Pork barrelling is making biased funding promises that are mostly kept …. talk barrelling is making promises that never will be. Premier Alphabet’s sudden foray into talk barrelling about a ‘world class hydro initiative’ is a coded message that should alarm anyone living north of Nambour.
It’s been quite a week for our schizo mayor …. one day playing simpering fool, the next being an overbearing, tyrannical tool. Her totally unwarranted, spiteful and lying public attack on Clr Fran O’Callaghan is fertile ground for defamation action. This on top of endorsing a Hindenberg of promotional tourist campaigns for the city. The crash and burn has already started.
For those who don’t follow comments during the week in The Nest, we have a disturbing update on the appointment of the new Chamber CEO, Michael Kern … very serious questions about his suitability for the position need to be answered.
Civil goes criminal: Graham ‘Richo’ Richardson’s legal stoush with former business partner Danny Meares over the operation and sale of Townsville’s Watermark Bar and Grill has taken a darker turn, with Richo now alleging outright criminal behaviour by Meares.
… and our latest gallery on the American melt-down.
But first a quick commercial break. As The Magpie approaches the 12th anniversary of the Nest, he has been reflecting on all the events, professional and personal, that have happened in those dozen momentous years – he is proud to say that with the exception of a brief stay in hospital mid-way, he has not missed a weekend of putting out this alternative voice for this community. But one thing has remained constant – as we all do, The ‘Pie continues to face rising costs, including those directly associated with The Nest. So if you think this Sunday morning conglomeration is worth it, you can be the wind beneath the old bird’s wings, with a donation to help out. Appropriate button to press is at the end of the blog.
Now, as always, onward.
Mullet Mystery: Why Is Jenny Hill So Spooked By A Single Councillor …
The disgraceful, disgusting and transparently dishonest suggestions that Clr O’Callaghan was trying to avoid legal costs owed to the council over an historic matter before she was elected, defies logic and lacks an obvious reason except to defame by insinuation. Simply, the question here is, why?
Despite having a 10 to 1 majority on council, the mayor (and her sad little legal shill, Tony Bligh) behaved this week like she was in the political fight of her life. And as a consequence of this widely condemned behaviour, she may well be. And this bloke loves to fly under the radar.
Tony Bligh, TCC lawyer
Bligh, instrumental and possibly the instigator of the ill-conceived an untruthful attack, is safe as a bum polishing PS Mr Pooter, a third rate lawyer whose perennial aspiration to become a second rate lawyer have met with abject failure.
The situation that has been alluded to is not all that complex when reduced to everyday language. Before her election, Clr O’Callaghan and her husband had complained to the council about a neighbour in rural Woodstock operation of an airstrip. Long story short, Clr O’Callaghan lost, pursued appeals right to the top, lost each time – in the interim was elected to council when Messagebank went to state, and is now awaiting the final outcome of a costs order she will pay. But the court hasn’t provided an amount yet.
But a month or so ago, the council sooled an outside firm of lawyers (your dough ratepayers) to chase money that essentially, cannot be accurately paid until the court reaches a fair figure. Why this matter is of public interest or importance is for Bligh and Hill to say, but this was clearly engineered by a vindictive Bligh, with the backing of the mayor. (The ‘Pie has been told by council insiders that he has been at the centre of bullying and intimidation of Clr O’Callaghan from the outset) And he now may find himself with his head up his own legal arse.
Bringing this into a public council meeting, from which Clr O’Callaghan excused herself due to conflict of interest and had no way of defending herself, is inexplicable. It amounted to no more than a cheap smear against someone who asks the mayor too many difficult questions on behalf of ratepayers. It is a measure of both Hill and Bligh that Clr O’Callaghan had to view the recording of the live stream to find out what had been said about her, a sneak of which she had no proper prior warning. You can read her own version of the event here on her Facebook page.
Aided by an upside down story in the Bulletin which didn’t question the matter closely, or take heed of Clr O’Callaghan’s explanation about the owed money which clearly put the whole issue into the area of unwarranted smear, this appears to give Clr O’Callaghan clear grounds for a defamation action. many have contacted The Magpie with offers to help fund any action Fran may take. And i don’t mean just one or two.
If she’s up to it, Fran may well join Clive Palmer as a beneficiary of the mayor’s vindictive mouth.
And Two Dishonourable Mentions In This Sorry Story
First Tony Bligh, who will bluster away under the radar with the usual ‘wot, me, no way’ coward’s credo. Tony, mate, you’ve been passed over at least three times for the head of the legal department job, which is a pretty tinpot affair of a few people anyway, because of the crushingly expensive outsourcing policy since reliable advice can’t be afforded in-house. Passed over THREE times, mate? And you still haven’t got the fucking message? Hangin’ in there for the pension?
AND every single one of you councillors are just as complicit in this disgraceful action, no use whistling to sky and doodling in the dust with your innocent little toes. No guts, not one of you, and the fate of this city is in your hands? No wonder we’re future fucked.
Should The Woolfe be Shown The Door?
And here’s another reason confirming we’re future fucked in tourism..
This certainly doomed campaign of fuckwittery was matched by its beach-landing launch was the stuff of Monty Python meets Laurel and Hardy. Suffice to say, mayor Mullet nearly joined her fishy brethren when she frumped off a jet ski with all the elegance of a new born baby hippo. Minus the cuddle-worthy cuteness.. What was she thinking?
But more to the point, what was TEL’s tourism time waster Lisa Woolfe thinking? The ‘nah, mate, it’s Townsville’ looks more the result of a dinner party joke that escalated into a drunken dare … which we are now all paying for. The slogan is meant to prop up the basic premise that Townsville can offer as good as if not better than …. wait for it …. The Bahamas, the Seychelles (‘Seashells’ according to the mayor on TV), Yosemite National Park (what?), Miami (based on the fact that Townsville has two very tall palm trees apparently) the Amazon (FFS!!) and Costa Rica.
But hey, maybe the mayor had a secret hand in this inanity, which might not be so dumb after all. One person’s money is as good as another, so perhaps we will see an influx of jenny’s like-minded.
in an swer the last gentleman ….
But that’s a minor matter compared with the damage this inanity can do, a fact not lost on the average punter. Social media, the Bulletin FB page and this blog’s comments section all caught fire with uncontrollable laughter mixed with rage. Academics and advertising professionals have all joined in panning the idiocy of using a bogan negative to try to attract tourists.
But Lisa Woolfe is having none of it, she knows she’s on to a winner when she tells ‘We will use sophisticated data intelligence to pinpoint key demographics and personality types, as well as geo-targeting, to target the highest value audiences.”
If you say so, dear.
