And Jenny knows about the problem, but is blithely telling us its all go, when it may well be all stop. The ‘Pie shares a most interesting email.
The old bird can reveal that Mayor Jenny Hill IS under investigation by Brisbane authorities for possible ‘misconduct’ …
…and watching all the fumbling inanities coming over the next 12 months in the run-up to local council elections is going to be more fun than watching a blind man trying to get out of a door knob factory. To that end, The ‘Pie this week introduces a new occasional award, The Codswallop Cup. No shortage of contenders.
Also, our new white ele … sorry, stadium, has hit more turbulence as it rises from the mud … and Lozza Lancini will not be a happy chappy.
Bentley has a say on George Pell’s new lifestyle …
And our regular gallery from Trumpistan.
First, Hot Of The Rumour Mill
The most interesting rumour has just floated into the Nest. It’s unverified (well duh, that’s why its called a rumour) so we’ll have to wait until the Astonisher plays catch–up sometime this week. The ‘Pie hears that the only two tenderers for the new stadium’s ultra-lucrative catering contract , one being the incumbent Spotless and one being the Cowboys Leagues Club, have both been excluded for non compliant tenders to do with not paying award wages. So back to square one for the new stadium … and where does that leave Spotless in the current stadium?
For the answer, check the Astonisher around oh, say, next Friday, by when Lozza Lancini will have told iditor Jenna Cairney what she can say about this.
Pell Mell
Nothing has been quite as spectacular in the annals of fallen high flyers than that of George Pell, who has swapped his glittering Mardi Gras cardinal’s robes for prison drab, after being sent to chokey for six years (to serve 3 years and 8 months before eligible for parole) for what only be described as the most brazen, power-deluded child abuse imaginable. Indeed so brazen as to leave lingering doubts among some observers whether such things could’ve happened as described, but an appeal will sort that out, after all, the jury knows things that we do not.
Now Georgy Boy faces another biased jury … his fellow inmates, a class of folk not known for their strict adherence to jurisprudence rules and who exercise their own summary justice according to their own morals and mythology. And Bentley reckons you never know who you’re going to bump in in the Yard.
And The ‘Pie says to those who say the term is not enough, rest assured, for a man of Pell’s pomposity, ego and age, he has been handed a life sentence of one sort or another.
One imagines there is one person who will give Judge Peter Kidd the thumbs up.
Shifty Business …
Delivering on promises is a tricky business, especially when our mayor is in campaign mode. Today, we were offered this little bit of click bait.
But when we went through to the story, what we got was this …
Uncanny how this is so ambiguous, like the Castle Hill upgrade itself. Now this is media sleight of hand at its clumsiest, making a highly speculative project sound like solid fact. Interesting because it simply that the TCC will start drawing up plans for what it would like to see at Mt Louisa … and crucially for mayor Mullet is the quote: ‘ … with construction expected by the end of the year. Community engagement started this week and will continue until the end of April.
The ‘Pie thought, well that’s a nice idea, if conveniently timed to become a re-election boast, but hey, good for the huff’n’puff crowd.
Then this morning, (Sat) an email fluttered into the Nest.
From Angela Sacilotto
Councillor Jenny Hill’s grand plan for Mt Louisa is another political stunt with council elections due in March 2020. TCC do not own all of Mt Louisa. I own a 8 ha block right across the middle of the hill. I have told TCC I do not want to sell.
Haven’t been able to verify Ms Sacilotto’s information, but she volunteered her contact details and phone number if The ‘Pie wanted a chat about the matter (which for reasons well known to regular readers, is not a viable option since the recent operation.) But The ‘Pie would guess there will be whole lot more to the meaning of ‘community engagement’ when Mayor Mullet reads this. it is known that Jenny Hill does not like being crossed by people with legal rights who stand in the way of her grand visions, so this ‘community engagement’ with Ms Sacilotto could involve nipple clamps, a car battery and wet towels ….
But That May Be The Least Of Her Problems
Can’t reveal too much at the moment, but our mayor is being officially investigated possible ‘misconduct’ over her Adani links, particularly arising out of her trip to India. This will not be a revelation on her, because she has been informed of the issue by the Brisbane based investigating body, and what is officially termed ‘overt inquiries’ are underway.
Perhaps no biggy (but then again …) but not a great look for someone who once expressed her admiration for Ipswich Mayor Pisasale.
What Dreams May Come, As Willy Shakespeare Once Said …
All this has led to The Magpie being told that Jenny, a Hitchcock fan, recently watched his classic The Birds, but when she went to bed, she had an horrific dream.
Serves her right for throwing darts at a much loved and protected Australian species.
THIS WEEK’S CONTENDERS FOR THE CODSWALLOP CUP
It’s a crowded field.
- C’mon, Really?
C’mon now, seriously Jenna Cairney? Is this all you’ve got?
Listen, me dear old haggis-head, getting shocked by a menu may apply to a Korean doggy delicacy, a Vietnamese cockroach kebab or the price of a pie at the footy, but because this mob is adding burgers … bloody good old Aussie burgers … we Aussie snowflakes should be shocked?
Do you not understand how insulting this advertorial pap is? One seriously has to question whether the decision makers who publish this clap trap have an IQ above room temperature.
- A Group Effort
Where to start with this one, the inanity is of such magnitude that The ‘Pie is tempted to inaugurate the Clusterfuck Cup as a separate category.
This mind-blowing little corker of an idea is called the Palmer Street Precinct Activation project, and involves – wait for it – a bit of new lighting along the street, and a new sign saying … hang on again … Palmer Street.
The plan was obviously to give re-election hopefuls a bit of sorely needed publicity (you’d think on recent photographic evidence, Messagebank Walker and Ann-Maree Greaney are going steady). But for other reasons, the story raised both an eyebrow and a guffaw at the same time.
Chef/restaurateur Matt Merrin, normally a sensible and successful man, made a right goof of himself when he (reportedly) told the paper the changes would transform Palmer Street into a world class destination. “It will be something that visitors to Townsville can Instagram, take photos of and sell the message to the world. It’s going to bring new investment back to Palmer Street (question: how does ‘new’ investment come ‘back’?)’ We’ve had many restaurants close over the last 12 months, this will inspire new restaurant owners and people to come back into Palmer Street and be part of the precinct it once was.’
A world class destination? Matt, a message from The Magpie, mate … lay off the cooking sherry and exotic herbs before talking to the Astonisher (FFS, mate, you’re even holding your glass crooked.)
The story also informs us “The dining strip received some upgrades during the preparations for the Commonwealth Games last year’.
Oh did it? Very similar upgrades in scale to the ones now proposed , as The ‘Pie remembers. So in the year since that spruce up, two Palmer Street nose-baggeries have gone belly-up. But somehow, this one is going to usher in a new era? How’s that? But here’s the best bit … in the original story, Ann-Maree Greaney said the lighting would keep people, particularly women, safer … that apparent admission that the council has allowed Palmer Street to operate without adequately safe lighting for years has now been removed from the story.
