A whistleblower pulls down Scott Stewart’s pants on a disgraceful failure in his ministerial role. If you own property and there’s turmoil in your private life, Scott Stewart has left you exposed to a grubby scam. And he knows he has … but refuses to do anything about it.The Magpie has a report which is a heads up for the vulnerable in this area.
Why the Townsville Council could be inviting official censure and even worse for negligence regarding of a dangerous, potentially fatal situation they know about but have refused to do anything. In fact, a recent council action has increased the danger.
And DIY crime prevention: a trial of engine immobilisers has really revved critics of the government’s muddleheaded floundering on putting an end to juvenile crime.
…and trumped again, the former mobster President gets hit with four more indictments about his January 6 treason … and promptly gets another few million from his addlepated supporters.
DIY Crime Prevention … The Palaszczuk Government Has Another Stab At Using Technology
Basking in the glory of the high-tech, foolproof ankle bracelet program, Anna Alphabet has announced the rollout of the engine immobiliser trials in Townsville, Mt Isa and Cairns, with the government offering $500 vouchers for a selected number car owners who agree to install the gizmos. The initiative has raised howls of muddled complaint and comment. Some folk believe the government has upped the ante, and we face being woken in the night at knife point, with a bro demanding the device’s pin number. Others wonder why ‘we have to pay to keep our property safe’ , a question that seems to run counter to the suggestion of new Astonisher editor Cas Garvey the trial is being funded by ‘free money’ so why not give it a whirl. Both views seem to have a unique perspective on both democracy and financial reality.
But … and this will be no surprise to anyone who has lived in Queensland for more than 24 hours … this government ‘trial’ raises a few questions. And tells us to be wary of governments bearing gifts.
First of all, this is a $10million trial ‘which will be extended to other parts of the state if the results after 12 months deem it a success’. So the current ‘trial’ will become a bigger ‘trial’ which will cost a lot more money, and presumably all in order to find out if immobiliser installation is worth legislating … without a subsidy, probably. Well, on that question, The ‘Pie can save the authorities a lot of time. A 30 second beak around the web turned this up:
“A comprehensive study shows clearly that vehicles fitted with Australian Standard Immobilisers as OEM were stolen at a significantly lower rate (29.1 thefts per 10,000 registrations) than vehicles with no immobilisers fitted (140.1 per 10,000 registrations).
So it’s already known that they work. Kinda spectacularly work, in fact. So why all this chest thumping and largesse about a ‘trial’? It surely wouldn’t be further proof that this government has not one fucking clue about effectively fighting the wave of juvenile crime across the state, would it?
And then there’s the official line that the government believes $500 will ‘mostly’ cover the cost of the units and installation. One would sort of hope so, because the CarSafe site tells us: $220 is the recommended retail price, depending on your choice of product. This includes installation, a minimum two years warranty and GST.
There are some morally bankrupt low lifes circulating in our society, but they don’t come much lower than Dominique ‘Grubby’ Grubisa.
This ‘lawyer’ – she’s been denied a practising certificate – and has been and is under the scrutiny of various regulatory bodies, has for years been flogging an ethically questionable scheme that preys on those property owners whose private lives have suddenly made them vulnerable to property investment agents who are just as ethically challenged as the Grub herself.
Here’ how it works: Grubisa’s “real estate rescue” program involves teaching people how to track down people facing repossession of their homes and target them to try to get their property on the cheap. For years she has also taught people how to target participants in family law proceedings, and then cross reference property data to match up names off the court lists with the names and addresses of home owners. Generally these are people at a low point of turmoil in their lives, usually in financial and emotional distress, and are prime prey for the vultures seeking an unethical bargain price for property. People who sign up to Grubisa’s “elite mentoring” program are provided with lists each week with spreadsheets detailing the names and addresses of such people.
Now The Magpie isn’t naive enough to think this hasn’t been a practice in some quarters of real estate dealings since time immemorial, but what stands this unwholesome woman out from the pack is that she promotes the practice to the fee paying like-minded among the ethically untroubled, not only providing ‘mentoring’ (for god’s sake!!! The essence could be covered in five minutes) but also selling what she calls ‘off market’ lists of names and addresses. A woman happy to spread the misery … for a fee. It turns out that her activities have led more than one victim to become suicidal. It targets and hits the elderly hardest.
