Every single one of the the councillors who were re-elected have been quick to polish their halos about TwoNames Thompson’s lying during the council election, but it is now apparent they did much of the same in failing to share a crucial plan they had fully formulated even before the campaign started. The Magpie puts the case.
Connected to that, is the Strand Parking Meter plan done and dusted and inevitable? Not if people are willing to make enough noise about it. The ‘Pie reprints an eloquent letter that calmly lays out what is ethically wrong with the plan.
The ABC had a strange take on biology during the week, which sparked a lively debate in comments. At the risk of offence (‘Nah, never from you, Magpie, c’mon’) The ‘Pie will make some bleedin’ obvious observations about menstruation.
And also in the same territory, we welcome back Bentley for one of his occasional visits to set us all straight on that gender controversy in the Olympic Boxing Camp.
And from the USA, he’s heading for Karmageddon … Kamala has Donald The Dodger on the run, finally taking the Democrats’ fight up to his face … in fact, that’s her challenge to the political mobster who is trying to avoid debating her ... ‘say it to my face, Donald’.
A quick reminder that your support of the Nest with a donation is continually need to help The Magpie meet Nest costs – needed and appreciated, with thanks to those who have already helped out. You can join them by using the donate button at the end of the blog. Thanks.
We Might Call The Accidental Mayor TwoNames, But Should We Call His Councillor Critics Two Faced?
It has now come to light that long before the LG election campaign, all Team Hill councillors knew full well about controversial plans to install parking meters along the Strand, Palmer Street and around the Mater Hospital. This knowledge is evidenced by the fact that much of the equipment, bought in from a Melbourne manufacturer, is made-to-order, they are not off-the-shelf machines. The full complement isn’t here yet, but The ‘Pie’s sources suggest some are in storage in South Townsville or some place (not sure), having been ordered some time ago.bTo have an installation timetable of next January, there would be a considerable lead time. Add to that the time of lengthy inter-departmental council meetings, jaw-boning, arse-covering and briefing notes for Jenny Hill and her councillors, it is clear this is no last-minute panic plan.
Combine factors of financial mismanagement and large debt of the council and ways to try and get it somehow back under control, the players in the Walker Street Hermit kingdom faced considerable challenges, and all their options were electorally unpalatable. Neither a rates rise of the magnitude to make a real dent in the debt, and/or cutting back on running expenses would bring unwanted public pushback, so it was secretly decided to create an extra revenue stream from paid parking in currently unmetered areas. In other words a cash grab hiding behind the user pays mantra, overlooking the fact that we already pay for the Strand upkeep. That other cities of similar sizes have done just this was used as justification not to offer the electorate a discussion about options.
But Hill, directing her campaign, made it clear this issue was not to be mentioned. She was savvy enough to know the reaction. So every Team Hill member knew of this plan, borne of panicked action as possible insolvency closed in, and refused to take the issue to the people, and see what their preferences were. The outside consultants on whose report the council has acted did not have any component of public consultation, no feeling the pulse of ratepayers. Making it worse, these dishonest councillors are trying to sell the installation as creating turn-over and easing congestion which simply DOES NOT EXIST.
And so we end up with a Jenny Hill legacy of inappropriate parking meters and massive debt – even when she’s not infesting our civic life anymore.
Can The Council Be Made To Think Again?
It will take a re-grouping and greater involvement of public disapproval … even a protest on the Strand … to force the issue back to the drawing board. The elected members of the council have stayed with their decision in the knowledge that it is at three years before they have to face the people again, in the hope they have the famous ‘goldfish memory’ of Townsville voters. And the paid public servants, the TCC staff, and executives, particularly people like Matt Richardson, simply couldn’t give a fuck about the wider issue of amenity and fairness, they just count dollars without trying to think of other ways to raise money.
Friday’s Bulletin published a letter from Simon Mitchell that put the case of why this plan should not happen … it doesn’t offer alternatives, it simply and somewhat emotively states why it shouldn’t happen.
]
| The Magpie |
Submitted on 2024/07/31 at 10:53 pm
If this is true (Thompson says it isn’t, but he lies a lot) it is absolutely pathetic, absolutely futile.
Let’s face it, there’s bugger all reputation left to damage, after his efficient job of trashing it himself on national television. What Thompson is now claiming discrimination through his disability – epilepsy. And somehow, this has caused a DV abusing, valour-stealing, proven fraudster, and serial lying under-educated, financial incompetent some sort of reputational – reputational FFS – damage. After failing to disprove any of these facts on national television. He doggedly and somewhat dementedly refuses to entertain any other reason but discrimination about epilepsy as to why he is becoming so widely despised. And again, if this story in the Bulletin is factual, his is a carefully planned self-immolation. It appears Thompson figured it was too hard to sue all the councillors (in fact, as pointed out in The Nest already, he really has no case the councillors and their no confidence vote – and they weren’t the ones who either called for actually blocked him from entering the TCC building). So he has indicated to other councillors – according to the Bulletin – he is just going after the council management itself. That is straight out dollars and cents thinking, because in his simple minded way, and with very amateurish legal advice, he has perhaps figured the council could find the money to pay out through insurance. The Bulletin quotes one councillor saying that he is hoping for $100k at least. This poor mutt of a mayor is suffering under the delusion that council will reach a settlement to avoid the cost of defending in court. Such a defence will cost the council NOTHING … it is insured against this sort of scamming, and it is bread and butter to these fellows. He in for big fucking shock – it is impossible to see how this utterly nonsensical matter would even remotely get through the process required to actually end up in front a jury, or a judge-only trial. But The Magpie for one hopes this goes to court – an expert in these sorts of insurance matters tells The ‘Pie there is zero chance of a settlement, the insurance company will take this to civil trial if necessary, and Thompson will have to fund his own costs – and these things can quickly start heading north towards the million mark. Even his MyPlace mates will blanche at that. And be interesting to see what lawyer would be willing to take on this deeply disturbed man with such a bullshit argument as a client. If he persists in such a course, he could be getting close be being declared a vexatious litigant … legal speak for crazed time-wasting pest. BUT he has taken to Facebook to say it is all lies … which leaves us to decide if this serial liarb is lying about even this. But Now TwoNames has taken to Facebook to say it’s all lies by the Bulletin …
this puts the average reader of all this in a dilemma: do we believe a proven liar when he says it is lies, or we believe the Townsville Bulletin ‘facts’. Coin toss time. |
| The Magpie |
Submitted on 2024/08/01 at 11:10 am | In reply to The Magpie.
On the basis that the enemy of my enemy is my friend (tenuous at best in this case ) The ‘Pie reckons today’s Daily Astonisher editorial is worth a reprint here.
The Magpie for one is not letting you off scot free, but carrying your brave new face forward to other issues – let’s not drop the ball on Strand parking meters – you may redeem yourself to some degree. |
In A First, Barnaby Gets It Right, The Media Gets It Wrong
FFS have we lost all sense of language, metaphor, messaging? Or just happy to accept the deliberate distortion of it?
The hysterical hypocrisy surrounding Barnaby Joyce’s making a strong, well-worked and clever multi-layered metaphor, has suddenly seen the woke world cave in, and smelling salt futures go through the roof.
From the ABC report:
The Nationals’ frontbencher told protesters attending an anti-wind farm rally to “get ready to load that magazine” and vote out the prime minister, federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen and local MP Stephen Jones.
“The bullet you have is this little piece of paper, it goes in the magazine called the voting box and it’s coming up,” he said.
“Get ready to load that magazine. Go, goodbye Chris. Goodbye, Stephen. Goodbye, Albo,” he said.
Joyce’s comments were an uncharacteristically smart referencing of the difference between extremes in social discourse between Australia and the US. Joyce’s reasonable dog whistle was clear – that while America may choose guns and violence, Australia chooses votes and ballot boxes. By any reading, Joyce’s words were a rejection of violence in favour of the democratic system.
Seriously, WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH THAT?
And then this empty twaddle.
Forget Albanese’s posturing about sacking Joyce, the prime minister has made a hypocritical mountain out of a moral molehill, deliberately misinterpreting the words to somehow (The ‘Pie really doesn’t know how he’s sanely managed it) suggest Joyce was wrong to make such a reference. Joyce was encouraging nothing more than to trust voting over violence.
This clutching of pearls by the Prime Minister is a lame, transparent attempt to divert attention away from his own ministerial failures which forced him into his own embarrassing and damaging reshuffle.
And the ultimate irony is on that rare occasion when Barnaby is right, he shits himself in the face of a goody two shoes media and and apologises. So we end as we started with ….FFS.
A Silly Bit Of Wokeness From The ABC
A whinsuically named reader huffed this into Nest comments.
| John Wilkes Booth |
Submitted on 2024/08/01 at 11:03 pm
This is a serious subject but it is diminished by the bullshit wordsmithing. People who are menstruating. Nowhere could I see the word woman. Again here is the ABC pandering to the woke virtuous inner city late sipping ignoramus’s. We must not offend those XY chromosome women (with amazingly well developed male characteristics. |
That brought a few of the sad pedants out of the woodwork, quoting arcane studies about blokes who crack the shits every month, and so the ABC was, for once, right. The Magpie, against his better judgement, decided to enter the fray.
August 2, 2024 at 8:22 am (Edit)
ALL of the ‘people’ menstruating are WOMEN, this is a weird overstep by the ABC. After a re-read, The ‘Pie cannot even see what sort of agenda they’re promoting, it doesn’t make sense. Unless of course, we are being told that cocks in frocks are actually women because they’ve decided to be, or chaps who undergo operations to have their tackle changed into a tackle box don’t menstruate. A more accurate and less idiotic headline might have been: Menstruating Women Disadvantaged By Cost Of Living Crisis.
But seriously, as to the subject itself, The Magpie has long believed – and has written here and elsewhere – that basic women’s pads and tampons should be available free of charge. Yes, the overall taxpayer would foot the bill, but if government’s are serious about equality, let alone mental and sexual health, why should women be financially discriminated against because of an unavoidable biological fact? It is also discrimination against men and children, because as the article reports, these products (vastly overpriced in a captive market) affect household budgets and wellbeing of whole families.
And please, to save your bleeding keyboard fingers, dimwits, please do not trot out the old trope that if that’s the case, men’s shaving gear should also be free. The Magpie is not advocating that brazilians should be subsidised, they’re optional. Menstruation is not. If you don’t know the difference between the two situations, you are a closet incel idiot. Most likely with a teeny weeny.
Getting Boxed Around The Ears
There’s been a gigantic Olympic ringing in the ears over the gender row in the boxing program in Paris. There have been howls of anguish from both sides when some big Brunnhilde belted the cannelloni out of some Itye girl who promptly had a big blub about it She is crying foul because she reckons the her opponent was a pug, not a pugette like her. Critics jumped in, (yawn) also claiming the said Brunhilde (Algerian Imane Khelif) was actually a bloke with an unfair advantage. Things then got all technical and narky (zzzz) but in a welcome return visit to the Nest, our old mate Bentley reckons there’s an easy way to stop the bickering.