What fucking planet are you from, you lot?
Reporter Chris Lees, have you no dignity? Or sober judgement? Did TCC media gopfer Simpo Templeton have anything to do with this, it’s about his speed? Well, anyway Anthony, unlike the when at the Astonisher, at least in your TCC role you don’t have to put your name to your cock-ups.
3. Off The Rails
Then on Thursday, we had this little bit of fluffy irrelevancy.
But no sooner had this flimsy kite taken to the sky, than the Astonisher itself cut the string on Friday with this:
What city rail plan? There wasn’t any, the original story was a campaigning thought-fart from the desperate Clr Jacob. Clever though, isn’t it – write bullshit one day and call it out as bullshit the next. Gotta luv the ol’ Astonisher.
A Miscellaneous Magpie Whinge
The Magpie is deliberately not talking about or seeking comment on the massacre in New Zealand, he has no words, certainly none that would contribute positively to this dark deed of pure evil.
But coverage does prompt The “Pie to vent about a favourite piece of nanny state demeaning idiocy … can we please move away from the rubber-faced sign language person standing next to officials who are often making statements about deeply disturbing matters. Often signing involves grotesque and to the uninitiated completely inappropriate comical facial expressions.
This presents the twin problems of distraction for the general audience and indignity for the subject of the media conference.The ‘Pie doesn’t know what the average deaf audience would be at any given time – not many one would guess – and yes, there are times like bushfire and flood updates where this information should be conveyed in this manner.
But shit folks, here’s a newsflash … for more 60 years now, real time lower screen captioning has been available, or – as all sports directors so slickly employ – technology for a smaller, less distracting vision box to one corner.
To currently give such a minority a so distracting and undignified presence is not necessary and lacks dignity, and disturbs concentration on what can be vital messages.
Of course, nanny staters won’t agree.
Speaking Of The Nanny State …
Our evolving language, not always for the better, now features the term ‘woke’, as in ‘are you woke to climate change?’ or any number of other social issues. It means are you alert to, but as so often happens, we too readily adopt the argot of the ill-educated as some sort expression of being cool and identifying with a group one wouldn’t normally break bread with.
The lovely thing about this nonsensical use of substitute language leaves it wide open for hysterically funny skewering … and in this classic piss take Are You Woke? from a fed up Tracey Ullman.
The Clock Is A-Ticking …
The Brexit imbroglio is increasingly hard to follow (or for The ‘Pie, to care much about) but one of the cleverest pictorial comments the predicament of Theresa (dis)May(ed) comes from the Guardian’s Steve Bell.
And More Of The Same From Trumpistan
A lot of attention continues to surround the tumble of democrats eager to take on President Trumpet at the polls next year. And the interest has been heightened by someone not running.
……………….
The ducking, weaving and hilarity of the comments section runs 24/7, so give us of your best, folks. And if you like the blog, you can show your appreciation with some sorely needed financial support, the how to donate button is below.
But Mt Louisa already has an area ready to be developed into Jenny’s Jovial Frolicking Fun Park. It is bounded by Banfield Dr., Karanya St., and Buchanan St. Also flat for the wheelchair folk.
When new to town in ’74 was told that the area was for supermarkets etc.
It must be managed by the same mob that are in charge of the Bloody Great Big Waste of Space in Cranbrook.
Dave the initial plan for Mt Louise had that area marked for a Primary School. Which I thought was a good situation as I bought a block not far away. Turns out the Aircraft Noise Exposure Forecast for the RAAF Base excludes schools under flight paths that close to the runway. Heatley Primary & Secondary schools are under the path but a little further out.
@ Dave of Kelso. The Mt Louisa land you speak of was owned be the State Government, earmarked to be a school. Campbell Newman sold off a lot of school land in 2013 and that land bounded by Banfield Drive sold at auction for $2,612,500. Alot of private schools wanted the land but was outbid by a developer wanting it for residential. The developer has 2 court approved applications on the land. One for 95 house blocks and another application for half retirement village / half residential. Both applications have gone to the Planning and Environment Court but approved through mediation under strict conditions, which the developer has struggled to meet for 4 years. The applications failed to meet so many development codes it is questionable how council approved them in the first place. However, our council have recently come to the rescue for this developer, and is using Ratepayer and State Government funding to fix the Banfield Drive issues so the developer can comply to conditions. It also appears from the plans sighted, that when Council undertake the State Government/Ratepayer funded road works on Banfield Drive. The Ratepayers are even funding a bus stop relocation for the developer because that’s where the developer is putting a new intersection for the development, despite court papers stating the developer is to pay for all Infrastructure relocations.
OK, very interesting. But why so coy about naming the developer, would be easy to find out if The’Pie wasn’t so busy with the up coming footy. Be very interesting if it’s Parkside … PT is no dill and a bit ofn pressurev on Mayor Mullet in an election byear (giving her heat about Adani) wouldn’t do him any harm.
@Magpie The Town Planner is Milford Planning. The Client is NEM Enterprises.
Thanks for the info. Please keep us updated.
Intereting timing on the catering contracts Pie as it seems Townsville businesses are making a habit of not paying industry standard wages. Many local companies who have secured flood work are struggling to get staff, as many of the companies from down south pay more than the locals and tradies, labourers etc are taking up the offers. Even cleaners are getting$26 an hour, $5 an hour more than what locals are normally paid.
In regards to Mt Louisa I always thought CASA had a very dim view on doing anything near the flight path of an airport, in particular on a mountain and anything that required lighting.
Cantankerous, I remember that once upon a time in the dark ages of the ‘Ville, a venue used by the Townsville Motor Cycle Club was also included in the DO Not Build, No Structures of any Height, NO Lights etc. Apparently all due to being in the flight path! It is noteworthy that today Bunnings occupy that spot in Duckworth St, and the same rules appeared to apply for the full length of that street which has now become a major development area of the City. Although the plan for Mt. Louisa appears to be all froth and bubble like almost all reported in the last few months, to me, Duckworth St. proves that it just MIGHT happen!
If the rumour is true that Mayor Mullet is being investigated shouldn’t she be obligated to disclose this matter as well as the duty of the Astonisher to seek Clarification ?. Anymore update on Clive Palmers $500,000 damages claim against Cathy Otoole ? . With this type of expense shouldn’t Cathy advise the electorate that she is in a position to pay these costs because if Labor did somehow lose the election would they cut Cathy dry and voters of Herbert be back at the Polls .
That’s not a rumour, the mayor has been informed she is being investigated by the investigating body.
