuinely upset with the newspaper article and may take that matter further.
But Wait, There’s More, As The Saying goes … Lots More …
In an interview with radio gabbler and Magpie mate Steve Price during the week, our mayor’s fencing with the truth continued at a scattergun rate.
First, she used an old ‘rates scare’ tactic (originally concocted by old mate Dolan Hayes to defeat Dale Last in 2012) when she told Pricey ‘people try to promise things that if they delivered them would probably set your rates up another 50%.’
When the subject turned to our juvenile crime tsunami, our gal demonstrated her ignorance of the way democracy works, when she big noted vaguely ‘My message to the courts now is that they need to deal with this properly.’ The Queensland judiciary must be in a turmoil of shame with that coming from the exalted likes of Mayor Hill. It is a nothing statement just a campaign yodel.
But just in case that wasn’t sexy enough for the bogans, she then unashamedly, and without a shred of justification or credibility, pulled a despicable race card. This is verbatim:
Mayor: Frankly, a lot of these kids we’ve seen …. I was talking to a few mates, even on the other side fo politics … some of these kids are born out of the old … remember when they gave the baby bonus …
Steve Price (breathlessly): Oh, goodness me, yes, yes …
Mayor: …six to ten thousand dollars? These (the children) are now the same age now where these kids were born, so these are some parents who In particularly believe who have not really done their role and should be also held accountable.’
Rover would be cross-eyed, the dog whistling was deafening, smearing a whole range of responsible bonus recipients and offering more scapegoats for a do-nothing council. But it is doubly disgraceful coming from the mayor of an already divided city. It was racism pure and simple, and OK, fine for the dinner party or the front bar if you must, but for a civic leader to go on air with such divisive bilge is unforgivable.
Hey Don’t Touch That Dial, Coming Up A Big WTF
And then there remains some very tricky questions that have been unearthed by another Magpie research ferret. The pertain to our glorious leader’s financial and business acumen.
The questions are pretty straight-forward, Madam Mayor: have you been right royally conned by a two bit company? Or were you trying to get on the take? Perhaps you would like to address questions arising from the following excerpts from a detailed submission to the Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning. Particularly the amount of land you had planned to gift to these grifters. The writer chooses to not be identified, it’s a small town.
EXCERPT:
- In respect to Magnis and Imperium 3, Magnis is deemed by the investment industry to be a “speculative” company or investment7. At 31 December 2019, Magnis had merely $433,000 in liquid cash8. On 27 September 20199, Magnis entered into a month by month funding arrangement, which many market observers consider to be a funding arrangement of last resort (during which the Magnis share price fell from 18.5 cents to 7.3 cents). It is notable Magnis’s partners in Imperium3 did not fund or invest in Magnis during this period. Since 2 March 2015, Magnis has announced numerous funding proposals with numerous different entities (namely, Chinese SINOMA10 then Korean POSCO11 then Russian ROSATOM12) for their Tanzanian ‘Nachu’ mining project (upon which their hypothetical battery plants appear reliant on for basic raw material). Yet none of these funding proposals ever came to fruition. Also, Magnis announced major battery plant plans in Germany13 and India14, yet these plans are no longer mentioned by Magnis. On 18 March 201915, Magnis announced a US$52 million funding arrangement to upgrade their very small 1GWh New York battery plant to 3GWh capacity, which, per their 2019 Annual Report16, never came to fruition. Magnis’s co-owed New York battery plant appears to comprise of an old IBM research facility plus second hand liquidated equipment bought for a mere US$5 million17. The batteries Magnis and Imperium3 propose to produce have unique unconventional technology that is not currently sold on a mass-market basis18.
- I reiterate. The hypothetical Townsville battery plant appears to be dependent on the proposed Magnis Nachu graphite19 mine in high risk Tanzania, which is not yet funded, let alone constructed. Also, Tanzania has recently been rated 141st out of 190 countries for commercial risk20.
And the submitter, who seems to have a solid grasp of law, business and finance, closes with the following:
- In summary, for the Chief Executive to make a lawful decision under the Act, my reasoned opinion is:
- a) Primarily, Imperium3 must transparently disclose the size of their proposed battery plant and TCC must transparently provide adequate evidence no alternative preexisting industrial land is available.
- b) If TCC transparently provides the above evidence, then the cash-poor unproven speculative Magnis/Imperium3 and PM1 must guarantee the necessary capital funding (including for the Tanzanian Nachu graphite mine) before the rural grazing land is rezoned into industrial land.
Being dumb AND crooked is a very short term state. Applies equally to companies and people.
But Hey, dearie, You Obviously Have Other Things On Your Mind
Last Tuesday, one of those things on your mind was NOT the Townsville election campaign. Because you were in Brisbane, spotted closely perusing the price list of a George Street Hair and Beauty salon. A ‘Pie spy spotted you, and managed a quick pic as you marched off up the street.
Now The ‘Pie would be the last person to decry or discourage you from making such an appointment – no one in this town you represent would – but being down south in the middle of what is finally starting to become an engrossing campaign makes one wonder why you graced the capital with your presence. The ‘Pie’s guess: a tete-a-tete with the LGAQ lawyers regarding your recent fatal crash. You would be covered by TCC (LGAQ) insurance as you were on your way to work, but why do you need legal representation that requires your presence in Brisbane?
Just askin’.
TEL TKO
Mayoral hopeful Sam Cox
Sam Cox has finally landed a beauty right into the ribs.
He has made a solid, no nonsense and unqualified pledge to reduce TEL’s automatic council annual stipend of (round figures) $800,000 by half. If they want any more, they can apply to the council for extra dosh for specific and checkable purposes.
Here’s how he broke the news.
Instantly, TEL went all IBM … no, the computer mob, it’s medical shorthand for ‘Involuntary Bowel Movement’ with a lot of self-justifying, self-serving drivel … and they don’t even do that too well. They said Sam’s move would cost jobs… well, yes, many of theirs, which they don’t deserve anyway. The ‘Pie’s thoughts and prayers are with you.
Interesting times are getting even more interesting.
Karma Or Wot?
We had some welcome rain … still having as this is being chipped into it’s weekly rock, but it was just a few decent showers earlier in the day when this shot was taken.
Sort of symbolic all round, eh? Jenny’s mostly empty office, used mainly as an advertising space, on the corner of Charlotte St and Ross River Road, fronted by water from inadequately maintained storm water drains. If a relatively light shower does this, well, gosh, how will people get in to see her in her office so she can hear all their requests and complaints?
Bob Gets A Hand
It seems someone told Bob Katter about that most annoying and infuriatingly rude tactic of raising a hand palm outward and saying dismissively ‘Talk to the hand.’
Apparently, Bob really likes the idea, but hasn’t quite got the hang of it yet.
Bob Talking To The Hand
But we shouldn’t take Bob lightly, he hides his light under a bushel of bullshit as a matter of course. But did you know that he has been taking part in valuable scientific research that has led to some amazing findings?
A Couple Of Headlines For The Archives.
Gotta watch these wily bastards.
And this wins the No Shit Sherlock Award for the week.
Calling For Volunteers … Calling For … Oh Never Mind.
Pardon Me – Please?
That was the question asked multiple times during the week of the Tangerine Anus, and on 11 occasions, he has been more than happy to oblige. Trump has freed mates from jail sentences that he has unilaterally decided were ‘fake sentences’. This dangerous dimwit says he has ‘exonerated’ them, not understanding that ‘pardon’ means in essence ‘you did it but you’re forgiven, exonerated means found not to have done something. Christ, the loveliness goes on, and the way the Democrats are shredding each other, that loveliness looks like having a way to run.
A Final Thought On How To Improve Your Day
……
Over to you now, make your voice heard in comments on any topic of your choosing (well, almost), comments run 24/7. And if you suffer a weak moment, and realize you could be supporting The Magpie in his weekly endeavors, a donation will, be a great help in keeping things on an even keel (petrol, phone, internet, Dom, caviar). Some thoughtful folks have set up monthly donations of a few regular dollars, easy way to do it, the donate button is below.
Great blog Pie and nothing surprises me about our Mayor Mayor Mullet . Townsville residents will continue to struggle if the Mullet wins the mayoralty for a further 3 years especially property prices . Its a well known fact the banks have been holding local residential property since after mining boom 2 and drip feeding stock to certain agents to not to impact the market even further . Banks inventory has been growing with uninsured owners handing flood affected properties keys in and those who took cash insurance payouts the banks took the funds to ensure their debts would be paid and controlling the release of funds for repairs . State wise its clear that Premier Palaszczuks understanding of Townsvilles peoples feelings is so far off the dial she thinks flying to town and opening a statue of JT will fix everything including our crime problem . Aaron Harper cant help himself and sent a nasty letter to Philip Thompson so Thompson listed all the votes in Parliament Aaron Harper supported including bailhouses, youth crime act , cutting funding to rural youth training camps which now he has backflipped on . Our city deserves better .
Exactly right Mike, but how do we convince the gullible masses. Townsville has missed an entire property cycle under Jenny Hill, and to compound that it has gone backwards, negative equity has killed the residential construction industry, the key economic indicator of any economy, if the general public aren’t investing, no one else will. The town has become a toxic shithole under this woman and four more years will see it sink to its knees, the election next month is the most important in the cities history, people need to take notice.
Top Shelf Magpie. I’ll need to read this one over a few times !
This is gutsy stuff ‘Pie and I congratulate you for publishing it…which is something the Astonisher wouldn’t do. Mullet or the Labor machine will be on the phone to big bro trying to get him to change his story. The Astonisher’s kindergarten journos won’t touch it. On a revhead note, where will the Mullets auto preference go now? With Holden gone, will she now be the Maltese Falcon, Mustang Jenny or perhaps move up market to a Beamer or Merc? Hopefully she’ll be out of a job and will have to settle for a used Fiat 500.
Maltese Falcon? Luv it!
You’ve got away with this and … that, but you can’t keep it up forever…
Seems fitting
KK, funny you should mention Fiat 500 – the highest selling car in Malta. https://lovinmalta.com/lifestyle/living-in-malta/the-7-most-popular-cars-in-malta-and-what-kind-of-driver-is-probably-behind-the-wheel/
hahahaha
Yes I give Mr Google the credit for that!!
The Local Government Act prohibits council from having anything to do with placement of election posters or material. It comes under state traffic laws. They can and do regulate parking per se.
36Election advertising
(1)A local government must not make a local law that—
(a)prohibits or regulates the distribution of how-to-vote cards; or
(b)prohibits the placement of election signs or posters.