‘Say It To My Face’ – Kamala Harris Is Shredding Donald Trump At Every Turn
The Tangerine Terrorist now knows he is facing Karmageddon. As one wag said when Biden stepped down“Trump is like the dog who caught the car’.
By accident, and created for a totally different reason (a luggage product) The ‘Pie was struck by a particular photo montage as the perfect metaphor for the transformed Presidential election campaign baggage train.
After last week’s unanswerable put down that, as a former senior prosecutor, ‘I knows Donald Trump’s type’, Harris aimed an even more devastating blow during the past week, challenging Trump’s refusal so far to debate her on national television (or anywhere).
As though ‘I know Donald Trump’s type’ wasn’t a ready made KO campaign slogan – just five devastating words – in the past week, Harris made a cleverly worded challenge to the debate-dodging Donald which left no doubt what she was saying: debate me, or stand a proven coward. Here’s the moment.
That is, if nothing else, a stinging and damaging slogan ready made for the Democrats right there: ‘SAY IT TO MY FACE’.
The Harris campaign has started a groundswell that has breathed new life into the run for the White House and sparked a disheartening campaign of MAGAaniacs gutter-sniping and outright lies. So much so, that apart from falling back on racism, misogyny and lies, Trump has now started an unsubtle campaign of already deciding if he loses, it will have been another rigged election. So far, Harris has met these insinuations by promoting the fact that things with her opponent are ‘weird’. Something, it seems, the Constitution does not specifically cover.
Some Closing Buffoonery
With the corrupt Olympics mafia determined to eventually have every human contest under the sun declared an Olympic sport, up to and including the ‘No Hands Highest Pissing Against A Wall’, those chortling chaps at The Shovel reckon they know the next challenging skill to be put to the Olympic test.
Parking a car parallel to the road in line with other parked vehicles while others look on and judge will be an Olympic sport in Los Angeles in 2028, it has been confirmed.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said the addition of the popular spectator sport was long overdue. “Running 100 metres in under 10 seconds is difficult. But not nearly as hard as driving a car backwards into a small space with the radio blaring, while someone in the back seat tells you they could do it better,” a spokesperson said.
The event will include a number of different rounds, including ‘parking between two SUVs’, ‘parking with an opinionated passenger’ and the gold medal round ‘parking right out the front of a pub while 100 people look on’.
And to maintain interest levels, this will be a gender tested event, with only women eligible.
And Now For The Movie
The all the stoic patience of a 10-year-old quietly waiting for the end of a road trip, The ‘Pie awaits certain matters to become instant movies. It’s something we all do, ashn we imagine who should play certain roles. Some casting is likely to be a bit of a stretch – Danny e Vito as the lead in “The Hulk Hogan Story’, Dolly Parton as Jacqueline Kennedy. And Buddy Ebsen out of the Beverly Hillbilly to play J.D.Vance when the time comes (about January next year). But there is one serious suggestion The Magpie has made on Twitter.
The likeness is so close (sorry Robert) that it should be pointed out that above is actually is Duvall. And his is Giuliani on a good hair day.
…………….
Arsing Around – Bigtime
Architects are funny cattle at the best of times, with their very public efforts impacting on entire city vistas, for good or ill. And they always attract critics … and why not, they affect our landscape, so our opinion is merited and invited. Public criticism ranges from the fond (our very own Sugar Shaker here in the ‘ville) to playful (the Sydney Opera House looking like nuns in a scrum, and the adjacent and hideous apartment block The Toaster) to Tom Wolfe’s lament about architects decorating open space in front of their buildings with huge abstract metal sculptures which he dubbed as ‘turds in the plaza’).
So it didn’t take Londoners long to let the designer of the newest proposed building in the City of London financial district ‘The Toilet Seat’.
In fact, the visualisations of the project met with such outrage that the architects – precious bastards at the best of times – said they’d consider modifications (they won’t, except maybe add a lid). It doesn’t appear to serve any useful purpose, and was probably the result of toilet training trauma when the designer was a child. But given where it planned to go – the financial district – perhaps there some brutal if unintended symbolism, since this is the home of the financial czars you have for centuries been shitting on the British citizenry.
…………..
All done for another week. Comments have taken on a life of their own, keep an eye on them for some fun and some breaking news … and join in with a comment of your own, if you want.
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Pie , good summary of the Councillors . Team Hill remaining lack of financial understanding and the fact they were stupid enough to try and silence Councillor O’Callaghan who got the Ceo to disclose project blowouts and only 60 % of scheduled yearly projects were completed =rolling the funding the hiding debt blowouts . Newly elected Councillors quickly have forgotten transparency / not listening and that voters sought change . Councillors need to disclose what savings they have made on the $900 mil Council budget as to date all they have done is increase rates 10.1 % , parking , concession pool fees . State wide 50 cent fares commence tomorrow not that too many Townsville people will benefit as Aaron / Scott / Les dropped the ball on improving public transport along with many other issues .
Word up. Apparently before the council money grab budget was introduced, it’s believed council management and directors had a brain storming meeting to find ways to save and or make money for the greedymongrels. One option put forward was scrapping Anzac Day. This shows the level of greed and careless attitude from these grubs. Also the parking meters were definitely ordered before budget release. Liars, one and all. Amazing that we are bagging the elected mayor for his lies, yet really affected no one but himself, yet we have this corrupt local government that can merrily lie and rape the public’s coffers for their own benefit. Why no outrage from estate and federal, why no investigation into corruption and dirty dealings with this mob
Dear Pie
Using “fuckin” in your reporting does not add anything to the story. Please tone down the language,
Thanks
Understand your point of view, and The ‘Pie thought long and hard before deciding a couple of years ago to use and to allow others to use ‘fucking’ as an emphasising adjective. It is now so common that ‘fucking’ has become what ‘bloody’ and ‘bastard’ of The ‘Pie’s youth. It is now so widespread, the word has lost all power to shock and dismay the majority of people, and when used appropriately, adds a tone of extremity to any statement good or bad. A useful progression in The ‘Pie’s opinion, it did not deserve the provitive but he does understand that some folks, usually of a certain age and upbringing, still baulk when seeing it.
The word cunt is still reserved in this blog for expressions of a very extreme nature, and is used very sparingly, although it too is now commonplace even in MSM. The ‘Pie was surprised to see even Gruen on the ABC recently used it in a joking way, and any number of movies and documentaries toss it around carelessly. To some extent, The Magpie applauds that both words are losing an unreasonable power to shock, insult and even denote class, because that’s where it’s power to set linguistic boundaries came from in the first place, class-ridden Victorian English, with all it’s privileged social divisions. Until they prissied up society with false boundaries of words and accents, there was in London down Fleet Street way a Gropecunt Lane … rather appropriate that it should be in the vicinity where so many journalist still work.
But there is a big difference between cunt and fuck, because cunt, which morphed from the old English ‘coney’ (which may explain the popularity of Coney Island in NY), is not only gender specific and therefore derogatory solely to women, it is an ugly word in itself. But perhaps that’s the point of its usage, short, sharp and ugly. And is now losing its value as an extreme expression, which may make people think a little more creatively when insulting others.
But in the case of both words, it’s always been a mystery as a metaphor; isn’t it strange to try and insult someone with two words that literally represents the universal goal of every man and woman on the planet.
I too find it “annoying” (especially when in female company) and so bloody needless, there are more than enough expletives without going to the base level on every occasion.
Sure! there are occasions that merit it, i.e. hit thumb with hammer, etc.
I saw, on TV the bloke who was attacked by a shark last week, recalling the experience, he could not manage more than 3 words without the effin’ expletive. But it was obvious that was his usual sentence structure.
I have a neighbor who can’t go past 2 words without an F’in there. After a few beers he even doubles down to several in sequence.
You do know that scientifically proven that people that use swearing words are more intelligent than those that dont.I must be a fuckin genius then,hey bird!
Don’t find the terms jarring in the blog.; thoughI’m of an era where, as a kid/ young man, it just wasn’t considered right to swear in front of women and kids. I’d seen both my Dad and my uncle give blokes a smack in the mouth for doing so. (no, didn’t emotionally scar me either)
I find it disappointing that we can’t go out in public with our kids (youngest is 6) without hearing all sorts of language. Problems a symptom of today’s internet level, narcissistic behaviour.
Common courtesy is so uncommon now.
FFS Pete of Annandale, sorry that you’re offended by the use of the word by Pie, fuck !
No doubt the Pie will take your annual $5,000 donation to the Nest into consideration as he mulls over your arse clenching request.
Perhaps you might just scroll past the naughty bits or better still don’t bother reading the Nest at all.
The fact that you’re offended by the word fuck doesn’t concern most people, similar to you commenting on the time of day you eat breakfast or visit the commode !
Chill out FFS !
Jatz, The ‘Pie feels he’s made an appropriate response to what was in fact both a polite and understandable reaction from what one suspects is a person from the same era as The ‘Pie … and you, too,
That said, The ‘Pie does not in any way wish to deter anyone contemplating an annual $5000 donation.
Fair comment Pie. I’m just over the ever increasing’I’m offended’ mantra !
BTW, I’m younger than yours and possible Annandale’s era and this point was highlighted last time I played golf and won as I scored a high score card than my playing mates !
Why would TCC double the rate of parking in the City during a cost of living crisis? TCC are out of touch and punishing residents for poor financial management. A small business owner wouldn’t get away with a 100% price increase on any product or service so why should the TCC?
Succinct, to the point and totally correct.
Cas Garvey publish anything negative about Team Jenny Hill survivors?
I’d like to see that.
Won’t happen, Cas Garvey, Chris Burns, Cameron Bates are all team Jenny puppets.
Fuck the strand parking meters. One of my simple pleasures is to be able to sit at the rockpool and take pictures of the resident sea turtles, for free.
On another matter , I have come up with my own plan to rehabilitate car thieves at a considerably reduced cost. They should be sentenced to sit on a chair with a video camera and a phone beside the main drags on weekdays and first record the tailgaters , then call their mates to follow them home, steal their vehicles, them torch them
At the rate they are going, if their efforts are redirected, I can drive looking forward instead of in the rear mirror in no time. This public service will make it safer to stop in an emergency without getting arse ended too. May even get a few coppers too. They tailgate in cop vehicles as a matter of course and not duty.
I hate ALL tailgaters without discrimination.
Goodness, who would’ve taken you for a non-discriminatory wholesale hater, Pat.
If the police prosecuted tailgaters (as they could with radar programmed to do so) there could be an end to multiple pile-ups on our roads. Your brakes are designed to stop YOUR car, not yours and the semi behind you.
Gas Carvery, you are a hypocrite. You worshipped Jenny Hill and you refused to publish any negative comments about her at times when negative stories were warranted. But you are happy to call out Mayor Twonames because he stuck it to your newspaper and pulled advertising revenue from you. Ouch that hurt didn’t it? Both Hill and Thompson are idiots and both have/were non-transparent in their activities as Mayor, yet you only went after one of them. Gas, you fall short of journalists code of ethics and that’s probably the reason why you have been posted to Bumfuckville and you are not in a major city.