Enter former lawyer Chris Baker. He was appalled at what learnt when he represented several of Grubisa’s victims of her Elite Mentoring program, especially when he realised the whole sordid scheme was based based on legally available information. It was Grubisa’s joining of the dots that he found particularly repugnant. He became a whistleblower and has been tirelessly working behind the scenes to have this stopped. He has been targeted by private investigators and has been unsuccessfully warned legally – which came to nothing – and he has worked tirelessly to put an end to this moral corruption.
And Mr Baker has had some success. Last year Grubisa became the subject of regulatory action by the ACCC, ASIC and the Law Society of New South Wales. On 31 July, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner informed the Senate that the Commissioner commenced an investigation in May into the activities of two of Grubisa’s companies.
And The Grub has had more wonderfully bad news in the past week, as reported by Independence Australia’s tenacious investigative journo Dave Donovan. Dave has been on Grubisa’s case for years now.
But Mr Baker saw the reality of the situation – the only remedy was more regulatory change.
It Is At This Stage, Enter Scott Stewart.
Or not, as it seems to have turned out.
Stewart, the Minister for Resources, whose department oversees property records in Queensland, and also his spare time – of which there is plenty for this loafer – is one of the three goofs we have the misfortune to be represented by here in Townsville.
Mr Baker discovered that apparently for years, Grubisa has been utilising the Queensland Valuation and Sale (QVAS) database to track down the names and addresses of vulnerable people. The Department licenses the use of personal information to various ‘value added resellers’ but on the condition that personal information cannot be used for direct marketing. People who are upsold to Grubisa’s high-ticket mentoring program receive lists each week with the names and addresses of people who Grubisa’ has trawled from court records and matched up with property records. And these include a number of vulnerable people in Townsville. The two lists are are samples of the Grubisa merchandise, showing her Townsville connection. The names, addresses and financial details have been removed for obvious privacy reasons. ‘Motivated owners’ is the sick puppy real estate agents term for ‘must sell, owner in the shit’.
Stewart’s department administers contracts which prohibit the use of personal information in this way.
Mr Baker has doggedly confronted Stewart with the evidence of the scheme and has consistently sought for a change in Queensland’s regulation regarding the availability of this information, but long story short, all Mr Baker has got from Stewart’s staff his what Americans cynically refer to as ‘thoughts and prayers’, and vague promises. No hint of investigation let alone prosecution of Grubisa, which is well within the minister’s scope.
Scott Stewart just doesn’t seem in the least interested in protecting vulnerable Queenslanders, which is one of the sworn duties of a minister of the crown. Back in 2005 then Natural Resources and Mines Minister Stephen Robertson told the Parliament that any breach of privacy terms would result in loss of any access agreement. The Department established an oversight committee charged with administering a code of conduct that was supposed to see an end to misuse of personal information.
“Yet it seems Grubisa has managed to flout it for years, Mr Baker says, “But it seems there seems to be little action out the Queensland Government and this minister.You would think something like this might grab the attention of Stewart. His constituents facing difficult life challenges such as the potential loss of a home or a relationship breakdown are amongst those on the lists Grubisa distributes.”
The Magpie notes that back in February , Transport Minister Mark Bailey moved swiftly to shut down the potential misuse of personal
information by private car park operators. Some years before Bailey was hot on unscrupulous tow truck operators.
So if this is the onus of the Palaszczuk Government, where is Stewart’s action to deal with conduct at least as egregious and in fact, potentially far more damaging?.
One Final Note
Mr Baker has followed down this courageous path at some great personal cost and possible danger, but while he has open about this whole matter and how it has affected his private and professional life, The Magpie believes that is another story for another time if Mr Baker chooses to tell it. But you have to admire and applaud a man who says he has spent 12000 hours on cases involving Grubisa and her family (that’s another story too) to protect the vulnerable members of the public from the predations of scum like Dominique Grubisa.
Dangerous Inaction Is Also The Problem With The Townsville City Council
There are some very selective policies floating about down in Walker Street. Take this one for instance.
Ma Greaney seeking herograms for the story about fighting the good fight, but alas …
The ‘Pie might’ve just shrugged, made a bitchy observation that Clr Greaney looked like she’d been chopping down some lush grass a good paddock, and moved on. But the sanctimonious ‘can’t take the risk’ comment really rankled, so The ‘Pie shot off the following email. cc’d to the mayor (ha, fat chance of her ever reading it) Clr O’Callaghan and the LGAQ.