Memo Iditor Jenna Cairney:
Ando’s piece about the pipeline in Saturday’s Astonisher should be required reading for all your journos – it is a shining example of balanced and fair reporting of an issue, without rhetoric, bias, cheap shots OR ADJECTIVES. Both sides of the argument are fairly put, allowing readers to decide for themselves if our mayor has hastily walked us straight into another disastrous swinging financial door.
here’s how it should be done, Astonisher sheeple:
Just bear in mind that fibreglass boats are just as strong as steel boats and a fraction of the weight. Pipes, if diligently designed, tested and signed off by qualified engineers, and protected from sunlight i.e. buried, will very likely last longer, weigh less, and be as strong, or stronger than steel. I don’t know about contamination. That would depend on the choice of polymer. I trust a committee guided by Brad Webb would have assessed the alternatives pretty thoroughly.
Indeed, Benters, and that is sort of civil discussion we shouldn be having about these issues … but of course, not here in the bear pit of The Magpie’s Nest heh heh heh.
Bear pit?? More like a cock fighting arena.
Or a pissing contest
Don’t overlook the cancer of fibreglass, osmosis. Hopefully the pipe TCC are using can overcome this.
Ummm, think that might have been one of the very first requirements.
‘Pie, I have a bit of a quibble with your view that Ando’s article was ” a shining example of balanced and fair reporting of an issue, without rhetoric, bias, cheap shots . . . ‘. Ando took the liberty of quoting an anonymous “pipe manufacturing specialist” – which might be fair if only the reader knew whether or not the said ‘specialist’ actually worked for Steel-Pipes-With-Cement-Lining Corporation. If the specialist did represent that sector of the industry then the comments about GRP pipes being difficult and costly to lay and likely to break etc. could well be construed as a “cheap shot” or sour grapes. We will never know. And since the $40 million saving has not, to my knowledge, been revealed before, surely that piece of information could have been given some decent analysis? In fact, it is a wonder that the “specialist” wasn’t asked for a view about such a vast cost difference. Could it be that the steel pipe industry simply got greedy and priced itself out of the market?
Both sides of the argument were fairly put, but OK, identifying the expert would have been better, but his argument is out there for people to check no matter what his background – but The ‘Pie is happy to trust Ando on that … as he is willing to trust Brad Webb when he says that the disparity was $40million between Adelaide manufacturing v Townsville … and that our mayor, who was otherwise happy to throw $18.5m of ratepayers money at an Adani airstrip in the hope – with no guarantee – of some jobs coming to Townsville, was not willing to take the ‘risk’ on guaranteed jobs for Townsville, even at a premium. Remember the rule, that every four employed people create one new service industry job.
Oh, and BTW, $40m in these scales of economy and on-going outcomes is NOT vast … probably quite modest in fact.
Sorry to say Pie. Ando was a year late. This issue was reported on in great detail on WFTAG for months, following the April 24th 2018 announcement that steel didn’t get the gong. Everyone was gobsmacked. We published the fors & againsts for MSCL v GRP, lack of TCC transparency around process, questioned who had the major say, and if all panel members read the 2 shortlisted tenders in full, what were the selection criteria, challenges for first ever production of 1800mm GRP pressure pipe in Australia … and much more. Where’s the Ferret when you need him? It’s all on our site. Search words – MSCL or GRP or wicking or IPLEX or Adelaide, should locate most related posts.
I seem to remember the tender asking for a minimum 75 year design life.
So we will have to replace the pipes in 40 years?
Installation costs of the pipes far outweigh the pipe price. Have they done a whole of life cycle cost or just gone with the lowest price?
NAW, you are probably right about installation costs outweighing pipe costs and as I understand it, Townsville ratepayers are not paying for it anyway – state and federal money will do that. So maybe the choice of supplier wasn’t entirely up to Townsville Council. Does anyone know? But if the pipe supply was half of the entire $215m cost, then a $40m saving would actually be pretty significant in the scheme of things. The TBully article doesn’t clarify that.
No it wouldn’t have been ‘pretty significant’ when you use the catch-all phrase ‘in the scheme of things’. You have to weigh up the benefits of direct and indirect employment, skills acquisition, local suppliers and so on. If the choice of the supplier wasn’t up to the TCC (read mayor) she seemed pretty compliant in posing for happy pics (gosh, really?) and offering transparently bullshit all-clap-hands furry vague waffle with the sound of achievement.
‘Pie, unless the LNP pulls a rabbit out of a hat in a couple of months, Cathy O’Toole is going to win Herbert and Labor will win government. That will mean that every single ribbon cutting and town hall moment for the next year or more will be attended by the ALP hierarchy from top to bottom and they’ll all raise their collective hats to Jenny Hill. When the new pipeline gets opened, even if there’s no need for it for the next ten years, the mayor will get all the glory, even though it hasn’t cost the Council a red cent (except in TBulletin advertising). We might all be spewing but that’s what will be happening. There’s just over a year to get another local government outcome but no one seems to want the job. Or at least, no one seems to want the grubby shitfight that seems to belong with the ermine gown in the mayoral wardrobe.
That is a valid point NMD, who the fuck would want the job, and more importantly who with any talent would want the job. The pay ain’t nothing great unless your the parasitic type like Jenny Hill and get yourself onto every board and association that you can. Even if someone can knock the Mullet off you still have to get rid of 6 of the current bunch of brain dead Councillors to be able to change anything. Given the history in this town of the brainless masses voting to extend their own misery in life time after time there is every likelihood the toxic dreg may we’ll be returned to office.
The thing is Cantankerous, there is a perfect opportunity on ABC Q&A tonight for the LNP to give it their best shot – a program coming straight out of coal-fight central. So what is the LNP position on coal – not export coal which is basically everything going out of the coal ports on the GBR coast but coal to be used in Australia in a new HELE power station? If the current government hadn’t spent the last five years chest thumping about axing the carbon tax they might have worked out what they would do next. Instead they have done nothing except give a little space for Cathy O’Toole to work out some clever-dick explanation about getting around Adani and there you have it – Herbert in the bag for Election 2019.
I gather that Special Aboriginal Envoy Duke Sir Tony Abbott OBE WTF is quietly visiting Palm Island today. Why the low profile?
Anti Mud Sucker,
Long term it matters significantly.
If we keep taking the electoral life cycle as due governance for projects we as a society are pretty well fucked.
We need to project long term aspirations for our infrastructure and society in general.
This is as good a spot as any to start a groundswell of opinion for the betterment of mankind (isn’t it ‘pie?).
It takes at least 4 years for language to “evolve” from the USA. When I was in the Big Apple on holidays in 2015 instead of people saying they had contacted someone the locals said they were “reaching out”. That term is now commonplace in Oz, much to my (and probably everyone over 50s) annoyance.
The ‘Pie knows this could start an avalanche of disgruntled comments, but some of the new coinages are useful and sensible – what is really annoying when for the sheer sake of smart-arsery, a new word replaces a perfectly good old one, usually turning an adjective into a noun … good example is ‘a random’ for a ‘a stranger’. And the tinkering that is particularly galling – which is no doubt why it is done – is inverting language … so now ‘sick’ means excellent.