Mophead – how did TwoNames “pull” advertising? More to the point, who in Council would do anything that Thompson told them? He is an impotent, good for nothing fool.
Now and also in the past, The ‘Pie has raised an eyebrow with claims that the mayor alone can make a ‘no advertising with the paper’ order.
Don’t think it’s quite that simple.
Angry man, Twonames openly stated that he would spend less TCC money on advertising and use social media instead.
The ‘Pie’s point on that is: is it his call?
And the only reason he’d do that is not out of fiscal probity, but spite at being called out by the paper. Priorities, Mopsy, priorities, mate.
He night “state” it, but he is unable to actually make it happen. He is a maladroit fool. His cringeworthy Facebook posts are simply a sop for his deluded followers, hardly an effective or dignified way to conduct council business.
Council must focus on cost cutting – 6 layers of management before you get to the on-ground, service delivering workforce needs to be made 5 or preferably 4 layers. The previous CEO’s gross incompetence saw an increase in General Managers from 12 to 22 and FTEs from 1700 to 1900 (mostly admin). Dropping a level or two of management could be delivered immediately and save $10m per year, reducing FTEs to 1600 (enough to effectively and efficiently deliver for the community) could be delivered in a couple of years (no VRs), saving $30m. These choices aren’t conceptually or operationally hard, and goes to show how lazy the current thinking is. If we’re not careful, TCC will be $700m in debt in 3 years! Forecast $468m (thank you again Prins), + $100m working capital facility (needs to be paid back) + $120m to complete the pipeline (which will be more again by the time they bite the bullet and do it – cause State and Commonwealth won’t fund it), locking in rate and utility pain for the community (us rate payers) for years and years to come.
Good insight John, and very appropriate to use the word lazy.
But there’s also political cowardice involved here. When Campbell Newman decided to sack a pack of public servants, the outcry was led by unions, not out of concern for distraught families with starving children, but on losing the power of numbers which previous Labor administrations had deliberately built up. And much of the public went along with what on the surface was sold as a humanitarian stand against an anti-worker measure. What no one seemed to consider or acknowledge was that the taxpayer was footing the bill for unnecessary featherbedding jobs – jobs which in fact – and is evidenced at the TCC – are serving mainly to hinder efficient processes rather than aid and enhance them.
It could be said these extra layers of management (true of all levels of government, public service & within Defence) not only hinders efficient process & adds additional layers to avoid accountability, but also serve to provide career longitude to those who would otherwise have been ‘shown the door’. It also facilitates each organisation being able to demonstrate their support for all ‘modern targets’ (to put it politely) within their workforce, especially when they can say they are in management. Unfortunately, I don’t believe there is the moral or institutional fortitude anywhere that would see this change in the foreseeable future.
It’s ironic that Prins as a Nous consultant advised TCC to cull its workforce, which they did. Then, Prins comes back as CEO and realises he has no staff and he goes on a hiring spree. What a useless and deplorable fuck that he was.
The re-hiring was mainly of external contractors at higher cost.
John TCC likes to have lots of Chiefs. It makes them feel like they gave friends when the Indians and the Peasants revolt. It also gives those in higher levels of management more people to point the finger at when shit goes bad, as it invariably does, because those in higher management don’t fucking listen. (Apologies to pete@annandale for swearing)
John, one area of TCC that does not appear to have enough staff is the one that reports on on-the-ground progress with the Haughton pipeline, particularly Haughton2 which apparently has been underway since October 2023 and is now, what? . . . stalled waiting for more money?, half done, nearly finished, parked behind the Adani airport?, who knows?
You think that TCC will have to find “$120m to complete the pipeline (which will be more again by the time they bite the bullet and do it – cause State and Commonwealth won’t fund it)”, but that was already a wobbly number and a dubious argument a month ago. In a TCC update on 9 July it was reported that the current forecast cost to complete the project is $420 million. To get there, someone will need to find a top-up to the State’s $195m and Council’s $79m – in other words $146m. CEO Mr McCabe said back then that “while Council is committed to water security for the community, Council is unable to contribute any further additional funds to the project above the $79 million.”
So who is representing Townsville ratepayers’ interests here? Why are you so sure that State and Commonwealth “won’t fund it”? There’s a state election coming up, there’s a federal government which has not made any significant contribution and there seems to be an undercurrent of opinion (not here in the ‘Nest, but generally speaking) that we ratepayers will just have to suck it up. Well I don’t think so! I think our council should be knocking on politicians’ doors and not accepting that we are all mugs that have been duped. We had nothing to do with the funding cockup, it was out of our hands.
The Coalition offered $195m which was knocked back by Dick (head) … not sure if this Labor government would reinstate the offer, especially to an LNP regime in Brissy.
But all in all, good comment, Troy.
Magpie, no matter how much the Coalition federal government offered to pay in, what was it, 2019, it was never going to be the final cost. We all know that and the stadium project was a perfect example, from the same era, of how government-funded projects blow out – 15-20% in that case. In the case of the pipeline though, this was a project that was not optional. Townsville urgently needed a back up pipeline and both federal and state government pledged to assist the Townsville community – not just the local council. The fact that state and federal governments engaged in fiscal and political argy bargy does not absolve either of them of responsibility to our community. I can’t accept that their smart-arsed kicking shins in the scrum gets either of them out of the picture and I don’t think it’s acceptable to excuse them – especially at our community’s expense. Just because our council is now intellectually disabled is no reason for the federal government (in particular) to abandon us to our fate. Even though he’s on the wrong political side here, I’d like to hear Phillip Thompson make the case to support the Townsville community rather than hide behind some tainted referee’s decision and casually dismiss us in our dilemma.
Interesting that you suggest the one politicians who has done more positive things representing this city at any level has casually dismissed us in our dilemma.
bet you’ve kicked a few shins in scrums in your time, Jen, eh?
C’mon Jenny (I mean Elusive Butterfly) why try to spoil Phil’s reputation? He has done more for Townsville than the current 3 Labor cockheads.
Really Magpie? The pipeline needs an extra $146m and you’d prefer that Queensland and Townsville ratepayers pick up the entire Haughton pipeline tab (well over $600m) rather than the federal member sully his shining reputation? Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face.
The ‘Pie will be patient with you just one mor etiome, although he thinks you’re being deliberately pernicious.
Please show us where The ‘Pie expressed any such preference opr opinion. He was commenting on the likelihood, since he lives in the real world..
Magpie, ” . . . . just one more time.” Thanks. The Townsville community is being told by some unknown source that WE have to come up with $146m new money to pay for the Haughton pipeline duplication. Our struggling council is already making a significant contribution and can’t afford to spend any more. It seems like our once self-trumpeting state and federal political representatives are now creeping silently back into the shadows in case some antsy locals start demanding they step up to the plate and support us. Meanwhile, our federal member is complaining in the media that the multi-million remnants of the ex-Haughton2 $195m ‘slush fund’ he was handed to spend in the electorate, but didn’t, are not being spent by the new government the way he would have liked – if at all. He wants Reef HQ to be rebuilt. I would like to see those remnants put back where they belong drought-proofing Townsville. Does anyone have a better suggestion?
Must have missed that bit where some mysterious source actually said the council (the ratepayers) had to come up with the extra $176m. DSource please (of the quote if not the identity). Where is/was the ‘community’ told this? And a kite-flying comment here in the Nest doesn’t count.
Magpie, the mysterious source (a “costly consultant”) started with Phil Thompson on 4 July 2024:
“The key reason for this disgrace is identified as the refusal from Team Labor to accept the Federal funding when it was offered. “Adding further insult to injury, I also understand a costly consultant has now been on the books for almost a year to identify ways to mop up Labor’s disastrous mess – which includes putting out the begging bowl to the Queensland and Federal Governments for an additional $146 million.”
A few days later our newly elected and totally functioning Council came out all explanatory:
TCC 9 July 2024
“Mr McCabe said, since that time, Council has been working with a specialist consultant to conduct an in-depth review of the project, specifically focusing on how to reduce the forecast cost to complete the project.
“The consultant identified several reasons for the cost increase to the project, with the single biggest contributor being the cost escalation associated with construction following the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mr McCabe said.
The “consultant” has not been identified – either by Phil Thompson or by the Council. They are anonymous. There is no particularity about the $146m. It’s just a number, in the same way that “extortion” is just a word. Apparently it’s our fault because Jenny Hill, and it’s our problem because Team Labor.
We know all that, but where is the suggestion that the council has to come up with the extra money?
Jenny my little crab. Was it not TCC (in fact your namesake) who announced we needed the pipeline and tried to pull the State and Feds into her little self-made quagmire? No amount of throwing mud will change the fact that this was an own-goal for Jenny Hill in her search for a legacy project and no amount of spin from you will change that.
Whether or not TCC had to employ a consultant, they did. The consultant laid the estimated ultimate cost of Haughton2 on the council table, not the state or federal government. On 9 July the CEO said a confidential update was presented to all Councillors, including Mayor Thompson, in Chambers on 17 May 2024 providing a full briefing on the current status of the Haughton 2.
“To date, Councillors have been unable to publicly address the project status due to the confidential nature of the report provided to them,” Mr McCabe said.
“Council will complete its review, identify solutions and engage with State funding partners and other critical stakeholders to endeavour to ensure Council provides the community with a low-cost secure water supply via the Haughton Pipeline Project.”
If council wants to pass the parcel up the chain it will need to get out the begging bowl – the one identified by Phil Thompson. In the meantime the ball is in TCC’s court, ratepayers’ court, unless someone really smart and politically savvy can shift it somewhere else. A dummy pass won’t do.
Interesting that you are so well informed on timelines, and you keep using footy analogies (kicking shins in the scrum, dummy pass) one imagines you sit around talking the glory days of his nsporting youth with TwoNames … or talk about it in the mirror.
Seems your/Troy aim now is to have the whole council dissolved and an administrator brought in. In other words, lock the doors of the burning building so as you’re not the only one trapped inside. Might not be a bad idea, in fact, it’s about the one time we might whole agree, Tr…err, Jenny.
This will stir the pot with some of our more experienced idiots: put simply, if you’re capable of giving birth, then you’re not a man. Obviously exceptions possible for transgender men, but bring trans is as illegal in Algeria as it would be dangerous.
Anti-flog many women are not capable of giving birth, or of even conceiving. It doesn’t make them any less female and you dont have to be transgender for this to be the case. So let’s not go in that direction as it sounds very much like a JD Vance cat lady argument.
You’ve veered way of track, Tasty Bits … the initial point was just who menstruates, and even those who can’t have kids still do so. Of course they’re still females, what else would they be?
Magpie I responded to the stupid statement that ” if you’re capable of giving birth, then you’re not a man.”. Many women, who are not transgender, are not capable of giving birth for a variety of reasons and yet they are not men.
Nitpicking semantics.
Another idiotic statement from you, Ducky. Did A_F say, “If you’re not capable of giving birth, you’re a man”? You are turning deliberate misinterpretation into an art form. Either that or you’re just fucking stupid.