(2)A how-to-vote card includes a how-to-vote card under the Electoral Act.
(3)An election sign or poster is a sign or poster that is able, or is intended, to—
(a)influence a person about voting at any government election; or
(b)affect the result of any government election.
(4)A government election is an election for a local, State or Commonwealth government.
(5)A local law, to the extent that it is contrary to this section, has no effect.
https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-2009-017#sec.36
Annoying IK. There is a local law concerning advertising on road verges etc. They could come under that law. I know council officers would confiscate any they deemed under that law.
He’s really got them on the run with this one!
Both Mayor Mullet and Little Patti are clearly shitty themselves big time. First, known liar Jenny Hill says as Deputy Chair of TEL AS WELL AS the person who directs her council on voting matters, calls the bleeding obvious presence of ‘undue influence’ as ‘preposterous’, she then panics into the laughable bit of ‘whataboutery’ when she attacks Cox’s time in the Newman Government when ‘ “some of my opponents have a history of being in government and cutting jobs”.
THIS COMING FROM THE WOMAN WHO SACKED MORE THAN A THIRD OF THE COUNCIL STAFF IN AN TOTALLY UNJUSTIFIED PURGE AFTER LAST BEING ELECTED! AND SHE WASN’T JUST A COMPLIANT BYSTANDER SHE WAS THE ARCHITECT.
And then poor Little Patti O’Callaghan, all at sea in a grown up reality all of a sudden, doesn’t realise it but endorses Sam Cox’s plan when she says ‘“When our community is in desperate need of jobs, now is the time for a stable and strong partnership between Townsville Enterprise and council.”
It certainly is, dearie, and that is exactly what Sam Cox is proposing.
I like Sam’s proposal for TEL. It encourages them to be independent, innovative and results driven. Up until now, TEL has benefited from the gravy train, and over the years many cases of taking credit for things they were never really involved in. Now is a great time for TEL to become something other than a fancy name.
Spot on Pie. Mullet you are the architect of one of the biggest exercises in cutting jobs in recent Townsville history. The only reason it wasn’t plastered far and wide in the Astonisher is because Adele the Impaler and Dolan had the Astonisher by its short and curlies.
Not all of the community are stupid. Not all of the voters think your bogan look and act is appealing. I’m gonna vote for Sam. The man with a brush! (And hopefully a broom, to sweep some of this trash out of council.)
Any news on last night’s Getting To The TT Stadium Plan, aka A Walk in the Rain. It was last night wasn’t it??
All day yesterday … a few turned up, but one presumes, since pictorially looked sparse and no numbers – hokey or otherwise – are being trumpeted, one assumes not the stampede they expected. But of little import … Elton John will pull a good crowd, and the traditional Broncos/Cowboys game, now returned sensibly to season opener – is a sell out, much ballyhooed by the media …. when really, the bigger story would be if nit WASN’T a sellout.
Hadn’t heard of walking pneumonia, as opposed to the stationary variety ……. but Elton has.
https://gulfnews.com/entertainment/elton-john-loses-voice-quits-gig-in-auckland-1.1581885321944
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322350
Keep spilling the morning bourbon Pie.
It is real. A lesser form but still fluid on the lungs. I posted on another topic where medical staff do not recommend 72 year olds sing on concert tours if they have it. Apparently there is a mortality rate obviously quite high for elderly (yes Sir Elton, you are old) and of low immunity.
A personal view regarding Sir Elton and his music of late: The ‘Pie wholeheartedly agrees with the medical staff.
Margie Ryder is asking for help door knocking, putting up posters etc, because she still has to “work in her normal job”, despite being paid $122,500 by ratepayers.
If I was being paid that much, I wouldn’t be treating it as a part time job.
No, no, silly, you misunderstand, councillor is part time for Potty Mouth Ryder … she isn part owner, finance officer and HR officer for hubby and brother-in-law’s Rydweld outfit. And you can bet she makes a bloody sight more than $122,500 in that role. Another one not to be trusted.
Of course the Astonisher wouldn’t report that like they did when they attacked Tony Parsons a few years back for owning and occasionally working in his newsagency.
1. If you were to strip naked and run around in a circle at the speed of 186,282 miles/sec (the speed of light), it would theoretically be possible for you to screw yourself.
2. However, since you are not physically capable of achieving that speed at your age, you can also accomplish the same result by voting for Jenny Hill on March 28.
This is a public service announcement.
Mullets must have live either a sheltered or delusional existence if she thinks that the Croxton Park Hotel was tough. It was progressive and ahead of it’s time and less “tough” than the majority of pubs. Interesting to see our Mayor swanning around Brisbane set to have a makeover. I predict there are photo sessions required for her possible parachute into the recently vacated Ipswich seat of Bundamba. Lord knows, she is on the nose in Townsville. We can only hope.
The word seems to be that Labor for some time now has refused to touch her, realising she has lucked out with the mayoralty but has nothing to offer beyond that. And why would they want to introduce an uber-snake into their already writhing political pit.
Probably in Brisbane picking out her new car. By her reckoning she figures that not many local dealers even like her and her next chariot will have a southern based sticker on it, same as the one she just broke !
You can get a look at her rego plate on some pics on the internet. I did and then did a rego search. It is still registered, so mustn’t be replacing it just yet. I heard it was quite heavily modified (Walkinshaw supercharged). Hope she informed the Insurance company appropriately!
The ‘Pie was, and remains, under the very strong impression that rego searches by the public are not possible and if hacked, illegal. This nall stemmed from some widespread get square activity in tracing people a few years back. is The ‘Pie wrong? And have you been a naughty boy? Or was it just NSW?
Qld a transport has a free rego search for anyone to use. They brought it out after doing away with the Stickers https://www.service.transport.qld.gov.au/checkrego/public/Welcome.xhtml?dswid=-6715
Jesus, is that ever an invitation to some vigilante summary justice. Does the info include registered owners name and address?
Just for you Pie – 947-XSD. You can get the pic off the internet : motorbikewriter. They weren’t impressed when one of their own was killed.
Or killed himself, we still don’t know.
The rego check is just whether the vehicle is registered. No names ect….. you use either the rego number or a VIN.
Christ, that’s a relief … perhaps you can understand The Magpie’s alarm if people knew he owned Merc Sports … The ‘Pie would be surprised to learn that, too.
I wonder if our jenny even remembers that the rising sun hotel and the miners right tavern ( hope im correct lol). They were renowned for places as being rough.
Definitely The Miners Rights ! Great pick up spot though…..or so I’m told !
Well then Pie, i’ll be plucked! Is this a family feud, or do her brother’s claims have some truth in them? I guess we will never know, as I doubt Millet will confirm!
Fact is, at the very least the plot around her does thicken and should provide further doubt in voters minds when making a decision at the upcoming election. At least I hope it does!
Errr, that’s Mullet not Millet – millet is useful, Mullet is not!!’
Indeed the plot does thicken, Chicken. The ‘Pie will admit he risks the odd liberty with some things that appear here (turns out is more often right than wrong) but the nature of this story posed two problems, waxs the identity claim genuine and the email from the man who said he was she was his sister … ticked that one off with a little research and help from friendly ferrets, and the other matter was how much does a family squabble concern the general public and how much was it none of the public’s business.. After a few days consideration, and knowing subnsequently being satisfied that Fred definitely was who he said he is, decided that it was in the interests of the electorate, since the lies she was accused of initially were printed in a national newspaper. So the story became the exception to prove The ‘Pie’s rule that families are off limits unless directly involving reasonable public interest.
Thanks Pie, you appear to have been very thorough and thoughtful with this one and it’s content! Errr, I prefer not to be called Chicken, but Fuc.., I mean Plucker will do nicely!
Well, now, chook, first rule of a peaceful life is NEVER let people know what you don’t like. Stored on file in The Nest now, sorry.
When a family member goes after one of their own, it is usually explosive due to the nature of the information they know which is all first hand. The fact he has allowed himself to be identified adds a fair bit of credibility. In recent times, Tony Abbott’s sister didn’t do him any favours either.
in fairness to Fred, he was goaded into going public by Jenny making him out to be a neer-do-well at school when in fact he moved schools to keep an eye on his younger sister as she started her education. had sh not told those tales to a national readership, The ‘Pie doubts he would ever have heard from Mr Solazzo.
I wonder how he knew of your existence? Your name mentioned at family meetings? As in, “That fucking Weatherup is at me again.”
Apparently Fred’s wife came across the blog a while back and is a regular reader, which explains his use of the Magpie term ‘Premier Alphabet’ in his email. That poor old protected Magpie species will be getting more darts in the neck around now.
I’ve been advised that our new pipeline the mayor and local members keep on about goes nowhere. It’s not connected to anything e.g. like a pump station or the dam. It’s just a pipe with a hole at each end.
Anyone heard this before?
It is connected to the dam but not to any pump station to actually get water into the dam. Townsville will have to wait many years before it is connected to an actual source of water.
Do you know if the pump station is funded this round or do we need to wait for stage two?
Frame, I unserstand that the cash allowed for the pump station now goes into stage 2 of the pipeline.
Teneder for the section of pipeline crossing the Haughton River was awarded about a month ago and is not yet complete.
We were guaranteed for completion of the original 36km of pipeline by December 2019. Even allowing for the lack of the pump station the project is massively behind schedule. So another Jenny promise broken!
Sam, comments? Oh by the way, we didn’t and don’t have a water crisis.
Wasn’t that the reason there was a push for stage 2. There was a saving of $50 mil because they didn’t have to build a pump station at the Clare end.
Linda can explain it better.
It won’t even pump water. People think it’s going to be switched on and pump out water all the time so that we don’t have water problems but it won’t be switched on ay all unless we are in dire need of it. Bit of an overpriced elephant really
According to Wikipedia, worked as a microbiologist and if memory serves me correctly, that was at the Townsville General Hospital so her science degree would be correct as it would have been checked by the Townsville General Hospital before her appointment, unless of course her qualifications were checked like those of Dr Patel and co of the Bundaberg Hospital and Hervey Bay Hospital fame.
Wikipedia also says she has a Masters degree in public health. Anyone got any information about this degree.
The ‘Pie doubts that Jenny would completely fabricate such stories, but it was interesting that Latrobe had no record of her graduation. The fact that she is apparently a specialist in germs seems appropriate, though. Wikipedia is often written by the person themselves.
EG Storm Financial
Well, it’s in keeping with the traditions of who you know at Council and not what u know. The head of there safety is only a graduate.
Errrrr……….what was that comment about Townsville Hospital confirming qualifications?
Have you already forgotten Vincent Victor Berg?