(Splutter, gasp, choke) Got to stop, words fail me.
How about ‘gotten’, Pie. I’d like to punch the users of this ugly, unnecessary, stupid, aberration born of the US of A, the inhabitants of which seem hell bent on corrupting the English language. Just sayin’. And yes, I’m over 50. Just.
Totally agree FF, my ISP (Australian with help desk in South Africa) help desk uses that bloody annoying phrase as does my Anti Virus company. Change for the sake of change and FA else.
Dear ‘Pie,
On this particular day in March I pay my respects (by way of many pints, starting at morning tea) to the Irish who came to this place (one way or the other) during Colonial and post Federation times, and ingrained into our Australian consciousness a healthy disrespect for pompous and unnecessary authority.
And it is time for another one. Good fortune to the Irish!
Hey Pie and readers, happy Paddy’s day to you all – whether you be Eye-rish, claim to be Eye-rish and even if you don’t give a toss, you gotta admit the Green Folk of the Emerald Isle know how to have fun and are fiercely independent (just ask the Brits)!
Happy day, to be sure, to be sure!
And The ‘Pie can claim an Irish dad, and the ‘Pie’s grandson has his 13th birthday today … smart little bugger made sure he popped out on a day easily remembered … although usually not easily remembered on the 18th.
Being born in County Down, I recall my family celebrating the Glorious Twelfth more so than Paddy’s Day. My grandfather took us all on lovely strolls with nice men in Bowler Hats and orange sashes.
IBP how come all those funny priests have Irish names?
Spit it out Tradie! What’s on your mind?
PS Tradie, I didn’t know Cardinal and Pell were Irish names!
Well IBP as legend has it St Patrick got rid of all the snakes out of Ireland, then sent them over here as trouser snakes apparently.
Love Bentley’s cartoon with The ‘Pie in attack mode…….!
The Astonisher hit a new low today with a story about the impending cyclone hidden behind the online paywall. Stories about weather and other threats have, until now, been free to read in the interests of public safety and awareness. But now a new era is emerging in which editor Jenna Cairney is trying to use weather warnings to sell online subscriptions. Disgraceful.
Why even bother with the local rag which has to wait in line for forecasts from BOM. Just go straight to BOM cyclone track map – it’s free and updated every few hours.
Ff,
You are correct but it is not a problem. Each day with your morning coffee check the BOM app or site before moving on to the Magpie and the ABC News site. Easy.
News Corpse is paywalling just about everything now. There are ways around but since Google came to the party involves a lot of clearing caches & opening in new tabs that doesn’t always work. Personally the standard of Journalism on display at the News Corpse stables means I have no interest in subscribing till the standard improves. Their moderation on free articles is stifling too, I have given up on commenting when more & more comments disappear with no understandable reason why except maybe the kid at the other end with the reject button doesn’t agree with you.
Yeah hope Trevor stays up north, am inbound Thursday evening and Jetstar love cancelling flights also got work to do on my house all weekend. Trevor will probably be it I’d say being in the throws of the ides of March and down this way we got the first east coast low spinning up atm just south of the Hunter which is about to pop into the Tasman Sea, classic Autumn/Winter pattern…
?? The cyclone is a 1000 km from Townsville. You southerners are a bunch of precious worry worts. Such unnecessary public angst on your part, supported by the media only plays to needlessly increase home insurance premiums.
Yer `tis updates every 15 minutes http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDR734.loop.shtml#skip
The Magpie here expresses his admiration for ABC news presenter Jessica van Vonderen for her professionalism during last night’s items about the NZ mosque massacre. Newsreaders are often seen as well removed from the actions they introduce daily, creating an unemotional, non-judgemental rock upon which to offer information. It is a look much encouraged by news producers (including The ‘Pie’s during his half century in the business) and it is often out of the minds of viewers that these prominent media journalists are prey to human emotions as much as any of us.
Ms van Vonderen, who is a mother, showed real empathy as she went through the grim tidings from New Zealand, and the heart-wrenching reports from on the ground there, including a three year old child. But it was starting to tell on ability to keep relaying such horrific information without being overwhelmed herself, and after reading out the names and backgrounds of some of those killed, she only just kept her personal emotions in check as she introduced that story, her voice quavering. The ‘Pie is certain there was more than one heart-felt sob as the reporters story rolled, but Ms van Vondren had the discipline to recover and the Bulletin continued. Watch here starting at 6.08.
https://iview.abc.net.au/show/abc-news-qld
A rare professional/personal moment and Ms van Vonderen has further endeared herself to viewers by breaking the myth of the hard-edged ice maiden newsreader.
Just watched it – damn right ‘Pie.
What a professional ! Thanks for the heads up Magpie !
Just watched O’Foole on Q&A.
How embarrassing.
Reynolds chewed her up and spat her out.
Surely we deserve better
You deserve what you vote for.
Q&A Viewer, look at our choices in Herbert. Clive Palmer, Pauline Hanson, Katter Party, some right wing Christian party, Greens and the two majors. We know for absolutely certain that either the LNP or ALP will win the seat – because no matter who you give your first preference to, you must fill in all the squares and therefore ultimately give a preference to either the ALP or LNP. So if you don’t want to preference Labor you only have one option and that is to vote for the LNP government that we have had for the past five years and three PMs. Happy with that? Think that the majority of Herbert voters are willing to go for more of the same?
Funny that you excluded the ALP that also went through 3 Mps last time around. Both knifed by the incumbent opposition leader. The problem we have in Australia is the ridiculous preference voting. That’s why we keep getting the same shit over and over again. Like David kosch you also received my golden ticket for biased this week.
“The problem we have in Australia is the ridiculous preference voting”.
Willy, do you have a preference for any particular different voting method? Some people like ‘first past the post’ but the problem with that is that with a large number of candidates the ‘winner’ might only have received 15-20% support. In other words, 80% of voters wanted someone else.
Perhaps the preferences should stop the actual vote and then first preference and not keep running down to someone who only got 19 votes ????
spoken lioke theb Dali Lama … WTF does it that mean, as we always ask?
Ohh ffs NMD go sit in the corner and don’t get me started. Preferential voting allows exactly for people who 80% of the voters didn’t vote for to get elected. Primary vote should be what matters.
Fraser Anning, Brian Burston, closer to 96%.
The flaw in the system is compulsory voting, the rest of the options are irrelevant once you force someone to do something they have no interest in then you get these sorts of outcomes, whereas someone who chooses to vote will generally have some interest in the outcome, and be better informed, I would like to see the end of compulsory voting, at every level of govt.