Im not an expert in these matters but wouldn’t it be better to just test for chromosomes to determine the biological sex of a competitor in any sport.
XX for female and XY for male.
Dear ‘Pie,
While this biological gender issue is important, facts and science is being sidelined by the feel good freaks, I never imagined it would become such an issue, a platform for the nutters. I think I owe you an apology for the distraction it has caused.
Don’t apologise, best fun The ‘Pie has had this month.
I believe it was a clarification. I can nitpick of you’d like, but would prefer not to stoop to your level.
The latter – he’s fucking stupid.
And here I was enjoying our friendship Magpie and you then go and fuck it up by being a semantics loving old fool. Seriously mate..
It appears The ‘Pie has got you at the wrong time of the month.
It appears you truly are an old fool
Cutting, mate, cutting. That the best you’ve got?
Actually there have been cutbacks in TCC ads in the Bully, especially with the high cost, full page promotions of touring shows at the Civic Theatre. They are now much smaller and less frequent.
But can someone at the council please explain why ratepayers are paying for such ads, which surely should be the responsibility of the show promoters?
And why are we paying for the What’s On page, which used to be published as a community service.
“Gushing” Greaney, “Scooter” Mooney, “Accidental Mayor” Thompson, anyone?
On a related subject, predictions on this blog about the Townsville Bulletin turning into a Courier Mail liftout, appear to be on the money.
On one day last week there were just 11 Townsville stories in 48 pages. The others were straight out of the Courier Mail and other News Ltd newspapers.
Seven Local News is no better. To them North Queensland now extends north to Thursday Island and south to the Sunshine Coast.
Sad.
This blog appears to be full of whinging conspiracy theorists who have nothing better to do! EXACTLY what you call The Cookers do.
Why don’t you join me and do something useful like oiling the wheels on your wheelchairs/zimmer frames, instead of poking your nose in where it isn’t needed and making shit up!
So everything’s fine with the council finances and those who say otherwise are bloody whingers, eh?
And strange to tell but so many of what you call conspiracy theories first aired here have turned out to be fact (Adani airfield, Magnis at Lansdown, plonking criminal kids from interstate in a residential house in a quiet street in Annandale, the Castle Hill shelter shed rort et al). And The Nest was first to reveal that Thompson was a lying con man. And that the blow-in developer who couldn’t make it on the Gold Copast, Mark Tonge, was a financial disaster waiting to happen.
But OT you are the ultimate in whiners: a whinging conspiracy theorist whinging about whinging conspiracy theorists.
OT – say it to my face.
Old T, better be careful ’cause soon you’ll be paying to take your wheelchair to the Strand oil or no oil ! Nothing spells complacency better than those who stand around quoting ‘mind your own business’ while Rome burns !
Well well well, another blog where a chorus of whingers unite to whinge about Townsville. You miserable old fuckers, get a life. Volunteer your retired selves to help the community, or maybe do something useful like paint your verandah, plant some roses, wash your bedsheets or play with your grandkids. Just do something positive.
How about a blog that informs people of things that others won’t? But we understand it’s a challenge to have you complacent sheep transport ship rocked.
I don’t believe that the Burdekin pipe line has stalled, there’s still plenty of pipes going through Claire area at the moment.
Old Time and Toe Cutter, I wish there wasn’t anything to expose or complain about, but the truth is that Townsville City Council has been stuffing up, wasting money, and hiding massive debt for years.
This blog is the only place in North Queensland where the truth is explored and revealed.
Instead of trying to insult Magpie bloggers – I know for a fact that at least 4 regular contributors are young (not “old”) successful local businesspeople – why not join us in exposing the secrets of the council, the shysters and conmen who talk big but never deliver, and the failings of the lapdog local media.
Surely that would be much more productive than oiling wheelchairs.
Doug, the question of “old” has come up in the matter of Kamala Harris choosing her VP:
“Walz has become a favorite of progressives and youth groups who enjoy his attacks on Trump.
At 60, Walz is just a year older than Harris, but critics say he looks much older, which could be a liability to a campaign that is rebounding from Biden’s departure over concerns about his age.
Walz responded to this criticism on X, saying he looks the way he does because he was a high school teacher and “supervised the lunchroom for 20 years. You do not leave that job with a full head of hair. Trust me.”
A steady VEEP choice is what is required, because the position is only POTENTIALLY important and traditionally not what voters consider much because vice presidents are generally sidelined until the last 6 months of a second term.
As to his age, you seem to want to deflect from the fact that the ailing, mentally failing Trump is more than 18 years older than his opponents and if successful (shudder) he will turn 81 or 82 while still in office. So it is laughable to think Walz’s age would be any factor, and he is a good speaker who would have appeal to a crucial cohort of swing voters.
Shapiro would be a disastrous pick, great orator and apparently very decent person that he is, the stark political reality is that he is a Jew. This is definitely not his time. And Buttigieg is gay, and because you can’t legislate people’s private moral judgements exercised at the privacy of the ballot box, he would be a big risk despite his obvious competency.
Doug , as we got close to Council election date we got comments like old timers / toe cutter . Maybe they are ok with 29 % rates increase in 3 years or Team Hills differential rates adding $40-50 renters a week . Maybe they don’t even live in Townsville .
Yup, Labor has gremlin mines all over the country.
You can support the idea of free feminine hygiene products without needing to qualify said support by suggesting it is discriminatory for men and children too. Does the rationale only apply to those women who live in a domestic situation with men and children? How about making it easier for women and girls to access these products for their own benefit and noone else? Fullstop. No qualifiers.
Also, affordability of menstruation products is not a sexual health issue. It does not need to be sold as anything other than what it is.
What? That is EXACTLY what The Magpie said, knowing that there would be some dimwits out there that would trot out the suggestion of discrimination and he was short circuiting them. Which is utter illogical nonsense. You’re reference to domestic situation with men and children is some made up gum flapping misreading of what has been said. And suggesting anyone else except women and girls would want to access these products ‘for their own benefits’ hints at some exotic niche recreational activity that The ‘Pie cannot imagine.
To that end, The ‘Pie reckons you are a commenter under several aliases (Jenny maybe among others) who just likes to bait The ‘Pie into wasting time with silly arguments – often supporting his original point of view.
You arrogant twit. I do not post under other aliases whatsoever what is say is purely from me and nobody else. I stand by what I said.
(Gulp!!) Teecher said I have to say Sorry, Ma’am. Pants up or down for six of the best. (Sob)?
The Bulletin gets off to a flying start in the Fuck Up Stakes for the week with this front page boo-boo.
And this online teaser
Reporter Cameron ‘Master’ Bates obviously has a problem with the twists and turns of English as she is writ.
As versus.
Master Bates would be foolish to argue that he was just quoting someone …. It’s 100/1 on that they meant the latter, not the former.
But while we’re with the Astonisher, they also this morning offered this head scratcher headline.
It is – wait for it – a non-story about an apparent dingo menage-a-trois bust-up , with two of the mutts called Kirby and Rocky, with a third dingo -‘third wheel’ – sent packing.
Yes, really.
Can anyone explain this latest brain fart from the (mostly white) Aboriginal “elders, Aunties, Uncles et al” Truth Telling!
OK! but lets make it a 2 way story, There’s no doubt some horrible things were done in THE PAST, many of which were done with the best of intentions (as in the road to hell).
Current truth: is the original tribes have all identified as one entity and no longer fight/murder/rape each other because they were “different”. Unity should equal progress not living some 50,000 old imagined (dream time anyone) golden age.
Current truth: Proper medical care gratis not some Kadicha waving a feather, education! if only you could discipline your children to attend free education.
Current truth: you now have money, shops, transportation, clothes et al.
One of my direct ancestors came here in chains, but took advantage of a better life (eventually) by making a better life and culture than he had previously.
Poetically summed up by Omar Khayyam written exactly at a time when my Saxon ancestors were being “remodeled” by the invading Normans!
The moving hand writes,
and having writ, moves on,
Neither your piety, nor thy whit
Can hasten its return,
Nor your tears erase a single word of it.
If we’re into analogies involving ol’ Khayyam, this one is worth a guernsey.
A Book of Verses underneath the Bough,
A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread–and Thou
Beside me singing in the Wilderness–
Oh, Wilderness were Paradise enow!
Only nowadays, it’s under the counter with a Playboy magazine, a bottle of Kim Crawford pinot gris, a sanger and the nearest thou willing for a touch-up. On a promise of Paradise … Surfers Paradise.
Interesting that he was Iranian yet throughout the poem he glorifies “the pub society” and women ……. in Iran????????
Doubt if the current mob are proud that alcohol is an Arabic word, they’ll probably claim that’s why they’re Parsi and Shiite?
A,
Omar Khayyam was Persian.
It was a thousand years after his time, give or take a few, that Persia started to be referred to as Iran starting in 1935. By 1959 the name Iran had become accepted inside and outside of the country.
Oh, thank God, we can all sleep easier tonight.
What’s a magazine grandad?
A spring loaded metal holder for metal projectiles used to keep kids quiet, m’boy.
Hand waving away the events of the past won’t help anything. Better to face the facts and draw a line under it all instead of ignoring it.
Interesting use of words that the mayor has used in his response. The omission reeks. “I am not suing..” – but are you [insert applicable verb] the council pay you money?
“Factually incorrect” – mayor, stop trying to dodge the spotlight, and tell us the facts. Mayor, you misleading the public from the misreporting does not absolve you of your responsibility to provide the facts that were incorrect.
On another council note. The latest agenda gave an update relating to the amount of court cases the council currently has with the planning and environment court. 9 cases and some date back a few years.
would it hurt these people to actually publish what each case has cost the ratepayer in this report.
Maybe the councillors who read this blog will ask the questions at the meeting on Wednesday.
Because if the council is in so much financial hardship and skirting with insolvency, will the council do the fiscally-responsible thing and walk away from cases once they reach a certain amount, or do they just put their feet in cement and stand firm.
This is provided the matters before the court will not hurt the community and aren’t some legacy retribution from the previous council.
The mayor has a QHRC complaint against the CEO & Council, it’s not for compensation, as far as I’m aware. He was the only one to show up at the parking rally, perhaps by coincidence, though he is clearly not in favour, as he quoted on a personal level. He did say council had made a decision.
My partner and I saw him at the running festival too, he’s definitely been busy around the place since coming back in on the ratepayer holiday.
Wednesdays meeting sounds interesting, looks like TCC operations are trying to ruin the fishing on the dam option by using the poor water quality sentiment again. These councillors will follow Greaney, she’s got Jenny pulling the strings behind her. The GOAT of basketball won’t be there, so that’ll be a little quieter.
I was at the rally too and I was very disappointed that more people did not support. Everyone is quick to complain about the parking meters, but only few put effort into making a stand against them.
Having the Mayor actually attend was a very big surprise. Most applauded when he arrived because it actually showed that he cares about the community.
After speaking for 10 or so minutes he was very friendly. I left before he did as he stayed back and talked to people one on one with some even wanting photos.