Dear Clr Greaney,
I note your sensible and correct explanation regarding the damaged tree set for the chop in Queens Gardens. And I particularly noted your comment in today’s Bulletin report that the council ’simply cannot take the risk’ of the tree falling while people are in the park.
While the odds of such a calamity are negligible, we must accept that all Qld councils’ are required to make public safety the priority in risk assessments.
So why have you neglected an even more urgent and dangerous hazard in your division – the unprotected cliff alongside the upper part of Leichhardt Street in North Ward?
This wilful neglect cannot be claimed as a budgetary restriction beyond your council’s control, it is a responsibility that demands immediate rectification. The cost to council … and therefore the ratepayers who pay the insurance premiums … is greatly amplified since the risk is known. (Maybe a day or two trimmed off a council festival, suspension of a couple of Townsville Eats events, or a lame rock concert might cover the cost, eh?)
You well know about this matter, which I raised in my blog … expensive water barriers were set up almost immediately after I made the possibly fatal hazard public. After some weeks of resident complaints, TCC eventually installed ‘stone-mat’ guttering and a lawn verge along the edge of the sharp drop into the carpark … but no barrier to prevent an out-of-control vehicle, motorcycle, or scooter from plunging off it. Given the lawn installation, and no other footpath available on the opposite site of the road, there is also the hazard of a person, particularly young children (or drunks) coming to grief. Possibly fatal.
Given the placements of the water barriers at considerable weekly leasing costs, it is clear that the council has already acknowledged the danger. It defies logic or explanation why a suitable barrier was not included in the guttering and verge work. (would not the site be ideal for the TCC’s excellent and attractive ‘boulder barrier’ initiative?). But something substantive should be done as a matter of urgency … even if just to cynically protect the council if nothing else.
I shall await your reply on this matter before I decide whether to take this matter to the appropriate authority dealing with council negligence.
Yours Sincerely,
Malcolm Weatherup
Malcolm Weatherup | The Magpie, Townsville
0421 037 179 | email hidden; JavaScript is required
There Was Only One Main Game In Town For America’s Editorial Cartoonists This Week.
Not surprisingly.
Of course, the mobster president sees things differently.
Another Sure Sign That The Human Race Is Bound For Extinction
It’s an unmistakable sign when a film about a child’s doll suddenly becomes an almost religious and moral cult.
Fortunately, not everyone is falling for Barbiemania, where Kool Aid has been replaced with baby formula. Some are very irreverent about this new goddess of social acadils and boofademics. A couple The ‘Pie liked, the first being Michaelia Cash Barbie, the second showing the modern reality.
And the absurdity of the human condition is not lost on our four footed friends.
……………..
That was the week that was around here, and boy, didn’t those immobilisers get some folks mobilised in comments. You can have your say on that or anything else that’s giving a throbbing temple vein, comments are a 24/7 proposition. And … oh, sorry what’s that? Where’s what? Oh, that … yes, the donate button to offer some greatly needed assistance for Nest accounts is below, can’t miss it (well, you can, but only if you try).
Talk of the North John Anderson didn’t hold back on the failed Palaszczuk Governments youth justice system in his column yesterday not missing Aaron / Scott/ Les uselessness in fixing the issue . Councillor Ryder keeps a straight face in text to the editor reply to ex Councillor Jacobs claims on wasted grants and sponsorship . The same Team Hill Councillor who voted to increase her expenses 60 % when Council 2023/24 forecast $3.45 mil loss . Margie said ” no discussion at Council budget meetings $50 mil concert hall and our commitment is ” Fiscal responsibility and Transparency ” . I gather you also voted against Fran wanting transparency on Council tenders less than $200,000 local buy ” ? .
Look, this whole $50m from the state government towards a concert hall / shelter shed/Pallarenda dunny or whatever its ends up being is all obscured by swirling muddy waters. So The ‘Pie admits he has lost track.
So a basic question to start with: IS THERE – requested or not requested – a $50m government grant to the TCC for the concert hall concept? All I hear from the council is that they didn’t ask for it, which implies it really exists. The official response is very carefully worded. If the government, unbidden, drops $50m in Mayor Mullet’s lap, why aren’t we both celebrating and asking Palaszczuk why the largesse? Asking Margie Ryder or any other councillor for reliable information is a fruitless waste of time.
Can anyone help an addled old bird with a bit of that mythical fiscal transparency?