Time Ms Woolfe sought her real level in life, whatever that may be, perhaps a spot with the Costa Rican Tourist Bureau – as a typist – TEL should be disbanded – and if not, the ratepayers should revolt over the annual $750k they fork out to prop up this busted arse, unaccountable rabble, and the TCC should hire one single professional who doesn’t work on algorithm’s alone … just common sense.
Don’t get me wrong, the Townsville region has great things to offer, but offering them with a great stuff-up won’t work.
A Final Word On This
Really, she can’t complain, or even be surprised.
It’ll Be A Five Ring Circus, But Not All Of Us Will Be Having A Good Time
The Magpie is on a roll with new word and phrase coinage; recently, ‘hypervirtulation’ … over zealous virtue signalling … this week, talk barrelling, panicked ‘shoot from the lip’ promises to cover a hidden agenda.
And we can thank Anna Alphabet for the new word, which sprang easily to mind when we read this:
The story here for more details. Queensland will be home to the world’s “largest” pumped hydro scheme and stop “regular reliance” on coal by 2035, under a $62 billion energy plan announced by the Palaszczuk government.
It wasn’t long before the bullshit detectors of others beside The ‘Pie were going off, too.
It seems, among the other complexities of this super energy scheme …which certainly sounds like what we need…land resumptions haven’t even started yet, possible environmental and indigenous roadblocks haven’t even started to be looked at in depth, and full costing are nowhere near finalised.
The ’Pie pondered why make such a premature announcement that could leave the premier open to further fancy footwork in her now well known side step shuffle and doe-si-do. The penny dropped when he read this:
So, Anna’s given herself up on this one, and chances that the energy gambit is largely horse-feathers is looking a sure bet …. And there, folks, we have the perfect example of talk barrelling. Because the premier knows her looming Olympic disaster has the regions off-side big time. Regional Queensland doesn’t think …like Emmanuel Macron ‘eet knows’ … that anywhere north of Nambour is going to be drained of needed infrastructure funds to allow Palaszczuk to strut the world’s five ringed red carpet in the south-east corner. So this energy announcement was made so she can point to two or three (already planned and relatively minor) energy initiatives as we roll on into the next state election. Then she thinks she’ll be re-elected and have a sudden rethink about all that watery, pumpy thingy stuff, and put it hold so a new 500,000 seat stadium can be completed.
Unfortunately for her, Premier In Waiting David Crisafulli will have something to say about that – but boy, won’t he have a fiscal mess to clean up.
Richo and The Fishy Fishmonger:
Tis one kettle of fish to be weighed up on the for the scales of justice? (See what The ‘Pie did there, scales, fish, geddit? Bill Shorten, eat your heart out.)
It started with Graham Richardson chasing what he says is his fair share of the profits and the sale of the watermark Bar and Grill on The Strand. He owned 105, with ‘renowned’ (read dodgy as all get out) Danny Meares holding the 90%. But now things have got into criminal territory, with Richo making allegations which if proven could end up with Danny getting a striped suntan.
The Australian’s Margin Call has the fascinating details:
The legal bust-up between longtime allies Graham Richardson and former business partner Danny Meares – a figure of minor renown in the seafood trade – has deepened considerably with the emergence of fresh allegations against Meares of fraudulent activity. The case itself revolves around the sale of their 2014 joint venture in a Townsville restaurant – the Watermark Bar and Grill – of which 90 per cent was owned by Meares and 10 per cent by Richardson, a Labor lobbyist and commentator in these very pages. Notwithstanding a raft of grievances, including that the business was sold from under his nose and that he was never consulted on its operations, Richardson says he was also supposed to have received 10 per cent of the annual profits but hasn’t seen a dime since the inception of the business. It was sold last year for $2.5m to Melbourne-based outfit Kickon Group. The latest allegations, in documents tendered to the Federal Court, add a further dimension to Richardson’s grievances by claiming that Meares had spent years siphoning off cash to himself, his sons, and companies under his control. The amounts listed include roughly $3.5m loaned directly to Meares since 2015 to pay off credit card debts, tax payments, directors fees, and the rent owed on three properties with no relation to the business. Payments were also allegedly discovered for an NBN account, a Netflix account, for medical services to assist a family member, and gambling services noted in the documents as “Tatts/ Lotto/Tab”. Richardson’s joint-venture entity with Meares, known as Good Fortune Pty Ltd, allegedly advanced another $1.2m to a business called Tirami Pty Ltd, which lists Meares as its sole shareholder and director. Amounts of $125,000 were allegedly loaned to his sons, Nathan and Ryan, and more than $108,563 was loaned to a business partner, Daniel Liu. On Richardson’s account, these loans were not the subject of any written agreement and the outstanding interest remains unpaid. Meares’ lawyers have previously told the court that his agreement with Richo, a silent partner, was to include “full decision-making control” of the restaurant. Meanwhile, Richardson’s lawyers say the Good Fortune entity still owes the Tax Office $1.6m in unpaid sums and penalties, as of May.
New Townsville Chamber CEO Has Some Difficult Questions To Answer
Michael Kern, Townsville chamber of commerce CEO
Last week, The Magpie made some innocuous comments about the appointment of Michael Kern as the new CEO of the Townsville Chamber of Commerce. Mr Kern has expansionary plans, and on the face of of it, seems to come to the job with a positive attitude.
However, once the piece was published, several people wasted no time in pointing out a rather unsettling matter in Mr Kern’s past, specifically when he was JCU’s University Secretary some years ago. Two commenters offered reports from 2017 that on the face of it, paints Mr Kern assomeone who ignored the rape of a student, and lied about not being aware of the case when a staff member was sentenced to prison over the matter.
The first comment was from ‘Boffin
Boffin
September 25, 2022 at 9:05 am (Edit)
Is the new Chamber CEO the same Michael Kern who resigned from a cushy job at James Cook University after he was allegedly involved in a coverup regarding a Campus rape case?
Here’s a link to a story that details what happened (you will need to scroll down to read about the role Kern played).
… and then this
Chamber Maide
September 25, 2022 at 9:43 am (Edit)
Here is a link to a more detailed news.com.au story on the JCU coverup:
At the time, The ‘Pie replied:
The Magpie
September 25, 2022 at 11:55 am (Edit)
Seems that Mr Kern will have to make a statement, sooner rather than later … or simply say nothing and resign his new post. This re-visiting of a deeply distressing issue appears to make his position untenable, unless he has a side of the story to tell. And the university management, and money-grubbing Sandra Harding in particular, should face severe sanctions if all this is verified at a proper inquiry.