Cantankerous,
Even when people really, really want to vote they often don’t seem to know how the preferential voting system works. And some don’t seem to realise that voting for the Senate operates with a different system (above and below the line voting) from voting in the House of Reps. So (Hear Deah) it is not possible to get elected with 19 votes in the House of Reps but it can happen in peculiar circumstances (very peculiar) in the Senate. I don’t think Australia is going to do away with compulsory voting any time soon but various states and local governments regularly experiment with different systems – like Hare-Clarke in Tasmania, optional preferential in Queensland (once, now reversed) and the use of multi-representative single electorates – each of which has features about ‘fairness’ and ‘representativeness’ which make them better than straight ‘first past the post’, in my opinion.
NMD – the flaw we have is the Optional Preferential Voting and Above/Below the Line in the Senate.
How fucked up is a system is one that allows that Sovereign Citizen nutjob Malcom Roberts to be elected after receiving only 77 below-the-line primary votes and replaced by Fraser Anning, who received only 19?
Grumpy, you are right about the Senate vote. I’m sure I remember though that in the old days there was no above/below the line and a list of candidates as long as your arm – perhaps a hundred, all of which had to be numbered. Lots of people who were keen to vote were not able to deal with such a system and clearly a lot of people picked out a couple of names they recognised and then donkey voted the rest all the way up to a hundred (or whatever).
I’m sure I also remember public opinion calling for a simplification of Senate voting so that if you wanted to vote for a party ticket, as most people did and still do, the parties could be laid out clearly labelled above the line and all the individual candidates listed below the line. You could vote either way you wished (but not both!). It’s not hard to do and obviously most people give one party ticket the tick. Occasionally mad anomalies get picked up and we now know that ‘preference whispering’ is a possibility. And even though maddies like Roberts and Anning have been elected, they did so because large numbers of voters are really keen on Pauline Hanson and don’t care what happens with preferences. We get what they deserve.
Q&A Viewer, does Sandra Harding actually pay money to that showpony so called climate change expert? God help Townsville and Australia.
OT, would that be the same Sandra Harding that pays the pensions of those tired old academics from JCU that are still bumbling on about geological moon cycles and the positive contribution of rising CO2 to human fertility? Next they’ll start to talk about students on strike – it might be time to ask the nurse to bring your wheelie walker.
Dear NMD, I here Dr Peter Ridd is going to rattle a few cages very shortly. Get ready old boy, by the way, I have a motorised scooter which has a battery recharge from a reliable coal fired power supply.
Q&A Townsville was embarrassing.
The only coherent speakers seemed to be the host, questioners and the uni professor. The rest of the panel had trouble formulating decent responses. Heaps of platitudes and broken thoughts.
Reynolds was the fool of the night. I won’t politicise the NZ tragedy BUT …..
Good on you high school students for standing up for your beliefs about climate change BUT …
Tony did a very poor job of getting her to butt out or button up. The theme for the show was climate change and tsv flood. Got there in the last 15 mins. The only scientist on the panel was virtually silenced.
Interesting, I thought the scientist was anything but compelling. There were few facts, lots of opinion and lots of cliched populist junk about eggboy and school students.
If he was there to bring a balanced and scientific view, he failed miserably.
On the contrary, the rural valuer bloke shone – lots of facts, figures and genuine empathy.
I won’t waste words on the pollies.
‘Cliched populist junk’ – There we have it in a nutshell as to why Then ‘Pie doesn’t watch – indeed, can’t stand – Q & A. Waste of time to garner anything of value … yes did sample more than a dozen shows before giving up. Watched the start of Monday night because it was local, but when The Tool did an uncanny ‘first let mne say this’ imitation of Mike Reynolds, electioneering rather than answering the question … The ‘Pie too imitated Mike Reynolds and switched off to go and snooze.
Allow The Magpie to be the first to say it (as far as he knows) … Jacinda Ardern must be seriously considered for the Nobel Peace Prize. Her move on gun control and her immediate reaffirmation of social bonding has resonance well beyond New Zealand’s shores.
Is The Magpie the only Aussie to have seen Scott zMorrison and Bill Shorten and reflected ‘Oh, if only ….’
Scott zzzzMorrison. Says it all.
And your selective non-inclusion also says it all … about you.
It is a shame Arden didn’t do something about their pathetic gun laws before this horrible incident happened. May or may not have made some difference.
Funny how negative 20/20 hindsight always negates powerful and fearless leadership in the present, isn’t it, Sam?
Sam – same could be said about Port Arthur, could it not?
Sam1…… I applied for my gun licence in the Waikato of NZ many, many years ago when we were dairy farming. I was interviewed by the local arms officer who also spoke to people who had known me most of my life. At the time we had a discussion on semi-automatic guns and I told him that I did not understand the need for these weapons as a single shot .22 was more than adequate for hunting and all I wanted the licence for was humane reasons. He argued that the semi was popular with gun clubs. I note that it was earlier reported that it was through the help of a gun club that the terrorist got his licence. Who ever vouched for the prick should also bear some of the blame.
When we were finished with farming, both my hubby and I surrendered our gun licence to the police. Can u tell me Sam1 what differences are there between NZ and Australia in obtaining a licence or guns?
I believe Prime Minister Arden has done a fantastic job in the wake of this terrorist act.
I thought Jacinda Arden was a vacuous, empty-headed dill, mistakenly elected as a novelty Prime Minister, only then after support from that ghastly egotistical creep, Winston Peters. I considered her to be an immature, twittering, socialist ideologue, never destined to be taken seriously as a politician.
I was wrong.
I watched her first television address after the horror and I sat enthralled by her considered, calm and dignified eloquence. She, unlike so many commentators and politicians since the event, exuded the composure, humanity and sincerity that we expect of our leaders.
Whilst I could never agree with her politics, she is a truly great individual who has my utmost respect.
That’s so spooky Grumpy, that’s exactly how people thought about The Magpie at first … then he started this blog … and confirmed it.
Jacinda is a new species of world leader indeed. Jessica vV has been exceptional from day 1. Greta Thunberg – what an inspiration, nominated already for a Nobel. This week Pie, you and the slightly less Grumpy one have almost made up for the #IPA#chumgate budget lockup lineup. But then …… this
venting about sign language presenters on televised disaster updates. You are “distracted by the grotesque, inappropriate, comical, undignified, facial expressions.”
My preference is always to marvel at the extraordinary skill of these multilingual signers, while listening to the speaker – hardly multitasking. The detailed information is continuously interpreted by the signer. Then with a few seconds of real time delay, the kinaesthetic version flows while the next batch of encoding occurs. The movement repertoire is fascinating. Linguistic juggling with no rehearsal. Why not add a text version on screen as well, so as many people as possible can receive the important information? You would seriously prefer to watch those frazzled looking emergency folk, or a politician flanked by …. dare I say it bird …. the silent squad? If all else fails, pretend you are blind, close your eyes and just listen.