Magpie, there appear to be some semantic games being played here. The proposed concert hall (or arts precinct depending on the speaker) is to be delivered as part of the CityDeal between local, state and federal government. Even TEL gets a finger in the pie – though not the ‘Pie, which doesn’t bear thinking about. The money from government appears to be “allocated” or “committed” – ie. not necessarily ‘requested’. For example this from a TEL piece:
“Through the announcement of additional commitments in 2021, $100 million was allocated [by the federal government] to a Townsville Concert Hall consisting of $2 million for a detailed business case for a Concert Hall (currently being delivered) and a further $98 million commitment to construct the facility, subject to the outcome of the business case.”
Can’t exactly remember now but did the Queensland government allocate money (eg. $50 million) in one of its recent budgets? Thereby implicating TCC in a similar contribution under the CityDeal arrangement. In other words, what TCC wanted to get for ‘free’, like the stadium, won’t be free after all, and may not be affordable if ratepayers have to cough up.
Found it. On 16 June 2023 it was reported as part of the QBudget that:
“A world-class performing arts facility is proposed in the northern city, with a business case for the proposal being completed now with funding from the Townsville City Deal. In the 2023-24 budget, the Queensland government put the $50m, adding to the $100m from the federal government.16 June 2023″
So the Feds “committed” and “allocated” and the State “put”. No mention of a request.
That doesn’t get us very far, Palm, lots of convenient interpretation in that ambiguity, but allows you and others to muddy the waters about a question that the council … Ryder, Hill, Ralston – could easily answer simply. Well, they could if they were open and transparent, so QED to that, matey.
With respect, Magpie, the explicit question you asked was:
“IS THERE – requested or not requested – a $50m government grant to the TCC for the concert hall concept?”
The answer is an unambiguous YES. It’s in the 2023/24 QBudget.
Goodo, thanks.So that means the TCC didn’t ask for it?
Wanker, this will go down in history as “the miracle of of $150million” where two groups unasked just decided to drop that amont of money on a project without any request from Council. Even to your tiny mind that must seem implausible.
Engineer, even in my tiny mind nothing connected to CityDeal funding is “implausible” any more. Cast your mind back to the Commonwealth’s $195m Haughton2 pipeline funding promise which was ultimately rejected by the Queensland government with implausible GST clawback inexplicability. Not to be outdone, PM Morrison turned on a dime and without further ado, or any ‘do’ at all, decided to, as you would say, “drop that amount of money on a project [in Townsville] without any request from Council”. That’s where the $100m for the concert hall/arts precinct came from. Amazing eh? Some would say, a miracle.
Which all raises the question: how much performing arts centre can be built with this amount of money? The formerly proposed TPAC extension to the Civic Theatre included:
An 800 seat Concert Hall
A 200 seat Drama Theatre
A 2000 Seat Outdoor Amphitheatre
The existing 950 seat Civic Theatre
A large (seperable) foyer with stage area.
I can’t remember if this total proposal has been costed but it would probably be considerably more in 2023 than the $100m (Feds) and $50m (State) currently on offer in the CityDeal. What should TCC do? Use the ‘grant money’ to build a smaller facility either at the Civic site or at another council-owned location – ie Council ‘donates’ the land? Try to get more federal and state money and add some TCC money to build the original TPAC? Wait for the business case later in the year and launch a political offensive in time for the local government elections in March? Give up and lose the $150m?
As The ‘Pie sees it Palm, the cofre problem with these ‘business cases’ … nearly all of them highly compromised by political interference rather than stand-off independence … seem to look at the the Townsville of today, and not the Townsville of tomorrow and further. Building now for today’s needs is out of date even before the project is finished.
It was amazing to read one such of the many business reports on the entertainment/convention centre three or four years ago that a concention centre was knocked on the head because the population of Townsville could not support such a venue’. IT IS NOT FOR LOCALS, it is for a (hopefully) restructured TEL to fill with visitors.
A good fucking luck with that!!
Wanker. You do know that a well run venue actually makes money and should not be a hole in the ground into which taxpayers $$ are poured, unless you live in loveyland where business acumen is nonexistent? Most major entertainment facilities around the globe are privately owned and make a good return. Are you saying that Council lacks the skills to achieve that?
Whateva.
One of your better well argued replies.