The Magpie used the term ‘money grubbing’ very judiciously, since up in the rarified stratosphere of uni management, institutional reputation equals money. And Harding was one of the most dedicated bonus-chasing pursuers of money the uni has ever had.
As The ‘Pie pointed out, he had never heard of Mr Kern before last week, and certainly has no axe to grind with him, but surely this matter requires at the very least a statement from the head of the selection committee who appointed Mr Kern, or from Mr Kern himself.
It will be interesting to know how the business membership of the Chamber view being represented by a man who by these press reports, lacked integrity and judgement in a very serious matter, and why he displayed such a lack.
Daylight Saving – a Chinese Perspective
First up, a mnemonic worth remembering when you’re calling your bookie, nooky or dealer south of the border from today, when daylight saving starts. Which way does it work? Easy: Spring forward, fall back. (We’re surely Americanised enough to know that fall is autumn.)
Those in other states will be deluged with dreary perennial article about how the poor dears can cope with early mornings and late beddy byes, like this ….
The key is to adjust your body clock gradually, starting a few days out. Here are some tips for getting ready for daylight saving time.
- Go to bed 15-20 minutes earlier for a few days before you put the clocks forward
- Set your alarm 30 minutes earlier on Friday and Saturday mornings in preparation for the earlier start on Sunday
- Make the bedroom as bright as possible when you first wake up and get outside into the sun in the early morning
- Try to get between seven and nine hours sleep each night
- Avoid exercise within three hours of sleep time.
Note the last one – it means go easy on the remote. The rest sounds like a nightmare
….and here in Queensland, pro and con arguments will go on until the cows come home – whatever time that turns out to be, won’t be any different for Maisy.
But The ‘Pie was fascinated with this snippet during the week.
This study is totally unrelated to DS, but goes against much of the recommended adjustment to DS, and seems to be a government call to work harder and longer.
The ‘Pie is with James Thurber’s belief that ‘early to rise, early to bed, makes a man healthy, wealthy and dead.’
Our week In The US … And Elsewhere
There’s a wonderful Jewish saying that goes: ‘always remain on good terms with anyone who access to your toothbrush’. There seems to be a lot premature jeering and cheering about Putin ‘losing’ in the Ukraine. Dangerous sentiments when his access is not to a toothbrush but to the nuclear button.
Miscellany
Burn of the week goes to Marina Hyde, who – like the rest of the world – is underwhelmed by the new Chancellor’s budget which instantly sent the pound plummeting to record lows against the dollar.
‘Oof. I’m not saying Kwarteng’s efforts to retain his grandeur are doomed, but this feels a little like screaming “I don’t comment on this stuff because I have DIGNITY, OK?!” while standing naked in the middle of your local high street in a LIV golf cap with a nappy round your ankles.’
Two Passings In Recent Days That Should Be Noted
One the greatest writers of modern days, historical novelist/biographer Hilary Mantel has died, aged 70. She had been in declining health for some years. She will be best remembered for wonderful three volume biography of Thomas Cromwell – Wolf Hall, Bring Up The Bodies and the final The Mirror and The Light. Her writing made you forget you were reading, one of those rare feats that so many aspire to and so many fail to attain. A great loss to literature and insightful commentary on the human state.
…………..
The actress who portrayed a character whose name has gone into everyday language, Louise Fletcher, has died peacefully in her sleep at her home in France. She was 88.
Ms Fletcher created one of the most disturbing movie characters of all time when she played Nurse Ratched, playing opposite Jack Nicholson in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. Her portrayal of the villainous tormentor of mental patients won her the Oscar for Best Actress in 1976.
Seems iranian Women Are Show The Same Courage As Ukrainians
They are refusing to back down to murderous police … and are eloquent and graphic describing their fight.
It’s All About Timing
Old mate Kathy Girvan is a keen photographer, and as all enthusiasts know, the right place and the right timing are necessary for that rare ‘money’ shot. Kathy hit the jackpot with this wonderful avian smiley face at dawn on The Strand.
And a Final Two To Leave You laughing … Or Crying, Depending on Your Age
The cruelest eye test of us old codgers …
… and this popped up on social media …..
And a clever commenter added: He apparently had a medical appointment, so I asked ‘Which doctor?’
………….
Plenty of fodder to talk about in comments, join in and have your say, that’s what it’s there for. And if you are able to support the blog with a couple of bob, the donate button is below.
And of course Mayor Mullet jumps off her jet ski and is holding a PURPLE ‘nah mate’ sign. This just adds more visual vomit to this stupid campaign. Rather than delivering a crisp and powerful slogan and campaign of sorts, these buffoons have delivered a cheap and cheesy 1970’s b-grade porno. They’ve made Townsville the laughing stock of Australia. Well done you dullards.
For a while now I have been intrigued as to why our Mayor is almost always dressed in purple. It’s obviously her favourite colour, as it is no doubt for many others, and good on them. Then it occurred to me that, since Biblical Times, purple has been the Colour of Royalty. Coincidence?
Purple apparently has a conflicted standing in Asian countries, in some it means good luck, and others it is the colour of death.
And if I remember correctly, purple was the colour of emperors and royalty because in the early days, it was the most expensive colour to successfully dye fabric. That’s how it came to also symbolise power – I think – will check later.
All of which seems a neat fit (currently size 16) for our mayor.
Well I think it’s good to see Jenny supporting the LGBTQ+ community by wearing purple. It is of course the colour for bisexuality.
Your photo of Jenny Hill proudly branding herself a Bogan raises the question – what has happened to her?
Going by images of her from recent council meetings her face appears to have markedly changed.
She’s become Fran-tic.
Boom Tisch
In a week the fuel levy finishes and further cost of living / mortgage pressure Team Hill again showed their true colours trying to shutdown an Independent Councillor who has forced them to disclose they havnt delivered projects they were paid to deliver . Councillors rejected Councils planning team approval on the 7/11 , Fuel at Kirwan so was their any discussion with the member for Thuringowa and any conflict of interest he may have ? .
And how about this woman’s selective double standards? What about the way the council has used privacy laws to shut down info about V8 invitees – which if pressed, would be overruled for sure and attract the attention of the corruption folk – and yet have done a complete although substantially false expose Clr O’Callaghan’s matter. This council, this mayor, this ethic free legal shill Bligh, say they can’t even release names of people who they are selling up for outstanding rates – people who actually owe money and can’t or won’t pay … but go the whole hog on the Clr O’Callaghan’s court cost matter which she has never at any stage said she won’t pay – once the amount is settled by the courts.
Fran O’Callaghan definitely should sue, this stinks on several levels. A GoFundMe page should be set up to finance her legal costs and should be supported with a contribution from all ratepayers who believe in decency, transparency and more open governance than currently offered by Kim Il Jen’s Walker Street Hermit Kingdom.