Now, who else worked there and who’s qualifications cannot be confirmed?
Just asking.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-07/queensland-health-psychiatrist-used-bogus-qualifications/6452818&ved=2ahUKEwjYlMusv-fnAhVi6nMBHeZ4AkQQFjADegQIAxAB&usg=AOvVaw2_wyug7oHipk9rBKaFAJ5d
Had a look at the new stadium on the weekend and have to say it’s very impressive. Not a bad seat in the house. Got talking to one of the workers giving directions to the punters looking for their Cowboys seats and asked why the vacant land where the construction workers used to park wasn’t being turned into a car park for the pubic (as opposed to the small private car park provided for the Cowboys big wigs, Mayor Mullet and the 3 Labor stooges). Was told that the excess land is going to be the site for the so called Cowboys Centre of Excellence aka training field. Surely the Cowboys, government and council should be looking after the average punter, without whom there would be no Cowboys and no stadium.
I found out today in regards to the comment made recently by “concerned ratepayer” about the staff member that got assaulted during the week at Hearvey Range dump. They can’t press charges against the person because the cameras everywhere inside the dump cant pick up the number plate. A lot of expense was taken to put these new cameras in but when they zoom in they cant pick up anything clear.
This person who assaulted the staff member also just drove in dumped the rubbish in the wrong area on the ground and drove off without paying.
We as staff cant stop them and we face the sack if we try to intervene in any way. So when everyone starts to realise they can get away with what happened the other day its going to be very dangerous out at the dump. I thought you might like update on what is pretty serious.
That is fucked and typical of this council. They have not taken staff safety into consideration. And genuinely don’t care.
This is similar in the city. The parole office is on the top floor of the old state government building, and staff would be worried about taking the lift up to offices.
Staff were also told they would have to walk to Dean Park late in the afternoon, while managers parked in designated car parks. Staff were at regular risk of being assaulted by the residents of Dean Park and vagrants they passed on the way.
Parole Office has gone from old Commonwealth Government Building @ 243 Walker Street out to welfare alley on Ross River Rd, Aitkenvale but council staff are still afraid of incidents of clients of the Dept. of Housing and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Legal Service, which have offices on the upper floors of this building, and whose clients hang around the lower floor and outside of the building at all hours.
The issue of managers parking their private vehicles securely under the building has long been a contentious issue as these managers do not have free parking as a provision of employment. They reckon they’re lucky as they don’t have to pay FBT on the value of parking and yet they don’t need to use their private vehicle for work purposes because council has a fleet of available for them to use. Go figure if someone isn’t getting ripped off here.
Thanks for the update Critical. Been a while since I’ve been in the city.
Crits, I worked on level 2 when Probation & Parole we’re located there. Their clients would urinate in the lifts, defiantly light up smokes in the building and generally makes nuisances of themselves. Personal hygiene was an unknown concept to most of them and you soon learned to breathe through your mouth sharing a lift. On the other hand, there were no problems that I know of with Legal Aid clients. I had more issues with the strutting arrogance of the council employees. Especially the tosswomble who drives the PT Cruiser with the GPO on the side. Fuck you too, man.
Council doesn’t care about it’s dump workers, there are only a handful who are overworked, the rest are labour hire ringins. Council doesn’t care about it’s environment law breaches ither. As long as the managers get there big fat bonuses to keep costs down while workers who do the work get nothing. Those labour hire guys at the dump on the travelling pad thing arent supposed to help people lift shit onto it but they do bevause thats the only way to get stuff put on properly, management knows but doesn’t care and again, it’s easy for council when it’s labour hire to pass the buck
Im not sure if its a good idea to say this but im really missing NMD. Do you think jenny may have told her to stay off the blog? Or maybe guy reece aloped with her. Ive woken up the beast havnt I?? Im glad my running mates still here, bring back dump vouchers for plucka!
Hmmm, I love the smell of fresh dump vouchers in the rates mail, CD!
NMD was a Labor apparatchik, probably employed in a local members office, with most of his posts carefully edited by Labor hierarchy. Perfect grammar, perfect spelling almost always. I imagine him to be an insufferable jerk – probably why his wife left him and his kids don’t talk to him anymore.
I would have thought Mike would write his own material?
Nah! Charlie on Maggie Is is not well.
I thought it was a she? I guess either way guy reece would still elope with it. Ahhh marriage equality
It’s “eloped”
One thing that’s always amazed me here is how I’m somehow part of some huge conspiracy and cabal. On a normal outing here there’s usually some ad hominem flung at me , I just scratch my arse, shrug my shoulders and move on.
My view on politicians aligns with Plato to some degree – infact it was on my last flyer last election, I pegged my wages as a councillor at 60,000 pa ( I probably shouldn’t have bothered,
very few people liked the message I have anyway) beyond that rate rises become inconsequential, it’s all about human psychology. We’ve blown a fortune on a pipeline that so far delivers no water ( nor in the foreseeable future) and a stadium that no one really wanted. I suppose we could blow a lazy 100 million on another convention centre to dig the pit a bit deeper.
I’m a firm believer now that it’s the small things and getting the details right that will turn Townsville around.
And with a State Election looming, you just know that $100m Convention Centre will be tabled.
I actually agree with you on your last point Guy, and one of the small things that will turn this place around is getting rid of a toxic human being as Mayor, and the rest of it will just sort itself out and things will turn around.
I agree with a comment you made Guy, when you said: “ very few people liked the message I have anyway”.
See I do occasionally agree with you.
When you start talking about being responsible with money people’s eyes just glaze over.
My thinking now is that townsvilles debt/ federal/ state will just be paid off via plain old inflation, when the currency becomes worthless fixed interest loans to Australia can be paid off faster with a dollar that rapidly loses its value.
It’s why the government at every level just needs to sit there and wait for the currency to devalue. You’d be a mug lending to Australia.
Interestingly, it seems as if a new senior position was created in the Future Cities department (brain fart central) without the change in organisational structure going to the council to be endorsed. That appears to be an unusual practice. The position is notionally to do stakeholder engagement for the Future Cities department. Judging by the response to the phantom battery factory from locals it does not appear as if best practice was adhered to in terms of stakeholder engagement.
Sounds like they’re lining up a job for Little Patti?
The whole council structure has changed without going to council. So don’t be surprised by anything they do.
No organizational restructure is consulted or communicated, very underhanded and illegal. It’s all about power plays and empire building. I heard the unions were going to take council to the commission over this but haven’t heard anything on it since.
Sunday Mails Agenda News section has a photo of a Mullet looking post-makeover alongside Superintendent Kev Guteridge, and the two paragraphs concerning suggest she is taking on Independent Greg Dowling for mayor, who is into Clive for a $400K donation. No mention of Sam Cox.
Hmmm, look closely under Mayor Mullet’s left ‘nana flap’ … is that shawl there to cover up our favourite pink/purple doona?
“Shawl”? I thought it was the curtains from a Woolloongabba honkeytonk.
You’re right… the Doona has had an upgrade! It’s now looks a like a set of plush purple curtains from the function room at the Croxton Park Hotel. Classy choice.
Photoshopped !
Super-Nintendo (pardon the ‘Simpsons joke’) Guteridge doesn’t look all that excited to be standing next to her !
Would you?
Why is she being photographed with a policeman?
I have to agree with frequent flyer , the new stadium is impressive.
It took myself and the squeeze about 8 minutes to walk through the drizzling rain from the old max brenners that’s now a pop up store for otto’s-that shop was packed out and we had to wait about a bit to get a table to drink our coffee. lots of car parks there as well but probably won’t be on game night. The new walkway isn’t covered but we had brollys that I thought we would have taken from us at the entrance but event staff said nothing, again game night might be different.
It was odd that otto’s was packed out in the rumored rent free shop but next door at guzman and gomez not one single customer while we were there and hogs breath appeared closed?
There can be no argument that the new stadium is impressive and will be an excellent hosting venue for RL and other fixtures/events … that has never been in doubt, hard to spend $290million and not get a great visual addition to the cityscape. The Magpie has only ever been critical of the claims of necessity to move from the old venue, and the now revealed lack of foresight in the accompanying infrastructure, particularly parking. Also that the stadium wasn’t built in tandem with an entertainment/convention centre …. but giving the traffic planning bozos, maybe that just as well in a way.
MAGPIE CLARIFICATION.
Latrobe University has now confirmed that Jennifer Lorraine Solazzo (Jenny Hill) did study Science at Latrobe University from 1977 to 1981, an did graduate. The comment querying her qualification in the blog has now been removed.
Best opening line of the week (so far) goes to Maureen Dowd, NYT columnist, who was bemused by Donald Trump criticising Korean film Parasite getting Best Film Oscar.
“It’s funny that Donald Trump doesn’t like a movie about con artists who invade an elegant house and wreak chaos.”
Sailed close to the wind this week Magpie the Sailor Man
‘Sailing close to the wind’ is referred to as ‘pointing’, which is correct as far as the blog is concerned. Not sure where your concerns are though, except to defend your beloved.
Is J Jones actually NMD? NMD has gone quiet since her identity was discussed openly on this site.
I’m who?
Last week local police tracked down a hit-and-run driver who mowed down 5 cyclists who had to be hospitalised, charged him, and had him in court within 48 hours of the incident.
Four weeks ago Jenny Hill was involved in a crash that resulted in a fatality and police still won’t say whether charges will be laid. They even suggested it could be 12 months before relatives and friends of the deceased get some closure on what actually happened and who, if anyone, was at fault.
So are there 2 sets of rules, one for the mayor and another for everyone else?
Just asking.
Was she drug and alcohol tested? All seems quiet on that front. Council workers are required to be tested after an incident. Is she not a council worker? I’m confused, workers are tested but executives aren’t?
Know what your getting at, but understand those mandatory and automatic tests were done. And think about it, if she proved positive in either instance, why would the police take such a risk of hiding it – no upside for them? It’s not like the old days – say back in 1989, when a Labor hopeful police officer let Tony Mooney leave the scene where he had drunkenly hit and run an aboriginal youth. Nowadays, post-Fitzgerald, and in this matter, they are apolitical and the wallopers have no favours to get and no beef to settle with Hill in her role as mayor. They are purely state. Anyway, those tests have clearly been done, and if she’s still driving – which The ‘Pie is told she is- then there is nothing there. If it turns out otherwise, there is a perverting the course of justice charge awaiting someone.
The focus in the absence of any other official information is from people who know Jenny well – they ask whether she was on the mobile at the time, as is known to be her habit when driving. The police can easily check the records against time of calls connected to her phone, but may be waiting for further evidence in the matter.