Another good blog this week Magpie. You have your finger on the pulse of Townsville, unlike our useless local and state representatives and weak journalists who float around in club cuckoo land. As we push further into 2023 we are going to see lots of fluff and wasteful spending by TCC as it greases its own wheels in readiness of the local government election early next year. What would be good to see is some correspondence from Fran or some sort of journalist piece outlining (with facts and numbers) highlighting the steady increase in our regions debt which purportedly is heading towards $1b. What plans are in place to curb this debt and loosen the noose around our cities neck? As Council starts trying to dazzle us in unnecessary spending I am hoping Fran will be asking the big questions and holding Council to account. Who else do we have that can do that?
Also, as the ‘fake Prince’ pointed out in last weeks blog, Victoria and Canada have pulled the pin on Commonwealth games. An excellent move. Will Nanna Anna pull the pin on the multi-billion dollar Olympic lemon? Not likely as a) she couldn’t give a fuck about taxpayer dollars being widely abused, and b) she won’t be around to cop the flak over the debt and pain the Olympics will leave as a legacy on Brisbane and Queensland.
“Show Hill and Palasczuk the door in 24”
“A good move” you say? Costing the state over a billion dollars cancellation fee, and getting nothing but a stain on the Australian international sport events charter? This is the second such waste of these sort of dollars, as the first was the cancelled East West bypass freeway project when Dan took over from the Libs. This is all on top of the millions invested and now lost by small to medium businesses in Victorian rural areas who were ready to accommodate the influx of new business cum Games time. No this is not a good move. A good move would’ve been to knock the fuckers (Comm Games organisers) back, when they originally came squirming along wanting Andrew’s to save their arse. And now the organisers are questioning where Andrew’s got his figures from….surprise surprise surprise. Watch Andrew’s retire within the next 6 months and hand his shit over to some other poor fucker. Now that would be a good move.
I guess you missed this story Rollmoped:
‘Well positioned’: Townsville council’s finances revealed
https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/news/townsville/nine-years-of-surpluses-forecast-by-townsville-city-councils-202324-budget/news-story/665fae74466cf9d1877896969b04afce
Marco Polo, you’re back!!! The Nesters have missed you.
Marco is in Belgium enjoying the time away.
Ah, so you have us believe that ‘Jimmy Olsen’ is the Bulletin’s Voice to the Nest?
JO,
Your link is behind a pay wall.
Fuck all use. At least copy and paste the best bits, if that is possible, otherwise just give us your synopsis.
Meanwhile, in the outside world, a poised and talented young Townsville woman called Cara Koenen has just taken our national netball team, the Australian Diamonds, into tonight’s grand final of the World Netball Championship in South Africa. Cara is a Cathedral School alumnus and potentially the world’s best goal shooter. We wish Cara and the Diamonds well in their grand final against England tonight!
You go, girls!!!
….and they did it! Australia World Netball champions against England!
Townsville should be very proud of Cara Koenen.
Another great blog Magpie, particularly with the story of the low life ‘Grub’ capitalising off the unfortunate circumstances of some in the community.
I’ve got a lot of mates in the real estate industry in Townsville with the majority of them considered to be competent operators in a competitive industry.
The most glaring issue in the industry today, is the lack of accountability by some operators and even more so, the lack of policing of the licensing laws and rules by State Governments and appointed authorities.
The qualifications are ridiculously relaxed and almost non existent. Anyone with a pulse rate (unless you’re a convicted axe murderer) can obtain a ‘salesperson’s’ real estate certificate after 5 days of fairly basic study and bingo…you now have the right to go out and advise folks in general regarding the sale or purchase of probably their single largest investment in life !
You need higher qualifications and study time to obtain a fishing licence in some states !
Grubs like Ms Grub are generally allowed to create carnage and damage to countless numbers and the question needs to be asked…who the hell is putting the skids under these grubs once they’ve been identified much earlier than the authorities step in !
Clearly she and her partners have been active for some time and it appears authorities, Office of Fair Trading, ASIC etc are toothless tigers overseen by non concerned politicians pretty much like Townsville’s three blind mice !
I understand that the oversight committee takes proactive action when it comes to real estate agents misusing personal information. There are still agents who do so. Agree that fair trading and ASIC are generally hopeless but in this case – although it seems very late the ACCC and ASIC have gotten around to taking some action. I think what Grubisa has been doing for years is on a completely different level and you do have to question why it would be so hard for Stewart’s department to do something about it.
