And it is no beat-up by The ‘Pie – an email floating around this week is canvassing the local arty-farty crowd for comment on a possible new super art gallery and ‘performance space’ (whatever that is) for the CBD. This, and another unrelated statement in the weekend Astonisher, raise a helluva lot of questions. Which, of course, The Magpie will ask.
GOING … GOING … AND GONE? The much ballyhooed lithium ion battery factory said to be planned for the new Lansdown Industrial Estate at Woodstock is odds on to head south, probably to NSW, on the evidence of two surprise key executive appointments at ASX minnow Magnis Energy Technologies. Has the Queensland tax payer been dudded out of a couple of mill for a pre-feasibility study?
From fear to farce … the way is now open for a sensible regime in re-opening our battered economy, but will anyone at any level have the political spine to implement the obvious? Don’t count on it.
And there seems to have been some deadly dealings down at 4K1G, Townsville’s indigenous radio station. There’s been a big boil-over, staff said to be ‘in open revolt’ against their new manager from down south, with all sorts of allegations flying around.
And just when you think he could no longer surprise us, the US president and his daughter turn product pushers, using his office to promote a mate’s tinned goods, making the Oval Office a telemarketer’s TV set. The social media reaction has been predictably …umm … critical.
But first …
Bordering on The Brink
… or Anna’s big gamble.
With her electoral stocks earlier this year down past the S-bend, Premier Alphabet sorely needed some sort of redemptive issue.
And then right on cue, along came the corona virus. Palaszczuk watched with impartial political admiration what this little bug did in a matter of weeks for the Prime Minister.
Morrison, too was also in dire need of a rope ladder to climb out of the hole he dug for himself with Hawaiian holidays, on-going bushfire relief bungles and sports rorts left and right. Ever the marketer, ScoMo took decisive action, locking down the country and locking the virus out as much as he could with tough action that risked backfiring. But with a sensationalist media in full howl, the PM knew that the best way to control people was to scare them shitless, well beyond logical projections (“100,000 to 150,000 dead Australians” which despite facing a hitherto unknown threat, many of us refused to be panicked and called that out for the utter tripe it was.) But shuttering us off from the world, and quarantining those returning from overseas was smart in every way, practically and politically. In a trice, ScoMo became an unlikely hero and was suddenly riding high in the polls.
Palaszczuk was a quick learner, immediately locking on to the fear factor, ramping it up and allowing her chief health officer Jeanette Young to take the derision of a well-overstepped mark. Like the farcical ‘exemption’ for an indigenous funeral on grounds of ‘cultural importance’, closely followed by the banning of a completely no-risk fly-past over another culturally important event, Anzac Day, where the traditional marches had been canned. The reason: it might make people think they could go for a drive. Golf courses of all things were closed before being allowed to reopen under ridiculous conditions. But mass protests on unrelated matters were OK, leading to a very pertinent question being widely canvassed.
But going against their own guidelines, the Palaszczuk government rolled the dice and refused to recognise that Queensland north of Rockhampton met all the conditions set down to re-open business, put people back to work and crank up the economy again. No siree, she wasn’t going to discriminate like that, and business across the state could go again only when the south-east was deemed good to go.
But by now, the Premier reckoned she was on a campaign winner in her role as Protective Mother of us all, so then came the draconian border closure with NSW. But Bentley reckons she will next decide police and military check points are not be enough to keep the virus at bay.
The Way Forward
The Magpie, ever ready to be pilloried as a pariah, reckons this has now all reached the point of being a political rather than a purely social exercise. And much of the damage is totally unnecessary.
Several things stand out. The hysterical and by now knee-jerk reaction in the media to even a single death from corona virus has revealed the victims are overwhelmingly people over 70 – generally much older – or those with pre-existing conditions for whom COVID19 became the final straw.
And never mentioned is the level of severity of new cases in the generally younger population, because in the main, statistically, they do not require hospitalisation, and slowly, an immunity pool is being built up. But no one is willing to let go of the fear factor: the politicians like Palaszczuk who see electoral advantage in prolonging both the fear and the economic ruin being unnecessarily inflicted; and the media, desperately trying to maintain a faux veneer of responsible reporting with wild beat-ups.
The time has now surely arrived where the economic and social devastation being wrought by this prolonged economic battering must be measured against other increasingly and equally lasting outcomes. Like the collapse of whole sections of the economy. And unlike the Astonisher. we’re not talking about hairdressers or nail salons.
So perhaps the answer is a focused and selective targeting of the vulnerable groups for special protection – aged care homes in particular, older people generally, the very young, and anyone with a weakened immune system. And in doing so, the rest of society and the workforce can immediately return to pre-panic pandemic normality. Herd immunity will grow until a vaccine is delivered. Certainly, some will get corona virus, and have to take the necessary steps to avoid others, but fatalities among the general population be minimal if at all, as they already are.
The simple ‘on-the-off-chance’ blanket restrictions have to end. Including the border shut-down with NSW. After all, we don’t get in our cars and drive with apprehension brought on by road toll figures. But such stats make us more aware, more careful and more mindful of others.That’s how we should now treat corona virus. The suggestion that tens of thousands of Australians will be dropping like flies without the now increasingly redundant measures is a myth. And probably always has been.
But such a move would take political courage the likes of which we have not seen in this country in generations. So don’t hold your breath … or breath it on anyone closer that a couple metres.
Here’s Something Else To Be Alarmed About If You’re A TCC Ratepayer
There’s been a lot of head scratching in the rarefied atmosphere of the city’s artistic circles this week, with this email being sent to selected members of the general arts community.
Good Afternoon,
Please see the below email from Graduate Urban Planner Sophie Gadaloff:
We are seeking to organise an interview with a member of the Friends of the Gallery organisation to explore their opinions on what a successful new Art Gallery in the CBD would look like. Ideally this interview would take place over the phone or an online platform between the 13th and the 17th July in the early afternoon or any time on Wednesday.
This interview will be used with other external arts stakeholders feedback including Umbrella Studio, Professional Arts North QLD and the Townsville Arts Society to inform part of a position paper AECOM is preparing for the Townsville City Council for a new CBD Art Gallery.
The indicative questions for the interview include:
- Current gallery context – what do you see as the key challenges to the current gallery spaces, including location, logistics, offering, what’s missing?
- What do you believe are the community benefits associated with developing a new, upgraded and integrated arts facility? To local artists To the Townsville community / economy To the North Queensland region community / economy?
- What would an ideal gallery space look like?
- Location – where should the gallery be located within the city centre (Central Park, The Strand, etc)?
- Inclusions – workshop space, commercial offering, cultural offering, size of exhibitions
- Operating model – who should manage the space?
- Integrated facilities – what are the facilities you believe should be integrated with the gallery for maximum community benefit?
To organise an interview or for further information, please contact Sophie via email email hidden; JavaScript is required or phone 0427374490.
Kind Regards,
Townsville City Galleries
Townsville City Council
A new CBD art gallery, eh? Located in maybe Central Park or on The Strand, eh?
Interesting the wording regarding AECOM’s involvement, this crowd ain’t no charity and don’t do things for nothing. One wonders how much has been budgeted from this ‘position paper’, and if we’d be allowed to know, or is it ‘commercial in confidence’ so ratepayers aren’t allowed to know how much they are forking out for a ‘position paper’ about something they weren’t aware of and certainly didn’t vote for?
But whatever the amount, it would be peanuts next to the tens of millions a proposal like this would cost if it were ever to be seriously contemplated.