MY EYES, MY EYES God help me, MY EYES,
…. and a bottom row of choppers that looks like a graph of one of the more challenging mountain stages of the Tour de France.
Nah Mate…..just nah mate
In typical shoot-yourself-in-the-foot style Jenny Hill, in vindictively harassing and bullying Fran O’Callaghan, has guaranteed that she and her team of Labor “independents” will face a serious and well organised challenge at the next election. As the Pie has suggested, any leader with half a brain would have realised that she had the numbers and didn’t need to give Fran a profile. The days of Team Hill having the luxury of taking on a bunch of unknown, disorganised independents are gone. But I seriously doubt that Hill will stand for re-election, instead handing over her train wreck to Frothy Molachino before retreating to the safety of Malta before the dodgy deals are uncovered. She may be tempted to stay on so she can officially open her Landsdown battery factory, but that might not happen for 30 years, if at all.
Mayor Mullet may also feel she may be losing one of her main snipers. the ‘Pie hears that Clr Ryder’s hubby has put his trailer building business on the market. This could mean that the Ryders are moving on, after all, without the income from her post as CFO for hubby’s business, how is a gal expected to get along on a measly $130K from council and committees?
A by-election right now could be prove a disastrous no confidence vote in the mayor. It’s too far out from the next LG election to make an arbitrary appointment, and besides, that would be tricky if the council actually are all independents … as far as The ‘Pie has heard, Tesam Hill is not a registered political party, and therefore begs the question who would do the choosing anyway.
Tomorrow is the Queens birthday PH in QLD, is it still on? is it still designated as such or been changed to King’s or the more neutral Monarch’s BD?
Don’t be a stupid arse. Of course it’s still on. The government doesn’t move that quickly
They would if it was COVID related
Still the Queens bd holiday. The last one. Next year the Kings bd. Date tba. If we became a republic we would lose a public holiday so becoming a republic is just not worth it.
How about First lady Lisa Wilkinson’s birthday instead?
Apparently it’s technically the sovereign’s birthday holiday. As the sovereign is now Charles I assume King’s now.
According to the Curious Snail website a staggering $116,207,596 was lost on Townsville hotel and club poker machines in the 2021-2022 financial year.
Sad.
Not lost, just transferred. The temptations are known and widely cautioned against, so it just becomes voluntary taxation and voluntary purchase of transitory goods and service (i.e. using a poker machine). So not lost, just voluntarily pissed up against the wall.
True but very misleading. If I have $20 and gamble it on the pokies and lose, I have lost $20. But the figures show I lost say $100. Why? Because I may have won little bits along the way on the same poker machine. $2 & $5 wins here and there all adds up. But I just kept pushing the buttons waiting for the big prize. And still didn’t put my hand in my pocket a second time. I walk out having set my limit at $20, I had a fun night out and didn’t lose much…or did I? Just sayin’
Guess your reasoning is correct,KK, perhaps small wins not recouped are considered reinvested, but one wonders why the poker machine lobby wouldn’t seek a simple ‘hard cash in, hard cash’ out logarithm type of accounting, to make their legalised thievery appear less, not more.
KK – Fun? Sitting on a stool robotically pushing buttons? Maybe you need a hobby, mate.
Apparently he has. It’s pushing buttons. Poker machines or otherwise.
Definitely hypothetical. I hate the bastards. Never been a fan but know how the system works.
Dear ‘Pie,
I do hope that Fran can bring a successful defamation case against the Mullet. But what about the Astonisher? Would the threat of a defamation case against the Astonisher bring on a full front page retraction, which would please me no end, or would the financial might of the Murdochs be brought on to out spend Fran in the courtroom?
Speaking from personal experience, the latter. For sure.
Anyway, the paper is not in the firing line – Raggatt said nothing actionable and just reported the basic facts of what was said. Just xdid it back-to-front and only on the surface.
Let it be known throughout the land that Mayor Mullet has made a useful and correct (yea, yea, it is bloody hard for me to say it, and the taste in my mouth is awful) ,in my opinion, statement that daylight saving would not be feasiable in Nth Qld. I reccon the people in central and western Qld would also agree.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-02/qld-daylight-saving-trial-adrian-schrinner-/101494710
You don’t get it do you Dave? The very fact that a known liar, a self-interested bombastic career urger, and totally incompetent leader endorses something, it damages that cause no end.
Sorry ‘Pie, sometimes I’m a bit slow, especially on the finer nuances.
Love the pic of Jen!
“Nah mate! This is the fashion in Townsville…
Watching Graham Richardson get ripped off is a sheer delight. Being of politics biggest shills and a completely ruthless and greedy grub, this is all very entertaining. I mean, he bled many millions out of the taxpayers over many years so it’s nice to see that someone has emptied his back pocket and that it is consuming him. Good. There should be more of it!
At least at TCC we are recycling. Ideas and projects at least. None of the work mentioned in the Bullsheet today is new work and most of it has just dawdled along for months past original due date hampered by poor management and lack of executive decisions. The Douglas Treatment Plant upgrade might provide water security during the wet season but it won’t be the 2022 wet season thats for sure.
Jenny Hill’s problems with Fran are not Fran, they are a reflection of Jenny’s inability to get things done, and it’s just Jenny doesn’t know it.
Jenny is just a play thing for the machinery of council, an environment of hidden agendas, people promoted above ability, competing self interest and ineptitude. If this statement was false, then Council (collectively) would have been able to get the Mayor’s legacy project and the city’s potential new job creator – Lansdown happening. Instead, it doesn’t rate a mention. If it was important there would be firm timeframes openly committed and we’d get regular updates. All we get is crickets, infighting and inaction. Where is the advice to the Mayor that its time to cut ties with Imperium3, that should have happened in 2021 when Bill Moss’ son in law Corey resigned. The MoU at Lansdown was signed in 2017 with Boston Energy and Innovation, a consortium of Magnis, Kodak (they have left), C4V and C&D (both who are only delivering New York), they took money from Anna, and time from Jenny have delivered nothing. Instead of good advice to the Mayor we see a conga line of toadies, sliding over each others, as the city drifts backwards. You’d hope someone had the guts when the Mayor asked about the new TEL advertising campaign to say “Nah – its not a good idea”.
Unfortunately, this will dawn on Jenny one day in her homeland, when the orzata she is sipping turns sour as she realises her legacy is one of missed opportunity, where she got rolled by those closest to her and a hick in a hat.