Needed a strong organiser. The ‘Pie for one was not informed by any of his many google alerts of any such affair, tghere was just a vague passing mention from one commenter.
I had the opportunity to speak with Troy at the Strand on Saturday and I gave him some feedback and a few home truths with a few concerns. Credit where credit is due, the man answered every question I had and was (for lack of a better word) very professional. No denying that he had lost a lot of respect from the community, but it is clear he is working to make up for lost time.
The advertising of the rally in my opinion was good on social media but people just did not get behind it which is sad as our voices need to be heard.
I am not giving up hope. Parking meters won’t be installed for a few months yet so we need to keep contacting council and signing the petitions. I am putting pressure on the Councillors who voted for the meters.
Thank you Magpie for keeping us up to date, do you have any other recommendations on how we can stop the meters?
Nope, you’ve just about covered it, but be good if the Bulletinnpushed it along a bit, the paper has long ago decided it wants to be a player and not an observer (cff the Thompson campaign, the support for Jenny et al) so they can’t say they’re neutral and will just report the issue. It is clear the meters are not wanted except by some financial incompetents in council, covering their arses for past misjudgements. This issue really should be revisited, so keeping the pressure on councillors, breaking their wall of lazy arrogance, should be maintained.
I was there too, whilst I did not vote for him, I did respect that he turned up. Try and get a councillor one on one about parking, no one wants to talk. I stayed, asked him more questions, he answered everyone, and like you said, he does speak well.
Conman or not Pie, I believe in giving him enough rope for now, his ability to not hide away, is perhaps his biggest strength. Most people saw him on their morning walk, he stopped and talked all along his walk to the rally, a good reminder that perhaps that he may very well have more in him, that supports our community. Anyway, back to the beach I go, a few months before we have to pay yet, I’ll be making the most of it, though my regular news agent and coffee haunt will go without my support now, it’s too expensive to sit and read my paper on a pension.
Gosh, a pensioner who finds the Bulletin too expensive. Nice try Stefan, but The ‘Pie will put aside any doubts and play this with a straight bat.
Thompson’s is stereotypical conman behaviour … and yes, many of the folks The ‘Pie has heard from say he talks well. The common term for smooth and glib is ‘snake oil salesman’, he is the quintessential bait-and-switch candidate. Promise and flip.
But the fact remains that he is not just a con man, he is a proven serial liar with what appear to be some deep pschyo-emotional problems, a proven financial incompetent with none of the educational attainments he initially claimed, a man not above fraud or abusive personal behaviour, a confrontationalist with no negotiating skills to persuade councillors to support his as yet undeclared agenda, a demonstrated ignorance of the ramifications of many of his ideas (just parroting the popular idea of no Strand meters without offering a possible alternative is typical) and given a little spurious power, he resorts to hectoring and bullying to score cheap points. (His mayoral minute on parking meters was a clever but snide move to ingratiate himself with the public.) His involvement with MyPlace – he reportedly has attended several of their regular meetings, in company with his supporter, ‘advisor’ and Magpie aficionado Stephen Lane – is deeply concerning, given this organisations infiltration of other local government bodies.
His game plan is becoming apparent, Stefan, using his personable presence to win over people who say much the same as you do, although you and the others have not detailed what probing and reasonable questions you asked and he answered. Few would be game to ask him to his face the most damning and unanswerable ones … like ‘why did you flat out lie on national television and make this look like Hicksville’? He is hoping people will be worn down by it all to agree with a weary ‘give him a go’ trope. And his main thrust in achieving this goal is by doing everything he can to assist in painting the current councillors – well, the re-elected Team Hill ones – as such villains. And the only villains. Those councillors certainly need to be held to account and answer their own difficult questions, but he is trying what might be called a ‘reverse conflation’ – making one problem (theirs) cancel another problem (his) – that everyone should forget about his massive shortcomings because he’s calling them out, in the vain hope that we concentrate on them and exclude him from any debate about fitness for office.
In simple terms for simple people, he wants to be seen as just the sheriff who rode into town to clean up the varmints.
That this sheriff is a different but just as unfit criminal is what he is desperately trying to deflect.
So don’t be fooled or lulled by honeyed words, Stefan, the fact remains, he is not a fit person to hold public office at any level, a shyster always looking for the main chance … and $4000 a week of ratepayers money is pretty handy ‘main chance’.
The ‘Pie remains unfooled … and unconvinced by all the planted comments here. But that’s not a reference to you, Stefan, we pensioners are too smart to fall that hokum, aren’t we?
They applauded because it was a My Place event! This is exactly how they work, latch onto a cause and use it to recruit. We should be glad no one showed up.
Interesting comments, Thompson is definitely getting the attention he desires, he doesn’t care whether it’s good or bad, from all accounts he seems to be enjoying it. He was at the LGAQ function at the ville the last 2 days and was well supported by other mayors and CEOs, snake oil or not, outside our fenceline, people don’t seem to care. I’m starting to think he’s here for the term. From what I’m hearing, CCC is not going to do anything, it’ll be a long 4 years for TCC.
And Townsville.
And he still has his somewhat dense trolls dropping comments here, which are not only pro TwoNames, but very anti-The Magpie. Almost all swear they are ‘independent bystanders’ (like you yourself imply, Tanya, we’re watching you) and many missives are ‘shoot the messenger’ type of stuff, and ALL without a whiff of addressing the near criminal behaviour of this bloke. One Thompson plant has stooped low enough to bring an ethic slant to it all, suggesting an unnamed cultural group is supporting him because he’s such a good bloke. And adds what’s wrong with MyPlace, they are just a group opposing Covid vaccinations, aren’t they? That gets a dumbass award, that one.
If only.
Anyway, they’re all in delete heaven, The ‘Pie has only so much time to devote to those deluded enough to have no pride in their city … or its reputation.
Circus Fan, please provide a list of the Councillors who have their “feet in cement”,
I’ll be happy to take them one-way to the end of the Strand jetty!!
I’d start with the executives, directors, general manager (that’s $3.5M), then councillors ($1.8M). That’ll sort out a few bills. Bring in an administrator, cut the fat and work like a private enterprise, if a departments not efficient, drop it, and contract it out. Time to get back in the black. Drop the state & federal projects and let council go back too; parks, sewerage, water, maintenance, rubbish / waste. Drop the childcare centres, sell assets not needed, 12-24 months we can reelect a new council.
Work like a private enterprise? Make all parking paid!
Paid membership for libraries – the potential is infinite.
Yep, that’d get rid of libraries and their costs pronto. How about a pedestrian registration tax?
Sounds good, first you have to prove councils insolvent. I think a past post that said there was $10M cash in the bank, and only 80 jobs a year would be completed, 80 out of 2093 capital projects currently awaiting funding. Lansdown trunk infrastructure will be $150M, Haughton $147M, rail yards $55M, Dam $38M etc, we are broke, assets are depreciating rapidly.
This council has more debt than they are willing to say. I’m told Clayton Utz, (not the usual King & co used through LGAQ) is now representing council and Joe against Thompson. There was talk the deputy director of the department of LG was here Friday by request of Thompson, would’ve loved to be a fly on that wall. Can’t wait until tomorrow’s latest episode of ‘days of our councillors’ is streamed. Harper, Thompson, it’ll be an interesting spectacle
Wonder how long it will be before TwoNames launches a Go Fund Me page to pay his legal bills.
Thompsons legals would have to be covered under the LG Act. It’s about doing his role, equal representation, CEOs would be paid for too.
On another note, it seems the Dam opening is heating up, just found out Matt Richardson is Interfering again and will speak about water quality and security to protect the dam. Like the meters, the community misses out again. Seems the executive make the decisions, not the councillors.
The bottom mline is , well, the bottom line … is the investment worth the reward. And that is going to be an endless merry-go-round.
Has the inevitable global economic collapse begun? Bloodbath within the markets this afternoon. Crypto and Ai also down. Be interesting to see what happens overnight!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=t0X2ws6KdLA
DD this is the Nest Blog not Hotcopper, hardly a bloodbath more like adjustments back to long run averages.
BTC still massively up on historic prices, NVIDIA still 2x the December 23 stock prices.
“Be Fearful When Others Are Greedy and Greedy When Others Are Fearful”
― Warren Buffett
Yup, agree, The ‘Pie has often wondered at the violent analogies when talking about the ups and downs of the share market. Important news, certainly, but reducing it to panting tabloid adjectives is neither helpful or justified.
ABC News just played a promo for Palm Island “cultural” festival, commentary repeatedly encouraged people to enjoy the sunset behind the island.
Somehow they even managed to show this apparent warp shift in the background.
What?
Sunset “behind” Maggie? Not unless its moved to WA. Sunrise maybe?
You been on the turps, Heel? Let me put it this way, you seem to be confused by the word ‘behind’ and also have a smidge of problem with which island you are talking about. You have arbitrarily assigned a front and back to whichdever island you’re talking about. If you’re standing on the eastern side of either Palm or Maggie (how did Maggie get into this?) and looking westward, the sun will set behind the island.
Today’s Townsville Bulletin:
Just 9 Townsville stories in 48 pages.
Do they still have reporters or are they now relying totally on media releases?
Doug, with 5 pages you wouldn’t bother looking at, 6 with the stock report, plus an advert on just about every other page. And that iditor Garvey getting all excited about ‘Smiles’ thought fart on petrol prices. FFS.
If you want to have a good laugh, check out Cameron ‘the dick’ Dick’s Facebook page. He has posted a pic of himself on a train boasting about the $0.50 fixed fares. There are some hilarious and smart comments on there, some worthy of a big laugh. Suffice to say that if an election was called tomorrow these guys would be toast. I guess the reality is that they are gone in October anyway. Good riddance muppets.
Why don’t you help us have a laugh and provide a link, Mopsey?
“You wouldn’t let this bloke be treasurer of the Longreach Surf Club” was one of the better comments.
Sigh … even the bloody iditor. From today’s empty editorial offering.
It’s ‘homing in’ … as closing in on, targeting – ‘honing’ is ‘sharpening’, and there’s no such thing as ‘honing in’.
Unlike yesterday’s more obscure ‘tortuous’ and ‘torturous’, this is one of the two or three most common confusions – The ‘Pie’s pet hate is ‘lose’ and ‘loose’ … and sure everyone does it, but Cas, we journos are meant to know better, aren’t we, it’s what we do, eh?
it’s not as though you’re on Facebook … or are a cranky old blogger.
A honing pigeon.
Hay Magpie, pleas do knot loose you’re mined.
The Astonisher mite bee detracted buy an incredulous peace of work that is stoping them corroborating with imminent people like ewe.
The morale is plane too sea, the pour Astonisher is prayed upon bye sum won who’s currant tract is an allusion to devise a whey four the hoards two except the preposition that watt has bean formally dun is rite. Seams quite personnel.
Weight the next addition of the Astonisher.
Clever prick!
Eye yoused a pacificly good expresso.
Prickster – this could have been a submission to the “Everything Townsville” facebook page, except those contributors aren’t deliberately mis-spelling words. All that is missing is “youse” and the ubiquitous “n”, because they are too lazy to add two extra letters.