So where has this brain fart popped up from? The obvious guess is the Jenny Hill Thort Fart Farm which brought us the Adani airstrip, Jamie Durie telling us how to turn off a tap, and a Qantas ban. And that immediately raises the question, what is this idea meant to distract us from?
So let us the serious for a moment – just a brief moment – and look at the possible implications.
The ‘Pie has been heard that any suggestion that what is probably known as ‘integrated arts and performance space’ poses particular problems, particularly its location. The Civic Theatre complex is almost certainly out of contention, because it probably could not be adequately flood-proofed. The old railway yards, maybe?
But here’s the most interesting aspect. The email clearly suggests it is to be the city’s premier art gallery, and therefore it is unlikely to go into competition with itself. So where does that leave the Perc Tucker gallery?
On the market to the highest bidder is The ‘Pie’s bet.
This makes sense in the Mullet’s parallel universe … lots of lolly from the proceeds of the sale to prop up the increasingly wobbly council finances, and the new venture paid for by public funds from Brisbane and/or Canberra (worked for the Total Tools stadium and the scandalously wrong footy practice field next door, so why not?)
Wonder what the man who would be mayor, the current deputy doo dah Mark Frothy Molachino thinks of the scheme. He let the cat out of the bag in the Astonisher today in this story.
It is a highly dubious rot about a northern beaches bridge facing possible demolition because of the damage caused by a torched stolen car. The story quotes Frothy :
“This may cost millions, a cost council has not, and could not budget for,” Cr Molachino said.
If the council is that short of cash for emergencies, why is money being wasted on a bullshit position paper about a new arts centre? Seems not all the play acting is on the stage around here.
Seems The Proposed Woodstock Battery Factory Is All But Buggered
With little fanfare but big implications, Magnis Energy Technologies, the crowd that has spruiked the battery factory at Woodstock, conned the mayor with a promise of equity for free land and the state government out of a a million or so for a ‘pre-feasibility study’, last month installed two new directors to its board, and in one instance, it was an astounding deal to get one of them, to wit, this bloke.
James Dack with Magnis boss Frank Poulous
Dack is a B list celebrity in Sydney’s Nescafe society, a real estate spiv who co-founded high flying real estate agency McGrath’s. He is courted in the Sydney media has some sort of wealth guru, a position hard to dispute when you’re the son-in-law of one of Australia’s richest men, billionaire Hungry Jack’s founder Jack Cowin. A multi-millionaire himself, Dack is said to be one of glibbest salesmen to spruik property in the mega-rich eastern suburbs of Sydney.
So why would he accept a directorship in a company whose share price has been skating downwards for the past three years and as of Friday stood at 13 cents per share. Here’s the reason.
20,000,000 shares … yes that twenty million? (They even have an extra 0, but that’s an error). Shares must be like confetti down at Magnis. Hope Dack is aware that as a part timer on this board, so he isn’t eligible for Jobkeeper.
Now while the likes of Dack are unlikely to want to have much to do with the boonies up Townsville way, it is the second appointment that spells trouble for Mayor Mullet’s grand Lansdown dreams.
Troy Grant
Magnis Energy Technologies Limited (“Magnis” or the “Company”) (ASX: MNS) is very pleased to announce that former Deputy Premier of NSW and leader of the NSW National Party, The Honourable Troy Grant, has been appointed as Non-Executive Director of the Company. Mr Grant has built a phenomenal 30 year career of distinguished, decorated and accomplished public service to the people of New South Wales across government, law enforcement, emergency services, social justice, community and charitable endeavours.
Mr Grant said, “Of particular interest to me is the Magnis goal of establishing manufacturing of lithium-ion batteries locally in Australia. This holds a strong appeal, as it’s an opportunity to lead the charge in the resurgence of local manufactured products, that are crucial to the future sustainability of our country and communities, leading to significant local economic outcomes and jobs growth.”
Now you to tell, a former deputy premier of NSW and the leader of the NSW Nats is on board with Townsville for fitting the description of ‘locally’? here’s the answer to that from someone who would know better than The ‘Pie. Although unidentified, this was posted on Hot Copper, the on-line stock trading and investment forum.
Frank (Poulis, Magnis CEO) and the new director called into Shaw’s (Sydney Stock Brokers) a few weeks ago my broker met with them, while hopes are high for NY, Townsville is off as they would rather build it in NSW closer to where they both live. I’m guessing they will use the PFS study or most of it down there sometime in the future. Thanks for the check Qld! I guess it wouldn’t take much to change the signs on the artwork on the website. Watch closely ummm that’s not really appropriate as you can’t watch something disappear, anyway Townsville will slowly fade. I don’t care if you call it bullshit it’s what was said. Someone ask the question at the next AGM and this time don’t get bullied by Frank like you guys did last year he’s only a little guy come on!,,
Yeah doesn’t really work for me.
The ‘Pie looks forward to Mayor Mullet’s explanation about all this. Probably blame the Magpie.
Radio Ructions
It would be highly inappropriate for The ‘Pie to say the natives are restless when talking about indigenous folks, so he won’t. But, boy oh boy, according to reports into the Nest, the staff down at indigenous radio station 4K1G ‘Too Deadly’ more than a bit restless with their new(ish) manager . In fact they’re said to be in open revolt, and allegations of workplace bullying and intimidation and forced signing of contracts have been sent to the station’s board.
The ‘Pie is also told our man, said to be Doug Dunstan, a former internal auditor at Palmer’s Queensland Nickel, is none too popular with local Rotarians, and The ‘Pie is told that his extensive lobbying to get on the board of the Townsville Sunrise Rotary Club was basically ignored. As a result, he has stamped his foot, and tried to start a new Rotary club, an effort which promptly fell over because of a lack of numbers backing him.
There was a 4K1G board meeting called to consider the complaints last Thursday, but no outcome has been made public.
An Unfortunate First For The Bulletin.
Not to make a meal of this, but it should be noted. During the week, the iditor of the Astonisher Craig Warhurst put pinky to keyboard and wrote an iditorial regarding the upcoming local election.
But it wasn’t the soporific musings of Mr Warhurst’s political insights that hit the Magpie eye with full impact. This is the first time in 55 years in journalism, both here and overseas, that The ‘Pie has ever seen the first person singular pronoun i.e. ‘I’, appear in an editorial. Anywhere, let alone the headline.
It has been an unwritten and accepted rule that the editorial speaks for the publication, even if it is generally – but not always – written by the editor. In some instances, the distilled opinion of an editorial is written by a ‘leader writer’ after round table debate and resolution of senior staff and sometimes publishers and owners. The NY Times recently used ‘we’ – signifying the paper’s editorial board – in an editorial regarding the paper’s attitude towards Donald Trump, but that’s the closest The ‘Pie has ever seen.
If Mr Warhurst takes a quite moment, he may realize the pitfalls in credibility and appropriateness of a newby and probably temporary citizen putting himself forth personally in the editorial column as an adviser to this community on politics. Among other things.
Harpic’s Dummy Spit
The depth of ignorance displayed by Aaron Harper during the week just about sums up all you need to know about this galoot. He was understandably unhappy when signs like this started appearing around his electorate.
He decided to report it to the Electoral Commission, which promptly told him they didn’t rule on a matter like this. But that wasn’t the aspect that showed how out of touch this goof is. When asked to comment by the Astonisher, Harpic said he thought it funny that the signs had been put up on Riverway Drive, a road for which says he had managed to secure considerable upgrade funding. that had helped local business.