Still seems something is a miss with all this.
Thanks for that Pie, you are right with something amiss, ridiculous timeframe, special treatment for her obvuously
Qld Councillor Conduct Tribunal Members announced.
http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2020/2/21/new-councillor-conduct-tribunal-members- appointed
http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2020/2/21/new-councillor-conduct-tribunal-members-appointed
Some decent people on that list. No doubt left-leaning, but still excellent choices.
I predict the assessor and the tribunal will be found to be unconstitutional under ch3 of the constitution because of the way it has been invested with judicial power.
If you say so.
Not correct. There is generally no impediment to a state tribunal exercising judicial power. Ch 3 of the constitution as you refer to is only applicable to federal tribunals and courts.
Is it too much to expect/hope that the upcoming council election will deliver:
A Mayor and Councillors who are honest, transparent in decision making, include and not deliberately exclude the wider community and not act for their own self-interest EVER?
Probably, unless you and enough others come to your senses,
You’ve been out riding fences too long.
But
Don’t you draw the queen of diamonds, boy
She’ll beat you if she’s able
You know the queen of hearts is always your best bet
Now it seems to me, some fine things
Have been laid upon your table
But you only want the ones
That you can’t get
Desperado
Oh, you ain’t getting no younger
Your pain and your hunger
They’re driving you home
And freedom, oh, freedom
Well that’s just some people talking
Your prison is walking through this world all alone
Funny old world, ain’t it?
If we weren’t told otherwise in the headline, you would automatically assume this was a union-directed Labor policy statement.
https://www.i-q.net.au/main/lnp-sets-sights-on-mining-automation
So, a brother has got the shits with his sister. Big deal. Just about any family. Your fixation with Mrs Hills life is borderline creepy.
Not half as creepy as your understanding of civic responsibility required of elected leadership, with the attendant accountability, transparency, and clear communication required of the position of mayor. Your chosen name says it all, as you lie in your own muck on the barroom floor, moaning ‘Jenny, oh, Jenny my love, I’ll defend you’.
Written in the tone of a child defending a parent.
Another desperate Mullet defender posing again I see! Probably be more as we get closer to the chopping block for their hapless Mayor and most of her weak team.
Generally happy to publish them, it’s fun watching people defeat their own purpose.
LD, the problem with Australian politics is that most of us DON’T take enough interest in the candidates and what is going on internally. Unfortunately, we have been conditioned into believing everything said in the mainstream Media from days gone past when Newspapers, Radio and Television were a source of truth. That is no longer the case and it is lucky we have so social media sites which remain untainted and not compromised.
The ‘Pie would like to make it ABSOLUTELY CLEAR that he has no interest whatsoever what is going on ‘internally’ with Mayor Mullet or any other candidate. Believe it! Of course, difficult with some of the current councillors, most have no guts.
The huge Elton John sign on the outside of the scoreboard at the new stadium was missing this afternoon. So was it taken down or damaged by the rain. Whatever the case, not a good omen for Sat night.
Maybe sold out and redundant?
Maybe cancelled due to rain or illness?
Very much doubt it … not even the Astonisher could ignore that.
If you google Elton John and narrow search to last 24 hours, you will see favourable review for Melbourne concert just finished. Appears he is fit and well for Townsville. No more doom and gloom predictions from me ……. For now !
Or from anyone. To use one commenter’s phrase, why would we ‘death ride’ what should be a good little boost for the city. All power to the prancing peacock, hope he brings the house down …err, no … um, knocks ‘em dead … oops, no … stuns ‘em like a mullet … oh dear definitely not … hope he just knocks out a few tunes for the blue rinse set to tap their toes to, beats the usual fare of the Saturdee night at the RSL.
Sir Elton, as he get older, is looking more and more like my grandmother. Even the way he walks. Wish grandmother had been as rich as Elton.
Be careful, Elton may wish you were his grandson.
I reckon he would write a song about me –
Your (fishframe’s) Song.
And you can tell everybody, this is fishframe’s song ……
Hot topic during Federal Parliament question time today regarding climate change and the Labor Party announcement over the weekend about committing to zero emissions by 2050.
The Deputy PM leapt to his feet and eye-balled AnAl and said – ‘What? Zero? Are you going to look into the eyes of a steer and ask them how they are going to stop their methane emissions!’ What a load of rubbish he exclaimed, through a rosy red complexion! Has a point though!
I might add that Labor have not outlined one word on HOW zero will be achieved, Bunch of pluckers!!!
Simple answer – pray to Gough.
Net Zero emissions will only be achieved through removal of all Politicians. Toxic gasses coming from Parliament House are reaching dangerous levels. We did achieve meaningful reduction in sending Hockey to the US and Rudd spending most of his time in his chosen country of China. We still have a long way to go.
And did you see the solar flare from Canberra today from a couple of our lesser flames, the Bellowing Beetroot and Joel Fitzgivittohim?
Yes, another interesting day down in Can’tberra with Beetroot Head and Fitzshittens having a blow-up about the environment. Seriously, Beetroot Barnaby has lost the plot. The bloke is far from ok. He has definitely fried a few synapses in his brain. Has anybody said to him ‘R U OK’? Because I somehow think he is far from ok.
The key is in “nett” part of the equation. You can pollute up the wazoo if you want, as long as you are eiher able to plant enough trees to sequester the carbon (and offset your impact), or pay some other poor bastard to do it (carbon credit scheme).
It’s not rocket science – although we have also seen that go spectacularly wrong a couple of times in the last week.
So the online bullsheet says 8,000 turned up to view the new stadium, seven local news reports 17,000??? WTF is going on?
Creative journalism.
In the context of the item, that’s a hell of an oxymoron your Pieness
So Dead Fish, are you saying it was a brilliant decision to pay millions – yes millions – of State and Local govt funds to get a 72yo to perform in Townsville in the middle of the monsoon season. I hope the concert does go ahead as planned but only for the fans who have bought tickets and not to bolster the mayor’s election prospects. If the concert does happen it will be down to good luck rather than good management.
If anyone doesn’t want to get wet when going to his concert, I’m doing a Saturday Night Show on 4TTT (103.9FM) this Saturday night from 7-11pm. ’60’s through to ’90’s music. You can listen from the comfort of your barbecue area, free from getting wet & have as many drinks as you like.
Many of us would be far happier listening to your campaign speeches for another tilt at council, Gary, but time is running out, as you will see here you’ve got until next Tuesday to be suitably qualified, if you aren’t already. You are disappointing a lot of people by not putting your hand up, mate.
FF, answer to your question (long version) – no
Response article from the police officers letter in Tropic Now last week.
The situation sounds similar to Townsville and political responses seem to mirror those from our three useless stooges here
https://www.tropicnow.com.au/2020/february/21/special-report-youth-crime-in-cairns.html
So it’s Hathaway v Cupcake for the seat of Townsville, what the fuck are the LNP in this town thinking, who is running the show, to throw in someone with previous baggage to contest the states most marginal seat, just a stupid decision that defies common sense, dickheads.
Yep Tankers, what a plucking fiasco choosing Hathaway – Private Cupcake must be jumping for joy! Plucking hell.
Hmmm, let’s wait and see …
Have any of you actually met him. I found him to be considered and articulate, with a sense of humour. You could do a lot worse. But then, we have that now, haven’t we?
Yep, met him once or twice and agree with your assessment. He was hardly around long enough for us to make a judgement, like many others, he got turfed as part of Newman’s ‘too much, too soon’ idiotic policies. Nice to have a REAL soldier representing us at state level, rather than the Labor foot soldier we have, who just slavishly follows the party line and does bugger all for Townsville.
Yep, on many occasions, good bloke no doubt, and I can see why many in the branch would endorse him, he is well liked there and a long serving member of the party, but he struggles to connect, doesn’t come across well at market day stalls and pop up events, doesn’t appreciate the value of those sorts of events and looks like he would rather be somewhere else. But that was a few years ago now, hopefully getting dumped has changed all that and he realises what needs to be done, as Labor will hammer him hard, Melissa Coulter would have a much better chance at winning the seat in my opinion.
Yep Kelso, have met and spoken to the man a number of times way back then. Being ‘a nice person who has a sense of humour’ does not equal a good choice to stand against the incumbent, Private Cupcake. Too much baggage here I fear; a fresh face would have been more appropriate, IMO.
Get of the fuckin’ grass Plucker. What baggage?
This innocuous post from Council:
https://www.facebook.com/TownsvilleDisasterInfo/photos/a.144102192318015/2818179671576907/?type=3&eid=ARA1s0x0kmbWYAdi6W6NjIFzbDxPVV0gvmCzk2xqSJ8W9n92abkqxOoFrZ263qANYrUKtNeVGAtKcmss&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARDWQYaiW3tCNxlgz03DlOo3HPdGjffUABFQo69NWJVH0EEIi1aUM3W32r4A6RNGkHepF2cs3o10gQ4qshAOh3Kqcj4HglAOcYBqVfmW94k3ouXc1nV9AvZs2q2gQw8g0tsFsAS4DTCv3fgOD589O7L1YNptajK3BSARoi0nxHuL2JjKeKofWAI7uKynCq8vgBNNabvXyRZXDv94xvLMN1ctLqN9wD9IBnBYpAgNR5Kq7g7oF9Ci9r0-nhYDEGnYYLwlBHu_kZGNYNl7VITtone3h8_YBMkO7q-fRR_tYAM3VtKsnREXaXb-LeRH6vq8JfujwQOpY8Wo-xPTRvvG9vZxMw&__tn__=EHH-R
seems to have its comments hoovered clean periodically. I noticed it yesterday collecting a litany of drainage maintenance complaints which suddenly were wiped later yesterday afternoon. Up to a dozen or more.
At present there are two new ones, one about a palm tree growing out of a culvert and another talking about Hutchins & Goldsworthy Street – I wonder how long before these get swept under the carpet?
Yeah well, if they left the comments there about the drains not working people might catch on that council isn’t doing it’s job and is responsible for flooding.
Hi Pie, I keep getting a virus alert this afternoon on your site via AVG (paid subscription), never seen this before.
Its says its malware billyjons.net ??
Informal advice The ‘Pie has is that the problems are hooked more to your end, and although over the years there have been half a dozens such incidents, nothing appears to have come of them. I am also advised that there are scam virus alerts floating around all the time, haven’t found anything this end. Anyone with any similar complaints, please email email hidden; JavaScript is required. but DO NOT send any attachments. Thanks.
Checked here & all good, not appearing now.
I use Norton’s and have never had a problem on this site.