Prickster, that’s a maybe I reckon. After the 2022 Q.Budget, the minister for water etc Glenn Butcher told us:
““We’ve committed $26 million to the Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct for enabling infrastructure, including a reservoir and 13km pipeline, connecting the precinct and pump station to the Haughton Pipeline – another project funded by the Palaszczuk Government.”
The Haughton pipeline from the Burdekin at Clare has to be finished, even if only to refill the Ross River dam in dry times. That’s not optional. A fair bit of dough was “committed” by the previous Morrison government for infrastructure (road, rail intersection?) at Lansdown under the CityDeal so it’s not as if Jenny Hill is all alone out in the scrub holding our (ratepayers) $4million baby.
Oh, that’s all right then.
Best remember, though, Stained Sheets, that it was your Jen who made all the running, all the noise and all the unresearched promises with former anchor tenant Magnis Energy … our gal was bowled over by his bullshit, he knows a rube when he sees one, does our Frankie-boy Poullas. BUT HEY, he hasn’t forgotten Townsville. here’s the sum total of the 66-page Magnis annual report had to say about Lansdown … and if that doesn’t sound like ‘sayonara, sucker’, I don’t know what does. Jenny Hill clearly thinks that ‘due diligence’ is the top weight in race three at Doomben.
Capital required The estimated total construction costs of the 18GWh factory in Townsville is $3Bn. Project development has been phased into 3 stages of 6GWh to reduce the upfront capital requirement. Stage One construction costs are estimated to be $1.12Bn. Without a demonstrated ability in capital raising of this quantum, there is a risk that the capital required won’t be secured or will be significantly delayed. There is also risk that battery cell offtake agreements will not be secured for each of the three stages or that the price will be less than estimated. This could impact the project’s ability to repay project finance and result in a lower fair value. To mitigate these risks, iM3TSV will appoint a financing professional in the capacity of advisor to jointly develop the Project funding strategy as part of this feasibility study. In the role of financial advisor, the financing professional will bring extensive experience on seeking funding for large projects in the renewables sector including working alongside government bodies, to advise projects in North Queensland. iM3TSV will also implement a testing and market development program involving battery production testing in a commercial setting at equipment vendor facilities. Generated product will be provided for customer evaluation and qualification towards procuring offtake contracts. This program will take place prior to securing the construction costs for Stage One. Securing offtake following confirmation of product specification will assist is securing project funding. The total construction of the Nachu Graphite Project is estimated to cost $391.8M (US$270M), however a smaller planned mine would reduce these projections. This is also considered a significant amount of capital which can attract sovereign risk when developing a graphite mine in Tanzania. There is a risk that the capital required is not secured or that the funding will be on less favourable terms. The Group has identified target funding partners with experience in Tanzania, who have in-depth appreciation and understanding of developing a large-scale resource project in a jurisdiction with high sovereign risk
No Magpie, it’s not all right then. The fact is, both federal and state governments have committed real dough to Lansdown after making their own assessments. A conga line of NSW Liberal heavy / light weights have backed Magnis and Poullas through thick and thin and the Morrison government seemed willing to run with them. State Labor has been happy to throw in 50% in any CityDeal. Both have seemed wedded to the development of Lansdown and local members, federal and state, have never wavered. Now that cannot be because of JHill’s persuasive propaganda. There has to be another explanation.
The money you mention for Lansdown is truly chicken feed and neither here nor there as far as state and federal are concerned, just a few bob for political point scoring and also not all of it definitely on the table … but in the lesser economy of Townsville, the TCC money and Frank Poullas’s hot mess of a mayor lying about job potential because she believed Big Frankie, is certainly not all right – but that’s not what you mean at all.
Oh dear Palm, you are once again identifying yourself as Jenny Hill’s lap dog.
We don’t hear a word from you – until your Jenny is exposed for what she is.
Are you Prins in disguise, or Tony (what’s his name ) her legal can kicker, or just another Labor lackey?
Save your efforts for the next council glossy propaganda newsletter, the last version of which lines the bottom of my cocky’s cage.
Think you’ll be waiting a while for said newsletter. The ‘Pie remembers well the (was it quarterly?) TCC newsletter stuffed into the mailbox, chock full of selective boasting about how the council was doing what we pay them to do.
But to things have changed. As witnessed yesterday, the boast is paradoxically what they’re not fully doing, and why would they pay for a pamphlet when now, Jenny just has to write a press release, send it down to the nearest stenographer at the Daily Mulletin, and presto! Page 3 for free – and talk about selective …. pic of the Haughton pipeline but not a single mention in the text.
Palm Sunday as I have mentioned before I doubt you have ever been involved in a development and can you please do some research before your spin . Lansdown , a few items you left off your costings . Water treatment plant $30 mil , TMR first cut want an overpass for access based on the amount of workers and drive -it traffic . T.C.C. have fessed up there are many large projects they couldn’t do yet their infrastructure budget is nearly double this year . Short memory on the $42 mil blow out on the stadium . The Council is already picking up $74.7 mil for Haughton stage 2 due to delays so Lansdown blow outs will be picked up by rate payers again .
Magpie, if the state government builds a 13kms pipeline and reservoir connecting Lansdown to the Haughton water supply it will be hard to describe as political point scoring.
Why? And we’re yet to see it.
All of that sounds wonderful on paper but stop to consider the hard truth under it. The water in the Haughton pipeline is unprocessed raw water which is unsuitable for drinking and most commercial applications so either a treatment plant or potable water pipeline needs to be built. Secondly the Haughton Pieline is not designed or costed to be constant pressured so for most of the year nothing will flow out of the pipe to Landsdumb. This is not even a very good brain fart.
Engineer and Mike and Magpie, I simply pointed out one line item from the 2022 Queensland Budget. If you don’t like it, don’t think it’s feasible or just another whacky idea from a whacky Labor government, I don’t give a toss. The federal member hasn’t said a word, ever, in dissent, even as his leader served up millions for infrastructure development at Lansdown. Not a peep, ever, from the state opposition leader, a person well versed in local government shenanigans in Townsville. And our barely coherent resident engineer can’t understand how it will all work . . . well, that’s nothing new. Mike, every government in Australia is spending up big time regardless of the levels of debt. Nothing seems out of reach. So quoting line and letter how much things cost or are going to cost doesn’t seem to cut it any more. With or without Jenny Hill or Magnis or Edify Energy or the Woodstock solar farm, all levels of government seem determined to establish an industrial precinct at Lansdown – right in Cr Fran’s front yard. If she sees herself as a one-person opposition, I wouldn’t want her job.
Yawn
Perhaps Prince Ralston, Townsville’s half
Million dollar a year part-time CEO, will give Hill a job in his Nous group when she finally gets voted out next election? However my bet is that seeing that no private industry would hire this 10 year Council dud and she will end up doing something with the LGAQ. They are always happy to hire Labor duds with a track record of achieving fuck all.