At times, you really can be a silly old bint, can’t you Linda? You’ve just expounded The ‘Pie’s argument exactly when you say you’ marvel at the extraordinary skill of these multilingual signers’ and ‘Then with a few seconds of real time delay, the kinaesthetic version flows while the next batch of encoding occurs. The movement repertoire is fascinating. Linguistic juggling with no rehearsal.’
FFS, woman, the purpose of the telecast is to impart usually vital, sometimes crucial information, and despite your claim of easy multi-skilling, you give the lie with your admission of your distraction. … next you will be calling for, on the other side of the speaker telling us about a child murder, a bushfire or a flood, that we have an interpretive dancer translating for all the luvvies out there who find the hard factual words ‘just ooh, too, too, awful, too hard, ohh don’t go there.’You sometimes disapprove of The Magpie’s selective use of the term ‘boofademic’ and ‘acadil’, (and why wouldn’t you, we all know what your BA stands for) but with rot like this you qualify for both.
Honestly, your are a gabby old nitwit at times.
I’ve not actually heard anyone else refer to signing, in any context, as a “distraction or clumsy.” Many do find the noddies or media statues who stare at the back of the speaker’s head, quite annoying. You know the worst offenders.
My absolutely boofademic free statement is I CHOOSE to and often ENJOY watching the signers. Doing so is not a distraction and the information is neither depleted nor deformed. Rather, for me it’s enhanced. If the signer isn’t actually in screen view (which is a bit of an oops tv director moment) I tend to look down at hand sewing or tweeting, or focus on the other faces, while listening to an update. If a graphic is added – sure – glance up.
Having taught deaf students in some of my mainstream classes, it’s part of my “normal” … not nanny state as you declare. Those lollipop safety crossing workers look pretty nerdy in their high vis top to toe uniforms and legolandish stop signs. They could also be considered superfluous or a distraction. After all, most “normal” kids know how to cross at the marked zones safely and most “normal” drivers stop. The crossing supervisor strategy costs the state (us) a packet so isn’t that nanny state stuff as well through your “normalised” lens?
Maybe you experienced enhanced comprehension watching key TLDMT spokespersons during the recent flood reporting. Is there a favourite somebody with a flapping jaw you’re not telling us about? Lighten up Pie. People these days have to decipher much more distracting stuff on digital screens, with pop ups, ads, sound, moving images, flashing colour and light variations etc.
I would have thought Pie, your understanding of the impact of an acquired disability, wouldn’t see assistance for non-hearing folk as problematic. Neither should my PhD bother you so often old bird. It doesn’t define me. Get over it. Unis don’t strip doctorates unless someone really fucks up. The work certainly helped with a community leadership role you have kindly applauded elsewhere. But you have no clue about my teaching career or my research topic and the educational context.
Linda, me dear old ducky, The ‘Pie considered long and hard whether to publish your above comment and thereby allowing you to further embarrass yourself, but in the end, he decided that the sheer garbled boofheadedness would be of some small comedic value to our readers.
So, despite the risk of being accused of ‘elder abuse’, let’s run through it, shall we?
Moving in the post-academic PC circles of your rarified social strata, you would be unlikely to hear anyone refer to the matter in question in a challenging manner for fear of being ostracised, of outraging the accepted, bullying nanny state mores. And even if a few of the proles in your group had such thoughts, they wouldn’t dare voice them around you.
And those dopes in the TV background are not distracting, they are usually the local elected representatives of the community … i.e. US, who have every boring pointless right to be there.
You often ENJOY watching the signers?
Really, ducky? Enjoy? Signers are there because of the gravity of situation is judged to require that deaf people get an important message (and it is the prominence of the signer that is The ‘Pie’s beef, not the signing itself). And it is most informative that you tweet, which takes some concentration, during important announcements on the TV involving signers. This you presumably do when your chortling ’enjoyment’ of them wanes … but of course, that is a doddle for a multi-skiller like yourself. And BTW how do you know when to look up if a graphic appears? You got a graphic alert hooked up to your TV? Or have trained your dog to bark?
Your tripe that lollipop lads’ and ladies’ work gear could be interpreted as a distraction by The Magpie is just plain loopy sophistry … THEY ARE MEANT – IT IS IN-BLOODY-TENDED – TO GET THE ATTENTION OF DRIVERS AS AN EXTRA LAYER OF PROTECTION FOR INATTENTIVE LITTLE SNOTS. Which is not a distraction, quite the opposite, it is a deliberate and justified attention getter. It is not nanny state stuff at all, and your attempt to make that a Magpie opinion is a wrong, presumptious and pissweak arguing tactic.
And just wherever did The ‘Pie ‘see assistance for non-hearing folk as problematic’? Show me, my sweet. It is clear to anyone mildly acquainted with everyday English that The ‘Pie’s point was the intrusive manner of the signing, and nowhere was it suggested it shouldn’t happen, just in a manner more amenable to ALL viewers.
On the evidence of this didactic load of old codswallop you have served up on this subject, your teaching and general academic career does not inspire any interest at all and probably does not bear too much contemplation … your sterling WFTAG work proves The ‘Pie’s frequently mentioned theory of The Fallacy of Transferred Authority.
And on a personal note, why would The ‘Pie have some special understanding of an ‘acquired disability’ since he doesn’t have one himself? By your definition,it would seem you are suggesting that people who have had their appendix or tonsils removed, or had a hystrectomy now qualify as disabled. The ‘Pie had his voical chords removed, but can still talk albeit in an altered voice. That comment was rude, cheap and just plain wrong.
But make that ‘differently abled’ and you have the perfect giveaway to your tedious political correctness.
Trust you have found this most instructive.
As The Magpie has so often been told, there is no twerp like an old twerp.
Oh, dear. Linda said the “F” word.
(expletive) me.
Is Tony Raggatt an atheist?
We NOAH a guy who might disagree with you in your opening to this story.
Hi Magpie. I was wondering if you have seen all the propaganda about the Mt Louisa development. The impact to residents has been overlooked, we have not be directly consulted. They plan car parks in Greenview and Crestbrook which they were never originally designed for. I doubt the additional traffic generated can be catered for in the narrow roads that exist. Our amenity will also be compromised by people walking through the suburb from other areas. I did not buy here originally to have such a development on my door step. It would be good to leave Mt Louisa untouched. What can we do it raise our concerns?
One thing you can do is gather together a petition from like-minded residents (remember, some may be posing as opposition to hike the price they can ask from the council) and present to council, post on social media, send it to the Bulletgin and forward it The Magpie for publication. That way it can’t be conveniently lost or overlooked.
So Mr T., I guess you think we should stop all development in Townsville (or anywhere else for that matter). The issues you raise would affect any suburb.