Not one single word about youth crime, running at record rates in Thuringowa. Nothing about the failure of bail houses. Just a boast that he had helped create a smoother ride for the little bastards in their stolen cars.
But, The ‘Pie supposes to be fair, what the fuck could he say about it.
To Donald Trump, ‘Demeaning’ Means A Black Man’s Explanation
It doesn’t take much to see that the problems of three little people don’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world.
Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca
But this week, a can of beans amounted to a big deal in Trump’s increasingly crazy world.
Short version. When a wealthy Trump supporter falsely praised the President for things he actually hadn’t done, social media went wild, and organised a boycott of the businessman’s main product, Goya canned beans.
Trump retaliated by using the Oval Office as a marketing back drop to promote the product like it was the set of a shopping channel.
It became a family affairs, with his daughter taking to social media to spruik the same product
In so doing, as someone on the federal payroll (she is an official Presidential adviser), she broke several laws. But no doubt Daddy will pardon her.
The outrage this generated wasn’t some confected pose by the usual suspects, but a deeply hurtful trashing of the once deeply respected Presidential sanctum that holds – or did – a special place in the ideals and aspirations of ordinary Americans.
To put it in perspective, it was the equivalent of Scott Morrison doing Harvey Norman ads from his Prime Minister’s office.
But ya gotta give it to the guy, Trump has perfected the art of deflecting outrage from his previous stunt by staging a new outrageous stunt. It’s a lifestyle for him.
And The Cancel Culture Continues To Spread
And Finally …
The upside to wearing masks.
……………..
There’s another week, and it is appropriate here to thank all those people who have trusted me with their information of public import to bring matters of interest and concern into the open. Have your say in comments throughout the week, and that wolf of blog-associated costs seems to have camped permanently on The ‘Pie’s doorstep, so any donations to help the old bird out would be greatly appreciated. The donate button is below.
Without a vaccine, trying for herd immunity will just result in countless deaths. We can be thankful that the restrictions have kept a lid on the situation in Australia, although clearly it’s allowed a degree of complacency to develop. We should have pursued an elimination strategy from the get go.
Countless deaths, eh? Keep up the scare campaign, mate … no balance there between competing social outcomes, there just the required knee jerk reaction to the over-reaction. Which from you, is not surprising.
It would seem the Yanks are trying for herd immunity.
Interesting to note that infections have skyrocketed but the death toll hasn’t matched that meteoritic rise. And America is – thanks be – very different to Australia, with our unique advantages of continental isolation.
Mr Magpie, the Americans aren’t quite a sanguine as you:
20July2020. “The most recent forecast on predicted deaths in the US paints a grim picture of the coming weeks, with up to 30,000 more COVID-19-related fatalities predicted by August 8.
It’s predicted “there will likely be between 150,000 and 170,000 total reported COVID-19 deaths by August 8th” according to the most recent forecast of coronavirus-related deaths from the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The US has already reported more than 140,000 deaths from coronavirus, but to reach the number predicted by the CDC means another 10,000 to 30,000 deaths will occur in just three weeks.”
Neither they should be, when Bozo is in charge and the level of gung-ho ignorance of their general public matches that of their dictator. There is absolutely NO comparison between the USA and Australia on several levels in regards to this virus, and therefore The ‘Pie sticks with his suggestion of heavily targeting and protecting recognised vulnerable groups. And even when broken down to a ratio, Australia’s deaths are minuscule and we lack the underlying general wilful disregard for the well being of others that many Americans posture behind as individual freedom. Given the truly alarming matters going on in Portland, those freedoms will be brought into sharp reality asap.
The Magpie’s suggestion that has you wetting yourself seems to be backed up by the doctor in today’s Astonisher, who contracted the virus in England before coming home. A cough and dry throat, and soon got over it … as the majority of others will if we are all allowed to return to a slightly adjusted pre-pandemic normality.
A couple of things spring to mind regarding the Perc Tucker emails to member of the friends of The gallery
Who exactly did the email come from as it is signed off by Townsville City Galleries and TCC. Clearly Sophie works for AECOM going by her email address.
If the email came from her then how could it be signed off as it is?
When The recipients signed up as Friends of the gallery what privacy provisions applied to the contact data supplied? Can TCC hand this information to anyone anytime?
I can assure you that TCC Does Not adhere to any privacy guidelines around email addresses and it’s privacy statement is a pile of bullshit. The recent email from Gallery Services is just another example of this lack of privacy concerns and sharing of email and other details with third parties.
People who involved with the TCC Community Engagement and Community Development sections are used to receiving emails that show the email address of all recipients of the email which means that these email addresses then get further shared if the original recipients forward the email on to other people. For some reason, TCC staff either don’t know what the bc address area in an email means or they are just too lazy to use it. This issue needs to be reported to the QLD Privacy Commission by as many people as possible.
I often wonder how secure your information is when you make contact with the TCC Service Centre and they want your phone number (always hide your number when you call so it doesn’t show on their screens) and email address or if you complete surveys such as Have Your Say which is their much praised community engagement method.
The Have Your Say surveys with compulsory email collections, are absolute bullshit. It’s not like anyone from TCC ever gets back to you on a matter anyway. I would like to know how many people actually give them their email.
And as for the phone number when you report an issue!!! I’ve had to call back because they can’t be arsed following up.
There is a white elephant sitting at the end of Sir Leslie Thiess Drive already built but a leaking asset of the council. Surely this could be converted by the artistic types around the area to become another bigger mill stone around ratepayers necks and the 49% of residents that didn’t vote for this shambles
Not me ‘Pie. I guess I’ll have to think up a new name now.
I changed mine to allow you to continue as the original.
Frothy Molachino’s concern for the cost of repairing a bridge is indeed surprising given the ratepayers money that is being wasted on bringing big events to Townsville.
Last night at a barbecue I met a visiting State public servant who expressed his disgust about the amount of money Jenny Hill has given to the V8 Supercars and promoters of the Elton John concert and the coming Jeff Horn fight.
He said the Premier Anna and Mayor Hill have stumped up millions in an attempt to have our white elephant stadium seen as a valuable community asset.
How much money are you talking about, I asked, $10 million?
He laughed then whispered “that’s not even in the ball park”.
Cowboys football manager Peter Parr went into damage control in a story in today’s Sunday Mail, offering excuses for his diabolical retention and recruiting efforts during the past few years.
Parr pulled off a coup in signing Thurston, who steered the Cowboys to two grand final appearances. He has been dining out on that for years.
But losing three of the game’s best young players – Kayln Ponga (Knights), Brandon Smith (Storm) and Vilame Kikau (Penrith) – to rival clubs cannot be explained away as simply bad luck.
Then there’s the quality players who have been let go, only to prove their worth at other clubs. Tariq Sims (Dragons), Ethan Lowe (Rabbotohs) and James Tamou (Penrith) were all let go by the Cowboys and replaced with inferior players.
On the other hand the Cowboys have signed players that were no longer wanted by rival clubs, resulting in a team riddled with guys who aren’t up to NRL standard.
Where are the exciting young players other clubs are able to blood as injury replacements?
Time for change – at the top.
20,000,000 shares hey? Nice one. And surprise surprise, a politician/lobbyists landing a Board position on a huge 6 figure salary and a nice bundle of shares. Wait til they magically jump quickly through some environment and regulatory hurdles and they start flogging their product. The share price will jump very quickly and all involved will hit paydirt!!! Oink oink pigs in the trough.