Earlier today both news.com.au and townsvillebulletin.com.au reported that high profile Cowboys player Luciano Leilua had been charged with domestic violence.
The story is still on other news websites eg:
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/luciano-leilua-charged-over-alleged-domestic-violence-incident/ar-AA12wXX3
So why has it disappeared from the two News Limited websites.
Interesting.
Smart move, Best to avoid sub judice, even by tabloids.
The reporting that someone has been charged with an offence is, in most instances, a problem. However, wonder identifying the alleged victim – either directly or by inference – is likely to attract attention of lawyers?
The Magpie is always wary of posting issues aired by journo Shane Dowling on his Kangaroo Court blog, but like a stopped clock he’s right a couple of times a day. Today he is on the money, and as far as The ‘Pie can discover, is way ahead of other media in reporting this story.
https://kangaroocourtofaustralia.com/2022/10/04/police-officer-daniel-keneally-charged-with-fabricating-evidence-press-release-by-victim-luke-moore-regarding-the-arrest/?utm_source=mailpoet&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=New+post+emails
Officer Keneally is a chip off Mums block. It would seem that shonkiness and a belief that nobody can touch them runs strong in the Keneally family. Perhaps Officer Keneally will now be parachuted into a political position by the friends of ‘nobody’s girl’ Kristina?
Unless you can prove otherwise, that’s a mindless lot of codswallop. Keneally Jnr is facing up to 10 years in a place where Eddy No Ears, Big Mama McGurk and Billy Blue Eyes just lerrrrvvve bent coppers as cell mates. A political career is but a loose strand of the hair on your brain.
Another icon?
‘He was an icon’: NQ restaurateur dies at 81
Tributes have poured in for iconic Townsville restaurateur Frank Fusco who died on Wednesday.
Frank was a fixture, an identity, well known and apprently well liked but he was not an icon. Putting aside the religious foundation of the word, icon means something or someone who immediately you identify with a place. Lazy, lazy writing by ignorant people who don’t care.
And ‘restauranteur’ is a fairly broad term as far as old Frank goes. Overseer of a pizza shop with pretty impressively sized parmy’s was about it but he had a fairly loyal following !
Always enforced the cash only policy and I can just imagine the annual punch ups with the ATO.
I thought News Limited no longer owned the NQ Cowboys, but the treatment by the Townsville Bulletin of a story about police charging one of the club’s top players with alleged domestic violence raises questions about whether News is still involved in the club.
A giant rugby league forward is charged with assaulting a woman and the story is published on the back page in the sports section, rather than the front page where it belongs. The story also appears to suggest that the main concern is that Luciano Leilua could miss out on playing in the World Cup. For God’s sake, what’s that say to all the women out there, rugby league and the Cowboys are more important than the law?
By the way, the story is covered extensively on all media websites, except those controlled by News Limited. It did appear briefly on Tuesday but by mid-afternoon it was gone. Was it considered not newsworthy, or just a victim of damage control?
Did you note this little story tucked away in yesterday’s bumper edition of the Townsville Mulletin? And when you you read of the secrecy revealed, best remember YOU WOULD NEVER HAVE KNOWN THE REAL COST IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE INVESTIGATIONS AND PUBLIC QUESTIONING BY CLR FRAN O’CALLAGHAN.
Once again Fran performs admirably in her role as an elected Councillor. A smart woman with an eye for detail and an emerging reputation for promoting honesty and transparency. She is one shining light amongst her inept dull peers.
Also where is this rental crisis the Mullet and Mulletin keep drivelling shit about, and the bullshit excuse as to why the council needed to buy the block with ratepayers money. A quick look this morning and there are 40 properties for rent in Douglas alone, ranging from 1 bed units to 4 bedroom houses, some have been on the market for weeks, these people are telling blatant lies to support their own dodgy decisions, there is no rental crisis, not in this town anyway.
The ‘Pie’s anecdotal experience in this area backs up your claim about the talked-up extent of the crisis. It is always easy to dig up a sad individual story, and even that is often typical Bulletin gliding over the surface. But The ‘Pie must emphasis his observations apply to Townsville, it is apparent that there is a real crisis in some of our major cities where greed and out-of-check unethical market behaviour has created very real and widespread problems.
And while we’re in this street of broken dreams, anyone out there like to advise Mayor Mullet about the real costs of converting office buildings into flats? There’s plenty of real estate chappies and chapesses read this blog, along with a sprinkling of those who are or have been involved in the building industry (hi Steve). Be good if some bits of the mayor’s interventionary scheme touch elbows with reality – the rest is just cockamamie word offal.
Hypervirtualting at its finest.
Pie, Converting office blocks into apartments would be an architects dream.
… and a buyer’s nightmare.
Cantankerous, not sure where your information comes from but I looked an REIQ report from February 2022 (couldn’t find anything more recent in my brief search). Anyway one part of it about rental vacancies caught my eye:
“The following 10 LGAs and sub regions reached equal record lows for the past decade:
Hervey Bay (0.8%)
Central Highlands (0.7%)
Mackay (0.6%)
Townsville (0.6%)
Maranoa (0.6%)
Fraser Coast (0.5%)
Mainland (Redland) (0.4%)
Bundaberg (0.4%)
Mareeba (0.4%)
Gympie (0.2%)
Not sure how this relates to evidence from particular suburbs such as your numbers about Douglas but the overall outlook from the REIQ (at least in February) seems to support the mayor’s position.
Sorry, what? ‘Supports the mayor’s position’? The ‘Pie agrees if you mean here quoting of stats is more or less correct, but if you mean supporting her ludicrous four-point plan to yet again put ratepayers money at risk, we part company.
Nice numbers dickhead( 6 months old ) but where is the crisis? Anyone can grab themselves a home in Douglas today, or any other number of suburbs in Townsville, hundreds of them listed, available to rent, there is no crisis in Townsville. . I have spent a good part of this year down south where there are massive shortages in rental properties, floods etc have severely restricted available rental homes, most don’t last more than a day on the market, but there is no crisis in Townsville, many properties have been listed for months with no takers at all, the only crisis in Townsville is the depth of bullshit Jenny Hill and others are dumping on the people of this town.
Being cantankerous and spewing bile doesn’t mean you have a clue. The REIQ provide some statistics on rental vacancies which seem to be significantly different from your observations. In April they reported:
“Rental vacancy rates in Queensland have tightened to record lows in the first quarter of 2022 in more than half of the 50 Local Government Areas and sub regions reported on by the REIQ.”