Suncorp building unstable. Area evacuated.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/north-queensland-building-evacuated-over-structural-fears-20190319-p515hn.html&ved=2ahUKEwjGhOrNwo3hAhXM8HMBHV-6CrEQxfQBMAF6BAgGEAg&usg=AOvVaw2eXBiJlXWZX326edQX7dOG
Christ … hope it’s insured.
From the 6pm news. Building not unstable.
Due old age bits about to fall off.
I know how the building feels.
Dave from properties south of Rasmussen
Story broken by a Brissie based reporter.
Our lot were probably too busy having tea and scones with Jen and the crew to report on this.
I googled this story, saw it mentioned on the Astonisher site, assumed it would be behind the pay wall and went straight to the Brisbane site.
Published on Aug 18, 2010
Perth man Enrico Von Felten has been fined $1200 after pleading guilty to assault after he threw an egg at Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
did he get fined because he missed Julia?
who would have thought !
The ‘Lewis Hamilton’ of racing pigeons has set a new world-record fee after Chinese bidders went head-to-head in an online auction for the bird.
The victorious pigeon fancier, whose identity is a secret, spent $2 million to land Armando, a Belgian bird considered to be the “best long-distance pigeon of all time”.
Armando, who at five years old is nearing the end of his racing life, will now take a plane flight to China and be put out to stud with an expensive hen in the hope of producing more star racers.
well there you go !
I know it’s light-hearted, but a bit rich TCC telling the arts community to ‘get its act together’. Pretty sure the arts community tried to tell the TCC the very same thing some time ago, and got a pretty dismissive response…
https://www.facebook.com/TownsvilleCityCouncil/posts/2384024188276811
TCC can’t even get it’s own Regional Arts Development Fund grant program together and looks like they’re screwing over the arts community agsin. Got told the other day by a person wanting to make a grant application that they asked when RADF applications for the second round of grant funding in 2019 would open and got told by council staff member that they didn’t know. Apparently around $60+k of unspent funding which must be granted by 30 June. Apparently TCC website says nothing and has the RADF grants under the organisations page but individual artsworkers have always been able to apply. Got told Margie Ryder is in charge of the RADF Committee but probably no point in phoning her as she probably won’t know what’s going on either. Anyone else know what councils doing with this grant money.
They just don’t get it, do they, the Bulletin?
The accidental death of a farm worker near Home Hill isn’t enough news for this juvenile publication … it suddenly becomes about the community, suggesting a grossly overblown reaction … at least in the headlines.
In fact, the photograph caption would be the responsible and mature way to headline this report, but now …. in the Bulletin’s well known knee jerk reaction, the kiddy journalist reaches for the adjective bag.
The Astonisher will do itself a big favour if it stops its policy of this embarrassingly juvenile over-reach. The above example is just the latest in a string of such ill-judged attempts at click bait. A few days ago we got this prize piece patent nonsense .
The awards – and good on the recipients, nice to know – were not gold but two silver awards, one for the Grand Hotel and Apartments in Palmer Street… and the other for Cobbold Village hosted accomodation … which, as the paper itself says, is 420kms northwest of Townsville near Forsyth. So the paper’s idiotic headline is wrong on two counts – ‘Townsville” is patently wrong in one instance, and ‘wins big’ makes readers feel like they’re a child being patted on the head for a finger painting.
But then again, one supposes if the mayor thinks Townsville and its money extends 400kms away to build an airstrip for an Indian mining magnate, maybe the Astonisher is using her yardstick of what is local.
That crap article re the tractor accident was written by 3, yes THREE kiddy reporters.
Doggies v Swanettes on Saturday night Magpie…..how much start will you give me?
Three beers and a sav blanc.
I know how not to offend the memory of The Anzac’s PM Morrison .
I will use John Howards “The standards of the day” to distance the current generation from that one which was obviously murderously racist by John Howards view of history.
Now , the Turks are obviously over the re-glorification and revisionism of ww1 using hundreds of millions of dollars to promote the LNP’s nationalist agenda and might go straight to the histories written by Australians.
Its in every account that during the time of the relentless Turkish suicide charges Australians from the rear areas would pay 5 pounds to get to shoot a turk.
Quite rightly they are pointing to Anning as an example of Australia’s standards of 1915 resurfacing.
It was always there.
What a load of virtue-signalling bullshit.
Erdogan has smashed up ataturks memorial inscription at gallipoli, feel free to find this on google.
It`s said you can judge a person by the company they keep. Here`s Erdogon with some of his mates, all three have very chequered careers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKPmGMJ5sew
Rabbits, not doubting you or anything, but can you put up a reference to that five quid story?
It’s just that I made a study of the campaign a few decades ago and have never heard that snippet.
Although it does sound a little Yossarian…
Mullet certainly knows how to make things sound grandiose, Darwin and Cairns are having a great laugh at the title Northern Australia Festival of the Arts. Mullet also reckons that Townsville is the Capital of Northern Australia and is going to be the Arts and Cultural Centre of Northern Australia. Townsville might be the Capital of North Queensland which is stated in QLD government planning and other documents as consisting of the local government areas of Burdekin, Charters Towers, Hinchinbrook and Townsville.
When is this woman going to realise that most of Northern Australia is having a laugh at her and Townsville.
You’ve got to be fucking joking…. Chiodo… the new CEO… he should have been put out to pasture not promoted.
https://www.facebook.com/624398160906098/posts/2391848557494374/
Being hailed by Mayor Mullet as the perfect man for the job to continue the havoc and destruction implemented by hatchet-for-hire Adele Young does not inspire confidence.
And liken her, another of the Northern Territory’s cast offs club infesting Townsville.
How wide was the search, indeed, was there any, really?
Two possible scenarios occur to me here:
1. Mullet can’t find any of her Labor mates to tap on the shoulder to apply for the job
2. She knows that she will probably be kicked out the door this time next year and any CEO appointed by her will probably also be shown the door by a new council so Mike Chiodo will definitely be ready for retirement by then with a nice handshake at ratepayers expense.
After saying that, I haven’t heard of any bad reports about him and people seem find him decent to deal with particularly after Adele Young.
Critical a rabid dog would be seem pleasant to deal with after Adele Young.
Sauces close to my lunch suggest that the search began and ended with poor old Mike for what is essentially a 12 month care-taker contract.
Council is already in hysterical electioneering mode – intersection upgrades, park facilities, Mount Louisa whatever it is supposed to be, walkways, God knows what it will be next week – the interim-CEO will just sit there thumb in bum and rubber-stamp the craziness spewing forth from the Future Cities loonies in a dazzling technicolour display of smoke and mirrors.
I had heard he was suffering a chronic illness and had asked to be released from his previous contract.
Check out this little pearler in the Sydney Morning H from 2008. Mr C has had his nose in the trough for years which makes me wonder why is he still working FFS?
https://www.smh.com.au/national/with-a-mate-like-this-some-people-are-laughing-20081121-6d96.html
Well recalled, mate: as featured in The Magpie’s Nest July 15, 2017.