The idea of a purpose built gallery and selling the Perc Tucker towards funding is not an unreasonable idea.
Let’s look at regional galleries around Australia.
The Perc Tucker is an awesome building and I’m sure could be repurposed . It’s covered by the Heritage act so the architectural integrity would be maintained.
A purpose built gallery is worth aspiring for . We are a marginal and key seat and I believe both sides of politics recognise the Arts as an important part of any community .
Look at the success of GOMA in Brisbane and locally Strand Ephemera . The extra state investment in cultural event during the commonwealth games was supported by a large number of the local community as well as the many visitors.
We had world class events in our town which we should feel proud of.
Selling the Perc Tucker is not about killing the arts.
It does However require a paradigm shift in how we view our city and Consultation is necessary . We need to embrace future development of the creatives in our region . Look at it we have a huge amount of vacant space which could be incorporated in to future Developments.
The Arts isn’t all just Arse and it should be embraced.
( social distancing of course )
The ‘Pie does not disagree with that pleasant ramble through your artistic musings, but he fears that you have missed the entire point of the Magpie’s post on the matter i.e. Mayor Mullet’s continued addiction to secrecy and failure to take the whole community into her confidence with new schemes that she should herself open up for discussions. And she should make the public’s ability to have their say far more easy and inclusive, than the dog’s dinner of TCC website posts. The ‘Pie also has serious doubts as to her motives i.n this area, and would dearly like to know how much AECOM is being paid for a ‘position paper’, whatever that means in Buzz Word World.
Point Taken
Pie, As one contributor to the Astonisher’s TTE pages suggested that if they are going to move the Art Gallery from the Perc Tucker Gallery, move the museum there. At least it would be more accessible to locals and tourist alike.
What museum?
And BTW, your Broncos joke was not published because the ‘Pie beat you to it, said that exact quip three weeks ago! Right here, and in the blog.
Sit up straight, pay attention and stop looking out the window.
Sorry Sir!
Having been evicted from the old courthouse previously, I don’t think they’d be wanted back in an even more valuable piece of real estate.
Hmmm… it’s been quite awhile since I’ve graced these forums and the day that I do I’m both surprised that the merry-go-round pertaining to ‘a new gallery for Townsville’ continues, and that yet another analysis of what this could look like is being proposed by the Council… not without some expense from the ratepayer I might add. I humbly believe I have a little experience in this area and it appalls me that the same sham by the same short sighted individuals is gearing up to waste the time, efforts and hopes of many in the community whom selfishly value add to both the social and economic fabric of the region without agenda or bias. The same basis of moralistic values can’t be leveled at Jenny Hill now can it (please call me out on this Jenny as I’d love nothing more than to shed a light on the truths…)
Well, hello Shane.
Don’t hold your breath waiting for Jenny to reply to anything on this blog … but that is not to say she doesn’t avidly read the The Magpie. Indeed The ‘Pie is told it is a Hill household ritual on Sunday mornings, she gently rocks back and forth and croons in low tones as she reads, all time holding leaden Magpie dolls over the backyard BBQ fire.
I was ástonished ‘ once again by the Bulletin’s reporting in Saturday’s edition. It appears that an Australian arms supplier, by the name NIOA, has won a contract to update ADF small arms. The company, the largest of its kind in Australia, has plans to build a research and development facility to establish sovereignty over manufacture, maintenance intellectual property, etc. My immediate reaction was, “About time, bewdy, good luck to them, all that.” Then I read Tess Iconomu’s article accompanying it (same page directly above it).
Complete negativity. The CE of NIOA happens to be married to Bob Katter’s daughter, and so there are implications of nepotism, gun crazies, dodgy donations, despite the fact that NIOA was competing against international tenderers. I might be wrong but my guess is that Tess doesn’t like guns. Or that Australian sovereignty is not in Newscorps best interests. Or both.
In my view it is imperative that we reclaim our manufacturing industry, and in particular our intellectual property. This news is the most significant article I’ve read for years, despite the Bulletin’s spin.
Beat up. Nioa is already a major player in the arms business. Their premises at Eagle Farm are immense with state of the art technology. They are highly respected here and overseas and have an impeccable reputation. They already have major defence contracts. Rob Nioa has made no secret of his association with the Katters and is often seen in public with Bob. Besides, if the unions can buy patronage with the Bolshies, why can I not contribute to a political party that best serves my personal and business interests?
Agree with you Bentley. The Bulletin spin is unhelpful and wrong. This is a good move in Australian interests.
Q. What have the NQ Cowboys, Private Cupcake, Harpic and O’Rort got in common?
A. Inconsistent, insipid, uninspiring and embarrassing performance.
Can all get plucked!!!
I’ll Be Plucked – untrue and very unfair. The Cowboys have been very consistent, in losing. The three amigos are also very consistent in their inability to do a good job for voters.
In Bundaberg at the moment.
It reminds me of Townsville when I first arrived, with the charming colonial and post-federation buildings, that Bundaberg preserved, and Townsville has destroyed.
What is it with Townsville?
Short sighted neanderthal fuck-wits voted in time after time. Heritage and charm destroyed!
If not for family and dear friends, I would consider moving. Regardless, we (wife and I) have the van and can visit charming places that have elegant building, and little youth crime.
Dave Maryborough is another city which restored and kept it’s heritage and other buildings which are now a tourist attraction to the city. TCC just allowed the buildings to be destroyed and in some cases totally fucked up the streetscape and Flinders Street East is the prize example of this.
On.your way back to the city of crime, have a look at Quay Street Rockhampton, another fine example of heritage building preservation with a sympathetic streetscape.
Will do. Thanks.
…and a steak at the Bush Inn. None better. Even beats the Breckkie Creek.
As a regular visitor I completely agree, even Rocky’s mall has a wonderful feel and generally gets a visit from me, they actually have a good range of independent menswear stores with experienced staff, something our town sadly lacks.
I have had excellent service from the New Park Suit Hire & Mens Wear. Most recently a range of tailor made bow ties. (They don’t fall into your soup.) Hired suits for my wedding in 1975 from the same establishment, although that was from the previous owner. I wish this business good fortune.
Totally agree, and in fact, that was the only one The ‘Pie could think of when the matter was raised. That’s the one on CT Rd isn’t it? Hit by the floods last year?
Yes he is back on Charters Towers Rd, got flooded and had all sorts of dramas with insurance and had a pop up store in Stocklands for a little while waiting for his shop to be repaired, great bloke and great business. The mall in Rocky would have half a dozen of these types of stores in their mall, exactly what a CBD mall is supposed to offer, something different from the national chains in the suburban centres.
DoK,
I hope weren’t any where near that fire of 5ha beautiful old building. Lol.
Deputy Mayor Molochino is a proud labor party member and from the same ilk as the Mullet so expect lots of “ look over there “ to take the focus off T.C.C,s woes and their wafer thin $100k surplus Budget 20/21 . Cantankerous made possibly one of the most telling comments last week that Townsville Property owners have gone no where with there purchases in 20 yrs . The new home owners grants will further erode prices as building will be in the burbs increasing rental vacancy rates . Aaron Harper loves to jump the gun on social media and sent his commiserations to his favourite State of Origin player Corey Oates and even used his paramedic skills and posted the bones that Oates would have broken in compound fracture . Problem was Oates had a deep gash and back in 3 weeks with Aaron’s post quickly removed . Let’s hope if Aaron loses his seat in the October election he isn’t back on the coalface as a paramedic .