Then in July the REIQ reported:
“The REIQ’s Residential Vacancy Report for the June Quarter 2022, released today, showed the vast majority of Queensland continues to endure incredibly tight and relatively flat vacancy rates, well below one percent, a far cry from a healthy 2.6 – 3.5 percent range.”
Sure. Anyone can grab themselves a home in Douglas or any other suburb. As long as they take into account the inflated prices and rising interest rates, and put themselves in a position where they may go bankrupt.
And Cankers, if you’ve ever rented, or even spoken to the ordinary people of Townsville, you’d know that rental prices are at an all time high. There are some heaps of shit being rented out by greedy agents and landlords for stupid prices, forcing families to make difficult choices.
Then in August, Smart Property Investor said: “In a sign of a tight rental market, Townsville’s vacancy rate is its lowest point in over 15 years, which drove up the median rent price by 7.9 per cent on an annual basis.”
So exactly where do you get your information, Cantankerous? Do you just make stuff up to provide colour and movement?
Well, all reasonable questions (and a rarity for you, reasonably put) but there is also the other question of where does Smart Property Investor get its information from. By its very name, this entity is hardly a disinterested bystander with no dog in the fight.
If we have a name or a link we can all look it up for ourselves.
Don’t dispute anyone’s numbers, just the fact that it is not a crisis, it’s just simply a tighter market, a few years ago it was a renters market, that’s the way it all works, supply and demand, there are still lots of good properties available, all at fairly reasonable rents, if you can’t afford one then too fucking bad, if you have a shit rent record and trashed the last place you lived and no one wants to rent their place to you, then too bad again. The sense of entitlement amongst people today is just pathetic, get a job and pay your way, if you have a disability or elderly then you should be top of the pile for social and subsidised housing, instead of the freeloading parasites that currently occupy many of these dwellings, but with many houses in this town available to rent for a very reasonable $350-$400 a week, an unemployment rate the lowest in decades, there is no excuse for people to say they can’t find somewhere to live.
No, Cantankerous, you loudly dispute numbers and abuse commenters at length. Then you fling shouty contempt at REIQ and other statistics that demonstrate “record” low rental vacancy rates in Townsville at exactly the time you claim, with no evidence whatsoever, that ” . . . . there is no crisis in Townsville, many properties have been listed for months with no takers at all”. How do you know?
Touch of pot and kettle in your opening statements, old son.
Because I own a couple of them dickhead, sitting there ready to go, no takers, and my real estate agent tells me he has plenty on his books in the same situation, rents are reasonable, haven’t changed much in the last couple of years, but they sit there empty today. So the whingers and alarmists in the Mulletin, talking about people sleeping in their cars, sleeping in tents, with no background or perspective on the individuals or their circumstances, but just blame it all on some “rental crisis”, when one simply doesn’t exist, not in this town.
I do wonder what you own and what you consider a reasonable rent. Are you trying to rent out a shitbox for non shitbox prices Cankers? I have several properties and have no issue keeping them filled. Rent is reasonable and the properties are in a good area and well maintained. There are waitlists of people wanting to rent when they come vacant.
I suppose when your Council is run by Halfwits you only get half the price disclosed !!
https://www.facebook.com/reel/5231871326909479/?s=ifu
Nah, it’s Townsville
Problem with the link – won’t open … is it just The ‘Pie?
Pie, I think that perhaps you need to have a Faecesbook account for it to open.
Got three.
Why would one need three Facebook accounts? Is the Magpie a secret troll who uses different aliases for his online commentary on all matters great and small across the region? Quite bizarre.
Note the date, for once we’re in complete agreement, Belligerio, at least about the bizarre bit. FB is something The ‘Pie doesn’t bother with much nowadays and really never has, but way back when more than a decade ago, the blog was being set up, dotty dorter – a bit of tech whiz – showed how accounts were established and there were attempts to make one exclusively for The Magpie, as well as a personal one … it all went quickly pear-shaped, somehow ended up with three accounts and haven’t bothered with any of them much over the years. Haven’t even investigated how to delete them, because occasionally someone posts an interesting pic, a funny or obscure news snippet. But flattered you think I have the technical nouse for trolling, whatever that involves. Hands are full with the blog and commenters erroneous theories. Also love your theories about The ‘Pie using your moniker. Can you provide a brief tutorial, sounds like an interesting idea.
You need to have FB open in the background and it will play
Over against the far wall, or should I take it out to the garden?
The coal miner’s daughter has died.
Country music star Loretta Lynne has died at her home in Tennessee, passing peacefully in her sleep. She was 90.
She touched a chord that reached well beyond the C&W spectrum, and spoke defiantly about DV long before it entered everyday consciousness. Part of her popularity was that she eloquently spoke and sang for women without a voice about the unfairness that often haunted their lives. This brief biography is a worthy summary of a life well lived.
Vale Loretta Lynne.
https://www.snopes.com/ap/2022/10/04/loretta-lynn-coal-miners-daughter-and-country-queen-dies/?utm_campaign=Debunker%20100422%20%2801GEHT55RFFHQ20QMFTGDSSRDZ%29&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Snopes%20Debunker
Loretta Lynne’s duet with Willie Nelson singing ‘When they lay me down’ is pretty special too Pie !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfZxnILzN4c
Belgian Gardens Steve calling someone else bizarre – I’ve heard it all now.
Stevie boy has been smoking the lint collected from Ma Kelly’s washing machine filters. What a conceited fool he is.
Channel 7 local news last night Thuringowa library relocation has blown out $3 mil . Wasnt the budget $5.5 mil if so thats a 66% increase with Mayor Hill blaming building costs . Council has a record $498.7 mil in infrastructure investment 2022/23 budget . Even a 20% blow out on $498.7 mil = $100 . The Mayor Chairs or is on too many committees whilst she is increasing Council debt circa $700 mil a anchor around this City for 30 yrs + after she has gone .
Mike, that is cruel. It is not a relocation, it is a brand new facility. Just ask us. It goes something like this. TCC sells the very popular Thuringowa library so there is no library service in the area. We then decide not to restore Pinnacles Art Gallery after the floods because frankly no one out past Bamford Lane is supposed to be interested in culture. Then we announce a brand new libary to go where the drowned gallery was. The washout is this. Big public library with good parking and facilities – sold. Art gallery – closed. Poky little shitty library with no decent parking close to it and subject to the same inundation problems as the building always had – new and shiny. Anyway, you cant put a price on smiles or votes.
The other thing to remember about this approximately $8m monster is that it is only a refit of an existing building and not a new build.
Perhaps there are gold plated taps for the execs visiting?