I wonder if anyone has every sat down and charted the progress of this group of ALP “Nightriders in the sky” who seem to flit from place to place drinking from the neck veins of communities, then fly off again when the light is shone on them?
Names like Adele Young, Stephen Beckett and his wife, Mike Chiodo and others seem to pop up routinely.
It could be an interesting body of work.
these “people” know the system. work the system, are the system … it’s a cosy club that’s so addictive, even when they have the means to retire … they can’t !
Now that the little snots have got firearms what will be the reaction of our limpwristed bleeding heart legislators and the courts. If (and I say if) the gun was a replica it makes no difference to the terror experienced by the shop attendant.
https://images.app.goo.gl/RFfM7F7vSDoBehQt8
YIKES!!!
It looks like the power coup is complete – Mayor Mullet is now also council CEO! At least, so it seems from the Astonisher.
Aw, c’mon, ‘Pie, you say, that’s just click bait stuff done by the office boy, click through to the real story and stop being silly. OK, let’s do that.
Crikey, papers always put a pic of the story subject to enlarge on their headline, don’t they, so it looks like it’s true. Nice one, Mullet, with your little board fee sidelines, you’re now on over $800K.
But, oh, wait a sec … ah, the reliable Raggers has it right there in the first line … it’s actually NT blow-in, Adele Young protege and public service journeyman Mike Chiodo who has hit the big payday (about $400K per).
So what does our new most senior local bureaucrat look like, this Mr Chiodo? Well, sorry, it appears the Astonisher can’t find a pic of him … nothing at all. So let’s give the campaigning Mayor Mullet a couple of free kicks in the exposure department, eh?
The mayor is only periphery to this story, indeed irrelevant, but nothing like letting her run about what a brilliant appointment, as an excuse to run her sweet, butter-wouldn’t-melt pic a couple of times.
BTW this is what our new bloke looks like.
Make no mistake folks, we’re on the campaign trail, and its the Jenny and Jenna show from now until next March. Get used to it.
lovely “pic” of our Jen, Pie … you must have liked it too … you posted it twice !
Exactly as the Bulletin did … if you read the post c-a-r-e-f-u-l-l-y.
You will also notice that the heavies have been put in the Astonisher to drop those drac looking shots of Mayor Mullet that scare little kids (and any adults thinking of running against her.)
Yep, pack of fucking parasites everyone of them, none of them have ever created a job or wealth off their own bat, just sucking off the system since the day they were born, should have a special place in the cemetery for the low life’s,
my apologies to all on this blog for causing that to happen … sincerely
Chiodo in Eytie is translated as nail, looks like Mike has nailed it this time, or has Jenny nailed his other foot to the floor to stop him going around in circles.
He was the bloke that told a Townsville Water team in a meeting there were too many old people in that group as he stood there in a doddery fashion.
I’m told he is well over the 70 mark and has medical condition.
Perhaps he is a lived experience expert: Knows old people because he is one
Which character represents ratepayers concerns about TCC truth and transparency, and which character represents the Mullet?
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DtAVYYe87b9w&ved=2ahUKEwiW8sK1tJLhAhWr73MBHeJZCysQtwIwG3oECAUQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0pjq-gWhaRKIo7lV11aieB
Our mayor is famous for regal lateness, but now it appears she’s turned up on time … at the wrong place.
The Muffin Break people had promised a portion of their profits to the flood relief fund, and Mayor Mullet’s office organised that she would accept the money in person. She duly turned up at Castletown … but the presentation had been organised for the Willows.
Hope a nice campaign pic of our battler’s mayor hasn’t gone begging.
Does anyone know where this flood money raised goes to. It seems every man and their dog has had a fundraising event plus businesses and govt have donated money but who gets it, who decides who gets it and what is the criteria., I wouldn’t mind betting most of it just slides off to someone’s mate or some Labor related social group. I had multiple properties go under and I haven’t seen a cent, but I am used to that and I never qualify for any of this sort of thing so I don’t expect it, but there must be plenty out there in need of a hand, so who decides where the money goes., especially if the Mullet gets her hands on any of it.
Good question.
And how much of it is consumed in “administration costs”?
If the money goes to these so called not-for-profit organisations then it looks like 35-50% might go to administration costs if the figures being provided to the Royal Commission into Aged Care are any guide to go by. Who does it go to, probably a lot goes to the people and groups supported by the ALP and associated social engineers and who just expect handouts and couldn’t be bothered to get off their arses and do something for themselves.
I was one of the bored souls who went along to see Q&A live on Monday night.
The missus asked me what I learned from the experience, and I said 3 things:
1. Never go to Q&A again
2. Cathy O’Toole is a fool
3. If the response of the audience of 500 that night is indicative of what Townsville thinks about Adani then a LOT more people are against the Adani mine than for it
On number three, best remember that those of the Green inclination – and there is now no other reasons to oppose the Carmichael mine since taxpayers money won’t be involved – are more prone to attend pointless gabfests like Q & A than others, most of whom really don’t give a toss … they see the reality is that there will be very few jobs coming Townsville way if these looming financial quagmire ever gets dug. Mayor Mullet is on a winner either way … if the mine gets going and we get a hundred or so jobs out of it (like to know how they’ll check that, anyway), she will hold high the banner of the Battler’s Boaideica, if it finally vetoed, she will do a Joan of Nark and say she tried but those nasty southerners knifed her.
Seems to me it was unfortunate that what set out to be a Q&A about coal and NQ/CQ politics – which had a tiny bit of potential, maybe, got overrun at the last minute by the unavoidable Christchurch event. Probably a pity that the Christchurch matter wasn’t pulled up earlier in the discussion because the panel wasn’t really appropriate for that. Have to say I thought the real estate ‘valuer’ makes Bob Katter look like an academic. Talk about gobbledegook.
It’s official! Coal was the cause of the recent NQ floods. Bob Brown said so on Pat Hesions ABC programme this morning. FFS!!!
what are these people smoking ?
” Townsville woman transforms humans into unicorns
It can take up to 10 hours for a complete unicorn transformation. This Townsville artist has shared exactly how she creates her fantastic creations and what inspired them.”
Hah, that’s nothing, our mayor has so far taken two years to create a unicorn battery factory.
Got a photo or link?
Seek and ye shall find. Bet this makes you feel horny.
With the aid of my king gee shorts with empty pockets in 10 seconds I can transform myself into an elephant.
nah, it must be a “piss take” …. they mucked up & should have held the story over for another 12 days ?
The irony of using unicorns is there was/is such an animal, It`s refereed to in the Old Testament 9 times, but the cloistered kiddie fiddlers who translated the ancient texts had no idea what a unicorn was, as the name suggests its a one horned animal.
Its a bloody Rhinoceros
Once common throughout the Middle East when these fables originated.