Pie, just read in the Courier Mail that smiley Miles has announced that if re-elected he will open up a dozen cut price petrol stations to save motorists money, He will sell his fuel at cost only…but I can see some problems for him here. First of all where is he gonna get his petrol from because I can’t see the big oil companies supplying him to compete with their sites .What a fantastic brainwave !!!! Probably suck a few gullible city Labor voters in. What do you reckon ???
Pie isn’t up on the fuel excise business, but he was under the impression that it was a Federal importation tax. Don’t know if the state’s put a little something on top for themselves but in any case, since it is how funds are (supposedly) raised fo new roads and maintenance of existing ones, Smiley may have a small problem with Canberra’s annual allocation of GST … again.
He needs to put some bowsers at every airport so he can quickly refuel his jets two at a time.
It’s just another cheap stunt by a desperate government desperately trying to hold on by bribing its voters. There are more than 1,000 service stations in Queensland and Smiley wants to stump up for 13 service stations. Gee, I wonder where they will be located?? I doubt it will be Townsville. Can’t imagine Crisafulli getting into the business of running petrol stations. TBH the announcement is quite humorous and just won’t go ahead. Pack your bags you grinning fuckwit, the ides of October is quickly approaching….tick tock
It is quite likely that this piece of flummery is legally challengeable … the government subsidising itself with taxpayers money to enter into private industry and undercut the competition is -as Sir Humphrey Appleby would put it – ‘courageous’.
Of course they wouldn’t be in Townsville, they’ll be in places with a lack of competition.
If a business hasn’t been paying legal wages and is up to the eyeballs in loans, is that:
* Depriving the tax office of taxes generated from wages, interest on super and bank balances?
* Lying to the tax office and on income statements?
* Lying to banks on loan documents?
* Forging and uttering payrolls, slips and if a government site is used- a computer offence?
*Trading whilst insolvent?
On most people’s insurance policies, it says they will be voided for evidence of illegal activity. If a company was acting illegally when workers are injured , will an insurance company refuse to cover?
And what business is that exactly?
You know, you can also go through Qld WHS but not at the same time as The Fair Work Commission. If they cant get insurance it puts workers at risk. If they aren’t paying you right it’s also discriminatory conduct cos it puts you under a detriment. If it’s causing you psychological harm that’s also a failure to supply a safe workplace. Take a look at s20-39 and 104-113 https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-2011-018
Jeezus, what’s with some of the commenters on here stating that they met TwoNames Thompson and found him to be well spoken and answered all of their questions.
He’s a straight out conman who was found out and if he wasn’t weedling his way into local politics, would have physically run out of town with some of the absolute shit he’s pulled. Have a chat to the RSL crew !
Have any of these clown commenters ever met Peter Foster ? The bloke was/is extremely eloquent and well spoken and makes moves smoother than duck shit !
Forget he’s been in and out of jail for conning folks and basic fraud (My God, who could forget that delicious British Samantha Fox with the large…er…parts…) who was Foster’s promo girl with his magic herbal tea that did bugger all for you !
Twonames is cut from the same cloth and managed to suddenly appear as the saviour to help us rid the town of Jenny Mullet.
The leopard doesn’t change his spots !
As the Yanks say, “Slicker than pig’s jizz on a brass doorknob “.
Elegant.
Eewww !
There will be many points and opinions to mull over out of today’s council meeting, but The ‘Pie gives a big tick approval to the live streaming, which he is relatively new to. Once you get used to the quirks of the split screen, it is essential viewing for those interested in how the levers of local government operate. Some minor gripes, very difficult to spot who’s talking, and featured speakers from the council staff aren’t named or given a title in text, which would be handy – there seems to be a certain amount of chuminess or at least assumed familiarity between councillors and officials who know who each other are, which is not shared by public viewers.)
The Bulletin has bucked up its act, and has been doing some ‘as it happened’ accurate (sort of) online reporting of salient points … no doubt,there’ll be discussion here on several matters soon enough. But some immediate take-away impressions include
There were some very snarky questions to officials and to the guest today, Aaron Harper (GHU!!), ostensibly on some local road planning issue, but whose appearance a couple councillors carefully hinted was entirely due to the upcoming election. Unfortunately, that gave Harpic the cue to launch into his usual shining insincerity and lies, but one assumes by the stony reception that no believed him. And in the end, he couldn’t promise the requested help councillors wanted for the scheme in question.
One official was asked if a certain estimate on a road project – way above the original quote – was ‘council gold-plating’ – which by insinuation, was meant to mean public servant staff unnecessarily high estimating. That was effectively shut down immediately by sober facts and figures.
Fishing on the Ross River Dam is to become a reality within a year, when stage 1 – allowing land angling – is started after suitable health and safety infrastructure is created. But the most interesting part of this discussion was the $1.27m funding for this first step. It was revealed that the money would come from an allocation already in the budget, with the money being reassigned from the $2.5m already set aside for ‘resurfacing the V8 track’, which is apparently part of the SuperPests deal that the council agrees to pay for. That was news to The Magpie on top of all the other obfuscation about the costs and benefits of this annual event. Had anyone else ever heard of this? Which in fact means the V8 business model is entirely ‘we are a travelling entertainment entity, and we charge you to come to your place and race around your streets which you have to maintain to our standard at no cost to us’ – kah-ching!!).
But the issue ballooned a bit from there, when it was learnt the council could defer the necessary resurfacing works until after next years V8 infestation, and the missing $1.27m pinched for the fishos could be reinstated. This brought a very pointed question from Clr Dirou that this money didn’t just appear out of nowhere and was, as another councillor put it, ‘just kicking the can down the road’, paper shuffling by a council deferring accountability by a council that was in financial straits anyway (not her words but that’s a fair interpretation). No satisfactory refutation or clarification was forthcoming.
Other overall impressions The ‘Pie got from today’s meeting was the definite undercurrent of hostility from one or two quarters, councillors towards each other but particularly from Clr Greaney to the mayor, who – although prissily simpered out in the forced language of local government – accused Thompson of another backflip on an issue. He parried that with the age old get out of jail card that his earlier firm conviction had been overturned by subsequent new information. Which of course is codswallop, but it was a fun moment.
And Brady Ellis cemented his growing reputation as the council arseclown by failing to read the boundaries of council behaviour by trying to be the court jester on several occasions . So far, he’s proving to be the resident fuckwit.
All in all, council meeting streaming ain’t gunna reach ‘Days Of Our Lives’ popularity as a TV series, but there is enough of an underlying frisson to keep you coming back – because you know at some stage, someone, Thompson, Greaney, in fact almost any of them – are going to lose their shit at some stage.
And whenever that happens, The ‘Pie for one wants to be watching.
Thanks for the great summation, Pie, it is appreciated. Agree that Ellis is way out his depth and tries to cover his ineptitude with ridiculous remarks. Electors in his division have a dud on their hands. Greaney is turning out to be a vindictive cow, but then again she was an arm-raising supporter of most things Mullet in the last Council. Food trucks is about her limit.
It really is time this mob stopped all the bullshit and got on with SERVING our community. LISTEN UP and start making decisions that reflect the wishes of our community, PLEASE!
Starting with making the shiny bums work harder to find savings or some other ‘peter to pay Paul’ principle and scrap the Strand parking mneter plan.
And as to Ellis, the real danger with this immature galoot is that he is so malleable, you can see it and hear it, that if he is sweet talked by another more experienced councillor, he will try to jellyback his way into favour. Which is no way to represent your constituents. Independent councillors, my cloaca.
But Clr Ellis, The Magpie will be delighted to be proved wrong.
Magpie, it’s only a matter of time until war amongst the Councillors breaks out. Food trucks Greentea and Susie Battleaxe will be the ones to go to war with Twonames. Hostility is already there. Plus Twonames has the knives out for the CEO so some sparks might fly there also. It’s definitely worth stocking up on beer and popcorn as this show has a long way to go!
As for Harpic, that aerial wanker only appeared today because he is trying to curry up favour with anyone with a pulse. His agenda is pointless as he is history come October. CRISAFULLI (I made that in capitals just for you Elusive Butterflog) will win the election hands down.
Blind Freddy can see the war in the chamber has been waged between Batkovic / Greaney vs the Mayor. I’m hearing the CEO & CLO are also in the mix. Councillors loose lips and information has allowed Thompson back in. This next quarter will be interesting, throw in a state election.
What is clear is there’s some change in the chamber, the mayor got his bite and while in charge, will control the room, marginally. We need to turn the spotlight on Robinson, why does he hold a commercial fishing license for his brother, he is getting two pays, something fishy about this bloke. And his quotes, too smug for my liking, the way him and Greaney are colluding in chamber is obvious, he’s team hill.
I’m still of the belief we are insolvent as a city, we need administrators to come in, it’s time to clean the slate, bury the past administration and charge the crooks.
You may have noted in yesterday’s meeting several passing references to ‘the financial state the council is in’ and words to that effect, but there is no open statement of council finances along the lines you and others here have suggested. Especially the possibility of having to tap treasury for a top up to pay staff and essentials until the rates start pouring in. A bit of honesty, maybe from Joe, since he is the one really left holding the baby. If the state of things is as parlous as you and others say, it is reflection on past councils, this one hasn’t had the time to do any real damage, and they could take the opportunity to take the public along with them on what in any case is a renovate and repair job.
Thompson continues to annoy the Team Hill cohort by continually trying to make the point that the problems come from the performance of past administrations – and Hill personally – and although he chooses the wrong platform for unproductive political attacks, he is right. The situation needs addressing.
But the fact remains that hge is NOT the person to lead a recovery, his shallow financial ability, populist arguments more suited to the front bat in their ignorance and insolent arrogance towards much of the public threatens to do even more damage as he tries to bully his way to love and stardom.
While he seeks to gain points from the past misdemeanours of Hill and co, he maintains the double standard of not brooking any further examination of of what was, during the election campaign, his own murky past. He remains totally unfit for office.
You say “he chooses the wrong platform for unproductive political attacks, he is right. The situation needs addressing”, maybe this is his only time and place he is able to address the issues and to let residents know how poorly run the council is. It makes sense as the bully will twist his words. Either way it makes for an entertaining meeting.
But if it is a suitable forum to address the issues, perhaps he could address the issues surrounding his lying, misrepresentation and all the other things that he and others (perhaps you, too, Jason) would prefer we forget.
Murky yes, misconduct no. It’s a pre-election item, we all know it’ll be tabled away. I don’t think I’ve seen any real reporting on the state of the TCC financials. Thompson made it clear he was not part of the budget adoption, while he did attend the meetings & workshops, I’d suggest we ask him directly. He has openly said, in his ‘personal’ opinion Townsville should go into administration, and if it means all councillors and the executive are removed, he’d support it, that’s not someone living off the teat. I think there’s a lot more in this. So far we know:
• There’s no cash in the bank.
• There’s a QT redraw $100M facility.
• There’s assets over valued at $8B.