Does anyone remember the waterpark that was meant to be built at Riverway? Construction was due to start early this year but I’ve heard nothing. Another annoucement with nothing to back it up. Another broken promise from this pack of nitwits on council.
Hey bit harsh, council is still in recovery from the deluge … you know, the one they called Night of Noah in 1998.
I understand the department of local government is in the process of auditing TCC because of several alleged breaches in how it spent state grant money. I hope the report is finished and made public before the council election but I doubt that will happen
There is a sign seeking public comments regarding a “:splash pool” at Riverway. This may have been part of the planned development by TCC.
I know some of you are unhappy with Hathaway getting the knod to run against Stewart and thats understandable. I had discussions with him over things like public service back when he was in and thought he made valid points but like alot of that government it was just to fast to get the results they wanted. I feel he suffered from the fuck ups made by those in Brisbane rather then anything he did himself. I would like to give him a chance because as history shows sometimes, being defeated dosnt mean your finished. And i think hes had the benifit of hindsight to a certain extent. Maybe he could do better a second time round. Obviously he will be judged pretty quickly. Ive looked at candidates running again for TCC. Trevor Roberts stands out as someone who seemed restricted last election and hes come out swinging this time round so mayby sitting on the sidelines helps make a clear direction??. It wouldn’t hurt to have Hathaway in and cox as mayor. One would hope his message dosnt get lost in tne political bullshit just to win a seat. They certainly wernt enemies of what ive been told and that can only benefit the rebuild of Townsville. These are just my thoughts on what could be promising. Time will tell, but time we dont have if the 3 idiots get back in.
Anyone out there know what Gomer Pyle (Fed. member for Herbert) is doing to enhance the economic and social profile of our beloved community? With the honeymoon period well and truly over I don’t see a lot, well anything really……….
Ok, but have you got any suggestions to put to him, or does he have to read your mind? Or would that go against your party line?
I’m a Marine Mr Magpie and not a party animal. I follow and don’t lead, much the same as what Gomer is presently doing………
Yeah, right.
Gunnery Sgt Carter , normally don’t leave a man behind but do you read any local media content papers, online , etc . The Feds are part funding Townsville recovery centre , Council flood works and cheap loans to business . Since Philip Thompson has been in office $2 mil Castle hill cafe , funding for retiring defence personnel , naif loan funding for the airport upgrade + more .
Mike, Gunnery Sgt Carter was an asshole the whole time we were in camp and it looks like nothings changed on that front. I’m not sure he can even read, but if he can he can’t comprehend! Gomer P
Classic case of your pyles being a pain in the arse.
Once a MP is voted in, they don’t need to do anything much for 2 years 10 months and 1 week. Then the real work starts with the campaign to get re-elected.
That’s the entire reason behind the Magpie blog.
So Cantankerous
Can you enlighten us on how Melissa connects with people? How does she come across on market stalls and pop up events? How does she appreciate those sorts of events?
Because it’s in her nature, in former roles she has undertaken where a conciliatory tone was essential, try keeping all sides happy in the building and construction industry, no easy task I can assure you. I have been to quite a few events where she was involved, very competent, also is active in the community, efficient on social media and well connected outside the party, John struggles in these areas. Make no mistake I hope he wins, and I will be voting for him, but he needs to get momentum early and that will be hard, first day in and the Astonisher labeled him the former Newman Govt MP, and he won’t get any momentum from the LNP leadership of which he relied so much on in 2012, it just ain’t there. This one needs to be local, Coulter was far and away the best candidate to achieve that, in my opinion anyway.
Is there anything in the arcane rules of the LNP that prohibits Coulter from running in another seat, like against the hapless, hopeless trough snurfflers Harpic? Don’t think an opponent for him has been selected yet, has there?
Good point Pie, better than odds on that the candidate to challenge Harpic will be a woman me thinks.
A drover’s dog would be odds on … well anywhere else, but this IS Townsville.
No not really Pie, but I would have imagined this would have been done behind close doors first if that was a viable outcome, before anyone knowing she had lost the Townsville vote, and it appears she is contesting Thuringowa as a second choice, never a good look. This is just a failure of the party secretary to keep this in house and sorted before any vote, to avoid these types of scenarios, a good secretary should know the numbers before the meeting. I can remember Max Tomlinson was the LNP Thuringowa candidate in 2011 for a few months before he woke up one night and realised WTF am I doing this for, Sam Cox then stepped in and didn’t have a lot of time on the ground, but worked as hard as anyone I have seen campaign and got the result. I don’t even know if the Thuringowa branch exists these days, it was always just old National Party members anyway, who when they decide to re-engage can be very effective.
Max Tomlinson woke up? Now THERE’S a news story.
I read in the paper that council was in caretaker period so I was surprised to read today that council had a meeting and endorsed a diversity and inclusivity strategy. I would have thought endorsing new strategies etc was a no no in caretaker. Unless it is viewed as too inconsequential to fall under the caretaker restrictions. I think there are some extremely strange governance decisions being made by council
A panicked decision made in campaigning mode, and something the mayor and all councillors know they have been lacking.
Interesting speech from a Senator in Parliament about the LGAQ. Posted on TRRA Facebook page today. A good listen.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1165739286815845/permalink/3155630317826722?sfns=mo
No matter what you think of Malcolm Roberts, what he says here is simply fact, and a massive damning indictment of the LGAQ and the people who are board members, which includes our mayor, Jenny Hill. Worth the time to listen to this, with one point in particular towards the end … Labor is terrified of losing power in some councils, presumably including Townsville, because they know incoming replacements will be obligated if not eager to dig deeper. This particularly applies to Townsville. And BTW, the court hearing where Adani is trying to block the release of the details of the deal done with Townsville and Rockhampton councils on the infamous airstrip in back in court in Brisbane next Monday for ‘a hearing on the papers’ whatever that may be. QCAT has already ruled that the Townsville Council must release the documents, but Adani is trying to block them doing so. Wonder why?
Spot on Pie , LGAQ saying enquiries into these Councils was not required of which we now see jail time and breaches of the local Government act . LGAQ supplying legal support to stop people from asking legitimate questions of the accountability of their Councils . Surely the Mullet , as a LGAQ board member is privy to all these activities .
And the highly questionable Greg Hallam described the inquiry into Ipswich after Pisasale was jailed a ‘witch hunt’ … straight out of the Donald Trump dictionary of weasel words. For months now, The Magpie has been sounding the alarm bells about the LGAQ and Mr Hallam, along with our own beloved mayor and LGAQ board member. especially the out-and-out rort and chicanery of the Local Buy scam.
Very relevant now the election is basically underway. It is indeed very easy to whinge and moan (yes I plead guilty at times) BUT – solutions, not problems should be the focus. My approach ( I no longer live in Townsville btw) if elected mayor to any council in Qld would be a Forensic Audit over the past several years to see where the money was wasted, who was favoured to receive wasted funds and shut down the financial leaks. Investigate any contract with LGAQ and how much they also cost in over spend. Note: Mackay council just cancelled a contract with Peak Services (LGAQ) which cost them $5MILLION pay out and are happy because of the savings they will receive. 7 councils in Victoria are taking class action against LGIS (LGAQ Insurance) for over charges in premiums that are in the $MILLION plus. To be honest any potential candidate who is looking to do the right thing by the people, if elected to office, would not be able to instigate the reforms necessary to bring council back into line with their legislated responsibilities in a single term of office.
What is the CCC for? Bring them to town!
One of the better and more poignant addresses re Local Government
And a rare honest one … especially from a bloke who wanders off into the nether regions of sanity so often. But even a stopped clock is right twice a day.
The government is spruiking that a local company has been given the go ahead to build the much needed new Women’s Centre. They need to learn the difference between a Brisbane company having an office in town and a truly local company.
None of the three companies that got past the Expressions of Interest stage were Townsville based.
Let’s just hope that they are held to the “local benefits” component of the expression of interest, in that they prioritise contractors/suppliers whose usual place of residency is within 125klm of the site.
Nothing unusual in that from council, they don’t care about locals.
A toady to the end … retiring Councillor Colleen Doyle accidentally admits she has been an abject failure in her ambitions as a councillor … either that or she has a conveniently rose tinted rear view mirror.
In a simpering, virtue signally farewell speech to council, her lips remained firmly super-glued to the mayor’s ample arse, we are told by the Astonisher:
“Cr Doyle, first elected in 2012 as part of Team Jenny Hill, said she had been spurred to run for council after witnessing during her time in 2008 as council’s manager of community services and community management the “dismantling” of services and denigration of the arts.”
Christ, break out the Alzheimer’s meds, quick. ‘ … the denigration of the arts’?
Lady, you are a shonk of the first order, because a check shows you were part of the Mullet’s silent Aerobics Voting class when madam Mayor, partly in a fit of personal pique with the clever and successful gallery manager Shane Fitzgerald, sacked him and other worthy arts administrators and figures which added many dollars to this city’s economy. An act which also cost the city $10million in national arts patronage.Somehow you didn’t and maybe still don’t see this as a ‘denigration of the arts’. .Either that or you’re a virtue-signalling liar.
Where was your stirring championing of an arts and entertainment centre when it was being mooted during your mayor’s spiteful and scheming antics regarding The Hive.
And then you have the gall to say you took the lucrative public shilling because of your alarm as a council staff member with the ‘dismantling’ of services. Hmmm, let’s see now, check check check, nope no stirring defence or suggested solutions to matters like the closure of the Castle PCYC. Or most importantly, the vicious wholesale sacking of almost a third of council staff.
Colleen, on your final day in council, you ran true to form … you’re full of it, lady, really.
Townsville certainly lost traction with Council’s denigration of the arts… but that largely occurred shortly after the most recent election, under Colleen’s silent watch. Experienced staff lost went beyond those who were sacked also.
Looks and sounds a lot like Cheryl Kernot, who apparently managed to find a cure for Alzheimer’s.
Ah, the lovely Cheryl, a pollie who managed to get screwed both literally and figuratively at the same time, sleeping with the enemy on both counts. Wonder if Gareth ever sends her Valentine’s cards.
Evan’s only knows.
Ha ha ha nice one Colleen. How you mentioned all that BS without blushing is beyond comprehension. All you achieved as a Councillor was to serve as the Mullet’s footstool and support the sacking of a lot of good, hard working people for no valid reason. You wouldn’t know Arts from a prolapsed colon. Farewell, good riddance and don’t bang the door on the way out!
Perhaps most of your points are correct, but in this day and age, a prolapsed colon IS art … sooner or later.