MD – I’d guess that if Harpic hasn’t been keeping his qualifications and registration up to date, he wouldn’t be allowed to return to his former occupation anyway. If by chance he loses his seat, but Nanna Anna manages to retain power, I see a spot opening for him on the hospital board quick smart.
Quite possible, Girly, since he was on (maybe chaired?) the Dying With Dignity which spent millions of dollars to conclude nit. was a good idea. Anyone see the irony of Harpic in this role, as he presides and assists the very undignified dying of his own city through his selfish and spineless neglect.
Why did you post the Graduate’s email and mobile number? That young lady is not responsible for the project and had just been asked to contact people via email. All you have done is provided is provided a young lady’s details for randoms to call, project related or otherwise.
So?
So well done you, for putting a young lady’s contact details out into the world for all the crazies. Life is hard enough for professional women without this happening.
Get a grip, Hypes.
Also, up until your comment, The ‘Pie wasn’t aware of any crazies reading this blog. idiots, sure, crazies, no.
She might be a mature age student, but a lovely mental picture of a demure and vulnerable winsome lass you paint.
Greens gone as coach. Effective immediately.
Green is gone. Time for the couch coaches to step up.
No probs with a replacement … plenty of unemployed pre-school specialists out there.
Cowboys coach has ‘parted ways’ with the club this morning. Third NRL coach this season to be ‘marched’!
Obviously it’s Jenny Hills fault.
No it’s Newman’s fault.
No Tradie, it’s Rona’s fault!
Paul Green isn’t the only one that needs to go.
The Cowboys roster is the worst in club history.
Management sucks, too.
Yep agree Pie; Parr and the CEO need to be looked at very closely too, IMO.
Think of the positives not the negatives.
Hey NAW, to quote a famous, or infamous politician, PLEASE EXPLAIN!!!
Hey, here’s an idea. Get The Mullet and Green to swap jobs. The performance of the team and the city would both improve dramatically.
Plucker,
Not too hard.
Channel positive thoughts. Do you have them?
Life is not all doom and gloom.
Always look on the bright side odf life ( da da da da da )
FFS, Roster? Its a Team, a Squad, a Club. Only silly Yanks have Rosters.
With the Magnis thing, are you suggesting that the battery factory must have got a better ‘free land, water and environmental approvals’ offer from NSW than they were/are getting in Queensland? Which could be right. TCC can only bend over so far. Thankfully we didn’t offer to build and staff the thing for them.
How do you know we didn’t? With Generous Jenny in charge, anything is possible …. maybe an upgrade to the Woodstock airstrip to take executive jets. Oh shit, now she’s just been given another idea. Drat.
The item of interest this morning is the delay in the construction of the Doubletree Hotel, all due to the virus, now would be a good time to start construction one would think, but then again, maybe they found out the cost of Jenny’s pedestal charges and the cost of Aerogard to control the sand flies.
This project is going to provide us with endless fun and conjecture for years to come.
Interesting that Honeycombes have put the old south yard land across the road on the market, guess they havent got the cash to do anything with it or maybe the remediation costs are excessive. Hey hang on a minute, isn’t the TCC looking at a possible arts centre site, maybe they could buy it back off the company they sold it too in the first place, nothing to see here I guess.
Isn’t that the package they bought for a peppercorn ($5 or $10), with all sorts of promises? Might be wrong, but that rings some sort of bell.
That’s the one Pie, bought it off Aurizon for not too much, but the state govt and council were in on the deal to get it included in the PDA, all sorts of promises and grand plans but in true Townsville style 3 years later and absolutely fuck all has happened.
Purchased it for next to nothing because of the contaminated land clean up cost. I suspect the costs to clean it up are a little higher than expected (or they thought they could get away with?).
CEOoC. How come they built a stadium over the road? That lot also was part of the South Yard and was also contaminated. No rehabilitation was carried out. Only about 600mm of road base.
Reasonable question, but … and The ‘Pie is guessing, correction welcomed … the stadium site was a much smaller footprint of contamination, and probably less so that the yards, where intense rail works were carried out for decades. Besides, the bureaucrats must have understood that there would be little dangers to the Cowboys, who have trouble catching ANYTHING.
Coach Green to the Broncoes???
Well, wouldn’t have to travel far … The Magpie understands the NRL has accepted an offer from a Cairns consortium to buy the franchise, and the team will relocate and play under the name the Cairns Capitulators.
Pie, they could be called The Cairns Reefers (the sea formation, and/or the other green coloured definition)!
They’re more a crack team.
So the world’s most stable genius says he ‘aced’ a recent cognitive test.
But we haven’t, until now, been given details of the test. So if you want to be US Prez, or at least as smart as him, see if you can ‘ace’ it.
WARNING: Trump supporters may find this too challenging, and have a breakdown.
The full explanation of what the test is all about is here.
https://championsforhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/MOCA-8.1.8.2-English.pdf
My granddaughter, who is 2y and 7m and watches a fair bit of ABC Kids TV could ‘ace’ this test.
Geez Mr ‘pie, you should have put a warning before the close up photo of the Great Orange Ejit scrolled up. I almost spilled the nightly whiskey.
I like how Trump in his Fox interview claimed the last 5 questions are really hard.
“I’ll bet you couldn’t. They get very hard, the last five questions,” he said
Those are the questions around language, abstraction, recall, and oddly enough orientation – knowing when and where you are.
They do all seem to be the things he struggles with most.
Just on that test … The ‘Pie doesn’t believe he even took the test, cannot imagine a meglomaniac narcissist like Trump even consider taking a test that he might fail – indeed, probably would have – like all the other matters in his history, it was a set-up from the outset.
Maybe his advisors slipped the questions to him in his daily briefings.
“This is the latest threat assessment Mr President, also can you name this animal?”
… and he jumped under the desk yelling ‘Jumanji!’
Given the Donald’s ramp walking skills, I doubt he could jump under, or over, anything.
Oh my goodness! Trumps head is worse than mine!
Fark. No wonder he wears so much orange makeup!! His face looks like a Russian hooker with syphilis has sat on his it. As for an IQ test, whatever, he got his money from Daddy and that combined with his only gift, the gift of being able to bully, coerce and manipulate, has ensured he has made a buck or two. I’m more interested in whether he would take a psychological test!
Yeah, but is his brain too big for his skull?
Now read carefully Last Drinks.
The NRL and the clubs refer to rosters. A team is the 17 players who contest a game. A roster is a group of 30 or so players who train together and vie for places in the team each week.
Bit like your mate Jenny Hill’s old mates club. The elected councillors are her team, while all her advisers, spivs, Labor mates and “preferred suppliers” (like Carey Ramm) are her roster.
Get it now?
Tap dancer’s definition of a ‘roster’ would be much better illustrated by reference to the LNP’s Deb20 rather than wasting it on Team Palaszczuk or TCC – about which this organ is fast running out of four-letter superlatives. We know the Nats are big on guns and Akubras but what about thermal coal? Will Deb20 dine out on Galilee Basin development or is the connection to Clive Palmer just too hot to handle? Can we have a contest in this election or is Deb20 going to flame out before it even gets started?
As for your balanced and non-partisan comment, The Magpie is lost for superlatives.
NTECQ, have you gone cold on that “we was robbed” GST question?
Oh FFS OT, sleeping dogs and all that … please.
I see ‘Ol Frothy’ is acting doo dah at the moment. Where is the Mullet?
Just count your blessings.
She’s ‘gone fishin’ Ala, for more white elephants and more bread ‘n circus tid bits/crumbs for us masses!
