Has The RAAF Got A Dirty – And Deadly – Little Secret? Is the ‘Ville About To Be The Next Oakey?

Could be if The ‘Pie’s information is correct (which he believes it is) … information that also suggests an irresponsible political cover-up putting pre-school kids in grave danger.

Also, Labor’s Cunning Plan: Why Labor Is Back In Charge Of Townsville – By Stealth.

On the Trump trail as the weirdness continues apace …

And why The Magpie was forced to reject a free interview with someone who normally charges thousands to speak to journalists … but first.

Oh, The Irony

Big council hoopla out at Townsville Council’s Rowes Bay Sustainability Centre today. (You know the one that has that lone wind power generator relocated from The Strand, lazily turning at the gate of the Sus Centre as a permanent rebuke to Townsville Council’s grandstanding and wasteful green fuckwittery).

But everyone was invited to hop in the car and drive out through the browning suburbs to celebrate – would you believe – National Water Week. Gosh, our generous council has found a lazy $10,000 in water conservation prizes, although just what that might encompass wasn’t canvassed on the media release. (How about sack the entire council, think of the dough we’d save on drips.)

But Bentley is all bent up this week, he’s sick of the political polka surrounding federal and state money (or not) for various projects. He reckons Mayor Jenny ‘Water crisis – what water crisis?’ Hill hasn’t caught up with reality yet.

Dam(n}, indeed.

But What State The Water When We Get Some

The Magpie is subject to a lot of try-ons, and tends to ignore them in the main.

But startling and very serious information, which he believes may well be correct was unearthed during the week. So he publishes on the basis of potential.

In 2013, a whistleblower – a credible person to The ‘Pie’s knowledge, and someone in a position to know – claims he was made aware that – his words – ‘serious concerns had been raised about fire-fighting contaminates stashed underground at RAAF base Townsville. These were described to me as six tanks full of highly nasty stuff.’ And were buried in what may be an unsafe manner adjacent to the kindergarten on the base. (Indeed, a quick check shows there is such a business there.)

He said the tanks were identified by his (civilian) company’s inspectors, but when this was reported to the contractor’s management HQ, senior staff from Melbourne and DoD rushed up here, and decided to leave the chemicals in situ … because removal would involve highly noxious gases being pumped out and possibly escaping. The informants claims that senior staff for the contractor were instructed that the presence of the chemicals was not to be disclosed. As far as The ‘Pie’s informant knows, the chemicals are still there. The state of its safety is unknown, but is certainly troubling.

The Magpie’s informant supplied him with some names, but these days, The Magpie speaking on the phone is not an option following his throat surgery, so his ability to make direct inquiries is somewhat limited. Our man said he decided to say something now because of the potential danger to the kids and staff at the kindy, prompted by the matters revealed at RAAF Oakey and Amberley.

Because of the potential for a tragic event – especially involving young children – I’ve decided to put this unproven information on record as a cautionary measure.

For once, The Magpie hopes he is wrong, or the information is out of date and the kindergarten – and local groundwater – is not at risk. But if there is some truth in the matter, it is now in the public domain and the authorities – and especially the politicians – are on notice and will not be able to claim they didn’t know.

This information will be forwarded on to Cathy O’Toole, but she – or one of her minions – always read this blog, so she will no doubt know. And the state members? Why bother? ‘Nuffin’ to do wif us, it’s a Fed matter’ is the certain reply.. Yeah right, bozos.

It’s Not What You Know But ….

Remember a few years back when the parlor game Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon enjoyed a brief revival. It is based on the ‘six degrees of separation’ concept, which suggests that any two people on Earth are six or fewer acquaintance links apart. Didn’t take that many for Mayor Mullet , or more likely her ALP backroom betters, to put Townsville Council back firmly in party control … and lucrative control at that.

Allow The ‘Pie to enlighten you.

What has this woman got to do with Townsville …

… and what does she have to do with this gal?

Well, as has been mentioned in these pages before, Ms Young made a name for herself as an office pscyopa … err, make that back- sta … sorry that would be resolutely loyal and tough staffer in the office of the Premier and Cabinet in South Australia (in between stints of lying on Darwin radio while in the employ of the then NT boss Clare Martin). She inspired a fair amount of fear and loathing as The Australian described her in this article as a ’union bovver girl and policy powerhouse’, and the loathing didn’t die down when she was appointed (parachuted in without competition) as Director of Reform – oh, well, at least someone’s got a sense of humour.

But guess who else worked in the very same department … yes, yes, you’re so clever, none other than Ms Tanya Smith. But alas, Ms Smith has moved on to the private sector and a Melbourne firm.

And the name of that firm?

Why, goodness, none other than the Nous Group, which includes Innovative Nous Consulting – the very same firm that Mayor Mullet managed to unearth to write the required results into their report on council restructure. And with that project in the works, what’s the betting that someone at Nous suggested to Jenny that they knew the toe-cutter she needed to implement the mayor’s revenge agenda. Well, fair enough, their logo does say Vision Strategy Execution.

Seems Ms Young is Adele the Adept when it comes to being parachuted into positions, but as council CEO, there would’ve been a fair bit of heavy hitting from Labor’s back room bunch for her to overcome no doubt far better qualified contenders. Wouldn’t be hard, it seems. However, The ‘Pie will admit it may have been the other way around, and The Impaler was the one who suggested Nous.