Sounds like most of today’s so called art, but with an F in front
I knew I shouldn’t have loaned Colleen my Cloaca machine…
Colleen Doyle was a Councillor? I never knew.
A pain in the Arts?
I wonder if Mullet is crapping her smalls about what might happen if she loses the coming Mayoral election, resulting in the financial books and dubious decisions being laid on the table for all too see (as they should have been all along)!
BTW, do we have an extradition treaty with Malta? Just wondering.
The CBA recently disclosed they have a Banking Licence in Malta to ‘park’ money. There is your answer. (BTW, they came clean because they had to and now saying they’re applying for a Banking Licence in the Netherlands.
WH I raised this issue sometime back, and NO we do not have an extradition agreement with Malta. Shades of Christopher Skase in Spain.
Indeed. Majorca.
Just so that everyone is on the same page, information about what councils can and can’t do during the care taker period, which started in Saturday 22 February 2020 and continues until the new council is sworn in after the election, the Information Sheet, which you will need to download, at the end of this website is worthy of a read.
https://www.dlgrma.qld.gov.au/local-government/local-government-elections.html
Private Cupcake has gone deeper into the abyss- he may well be heading for the looney bin!
On 7 local news tonight he claimed that youth offenders, who were shown doing court imposed community service, would ‘develop a skill set’. They were picking up rubbish off the Palleranda Beach area, well two of them were, in a group of about 15! Pluck me this bloke has got to go, what an inept and totally out of touch ‘politician’ he has turned out to be!
Council is running “watersmart” ads on Ch 7 with a pommie female and a bloke that looks like a council worker telling us how to save water. I thought that was Jamie Durie’s job. So Jenny Hill, what DID we pay Durie and Carey Ramm $800,000 for?
Hi Frequent Flyer
Just a dud mob of lying pricks this council, why are we in this situation, because everyone still thinks the way that a lot of people think that labor will look after the workers, many years ago they did as i grew up in a labor family, but now its help yourself and get as much as you can while you can.
Can anyone answer how much we actually paid Mr Durie for his services, whatever they were
That lady needs sub titles.
Parking disaster already on the first major event. The wet weather halves the number of car parks. What a pathetic joke
https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/news/major-parking-issues-ahead-of-elton-john-as-grass-carparks-become-a-boggy-mess/news-story/0c439005e1f355c080c74c8c99c50ae5
OK bit different.
Know anybody missing a dawgie in North Ward. This fella just wandered in tonight, silver choke collar and ordinary collar but no tag or name. Well fed (sure is now) and looked after, no idea where he (she?) came from. Not liking the heat and loving the lino floor. If you know anything, email email hidden; JavaScript is required
You fed the Labrador pie ? You’ll never get rid of the bugger now mate
Looks like you may need to change the name of the site “ The Magpie, and dog”.
That’s the lab test. Just waiting for the cat scan.
Looks like a bit of a ‘keeper’ Pie ! Dogs choose us you know…not the other way around. BTW, it’s not ‘lino’….I’m reliably informed it’s ‘cushion backed imitation floor tiles’ !! Keep up with these trends please !
Alas,too ol;d and well fed to learn new tricks, and slipped off into the night when I wasn’t looking. Nice dawgie, though.
UPDATE: Dog didn’t wander far when she left … straight downstairs to neighbours where she copped another couple of feeds. She was picked up by a contact a few minutes ago, and is heading home. Full as a goog.
Oops looks like our powerhouse Council, Townsville Enterprise, The Port and State Members have been blindsided by Brisbane.
As the State Government buys 171 hectares of land in Gladstone, and grants millions to help create jobs.
Government statements said;
“This is about creating more jobs in more industries, and Gladstone is perfectly placed to tap into the exciting renewable hydrogen industry”
“Through the Queensland Government’s land use planning and property development agency, Economic Development Queensland (EDQ), H2U have purchased a 171-hectare site at Yarwun in the Gladstone State Development Area”
“Minister for State Development Cameron Dick said this was great news for the Gladstone community, as it could potentially create over 100 operational jobs and drive new exports…”
http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2020/2/27/eye-on-gladstone-for-proposed-gigawattscale-green-hydrogen-and-ammonia-development
http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2020/2/27/renewable-hydrogen-bonanza-for-gladstone
Another stellar blog pie. You are regularly hitting the double ton and over in the comments. Keep on keeping the muppets honest
Can only do that with the help and input from you folks. Appreciate the support.
The devil is in the detail.
Robbie Burns got it right when he wrote: O wad some Pow’r the giftie gie us. To see oursels as ithers see us! (Translation from the Scots: What a gift it would be to be able to see ourselves as others see us.)
Not sure Mayor Mullet has been given this ‘gift’ of insight. Instead of a coffee mug saying something like ‘Mayor With The Mostest’, Jenny makes sure her mug is facing the council table of her aerobics class, to remind them that she has the powers of the heroine she fancies herself to be the local version thereof.
There’s a hidden message in that ‘Wonder Woman’ mug. We all ‘wonder’ what the hell she does day in day out !
I wonder if she is a woman…..
Aren’t superheroes supposed to defend, protect, live clean and straight lives, put the community before self and don’t tell lies (or withhold information for the greater good)???
Err, Mullet might want to ditch that mug, she’s none of those and never will be!
Maybe this one instead.
It would be poor form to have a mug in the shape of the Council CEO.
But one in the shape of Jenny would hold one hell of a lot of caffeine.
If evil-doers were confronted with that visage, they’d be ‘scared straight’ instantly.
Should learn from Driscoll . Don’t put your Helmut in a cup or wine glass for that matter
Peter Dowling was the plonker, not Driscoll
Blunder Woman?
Ok ok ill say it! “I think she taking us all for mugs”
Or – Townsville, “Mugging Capital” of Australia.
Ff,
No, not mugging, stolen cars.
Remember:
Football, meat pies, kangaroos and stolen cars!
Hey! Colleen! The Joker phoned – he wants his make up back !
I predict that the Reggie Dwight concert on Saturday will not go ahead!
It was always a huge risk to lock in an outdoor venue in NQ during the wet season, but this ship of fools (State and local govt members) wouldn’t be told/didn’t listen – just like that haven’t listened to pretty much anyone in the community for years now!
Your comment is published on the condition that if you are wrong, Thick Brick, you will on Monday publish a humble retraction.
Agreed!
And you need to do a ‘nudie’ run in front of Elton at the concert. Without being caught, arrested and locked up in the makeup room to be dealt with later.
Hello Captain Negative
More Gunna projects in the Gunnaville paper today, rehashing the same shit over and over again, surely someone who has been around as long as Tony Raggatt must realise how pathetic it is and how gullible he makes him look, why can’t he just refuse to publish the bullshit.
Because, not unreasonably, he needs to keep his job. But if you read his stuff closely, there are some puckish little jests for those in the know. BTW did you notice not a murmur or vague mention of the battery plant. And The ‘Pie knows why, but maybe will keep it until Saturday. Or not.
Oh come on Pie, show us your D cells!
Oh, velly, velly good Bag!
Hi Pie
Tickets must not be going to good to Elton, as we are Cowboys members since day one, my wife received a email from Cowboys today saying that we have been such great supporters since day one that they have given her 2 free tickets to Eltons show Saturday night, what about all the people who have paid, Jenny must be getting worried?
Ghost, you say the Cowboys emailed you and rewarded you with tickets to the concert for your long term member loyalty. WTF has that got to do with Mayor Mullet???
Pluck me mate be gracious and don’t look a gift horse………you know the rest!
They are only trying to fill the stadium so Jenny can say its a success, the parking is going to be a debacle going by what’s happening with the rain hanging around , I wouldn’t go if they picked me up in a limousine and gave me free champagne.
Other than the success of the opening is Incredibly important to the Mayor, and the Stadium along with Cowboys (soon to be);High Performance Centre is built on ‘mayors’ land. Not too much of a stretch to suspect a favour has been called in. A poor grand opening event would not be a good pre-election look.
Well, associate editor of the Bulletin Jenny Hill has given the paper it’s policy orders for the rest of the campaign … a return to the totally false canard of a threat of a ‘fractured council’ if she and her arm aerobics team don’t get back in. She claims, that if she doesn’t get back with a majority team, we will have a council of in-fighting and stalled progress. Actually she had the colossal gall to tell the Bulletin: “This election is a choice between the stability and proven track record of Team Jenny Hill or the risk of a fractured council that argues and holds the city back through self-interest,” she said.
It is not worth our time even starting to pointing out the breadth of that deceit.
(And BTW, that story was a free kick for The Mullet, the Bulletin didn’t even bother to seek out Cox for a comment to run in the same story, as would be normal professional practice. And The Bulletin’s too-clever-by-half tactic was to today run a luke-warm couple of dissenting comments in a story that again aired in full the mayor’s lying claims in full. Get ready for this sort of imbalance in the run-up to the election.)
Those who were around at the time – which disqualifies practically all but two Bulletin reporter (Tony Raggatt and John Anderson) and the paper’s editor, and certainly all the kiddy TV reporters – this is exactly the tactic jenny Hill and the paper promoted unmercifully, without any justification and without any allowed contradiction in the final run-up to the fateful 2012 election. The paper’s biased wailing was constant – in-fighting and stalled progress by those devil’s incarnate Townsville First – when in fact what they were doing with democratically elected majority was saving the city from some of the worst excesses of the mayor, who tried to rule by fiat. Some of those excesses have now been seen as the failures they always were going to be (kerbside pick-up and no dump vouchers for one). The Adani airstrip rort would never have happened under that council, not would the murky Lansdowne dealings even be a consideration. But the electorate bought it lock, stock and steaming pile of bile that it was … and we all know the result of that, thank you, you smart voters.
So get ready for a panicked ‘the sky is about to fall’ tsunami of smears and outright lies. Fortunately, since 2012, the paper’s readership has halved, so things might be different this time.
Maybe so, but the mayor has obviously bought up plenty of air time with with those stupid water wise commercials on channel 7 to ensure that anything they say is in the positive towards the current council. I don’t think a day has gone by for the past week or more where they haven’t had a shot of the stadium which Mullet is more than happy to ride the coattails on. Never mind that the Federal Government contributed a sizeable amount to this venture, which we hear about only occasionally. The 3 stooges, puddle duck and the mullet usually make sure that Phil is not shown in most shots that go to air.
There is an error in your post Magpie. You referred to Mullet as ‘associate’ editor. That would insinuate someone at the Bulletin could override her ! Surely not the case …..
The Townsville Bulletin appears to employ its reporters from the Home for the Developmentally Delayed. And deals with the equivalent in the public. What other reason can there be for this.