So much for knocking Labor off its perch at the end of this year. The LNP has just imploded in spectacular fashion – the Borg was just punted from the executive team, the sly Hutch is calling the shots and the Freckle is toothless and powerless. It’s like watching Rudd and Turnbull implode and take the world down with them all over again. All these arseclowns had to do was put The Kid in as leader 2 months ago and he would’ve cleaned out the cupboards and set a path to victory against the incompetent Anna alphabet and her disgust sidekick Trad. What an embarrassment and absurdity the LNP have become. The Mullet must be pissing herself laughing.
Agree with just about everything you say here, WB, except even if your dreams come to pass, there is so little talent in the LNP to ensure a minimum of three consecutive terms in State government to get us back onto the road of political and economic rectitude. The so called”Kid” is way out in front on political smarts at the moment but he has never before performed in a leadership position in the political field and I see similarities between jumping to the conclusion that a good Brisbane Lord Mayor would make a good Premier and making the same assumptions about him.
The tyranny of compulsory voting and the decided lack of civic responsibility of voter spending a bit more time thinking about who they should vote for – I am now represented in the council by someone who no one in our Division voted for and the same unopposed councillor was the unapposed “winner” of the Deputy Mayoral race- we are bound to keep going down the gurgler in my opinion
Well, you’re your ever generous self, there Pete, something from everyone.
7 news saying Doubletree Hilton will be guest ready in 2022, Focus pacific said breaking ground in 2018 and guest ready by the opening game in 2020, Hotel Management Magazine article says guest ready by NRL season 2021. TCC media release says fully operational during the NRL 2020 season.
Pick a winner, any one from at least four versions.
Battery factory anyone? Airport? Lagoon? Zip Wire? Ferry service? Etc etc etc
Meathead Molachino continues to prove he’s as dumb as everyone thinks he is, why would a resurfaced road on Palmer St create investment, does the brainless git really think a developer would suddenly decide to stump up millions on a project because the road has been resurfaced. I really fear for Townsville if this incompetent dunce is the future of this city.
Cranky – Built it and they will come. It might just take 10 years or so.
Not only Frothy is talking bullshit to justify the $1 million Palmer Street dogs breakfast, where you go from two-way to one-way for a block and then back to two-way.
Ann Maree Greaney was on Ch7 news last night boasting that one new restaurant has already opened up along the new one-way strip.
Truth is that an Indian restaurant has moved from Gregory St into the old Lighthouse Restaurant building.
Interesting that Cr Greaney failed to mention that the Waterview Restaurant (previously known as Crown on Palmer) has closed permanently and the Metropole Hotel has not opened since the covid-19 shutdown.
I don’t know who comes up with the council spin but whatever they are being paid is too much.
Palmer Street beyond the Plume St roundabout has always been a bit of a death zone for restaurants and restricting access isn’t going to help them.
Some call it spin, I call it turd polishing. No matter how much polish you apply to the outside of the turd it is still a turd underneath. Council are legendary at spinning bullshit. They will boast about a restaurant opening while staying tight lipped about 5 closing down. They will boast about spending $1m on a road but then stay quiet about the other $100m required just to bring the infrastructure up to an acceptable standard. Team Hill have mastered the art of spin, deflecting and obsfucation.
Now, I shall await the Jenny Hill fan club of Not the ECQ, Last Dinks and perhaps the outed NMD and others to jump in and defend their beloved Labor pals.
Don’t know how Waterboy knows so much about turd polishing – most people give it up around pre-school. But today’s Appeal Court decision about sacked JCU academic Peter Ridd will get the bubbler gurgling no doubt. The IPA team on Sky after dark will be beside themselves and no doubt the Australian will have ordered in extra ink for tomorrow’s edition.
An equally important issue is raised in this matter … this decision means that the boorish and arrogant judicial fuckwit Sal Vasta, who made the finding for Ridd in the first place, has received yet another well deserved kick in the cods for his handling of the matter. When The ‘Pie read his judgement when it was handed down, the old bird reckoned even he as a layman could drive a truck through it. The number of times this total incompetent has been successfully appealed must now be in double digits. How he remains on the bench is both a mystery and a scandal.
That’s the problem Magpie, a Judge can only be removed by an act of parliament. Being close to the Industry, I can tell you that all they do to an incompetent Judge is ship them away for a couple weeks training with a good Judge and then return them to their Court.
Correct, MotionManager, but that has been mandated for Vasta already – don’t know if it’s happened – but this bloke is so up himself, it would be a further waste of money.
Ask Daddy.
Didn’t mention Angelo, for two reasons … when he got booted, some believe he was treated pretty poorly for political reasons (yes, others don’t, I know) and the other reason is the upside-down notion of not visiting the sins of the son on the father. Angelo on the bench never was outrageous in the manner his son now is, nor as incompetent. Incidentally, Sal always liked to boast of being the son of a travelling judge, to the extent that, according to late and wickedly witty Sludge Donnelly, he was nicknamed Javid, because he was always talking about ‘me and dad.’
Javier ‘me and dad’, hilarious. But only us old guys will appreciate the Cricket connotation!
Well, despite evidence to the contrary in some of the comments, this blog is designed for grown ups. Nowadays, that means those with a memory provided by some years experience. As they say, some people grow up, others just grow old.
Travelled to Kirwan and returned safely, where the talk around the area is how focused the local member is on his One Nation opponent.
Will Harpic be blindsided by the LNP?
The Government knew they were onto a cash cow when they discontinued the windscreen rego stickers & sending only one rego notice to business owners. In these covid times when no fines are given for: not voting in the local elections and illegal black lives matter protests, police are still busy fining instead of warning motorists for not paying their highly inflated vehicle registration notices that they did not receive. In the media it stated that 700000 regos were late. The police don’t care if you haven’t received the notice and offer to pay it immediately. No warning is given, despite late payment of rego already forces unsuspecting law abiding motorists to pay a higher fee. Who knows how many unsuspecting people are getting around driving unregistered cars…
So is that the reason TCC didnt renew 18 heavy vehicals last monthand let them drive around Townsville for a week before they found out. Or they dudnt have enough money to pay them? Always wondered what would happen to those drivers if pulled over? Clearly they cant see a sticker when rego is out. Or even worse have an accident in that council vehicle resulting in injury/death, oh sorry they dont drive black commodores do they, there exempt from investigation.
YIIS, That’s why police cars have number plate recognition.
Dear Magpie and Readers. As part of the ‘Townsville Elitist Group of Rowes Bay’, I would like you to know that we did not endorse JT’s comments that the proposed Rowes Bay aged care development would put children in danger. It is far worse than that. Our multi million dollar homes may, but most likely may not, go down in value as a result of the development. These old people do not need such a great place to see out their end of years. Had they been smarter, and not given most of their money away to younger family members like myself, they would be able to afford their own mansion with butlers, maids and nurses. I blame them. https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/forward-planning/advice-and-hot-topics/title-tattle/105081-nrl-legend-johnathan-thurston-expands-qld-real-estate-portfolio.html
Sounds to me like ‘Not the ECQ’ should
be renamed ‘I am JCU’. Of course being the font of knowledge that ECQ is, I guess you think the decision to sack Ridd was correct? You believe that Ridd is a tinfoil hat wearing Cousin of Pete Newey? Don’t worry ECQ, when younpop around to The Mullet’s place tonight for cheese and crackers you can both discuss the horrible outcome in the Ridd litigation case and weep on each other’s manly shoulders.