Mike, when work started on the Flinders St walkway a few weeks ago the Local Government News reported that:
“Stage one is being co-funded by Townsville City Council and the Queensland Government’s Work for Queensland program.”
No mention of the percentage each party is committing.
If you think the Thuringowa Library blowout is alarming, wait for Jenny Hill’s boardwalk from nowhere to nowhere. The original cost to the ratepayer of more than $6 million obviously included gold plated railings and the price of gold has gone up since the project was announced.
Funny you should mention that, work has already started on this gold-plated project, a project which in itself is likely to enrich the council and impoverish CBD traders during the duration of the construction. This will happen because the main parking lot opposite the Exchange Hotel is now closed for construction workers only, and several hitherto public parking spaces along Flinders Street have been converted to commercial parking. Inevitably, there will be more fines because the TCC has decided not to have a leniency policy while it is pissing ratepayers money up against the creek bank. We really do have a financial fuckwit operating out of Walker Street.
PS Bet you see this pic in tomorrow’s Astonisher … or Saturday’s … or next Monday’s … or ….
And just wait for the gush about the benefits of the boardwalk to nowhere (until the hive is finished … tentative date, the 12th of Never) as dictated by the mayor to whichever Bulletin stenographer is allocated the tiresome job.
Perhaps the only Councillor who understands finances, Fran, can pull copies of the tender/quote documentation for the boardwalk and then have those documents examined by an independent assessor to see whether this boardwalk is actually worth every cent of its estimated cost? I would also like to also see the cost of any overruns and ‘extras’ above the agreed tender price. I have no doubt that Wagner mafia have some interesting fine print that they have inserted into the contract.
One thing at a time, Rollmop. Cr. Fran still hasn’t given us an update on the $10m upgrade of Dingo Park Road – a matter she brought to the ‘Nest herself, months ago. What’s happening?
If The ‘Pie rememberts correctly, she didn’t and still doesn’t know what’s happening because her own council won’t tell her, despite her inquiries.
Magpie, the project is being funded mainly by the Feds under a Commonwealth scheme. Since it is located right in her electorate she should be able to find out from the federal member what is happening. If she wants to.
“This project includes various upgrades for the Dingo Park Road at the Flinders Highway intersection near Woodstock, Townsville. Led by Townsville City Council, upgrades will include realignment, sealing, widening, land resumption and flood immunity works.
The Dingo Park Road is a significant road for the Northern Australian cattle industry, servicing the only commercial feedlot for producers in the region. Safety concerns off the Flinders Highway prevent Type 2 road trains from accessing Dingo Park Road, requiring drivers to break up truck configurations, move cattle between trailers, and travel back and forth between the feedlot. This project will provide access for Type 2 road trains, enable safer entry and exit onto Flinders Highway, significantly reduce transport inefficiencies and costs, and improve driver and animal welfare.
This project is funded under the Tennant Creek to Townsville corridor, under the Roads of Strategic Importance initiative. It will deliver corridor-level benefits by providing access for higher capacity vehicles, improving the safety and reliability of the route, and supporting the productivity of the livestock industry.”
You really can be a dim little troll, can’t you? As The ‘Pie understands it, Clr O’Callaghan’s questions have always been about both the TCC level of funding, and more importantly, the information available about planning and construction. And also an anomaly on plans that confused or didn’t mention the correct name(s) of road(s). Of course any of this work would be confused and conflated with the Lansdown project, so the transparency around the whole thing is the usual clusterfuck.
Palm Sunday can you provide a link for your information please
Ducks Nuts, google Dingo Park Road upgrade.
It wasn’t in today’s (Friday) Astonisher. Maybe it was pushed to tomorrow to make way for the review of the fabulous Kinky Boots production which has finally made it to stage on the third attempt.
The Townsville Bulletin’s editorial policy on story selection will be studied by puzzled anthropologists in decades to come, but you bet they’ll be just as bamboozled as today’s dwindling readership. It’s is just cynical fill up the spaces between the ads with stories that fit the holes.
Flew in today from Melbourne. Some observations as I am starting to transit again more recently. Gates with aerobridges empty but the Embraer we were in was parked by the Q’link DHC8 parks, exit by stairs. Walked across tarmac as if I had flown in from Mackay. Get it was a contracted Alliance aircraft under Q’link but seriously they couldn’t find a gate for half an hour.
Commented to flight attendant about us being banished, she was fairly sarcastic in agreement.
Better half picking me up said toilets towards old International Terminal now permanently closed. I know the remodelled ones at the baggage claim are about a third the size of the old dated ones. Nice airport we have here…
Meanwhile in Cairns where things go ahead
https://www.tropicnow.com.au/2022/september/19/upgrade-to-start-next-year-for-cairns-airport-international-terminal
Oops forgot, this is the International Terminal, the Domestic Terminal was refurbished a couple of years ago
If unemployment in Australia is at such a low level, and there are still so many jobs available, how come there are still so many people on social welfare? (I should clarify that: no-one of whom I am aware who has been receiving Government assistance when one is unemployed has changed their situation.)
That’s a silly, unsupported claim, based on your own circle of those that you ‘know of’. Let’s have some stats.
True, that. And, no, I can’t provide any stats – just observations and listening to people talk as I do stuff. Not high enough up the food chain to be better informed, and I don’t believe anything I read.
Except here, of course.
Flew in from Melbourne on Tuesday night Mr. Pie.
Had to wait an hour for a taxi.
People in the queue were not impressed.
London? Nah…it’s Townsville!
Have had the same experience a couple of times flying in to the ‘ville when I was residing down south, especially after the last Qantas flight. Certainly not a good look anyway. Gill may be gone but the same incompetent executives obviously still run the s&%$ show.
The legacy of Gill the dill airport manager.
Not sure you can blame airport management for the lack of taxis – they are just as elusive if you are wanting to get to the airport as away from it. The last time we were caught at the airport, a manager out at the rank for a couple of hours making multiple calls to the cab companies to try and get more cars. We learnt out lesson that night and now either arrange a friend to pick up us or we leave the car in long term parking.
Welcome to Australia, just another day at the office
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/breaking-news/man-in-hospital-after-suspected-shark-attack/news-story/34c2df8979724df66cd3447e79a44a4d
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/breaking-news/like-a-movie-insane-way-surfer-saved-from-shark/news-story/628af7c8cf5765d76be366079cefd0c9 This shark is the same size as the shark in Jaws..
Federal government Dingo Park Road project information is here
https://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/projects/ProjectDetails.aspx?Project_id=117900-21QLD-RSN
And TCC info?
According to article $2m
Thanks Critical. I was aware of where to find it but was hoping Palm Sunday might stop being a smug fucker and share his source instead of copy paste of text.