Exhibit 1:
We learn from the story:
“The resident, who lives in a nearby street, watched the incident take place from about 5pm to 8.30pm on Tuesday at a park near Crestbrook Dr.‘
So did he, the moment he saw what was going on, call the authorities?
No. “He pulled out his camera and snapped the confronting scene.”
Now first of all, how anyone can watch anything ‘in horror for three hours’ – 3 bloody hours – begs a big question about why was help not called immediately the situation was detected. AND IT IS A QUESTION IN THE BLEEDIN’ OBVIOUS VARIETY WHICH WASN’T ASKED BY OUR BREATHLESS SENSATION-HUNGRY REPORTER. Furthermore, the story tends to make the photographer some sort of community hero when in fact one can reasonably believe he was more of grubby ghoul. Was he waiting for the money shot, when the kid collapsed dead at the carer’s feet?
The resident, who very wisely ‘did not want to be named’ had the virtue signalling gall to tell the paper, “This needs to be brought to attention” . Sure, mate, but just not by you.
Have we become a city of timid bystanders, snapping away waiting for our 15 minutes of fame? This arsesole is one of the reasons we are in the state we are in, pompous self-inflated prick hiding behind his curtains and ignoring his phone. And his responsibility.
Christ!!! Three hours!!
And an idiot is back writing the idiotorial, when we read the virtue signally huffing and puffing in today’s high school essay: This is abhorrent behaviour on the part iof the teenage boy but even more so on his carer.
And even more so on a bystander with a camera watching it go on for three hours … and on you and your reporter for not asking why the ghoul didn’t call for help much sooner.
The arsestonisher describes these errant juveniles as “disenfranchised” how can they be when they have been denied nothing?
dis·en·fran·chise
/ˌdisənˈfran(t)SHīz/
deprive (someone) of the right to vote.
“the law disenfranchised some 3,000 voters on the basis of a residence qualification”
deprive (someone) of a right or privilege.
“a measure that would disenfranchise people from access to legal advice”
archaic
deprive (someone) of the rights and privileges of a free inhabitant of a borough, city, or country.
North Qld State Alliance launched full Team of Council candidates today. Going to be an interesting election.
JENNY REJOICES!!!
More votes pulled away from Cox and independents, by a council team standing ion a platform THAT HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO THIS AN ALREADY BATTERED AND BESIEGED COUNCIL. Damaging grandstanding at its very worst.
Is it too much of a conspiracy theory thought that Jenny might be behind this Team?????
Yes, it is, since mayoral candidate Chris Eastaughffe is the main person leading the Woodstock/ Lansdowne protest.
It will be interesting to see if these people actually want to get rid of the Mullet or not, or even if they are smart enough to work that out, they should be very explicit on the how to vote cards to number all squares with Hill last, just one box only for any of these lot will play right into the mullets hands. Number all boxes and put Jenny Hill and her team last should be all the other candidates absolute focus.
Im optimistic that this new team will not hurt sam cox. My reasons are,
1. Hes had his face around town since end of last year.
2. This new candidate seems glued to the Woodstock area and there problem with Lansdowne. So the rest of the city may not catch on.
3. All 3 candidates are against Team Hill so the message is getting out there that she’s toxic. That hurts her because she cant advertise against multiple forces.
4. People you would think and hope, will vote for the candidate who is the best of the group if they cant stand Hill. And that’s a lot of people in Townsville.
5. Preference votes. Clives a master at that and he’s proven it. Doesn’t mean he’ll win but it will certainly shape it if people are told how to vote in a certain way. PUT HILL LAST NP MATTER WHAT!
Reasonable points but we will have to wait and see. And palmer doesn’t want to win … he may be irritating but he’s not as bigger political chump as some think .. he’s in this to see the back of Hill, no other reason.
Optional preferential voting in local Govt elections City Dweller, that creates a two step strategy, fill in all the boxes, put Hill last. Mullets team are smart enough to know she will be the second choice to very few, they will be promoting a just vote one strategy.
I went over the recent federal election and what i can gather the people voted LNP second if they voted for someone other then labor. Which is what you said vote labor last by ticking all boxes then theres no chance of her getting back in. Hopefully the same people, lime those quiet one natiin voters, will be disciplined again. Very interesting watching the count online. Your absolutely right magpie, ive thought clive wasnt here to win for a long time now. Just get rid of her. If sams smart hed be on the phones doing a deal now so there voters put him second.
Well, he’d never he already had, but, hey, you know, politics.
Still waiting for Harry Patel to nominate for Mayor.
With this mob of candidates, Harry Patel would be in genuine contention of getting my vote
What about a Team Magpie? Mayor – Mullet Fishframe, Deputy Mayor – Messagebank Magpie, Councillors – NMD, Chook, CBH, GG and NQ Gal. We could run the whole (hole?) show direct from Magpie web page without even needing to get out of our PJ’s in the morning. p.s. I don’t want the hand me down black commodore company car, I suspect it was in an accident. Under Local Buy, I’ll arrange my own foreign vehicle locally out of Melbourne.
The ‘Pie is happy with his view from on high. Best place to pump out his criticisms from his cloaca.
Little birdy, flying high,
Dropped a message from the sky,
As Jenny wiped it from her eye,
She said thank God cows don’t fly.
Worth considering if only to prove that not everyone from SMM is a rusted on Labor supporter.
The Cowboys aren’t just offering free tickets to the Elton John concert to their long term members. I became a member for the first time this year and I also received the offer.
There was a prediction in this blog months back that Jenny Hill was getting nervous about the lack of ticket sales for her election concert, now they’re giving tickets away.
Wonder how the fans who paid for their tickets feel about this generosity.
But don’t blame the Cowboys – common sense would suggest that the Cowboys membership base was the best way for the promoter to get rid of thousands of unsold seats and make the concert look like a roaring success.
The big question now is – did the Premier or Jenny Hill pay the promoter a fee for all these free tickets?
If so, how much ratepayer money has been squandered to prop up Jenny Hill’s election campaign concert.
And what will all the Queen fans out there if they discover that Jenny Hill and TEL had a choice between Elton John and Queen for the stadium opener.
Come on Jenny, fess up. Despite the fact that Elton had already appeared in Townsville, did you choose him over Queen?
If so it was a decision ranking up there with the one to stage an open air concert in Townsville right in the middle of the monsoon season.
Very good points. I have another one – why didn’t we use an Australian act for the opening. We have heaps of great talent in this Country who would have been perfect for Townsville.
Yeah, i reckon Chad Morgan would have fitted in nicely in Townsville
Kevin Bloody Wilson would have been a sell out.
Jamie Durie and his Chippendale mates?
Yep! And here is a cautionary tale for young blokes.
https://www.google.com/search?client=tablet-android-telstra-au&q=chad+morgan+the+bachelor%27s+warning&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAONgFuLUz9U3MDNNNzVS4tFP1zcsNjAtSc8rz9US9C0tzkx2LCrJLC4JyQ_Oz0tfxKqUnJGYopCbX5SemKdQkpGqkJSYnJGak1-kXqxQnliUl5mXDgDNsi8CUwAAAA&sa=X&sqi=2&pjf=1&ved=2ahUKEwiZ7uuy6vPnAhWEj-YKHbiHAOwQri4wA3oECAQQHg&biw=768&bih=1024
Hey Mullet, the end for you is nigh and rightly so due to your mismanagement of our fair city and the secret deals you have concocted to take us down the drain. You can get plucked!
Private Cupcake and Harpic you are next when the state election is called, for driving us to despair with your idiotic support for all things Brisbane, at the expense of Townsville! The economy is a train wreck, property values continue to plummet, bail houses have been a disaster and youth crime in particular is totally out of control, the two of you can get plucked too!
Haven’t forgotten you O’Rort, what exactly have you been doing for the last few years, no one has much of an idea at all? You guessed it, you can get plucked too!
Better now, pet? Time for a little lie down.
I want these loafers and imposters gone Pie!
There, there, you’ll be OK after you get some rest.
Unfortunately O’Rort has had some good fortune out of some very tragic circumstances. She has been able to ride high on the media from the tragic circumstances of the recent domestic violence tragedies and help turn the first sod on the construction site for the new Women’s Centre. Building is in a highly visible position and will be opened just before the election so O’ Rort can sing praises about what she has done for Townsville.
This new Women’s Centre was needed years ago you idiot.
You can join them Critter in plucking off! Thanks for the abuse you idiot.
The signs at THE Stadium, only mention the Queensland State Government, maybe someone needs to remind them if The Feds hadn’t dropped in the $100m it would still be a swamp. It’s time to drain the swamp. I totally agree with Plucker.
Queens Garden bird cage. Four years in the making. $500,000. Yep. That’s what it cost. To house 10 birds we see regularly in Townsville. $80,000 a year contract to look after the treasures. Plus running costs of the facility. Walk past there each day. The birds are lonely. No one is looking at them.
And I got free tickets to Elton. Easy peasy. Poor bastards that paid $300+. Maybe they’ll get closer to the big screen.
There’s some strange stuff going on in this blighted city.
As if business isn’t tough enough in the Ville as a sign of yet another disconnect between Council and business T.C.C. Is proposing to implement an online booking system for Caravanners / Motor homes and why ? . It’s aimed at combatting crowding and to help regulate occupancy . Crowds , isn’t that why we built the stadium for crowds to assist the cbd and come to Townsville . Typical Bureaucrat thinking , burden every possible Grey nomad with red tape in case we get a crowd .
Mike,
Is there a link? I wish to know more.
Regards,
DoK
Finally, people having to answer for their posts on facebook
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-28/mount-tambourine-school-principal-wins-defamation-case-brose/12010268
Well, yes, if they’re willing to – as the judge said – make a mountain out of a molehill, and spend a small fortune to defend their virtue about a matter that would’ve been forgotten almost immediately in the goldfish attention span of the average social media gawker. The case you speak of was also aggravated by the criminal actions of the husband of one of the defendants.
So that excuses them?
And where did The ‘Pie say or imply that, cloth-head?
The implication was there sir, re read your comment
In your head. You should try English sometime.
Ode To Mayor Mullet, Our Very Own Gambler (with sincere apologies to Kenny Rogers).
To the tune (almost) of The Gambler.