“I guess you think the decision to sack Ridd was correct?” Guess whatever you like, Waterboy, I read the court’s decision – which was a 2-1 majority by the way. It’s a public document, you can read it yourself. Go on, I dare you.
So was Cardinal Pell’s initial appeal decision in the Victorian Court, a decision which the High Court found 7-0 was incorrect.
You can tell there is a Queensland State election because Aaron, Coralee , Scott are saying how important business is in Townsville . These are the same Townsville representatives that stalled on Adani , did nothing on crime which cost businesses in theft , damages , extra security and property values plummet . Business knows how important fiscal management is and the Queensland Government couldnt even deliver their promised April budget . Business does know how important they are to this City and well aware of how the State Government has been a major part of Townsvilles decline .
On the other hand, Mike, it’s hard to see how Deb20’s plan for youth crime is much different from Labor’s. Queensland gave ‘boot camps’ a try but they were ditched because they were an expensive failure (apparently), now the LNP want to trial something called community pay-back farms which sounds a little bit vengeful but maybe that’s the tone they’re looking for:
“”What these community pay-back farms are all about is breaking the cycle of reoffending.”
Hmmm. Business as usual.
Better then what we have with the business as usual labor party. By the way we cant call them labor anymore its racist. Apparently some islanders were brought to Australia against there will years ago to do hard “labor” in cane fields. Shame on anyone who supports this racist party.
Afternoon ECQ, so what are your suggestions to address this Scourge on our community? C’mon, tell me please.
Hang on Speedster, this is an election campaign not a social science workshop. We are engulfed in oceans of spin and political bullshit as October approaches. Deb20 is girlishly promoting Laura Norder, Annastacia is leaning the other way. Deb20’s party is itself embroiled in an unpleasant but perhaps timely internal bunfight (see today’s Guardian) which could conceivably bring about a change of course. I have no advice for either party. They’ve thrown all the carrots to the pigs in the trough and they’re left with only sticks to resolve social problems. Which means nothing much will change. Victoria is trying a treaty process with its Indigenous population – perhaps that’s a new front to investigate?
Victoria’s good at treaties… last year, Andrews signed with China called Road and Belt.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/25/chinas-belt-and-road-initiative-what-is-it-and-why-is-victoria-under-fire-for-its-involvement
Thanks for taking the time to reply ECQ; you have confirmed that, at the moment, you have no idea either!
Well, I absolutely have no idea who I’m going to vote for. What about you? Have you decided it’s anyone but Labor? No matter what? Even if it’s Campbell Newman 2.0? Fortunately there’s a few months left in the campaign. My vote is up for grabs. I’m not welded on to anyone or any party.
Hey ECQ, as the Prosecution silk would say, I rest my case (you have no effing idea and have said so yourself)! Game, set and match.
Speedster you silken idiot, that thing in your hand is a racquet. Swing the fucking thing and hit the ball before you award yourself a point.
MD, Have you noticed when government story comes out in the Astonisher that all three are trotted out to make a statement. It is obvious that an election is looming and those three are an embarrassment to the electorates they represent.
With long experience of Townsville voters, there is absolutely no guarantee that they will get their just desserts as they would anywhere else.
Your pedigree on this is far longer than mine, ‘Pie but I agree with your comments here
Ala, lets call a spade a spade mate! The three state ALP members stink – no ideas to address anything across our community, Nanna Anna puppets on a very short string and yes, an absolute embarrassment to our community, who have all failed miserably, whilst pulling their salary from the trough!
Time the spade was used to bury them come this October.
Are we allowed to say ‘spade’ these days?
Ahh, see what you mean Mr Townsville Magpie; I think it depends on context, of which my use of the word and my name is clear! Bury the three hopeless state ALP members by voting them out of office (and if we are lucky, out of our community too)!
(Sigh) it was a humorous riposte and not a reprimand. Geez …
Aced
Has the panic porn machine at the ABC malfunctioned?
How did they let this story out https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-23/coronavirus-restrictions-cause-flu-cases-to-drop-australia/12480190
The latest national statistics, obtained by the ABC, reveal from January to June 2020, there were just 36 deaths from the flu. And only 128 COVID-19 deaths in Australia, a total of 164 deaths for the period.
That compares to 430 deaths in the same period for 2019.
With the Federal Government’s coronavirus spending measures tops $164 billion, and Queensland more than $4 billion, it is a lot of money to save 266 lives.
These are not some Pro-Trumpian views to let people just die – death happens anyway and every day.
It is just funny that the health “experts” and the media propagating viral panic porn think normal people cannot do simple maths and see the truth.
I am looking forward to seeing the end of manipulated headline stories warning of increased cases of coronavirus in order to push more lockdowns, ignoring all the ways that more cases are being discovered, while the percentage of positive tests, new hospitalisations and deaths, and the lethality of the virus are all waning significantly.
” . . . while the percentage of positive tests, new hospitalisations and deaths, and the lethality of the virus are all waning significantly.”
Which state (or planet) are you referring to?
That would be Australia over +63,000 test in the last 24hrs, only 211 people in hospital across the country with 133 deaths in 6 months.
The reactions are over the top and being manipulated by social media and others. In Qld the government needs the COVID crisis to continue the retain power knowing the electorate won’t change under a climate of fear and panic.
The panic and crisis driven media circus will continue with egocentric wannabe experts given a platform shared with needy politicians and media companies looking to recover falling revenue.
Is anyone else noticing more talk about GST? Wait for the GST to raise to generate more tax from those nasty foreign companies.
SNOUTS IN THE TROUGH;
“SA Ministers who incorrectly claimed expenses for staying in Adelaide were not in city.
One of those claims covered dates while the Riverland-based Agriculture Minister and his chief of staff were on a $32,000 study tour in the United States — a trip which saw taxpayers billed for a chauffeur-driven limousine and a set of Apple AirPods earphones.
On Tuesday, Mr Whetstone admitted to wrongly claiming on 90 separate dates dating back to 2014, including 59 after he was sworn in as a Minister.
Mr Whetstone incorrectly billed taxpayers almost $3,000 for a 12-night stay in Adelaide on dates while he was on a $32,299 study trip with his chief of staff in the United States”.
Grubs grubs grubs. This goes on at all three levels of Government. Rort after rort after rort. Wrong claims on 90 seperate dates? This is more than a fiddle, it is theft. These arseholes take the piss out of hard working bare knuckled suffering Australians every day but whose taxes pay for this shit. Where is our uprising? When will we say enough is enough? And if you don’t think Councils and Councillors are pulling these stunts continuously at their little LGMA love-fests or on their own ‘feasibility trips’ you need to wake the hell up. Townsville has a history of shonky Mayors hell bent on filling their pocket any way they can.
what’s this shit about herd immunity? it isn’t happening anywhere
Salty Dog, herd immunity works. Have you ever seen a buffalo with coronavirus?
If it does it will be Yankieland. Aren’t they (leaders of the free world?) lucky to have Donald!
Now that Covid 19 is raging through the bible belt, the Great Orange Ejit has FINALLY said that wearing a mask is a good idea and that it may get worse before it gets better. Of course, he will never admit that this could have all been prevented back in March, but then, it was only a problem in states that weren’t going to vote for him.
Hey Gal, are you Irish, or Irish heritage? My parents (both ridgy didge Irish) used to call me an ‘Ejit’ when I played up!
Nothing’s changed, The Magpie is with your parents on this.