But there you have it, folks, your conspiracy theory du jour signed, sealed and executed.

Labor History Repeats Itself

Mayor Mullet has done the same thing that Mike Reynolds did when he was Townsville mayor, and has gifted Cairns a multi-million dollar tourist bonanza which we can enjoy at our leisure from afar. That’s the ramification of the sacking of Council Galleries manager Shane Fitzgerald.

Mike Reynolds did a Mr Magoo when mayor 30-odd years ago, when he gifted international flights and tourism to Cairns through ego, myopic vision and self-promoting party politics. Ignoring all the inaction since then (including Capt Snooze’s arrogant, do-nothing stint in state parliament) – and apart from the occasional Mooney triumph before he went ‘off the reservation’ – fast forward to 2016, and nothing’s changed. Mayor Mullet aka Jenny Hill and her Labor toe-cutter mate she made CEO Adele The Impaler Young, may have just gifted a multi-million dollar tourism sector to Cairns.

Cairns mayor Bob Manning and the council voted unanimously to make a compulsory acquisition of a CBD pub in a heritage style building ‘to create an art gallery and cultural precinct in the Cairns CBD’.

Mayor Manning made no bones about the motivation.

‘We want Cairns to become known as the Arts Capital of Northern Australia,’ he said. He then lobbed this ticking statement into the lap of Townsville’s Walker Street Goths: “The property adjoins two other heritage buildings – the former Cairns Public Office building, now inhabited by the Cairns Regional Art Gallery; and the former Mulgrave Shire Council building. Together, these three buildings represent a significant piece of our city’s history and would provide an ideal location for the expansion of our cultural facilities. Most importantly, three of the city’s heritage-listed assets will be retained in public ownership and available for the use and enjoyment of public and visitors alike.”

Well, Bob, The ‘Pie knows of an ideal candidate to join you in this venture. Just contact our Mayor Mullet or Adele The Impaler to get the number for a highly skilled, results-proven professional whom hey have deemed surplus to this town’s requirements.

Well done, Dunderhead Sisters, Mike Reynolds couldn’t have done it better … and who knows, he may even have advised you on it, although in the back-biting, bitchy world of Labor, who would ever know?

But Just In Case You Thought it Couldn’t Get Worse, Or How To Add Insult To Injury

There are unconfirmed reports that Mr Fitzgerald’s successor at Perc Tucker and Pinnacles has been named … and one can only hope those reports remain unconfirmed and untrue.

Because Mayor Mullet and The Impaler have decided to go from consummate, savvy professional like this …

… to this … (no kidding)

… a former drummer in a mediocre local rock band, and a businessman who in the commercial world was both on the nose and on his last business legs when he made a run for council and thus helped The Mullet gain the mayoral plush. Strangely enough, despite his rejection by the voters, Mr jimmieson quickly was appointed the council’s events director, and now … are we meeting our new King of Kulture in the ‘Ville. Hopefully, the art galleries will not come under his purview of Sports and Arts. There is a separate portfolio called Culture.

The national fallout of Fitzgerald’s departure has been scathing and damaging in the extreme, and one wonders what the reaction will be when this appointment is announced.

God help us all..

Other Matters

Just in from a mate.

Cash For Comment, Magpie Style

The ‘Pie has to be careful that his publishing of comments during the week is not mistaken for his personal endorsement of anything or anyone. So when our old mate (?) Ture Sjolander sent in a comment regarding the Shane Fitzgerald sacking, he included a link to an irrelevant video of himself rabbiting on about art. 25 years ago! The ‘Pie published the comment but edited out the link. That didn’t sit too well with Ture, he noted the omission and tried again with this.

Author : Ture Sjolander (IP: 123.211.22.150 , CPE-123-211-22-150.lnse3.cha.bigpond.net.au)

E-mail : email hidden; JavaScript is required

Comment:

Thanks! I said the same thing ON LOCAL PUBLIC TELEVISION 25 year ago so why not repeat it on this link to Vimeo for everyone to watch it again:

This TV interview will not hurt anyone?

It is still perfectly valid 2016 as it was 1991.

Even You Tube get it.

Cordially. Ture.

The Magpie has again deleted the link in the above message, and feels compelled to reply to an injured Mr Sjolander, who apparently doesn’t like doing something for nothing, and this from his public profile attests.

So The ‘Pie replies :

Certainly it would do no harm, Ture, but as one businessman to another, The ‘Pie must tell you he also imposes charges similar to the one’s you demand … only double, considering the more rarified and refined audience The Magpie commands weekly. So The Magpie will be happy to post your ageing, self-promoting video (aimed no doubt to bolster your ambition to succeed Mr Fitzgerald as local arts supremo) on receipt of of $60,000 (folding cash only please).

Looking forward to it, good to see that you understand the worth of The Magpie’s Nest.

Seems She’s Got Spock’s Vote

Hillary Clinton has a secret weapon? The Clint gave the game away at a recent appearance.

‘Beam me up, Scotty, back to the starship White House … The evil Planet Trumpoid is destroyed.’

It would seem the tin-foil hat brigade have been well and truly foiled, with the propellors on the beanies doing overtime in indignation. But it would appear even Yanks have a point where they kick back. But like the Black Knight of Planet Python, the Trumpoid isn’t dead and doesn’t even know he’s disabled.

But let us end with a moment of sanity from the most unlikely source.

Any donations to help keep The Magpie aloft will be greatly appreciated.