On a warm summer’s eve
On a boat bound for Malta
I met up with a Mullet
She was way too tired to sleep
So she took her time a-starin’
Out the window in the hope that
The CCC wouldn’t catch us,
And she began to speak
She said, “Son, I’ve made a life
Out of cluster fucks and bluster
Knowin’ how to hide my deals
Behind ‘commercial in confidence’
So if you don’t mind me sayin’
Though I’m now a feather duster
For a taste of your whiskey
I’ll give you some advice”
So I handed her my bottle
And she drank down my last swallow
Then she pulled up her pink doona
Around her belly bulging tight
And the night got deathly quiet
And her face lost all expression
She said, “If you’re gonna play the game, boy
You gotta learn to play it right
You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em
Know when to fold ‘em
Know when to walk away
And know when to run
You never count your money
When you’re sittin’ at the Council
There’ll be time enough for countin’
When they find the dodgy deals you’ve done
Every Mullet knows
That the secret to survivin’
Is knowin’ who to throw away
And to bury your secret deals deep
Every government handout’s a winner
And every ratepayer is a loser
And the best that you can hope for is that the voters are asleep
And when she finished speakin’
She turned back toward the window
Combed back her brown mullet cut
And pretended to go to sleep
And somewhere in the darkness
The Mullet did a runner
And in her final act
She took all my money to keep
Ode To Mayor Mullet, Our Very Own Gambler (with sincere apologies to Kenny Rogers).
You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em (when to hold ‘em)
Know when to fold ‘em (when to fold ‘em)
Know when to walk away
And know when to run
You never count your money
When you’re sittin’ at the Council
There’ll be time enough for countin’
When they find the dodgy deals you’ve done
The moment has come! The State Govt funded Townsville Stadium opens tonight; suck it up naysayers, our govt is on fire!
Well, no actually, possibly literally, no. Anyone with any empathy at all for this general community has fingers crossed that the great balmy day turns into a great and memorable evening, where politics and back-biting takes a back seat … but there is one small cloud on the horizon (you’ll see what I’ve done here.) In recent months, The Magpie has found that the most reliable weather forecaster is the app on his iPhone, which has the uncanny knack of being right TO THE HOUR, and for Townsville today, it gives us beautiful clear weather until 7pm, then a 30% chance of storms at 8pm, a 40% chance at 9pm, and a 30% chance at 10 before skies clear by 11. Two things in Elton’s favour … the low percentage of possible rain, and the fact, as The ‘Pie has discovered, that a forecast labelled ‘Townsville’ often doesn’t account for the sprawling nature of the city, where Douglas can get 30-40mm and The Strand nothing. Let’s hope not vice versa. Here’s hoping.
We are in a sever thunderstorm warning zone
http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ21033.shtml
Saturday night’s all right for lightning!
Has your AP shown you this update from BOM 4 hours ago?
Threat Level AMBER
QLD Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Heavy Rain, Damaging Winds
Source: Bureau of Meteorology
For people in Northern Goldfields and Upper Flinders, Herbert and Lower Burdekin and parts of North Tropical Coast and Tablelands and Central Coast and Whitsundays Forecast Districts.
Issued at 12:43 pm Saturday, 29 February 2020.
Severe thunderstorms developing between about Innisfail and Bowen, inland to Georgetown and Hughenden.
Weather Situation:
Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding in the warning area over the next several hours. Locations which may be affected include Charters Towers, Bowen, Townsville, Georgetown, Ingham, Hughenden, and Innisfail.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services advises that people should:
* Move your car under cover or away from trees.
* Secure loose outdoor items.
* Never drive, walk or ride through flood waters. If it’s flooded, forget it.
* Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
* Avoid using the telephone during a thunderstorm.
* Beware of fallen trees and powerlines.
* For emergency assistance contact the SES on 132 500.
Nope, app has it all clear all night, let’s hope so.
But the weather might be the least of the concert goers problems. Have a look at the vague and rubbery wording on the inconspicuous signage dotted around South Townsville.
Note the ‘NEAR’. That’s the council at it’s vague and panicked best, and this could certainly be challenged in a court. Do the parking wallopers just make an arbitrary decision about what constitutes ‘near’ … or worse, have they been given a list of streets but the public has not? Under this totally arrogant dictate, the parking pests could start booking cars in Vincent, not that there’d be many left if anybody was silly enough to park there.
Here is the BOM warning link, http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ21033.shtml
Here is the BOM weather radar which shows some pretty hefty weather approaching from the SE. http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDR732.loop.shtml#skip.
That should do wonders for the restaurants on Palmer, on a Saturday to boot!
And the pubs in South Townsville ..you know, the ones that pay rates and state taxes by the tens of thousands.
Your weather APP wins hands down mate, I’m happy to say. Or was it the tea-leaves, though I find it hard to envisage The Pie knocking back cha and looking for a deeper meaning in the dregs.
The BOM was way off course, so what’s its name? (your winning APP)
It’s got a tricky name, called Weather on my iPhone.
As said on here before PC. AND FEDERALLY FUNDED.
If “our [sic] Government is on fire”! tonight’s rain should melt you down to size in no time.
No counting chicken, Wounded Heel, leave that to Plucker.
Here’s a good one for you.
Today’s Courier, a few break-ins and luxury cars being stolen around Ascot by a gang. In response 15 extra police, plus Polair plus additional bicycle police assigned immediately in a 6 month trial to clean up crime. Compare to umpteen break-ins and cars stolen in one night in Townsville but still forced to wait for the extra police committed at the last election.
Yes of course it’s a State issue, everyone knows that, but when the State fails to address it someone has to say enough is enough and do something.
Our State representatives follow the party line trotted out from Brisbane and look the other way, and our Party aligned Mayor just accepts it.
If the Mayor won’t get stuck into our state MPs to stand up for Townsville, I will. If Jenny Hill won’t come out from behind closed Party doors and publicly stand up to the State government, I will.
I hate to think what things will be like if Townsville has to endure another four years of more of same from the current Mayor.
Well said Sam, but is their anyone other than us here in Pies nest or the few who follow you on Facebook hearing what you have to say, time to get loud.
And how should he go about doing that, Cankers? And FYI, the Magpie blog numbers have literally doubled in the past three weeks.
Hit the TRRA site? hee hee
Does this mean your going to not react so quickly next time ? If you get in ( we hope) remember the blog dosnt go away. Even heard a reference on 4ttt radio today so its widespread. I feel you will do your best for all of Townsville but you are going to get criticized no matter what. Its how you handle it is why we would vote for you. Saying that best of luck and it is good to hear you on the blog again. One thing your not talking about is the floods mate, you need to talk about the floods!!!! You cant afford your one chance to go by because your trying to be nice. And make bloody sure you get these other 2 candidates to put the bitch LAST!…..Preference
Pie, all these free tickets being handed around for the Reggie Dwight concert? At what cost, who is paying for them and why? The promoter will not be giving them away, that’s for certain!
Questions that need to be answered mate, please, via your blog today/tomorrow??? By Mayoral candidates/Council candidates? Not more secret business from Mullet, surely?!?
Sure no probs, The ‘Pie will just … oh, hang on, must have misplaced the magic Wand of Transparency. So sorry.
Well, thanks for trying
You really have missed the point of this blog, haven’t you, Little Rooster? The ‘Pie is here to receive, review and check information for on-passing, much of which comes from readers acting as citizen journalists. He is not some sort of cut-price Google and is definitely not in a position to actually (physically) question people on the phone, even if he could reach them. So off your arse, m’boy, and see what you can dig up, then let The ‘Pie know.
As I’ve told you before it’s m’girl. If you’re going to throw shit, get it right Mr Pie.
Makes your nom de plume even more interesting, but I don’t believe you anyway.
What??? Don’t believe me? What do you want, a picture of my fluffy bits??? Females can participate on your blog site can’t they???
There! You see!! It has been a long time since any woman had ‘fluffy bits’ or would refer to southern regions with such a phrase, a phrase only favoured by a male who has gone a long time between …err, drinks, shall we say. Even a damned foreigner of any stripe – say, a Brazilian – knows fluffy bits have long been given the chop. Which proves The ‘Pie’s point that you are a man masquerading as a woman. (Wild applause from the gallery).
The ‘Pie rests his case m’lud.
You are a demented fucker Pie; if for some reason I grow a dick and balls I’ll let you know. Until then I know what I am and what you think is well…who gives a pluck!
But ya love the old bird, anyway.
I wonder how many council workers got free tickets and if they declared them…
With respect City, the best option is to NOT put the Mullet last, its to not preference her at all!!
With optional preferential voting, you don’t have to preference anyone you don’t want to, and my bet is the average punter, sick of the whole thing, is only going to tick one or two boxes at most.
With four Mayoral candidates nominated (so far) the biggest danger is splitting the anyone-but-Hill vote.
With the non-Hill vote split three ways, the only way Cox is going to win now is if voters either ‘Vote 1 Cox’ or at least give him their second preference and leave the other boxes blank.
If Cox can get this message out (difficult given the Bully seems to have placed him in limbo) we still stand a chance of being able to wave goodbye to Jenny in a few weeks’ time.
Before, with just one opponent, preferences didn’t come into it; she had a 50/50 chance of getting a punters vote and could pretty much just ignore Cox. Now however, with optional preferential voting and a large portion of Townsville pissed off at something (take your pick: crime, water, dump vouchers, redundancy etc.), she could really be in trouble.
I can tell you that Jenny also knows this and is now very, very worried. I’ll bet the Pie’s left one she will come out with a just Vote 1 strategy for her and her team.
Preference votes are killing Democracy.
Just came from Coles and two of the check out ladies got free Elton John tickets yesterday. One customer reckons the Qld government and TCC must have worked out how many seats weren’t sold and to avoid any embarrassment of social and other media posting pics of how many empty seats there were in the stadium, decided to try to fill these seats by offering free tickets. Sounds plausible as Mullet and Anna Alphabet don’t want any more negative news over the Stadium and it’s probably going to be the last piece of infrastructure in Townsville which will have Mullet’s name on the opening ceremonial plate.
I did a search this morning through ECQ portal. The only candidate nominated and registered as a candidate in Townsville is Sandra Chesney.
It’s just not updated as well as it should be.
There is a lot of chatter from people who have bought tickets for Elton’s concert and are having their seating arrangements changed. It appears that many affected by these changes are not very happy as they have been put in unseating that gives them a poorer view than the seats they paid for. My guess is that they want to have the fewer than expected clumped together so they can have a better camera angle making it appear as though it was a sell out.
It would be nice to know if any of the TFH (Team Fucking Hill) candidates were given Elton tickets to either use themselves or give away. If you’ve been given these, fess up and tell us….please.
I’ll bet all the TFH candidates will all be Grandstanding tonight. And instead of the usual park dwelling vagrant asking : “hey you gotta smoke”, it’ll be “hey, give a vote”