• Theres huge depreciation issues.
• Theres 2000 capital jobs to be done in 4 years.
• TCC will complete maybe 80 CAPEX jobs.
• CEO is costing $650k P/a.
• Directors are costing $480k p/a.
• The QLD Auditor signed off on the financials, could this be the smoking gun.
• Rates take up is at an all time low.
• OPEX is greater than revenue.
Thompson reported the issue early on, where is at? Councillors are scared of losing their Cushy jobs, I’d suggest they all should go, the mayor, councillors and executives, administrators need to be appointed.
Think about these:
• $2M to TEL for events that TCC could do.
• $3M pulled from Hilton deal.
• Ross River pipeline overs $18M.
• V8s $1.8M.
• Triathalon $1.4M.
• Haughton $146M short.
• Cowboys $300k.
• Fire $250k.
• Lansdown TCC to invest $115M.
• TCC to put up $35M for trunk infrastructure.
• $50M commitment to the concert hall.
• $250M requirement for new TECC precinct.
• 7 x Childcare’s $300k maintenance a year.
• Smart Precint costs to much, no ROI.
• Prins payout, said to be $1.4M.
• service fee to peak for the Interim CEO, weekly.
• Fees for full time CEO
• Trility water treatment bill up $6M p/a.
• Stuart treatment plant $30M dud.
• Raw water dearer that billed water in Wulguru.
• Golf clubs not paying for water.
The list goes on, the old team Jenny crew know all this, they must go first, there must be criminal intent, at least serious misconduct. It’s time for Phil Thompson to step up and blow the lid here, or state needs to fund the TCC out of trouble.
And the final Clanger;
There is little, water, maintenance, sewerage, refuse, and service work, it’s all reactive. Ratepayers deserve better from this government. It’s time Thompson grew a set and came clean, with all these $30B investments, workers and no houses, this will destroy our once beautiful city.
Well, Pilgrim, you’re a walkin’ contradiction, partly truth and partly fiction, as Mr Kristofferson warbled.
But a couple of things – last par a bit confusing’ which Thompson? If you mean Phil the Fed, that bloke can’t win, damned if he dare ‘interfere’ in local politics and now, damned if he doesn’t, if that’s who you mean. If you mean the other Thompson, your comment doesn’t make sense.
And a thought regarding TwoNames (which one suspects is actually you) is prompted by your self-serving and totally incorrect comment about not living off the teat. If you follow the timeline, Thompson goes on TV and lies and embarrasses the city, councillors then call for his resignation, he doesn’t so they pass a unanimous no confidence motion, Thompson then goes on mental health sick leave (he says), councilmpasses controversial budget, Thompson miraculously recovers from his looney episode claims he’s all tickety boo on the top floor, returns to council but says ‘who, me?’ when it comes to the budget … good timing, eh? And his long game is becoming obvious – if he has to go, he’ll bring down the whole council if he can and at a subsequent election along the track, he will paint himself the sheriff who rode in and cleaned up the town … and will no doubt run with his now team to keep the varmints in line.
None of which changes the fact that he is, by any measure of integrity, decency, transparency, and plain common sense, totally unfit for office. More simply put, on the stopped clock principle of being right twice a day, he is not to be trusted.
Many commenters have posted comments supporting him and labelling The Magpie a ‘hater’. Seeking the truth hiding behind lies is not an act of hatred, it is a eightb to know, and is what all decent people should want and seek. Especially when they are lied to to their faces, which just adds insult to injury. None of the hate letters address the egregious bumbling cover-up of a past littered with red flags.
TwoNames and his cohort have embarked on a campaign of wearing down the opposition to his mayoralty, and there will be those who will weary and weaken, throw up their hands and say ‘ah, bugger it, what the hell, we will let an untrustworthy, ill-educated, serial lying, partner abusing fraudster represent our city, supported by a group of social fringe loonies’.
The Magpie won’t be one of them.
I’m glad they didn’t vote for a statue of the fuckwit Assange.
IMO he is a traitor and should be serving a long sentence in Guantanamo
NfoNKe, Traitor to who or what? Should Woodward and Bernstein have reported the Watergate scandal? Or Robert Fisk the numerous Middle East outrages? Or Mordecai Venunu the Israeli atomic bomb? Surely the truth is the truth however it emerges? Or have you just picked up a moral compass cheap online and not bothered to read the operating instructions?
Or The Magpie and his readers expose the frauds, lies and valor stealing of Troy Thompson? Very good point you make, Jenny.
Assange is a traitor to Australia due to his role in publishing classified information which compromised national security and strained international relations. By releasing sensitive documents, Assange betrayed his own country’s trust and endangered lives, particularly those of military personnel and informants. His actions jeopardised Australia’s alliances, notably with the United States, by exposing confidential communications and operations. Assange’s transparency mission was reckless, prioritising sensationalism over national loyalty and the safety of individuals involved in covert activities.
Julian Assange is not and never has been a journalist. And mega document dumping indiscriminately is irresponsible, but it could be said because it lifted the veil from the eyes of those who swallowed the American bullshit about moral war.
He’s no hero, but he has paid a big enough price for the downside of his actions. Let him fade into obscurity until the ABNC starts calling on him for comment as an expert of …. on … onnnn …. ummm, maybe Ecuadorian food.
NfoNKe, you reckon: “By releasing sensitive documents, Assange betrayed his own country’s trust and endangered lives, particularly those of military personnel and informants.” Assuming you mean Assange’s “own country” is Australia, could you name one Australian military person or informant whose life was endangered? No one else ever has. If you can’t, that is assuming you have actually seen any of these published articles or documents, how can your completely unfounded claim be taken seriously? Is what Assange did any different from ex-PM Keating’s rant on 7.30 last night about the Australian government’s secretive attitude to AUKUS, China and America? Aren’t the facts still facts, even if they come from unexpected, unapproved, even unsavoury sources? Isn’t it healthy for a country and population (even a town and its ratepayers) to occasionally have the blinkers taken from its jaded eyes?
Agreed, The ‘Pie has never heard that Assange ever directly affected the security of Australia or revealed anything crucially sensitive regarding it. He did expose war crimes, which is all the fashion now but wasb\n’t wh en he did it. He was reckless and lacked responsible judgement by putting individuals unfairly at risk.
A ‘no secrets’ world is a fantasy that will never exist, but The Magpie can hardly argue that occasional facts still being facts even when they come from unapproved and unsavoury sources … sound like the mission statement and MO of The Magpie’s Nest.
NfoNKe,
What about a rampant Magpie statue?
The Magpie politely declines – on both counts.
rampant
/ˈramp(ə)nt/
adjective
1.
(especially of something unwelcome) flourishing or spreading unchecked.
“political violence was rampant”
Similar:
uncontrolled
unrestrained
unchecked
unbridled
widespread
pandemic
epidemic
pervasive
out of control
out of hand
rife
spreading like wildfire
2.
HERALDRY
(of an animal) represented standing on one hind foot with its forefeet in the air (typically in profile, facing the dexter side, with right hind foot and tail raised).
“
TCC spokesman:”Mr Magpie, sir, we have decided that a suitable statue for the Strand would be one combining you and former mayor Jenny Hill. Given your intertwined history together in this city, we are seeking your input. Would you like to be mounted?’
Magpie: ” No thanks, just shaking hand would be fine. No input.’
Be still my beating heart.
Statue of the Mullet, astride a bicycle, tortured anguished countenance, bicycle helmet festooned with zippi ties of ridicules length etc, so on, and so forth.
NfoNK; My only fault of J. Assange is he didn’t redact many of the names of his informants, exposing them to “risks” of varying degrees.
I watched 90% of the TCC meeting today.
There is no argument that Shetland Place should connect to Allambie Lane, connecting with Beck Drive as a second arterial road into the Upper Ross. Many of the locals contend it should have been done ten years ago,
HOWEVER,
to have Aaron bloody Harper front up to the TCC, how many weeks out from an election, that he is likely to lose, and promote this Shetland Place connection as a traffic relief measure for the Riverway Drive stage two, starting in TWO WEEKS smacks of rank hypocrisy!
Harper brings along enough funds to build a goat track that will not be completed until half way through the Riverway Drive upgrade, a two year project.
FFS!
If genuine, Harper would have ensured the Shetland Place connection, to aid traffic flow during the two year Riverway Drive roadworks was, as part of the major project, fully funded and COMPLETED prior to Riverway Drive roadworks which start in TWO WEEKS.
Harper’s appearance at the TCC meeting today was blatant electionering.
Yes, the Shetland Place connection is necessary and overdue.
Yes, the Shetland Place connection would take pressure of traffic through the upcoming road works.
Yes, again Harper’s timing renders him hypocritical and ineffectual.
Motorist. I live less than 200 metres from this planned connection, and have done so for over 25 years. The majority of nearby residents do NOT want this connection. The local streets are simply not up to any increase in traffic – they are barely wide enough for two cars to pass safely. The area is semi-rural and the amenity will surely suffer. All this connection will do is create a rat run and move the problem further downstream. . It will also open up a back door to the less savoury residents of Condon. Given that a bridge/causeway would need to be built, it will probably take as long to complete as the RWD project.
Mr Harper presenting was all show, he’ll offset Riverway to Shetland to get it done. Tge $8M allocated will be used and any overs will simply be added to the road connect project out of another budget.
They made a mess of the ring road around Beck dve, should never have been connected as we have now 2 connections within a few hundred metres. What kind of idiot traffic management engineers thought that was a good idea? Unless politics drove it.
I do note Beck dve is still mostly single lane while Upper Ross rd is multiple better able to cope. Reynolds, Beattie & Bligh played politics with the Ring road construction and now we have this mess of add ons. It should have been a dual carriageway with existing limited exits from the start and we wouldn’t have this mess…
State Government roads in Townsville are the best examples of decades of successive ALP governments in Queensland all are;
– poorly planned without consideration for longer term needs,
– staged construction prioritised to suit political announcements,
– do not integrate with other infrastructure, land users or industry,
– never built to a standard to ensure value for money,
– never minimise disruption for users, or the communities around the projects.
Dave, all the bridges over Ross River started as single carriageway. It’s no surprise that after 20, 30 even 50 years it becomes necessary to duplicate, the latest being Rooneys. Imagine the outcry if the Ring Road was double the cost at the outset. Or if the Haughton pipeline duplication had been priced at $600m+ as it’s turned out to be. Of course there’s “politics”. That’s exactly how things get done. Unfortunately, it’s also how things occasionally come undone.
Hang my little crab, are you saying it was better to mislead the ratepayers about the ultimate cost of the pipeline we had to have rather than being honest about the full $600m cost up front? If people had not been conned all along they could have made an informed decision on whether to go ahead or dump council at the next election. Instead we got a slippery series of half truths and gradual escalation.