Not Irish, but I know a lot of Irish people. The don’t like the feckin ejit either.
Just saw an ad for the ‘fisty cuffs’ at Total Tools Stadium on Aug 26. Tickets available through Tiketek. Sounds like the crowd is unlimited. So why are they limiting crowds at the footy?
By August 26, they might not be. And in fact, think you’ll find that there is – at the moment – a limit on the fight crowd. Was it 15,000?
I’m stocking up and getting ready for Crona community transmission after the boxing fight on 26 August and then the V8’s on 28-29 August. How many thousands of out of Qld spectators are going to be in Townsville for these events and are going to be honest in completing their border pass applications and/or asymptomatic carriers and spreaders.
Hey Crits, go easy on the dunny paper hoarding, please! Leave some for us!
Pie, Still doesn’t make sense. 15k for the fight, 6K for the footy. S@me stadium.
Our point is the time difference of the dates.
Cairns is scoring some AFL games, with two teams living there for a month or so and others fly in/out for matches. Be interesting to see which teams, info not yet released.
Here’s one example of using COVID-19 now over-the-top scare tactics to distract the public and slip in totally unjustified new laws on totally unrelated matters … especially at the behest of American multi-national interests. Fortunately, it is so whacky in a democratic society (that’s us, isn’t it?) it is unlikely to see the light of day.
MEDIA RELEASE
THURSDAY, JULY 23, 2020
Frydenberg throws sand in the gears of class action justice with bizarre new regulations
New regulations announced today by the federal government, which bizarrely define class actions as ‘managed investment schemes,’ could stymie the compensation payouts of millions of Australians who have been robbed by big banks, harmed by faulty products, or deceived by corporate boards.
Josh Frydenberg’s regulations will wrap those participating in class actions in confusing and untested red tape, which the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) has indicated it is confused by.
Mr Frydenberg announced his intention to introduce the new regulations just days after meeting with the US Chamber of Commerce, which has been lobbying to limit Australian class actions that affect its multinational members, like Johnson & Johnson.
Class Actions Australia, which is running the Keep Corporations Honest campaign in defense of ordinary class action members, fears the ramifications of the regulations could be significant.
“I don’t know what Mr Frydenberg’s discussed in his private meeting with the US Chamber of Commerce, but if you were an American multinational worried about Australian class actions this is exactly the kind of reform you would want to see,” said Class Actions Australia spokesperson Ben Hardwick.
“Class actions are obviously not ‘investment schemes.’ To suddenly define them as such makes zero sense unless your motive is to stymie class actions. No wonder ASIC was so thoroughly baffled by the Treasurer’s idea.
“A class action is a method through which ordinary Australians can seek justice when they’ve been hurt by a corporation. To suggest class action members are banding together in an investment scheme is insulting and incorrect. They are victims, not investors.
“Regulating a group of class action members as participants in an investment scheme will create all sorts of requirements that are suitable for investors, but ridiculous to require of victims.
“The outcome of this regulation will be to make it harder for everyday Australians who have been harmed to get funding for a class action, meaning fewer class actions and less justice. It will mean corporations face fewer consequences for bad behavior, making them more likely to try and get away with wrongdoing.
“I suspect Mr Frydenberg knows what he has done is not in the interests of ordinary Australians. His hope is that it’s all so complicated that in the midst of a pandemic no one will notice.
“But if you’re one of the millions of Australians who got ripped off by your bank and you’re expecting compensation from a class action you should care about what the government is doing. If you’re an ordinary person with a valid case against a powerful interest you should be deeply worried about these regulations. They are custom built to make life easier for corporations who do the wrong thing.”
Contact: Anil Lambert 0416 426 722 / email hidden; JavaScript is required
This is disgusting! A class action is not an investment scheme, it is compensation. Australians should be outraged that this has been snuck in behind closed doors. I am assuming this also protects the Government when there are class actions launched agains them or their individual
Departments? The PFOS water contamination from airbases and former federal aircrpirt corporation airports comes to mind.
I was under the impression that the new legislation was not to stop class actions, it was more to stop the litigation funders and lawyers walking away with up to 50% of the settlement with the “wronged claimants” fighting over the scraps.
The classic example was the recent PFAS class action, where $215m was awarded, but only $125m trickled down to the claimants, of which there were tens of thousands, all hoping for adequate compensation for their now worthless properties.
Interestingly Shine Lawyers are currently touting a class action for Townsville as it wasn’t one of the initial 3 sites covered. Now that the precedent has been set, any Dennis Denuto should be able to send a strongly worded letter to the RAAF hierarchy seeking compensation on behalf of a client.
Also noted that Horton Advisory is a public relations company – surely one of their clients wouldn’t be a litigation funding firm?
There certainly seems to be a tad self-interest in the air, when you get the likes of Maurice Blackburn and Shine Lawyers attacking the proposal. But the strange reason given for the change to the law is a most cynical twisting of words imaginable. Brave New World has arrived.
Ambulance chasing at its finest.
The Yanks have only got themselves to blame. All this litigation bullshit started over there years ago and has gradually made its way around the world. The greedy and spineless ambulance chasers have made a Mint at the expense of the innocent buggers who are promised the world, and receive a t-spoon of desert sand.
Cripes, my dole payment gets slashed by 300 bucks a fortnight from the end of September! Gee, I’ll have to cut back on the grog, the punt and the odd bag of mary-jane! Oh well, it was fun while it lasted!
Might be a stretch for you Newstart, but it’s a bigger one for me and the kids. No more full food pantry, or school excursions cos we won’t be able to afford them and no more treats for the kids! Good luck to you and us.
In another backdown, the Great Orange Ejit has cancelled the Elephant Party’s convention that would have seen him become the official presidential candidate. This was to be held in Florida, where there seems to be no end in sight to thousands of new cases being diagnosed every day. This may also explain why his recent golfing weekends have been at Trump resorts a lot closer to Washington, rather than his Florida property.
Remember when there were actual decent human beings living in the White House, in fact a whole family of real honest-to-goodness people? It was just four years ago that that all ended. Watch this, and weep for what Americans, indeed what we all have lost. Cannot imagine what a similar interview with Melania would be like when the time comes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiMUoVjQ5uI
Cactus Jacks into liquidation, That Place on Sturt closing for ever, to add to the ever increasing lost of long established businesses shutting down.
All this happening with not one single idea from any government or opposition to stop the slide.
Our council thinks the only solution is for more government spending which will be impossible as they have no money.
How about we fast track building approvals domestic and commercial to get things going?
But where are the punters going to get the money to build … they need jobs … and hope … to do that.
The one thing government including the council could do is keep spend local. The money spent with businesses outside the city by council ridiculous, but we will never know how much it is because it is all confidential information. I actually thought it was rate payers money.
Money isn’t the problem, it’s cheap at the moment, in Townsville it’s hope, but when you look at the long list of losers running this town why would anyone have any hope, and it doesn’t cost a cent.
QED … one follows the other, mate. Let’s call it the Townsville Circle Jerk.
Looks like State Transport Minister Mark Bailey is trying to support the circle picking a fight with the Tin foil hats on the Townsville Resident and Ratepayer FB page. They must be worried in the ALP if Bailey is trolling Townsville FB pages. The Foil hats will be emboldened.
Tongue in cheek, BUT………are the Giants sponsored by The Kremlin? Listen to their club song, it sounds like a Cossacks gee up before they go into battle!
Who are the Giants?
Greater Western Sydney AFL, Pie. Got beaten up badly in the GF last year, but you know that already!