NsfM, your memory is a sieve. Ratepayers had every opportunity to participate in the discussion about ‘water security’ for Townsville – a discussion that grew out of a crisis. There was urgency and promises of financial support from state and federal governments – do you remember that? Some wanted a public debate about the pipes and ‘gravity feed’, whether steel or GRP and the possibility of a new industry in Townsville making them. By the time decisions were actually made and construction of Haughton1 was underway we got rain and the drought crisis had turned into a flood emergency but the long term necessity had not gone away. TCC had no control over the natural events that overlaid the engineering reality. A further ‘debate’ and independent (Jacobs) study about Haughton2 paralleled the ongoing construction of Haughton1. No-one knew the ultimate costs or who would pay them, least of all TCC. The whole thing, Haughton pipeline, Lansdown and potentially CopperString, is a work in progress with mobile goalposts and no integration. Who do you think should be paying the bills?
Following booming sales in the USa, the Queensland and Federal governments lead the local rush for handy new product. The Townsville Council is on the verge of buying one as well, to facilitate it’s new Strand and Pimlico parking meter policy.
Nice try at blowing smoke at the issue.
You clearly said just above “Or if the Haughton pipeline duplication had been priced at $600m+ as it’s turned out to be. Of course there’s “politics”. ”
Again, no amount of fudge packing around it changes the fact that you tell us that people would have opposed the project if they had been told the truth.
NsfM, bollocks. No one was opposing a project to duplicate the Haughton pipeline. No one. After all, the state was paying all of it – while it was just Haughton 1. But later, after Haughton 1 was underway, a new ‘debate’ was started about whether to build Haughton 2. This debate was completely out of TCC’s hands. In the wash-up, after they’d put up the money for the Jacobs report, the Federal government said they’d pay the $195m to build it. Ratepayers seemed to be insulated from it so no one was objecting. Do you accept that up to this point no one in Townsville had any problem with the pipeline duplication because we ratepayers were paying nothing for it?
Notice you didn’t mention why the $195m from the Feds didn’t eventuate for the pipeline, which is the natural timeline extension of your argument.
It becomes clear that Aaron Harper’s appearance before council yesterday was political ca,paigning to try and save his arse – pure and simple.
Harpic has had a spray at Council:
Townsville City Councillors, you need to listen to locals!
It is clear from my time in Council yesterday that some Councillors just don’t get it!
None of you live in the Upper Ross and frankly you cannot keep relying on State taxpayer funds to fix your own council roads!
You cannot simply rely on one way in and one way out of the Upper Ross in the Kelso area. (and now TCC want more people using the road to fish at the dam).
25,000 car movements per day to increase to 30,000 by 2030!
Beck Drive Ext should have been done years ago as per the 2012 own Council report!
State & Fed Gov’ts have done their job and funded Riverway Drive Stage (1) & now Stage (2) duplication of Riverway Drive to the tune of $140M.
State have also assisted Council with $33M for the replacement pipeline under Riverway Drive.
And we have assisted with a further $8M for Beck Drive-Shetland Ext (it’s a Council Road!)
of just 850 metres. Stop listening to bureaucrats & do your job!
All up we have delivered $181M in funding for Riverway Drive & the water Pipeline replacement & Beck Drive extension.
Ratepayers deserve some spend on internal roads in the Upper Ross…(don’t get me started on other internal roads!).
Use the $8M and get the job done!
Harpic’s original script;
Townsville City, you need to listen to me!
It is clear from my time in Council yesterday that some voters just don’t get it!
None of you have ripped off the Upper Ross community like I have, and frankly I cannot relying anything but State taxpayer funds to line my pockets!
You simply need to rely on me to screw over the Upper Ross and Kelso areas. (and now I’ll use the TCC livestream to get more people to vote for me, damn I’m good).
$25,000 per month is what I have been gouging from the taxpayer, hoping to increase to $30,000 by 2030!
Beck Drive Ext should have been funded by the State Government years ago as per the 2012 own Council report!
State & Fed Gov’ts have fucked around on Riverway Drive Stage (1) & now Stage (2) duplication of Riverway Drive to the tune of $140M, and that’s way over budget too.
State have also held a gun to the head of Council over for the replacement pipeline under Riverway Drive.
And we have assisted with a tiny little bit of funding for Beck Drive-Shetland Ext (it’s a Council Road in Townsville FFS, if was in Sth East Qld it would be 10 times more) of just 850 metres. Stop listening to bureaucrats & do your job! Don’t worry about environmental approvals, landowner consents or public consultation. Fuck me next, you’ll want a business case
We fucked up delivery of funding for Riverway Drive & the water Pipeline replacement & Beck Drive extension all without proper business cases, project controls, but with Union Power – remember how we rorted the taxpayer over the stadium. Up the Wahs.
Ratepayers deserve some spend on internal roads in the Upper Ross, but it won’t be a Miles Government delivering that. We’ll be too busy building our own petrol stations to help with the roll out of Electric Vehicles powered by lithium mined in China by children.
Use the $8M and get a CCTV network built so I can watch speeding stolen cars after the NRL season is done!
Good. Now do Harpic on crime – actually, no don’t we’ve had too much of that already, it’s beyond satire.
What Mr harpic dosent understand.it not government funded. it’s taxpayers funded. And that road would of cost the people of Townsville another $million dollars of rate payers money.. jam that up your ass arron harper
Harper pulled a spineless stunt going to the council meeting and then bagging them out on social media. He is a gutless turd like Mayor Twonames. Seriously, why do these parasites inhabit Townsville? I think you are getting desperate Aaron.
A sad loss just reported. This guy was a legend and gave many of us a good laugh. Mr ‘succulent Chnese meal’. Vale Jack.
News article:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-08/jack-karlson-succulent-chinese-meal-arrest-video-dies/104198912
Jacks video:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PeihcfYft9w&pp=ygUSZGVtb2NyYWN5IG1hbmlmZXN0
How times have changed. Nowadays, the wallopers more than likely would have shit themselves because he had waved a chopstick in the vicinity and would have shot him dead.
Aaron Harper is the “punch down” king.
Here is some uncomfortable reading for Harpic https://www.lgaq.asn.au/downloads/file/571/lgaq-cost-shifting-report
The LGAQ makes it clear, successive State and Federal Governments have pushed unfunded infrastructure, service delivery and cost to local governments around Queensland.
Prickster, thanks for the link. Another issue for local government is that a good majority of councils (the smaller ones), rely on state and federal grants to survive. There is something radically wrong with the system if a council relies on fed or state money to survive. The model is broken. And yes, the grubby state governments push a lot of the expensive infrastructure costs on to local government to fund, which they can’t do. You can only milk so much from rates and service fees and charges, and it isn’t enough to cover all capex and opex requirements.
What y’all whingeing about, petals? How else we gunna get an Olympic Games if we give you bludgers more money? Get your priorities right, and spare a thought for the people of the SE corner.
Not TwoNames, No., closer to the ops side though. I have gathered the info from people within the CBD, people in finance, but more so, the people who represent on your page, I’ve been one for a long time.
Then it’s just the way The ‘Pie reads your post. Lot of tricksters out there, maybe The ‘Pie was a bit too cautious in your case.
Pie, I just want the people responsible to pay, and Townsville to be the place it once was. It’s very hard to see everything unfolding, we need to turn it around.
Fair comment.
Below is Harpic’s new dig at TCC. Seems like he has decided to wage a one man war against TCC. And naughty Prons didn’t reply to Harpic’s letter. Boo hoo
Will anyone in the new Townsville City Council recognise the $33M State Gov’t contribution to the new 9klm major water ???? pipeline that we had to replace and totally relocate far away from the old pipeline under Riverway Drive?
I wrote to Council about it 2 months ago and not a whisper. No reply.
Water has been turned on in the new pipe and it will provide water security to our City for decades to come.
(Does anyone recall a section of that old pipe broke in 2021 and plunged our Capital City into chaos.)
But then again State worked with the former City Council and funded half of it (total $66M) & that work is now complete and we can finally start Riverway Drive Stage 2 duplication as a result!
The former Council accepted those funds with open arms but the current new Council has stupidly rejected a further $8M for Shetland-Beck Drive extension. Why?
Starting to get the picture?
What a contrast.
Perhaps Cr Brady Ellis will move a motion to install parking metres at Riverway and along Thuringowa Drive?
After all that is the LNP way…take ???? from working class people.
Some are clearly cut from the same cloth as Crisafulli when he was Deputy Mayor and jacked up rates.
Shame.
Harper is the quintessential grub. How can he call out TCC when he has sat idle while crime has increased and cost of living has belted us. All this knob knows how to do is sit on Facebook and take potshots at the LNP. Labor in Queensland has achieved sweet fuck all and that has occurred on Harper’s watch. What a muppet.
I know I’m getting old but I can’t remember that the Council have doubled the parking cost of parking in city from $1 to $2 a hr from July 29th the meter said! Also no coins in Flinders St have to pay by card($.22c credit card charge) you don’t get a choice now credit card or nothing.
Whatever happened to the old law that a business couldn’t reject legal tender for a transaction? Online is understandable, but a parking meter.
What law was that? I thought businesses have always been able to specify how they want to be paid.
Note the word ‘old’ in The Magpie’s comment. Advances in technology have changed us toward a cashless society, which is inevitable, but before that it was generally accepted that the only currency that could not be refused was Australian currency. But trying to pay in any other currency could be refused, and The ‘Pie is old enough to remember when foreign coins (mostly Asian or British left over from travels on some foreign strand) were rejected by some across-the-counter businesses.
However, what would be interesting (read: probably illegal) is if businesses (or parking meter payment) was by credit card only, not EFTPOS. Not everybody, and especially in the current strained economic conditions, have credit cards. And some, notably pensioners, don’t. The ‘Pie doesn’t, and has no intention to, only a moron would voluntarily accept interest rates as high as 22% on the inevitable outstanding balances – well that’s what it was when The ‘Pie gave up on them a few years ago.
Anyway, there’s probably quite a few thousand dollars in $2 coins sitting around in cupboard jars across Townsville … lots of car washes and poker machines await. And no doubt both will shortly follow the card requirement.
The Council meeting this week gave us good insight into some of our Councillors. The council staffer told them that due to the algae in the dam it was preferable to not eat the fish and council’s website shows that algae levels are off the chart. Despite this, several Councillors said they were keen to get to the later stages of recreation with boating and swimming! A quick web search will produce many references that tell you how life threatening that is. From a liability perspective they should not even let shore based fishing happen. Cr Dirou asked a number of pertinent questions but of course that was not enough to change the vote – the chance to inflate Molachino’s ego and to please a handful of whinging fishos, along with a photo op on the dam wall holding a poisoned Barra was too good to miss.
We have half a council who are ex Hill, plus some new nobheads, including Thompson. It’s not a stellar group of clever people, more like a motley crew of imbeciles and narcissists.
Narcissists almost certainly, but with one or two exceptions, not imbeciles. Some are certainly less smart than others, but there is nothing more dangerous than an ambitious stupid person, so it is those one or two exceptions we need to watch closely.
DO you know if there was any reason why the last TCC Ordinary Meeting (28.8.24) was not lived streamed?
Say hello to Marty McFly while your back to the future. The ‘Pie will answer your question next Thursday – that would be the 29.8.24