Went to the cowboys/Broncos game last night and was amazed to see heaps of seats empty for the whole game. It was labelled a “sellout” midweek, and tickets up the back with a face value of $45 were sold for a whopping $329 on Ticketek’s Ticket Merchant resale site, so I’m convinced the empty seats belonged to people who couldn’t make it to the game for some reason. I was sitting in prime seats on the halfway line just five rows from the sideline and there were 7 empty seats in that row alone. Maybe the Cowboys could copy what they do at Wimbledon and encourage members who aren’t using their seats to hand them in for sale on gameday, with the proceeds going to charity.
Going on the way the Broncos carved the Cowboys up, even after the Broncs bombed 2 certain tries, the wheels have fallen off the Cowboys. Losing to the Titans last week and the suspension of Valentine Holmes has them out of the top 8. Thankfully they are guaranteed the points next week with a bye.
And here’s a question for the coach – why was Kyle Feldt, who was brought in because of Holmes suspension and scored 2 of the 3 Cowboys tries, dropped from the team last month? And why wasn’t he doing the goal kicking? Townsend’s 1 from 4 attempts was a shocker.
If you don’t know why Feldt was dropped, you couldn’t have been watching any of his earlier games this year.
Exactly!
Pity we can no longer just put the rotor out of the distributor in our pocket.
My 1942 WLA did not have a key, just a toggle switch. I put paper between the ignition points to stop if from being started. I wish I had that bike now.
The MG TF involves holding out the starter switch and choke while it coughs and splutters to life.
Yes I used to do that when Sydney’s outer western suburbs were the car theft hotspot in the late 1980s. Clean, quick, reliable.
Townsville’s appalling 4G makes some immobiliser difficult to disable allowing the owner to restart the car.
I am trying to work out why no one mentions steering wheel locks. A good quality lock costs around $80. When a crim sees one of these through the car window, it’s time to move on to the next car. There is no code to remember, and it takes a few seconds to lock and unlock.
Highlight of my morning is reading the paper…knowing no matter how bad my day is..I know I’m not in charge of spelling at News Ltd
Santa would be proud
https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/qld-politics/private-car-park-abuse-continues-as-minister-mark-bailey-weighs-options/news-story/e3aa39dc282f8702d705540369add727
(Spot The Magpie’s deliberate error in this comment. Anyone?)
A subject of interest mentioned in this week’s Nest, but your comment raises questions, such as your own pot/kettle lack of punctuation. The ‘Pie has learnt through bitter and embarrassing experience, if he’s going to sling off about the loose grammatical habits of others, he’d damn well better make sure his comment is free of error. Occasionally, haste and workload allows lapses in other subjects to slip through with fat thumb errors, but not when talking language.
And Spelcheka, hold out your hand for six of the best on another front. You are clearly implying that there are spelling errors in the link, but none stand out. There may be, but who has the time to troll through a lengthy article to find them? A pointer would be polite, or errors highlighted even better. Nesters shouldn’t be asked to waste their time reading the detail of every story that contains an error. Or is that your cunning plan a la Baldrick?
Next time, it’ll be the principle’s office for you, m’boy.
I would have ended up in the principal’s office for using the expression ‘free of error’. The brute would have suggested ‘free from error’ was, shall we say, more correct.
The ‘Pie is free of judgement on that comment.
Should be “principal’s”………………
10/10. Take an early mark.
Stands not stand?
‘Stand’ refers to ‘none’, which is p[lural. Therefore stand. But I stands to be corrected.
Is it rein or reign?
Rein, as in rein in, as to control a horse.
Mayor Jenny Hill must surely hold the record for creating the most White Elephants in one city.
Wikipedia describes a white elephant as “a possession that its owner cannot dispose of, and whose cost, particularly that of maintenance, is out of proportion to its usefulness. In modern usage, it is a metaphor used to describe an object, construction project, scheme, business venture, facility, etc. considered expensive but without equivalent utility or value relative to its capital (acquisition) and/or operational (maintenance) costs”.
Now let’s see – the useless $4 million sheds on Castle Hill, the empty $8 million Flinders Lane flop, the meaningless $6 million Flinders Street East boardwalk from nowhere to nowhere, and the barely used $4 million Ogden Street bus hub, all qualify.
The $300 million Qld Country Bank Stadium must also be a contender,, considering it is rarely used other than for Cowboys home games.
Would love to know just how much it’s costing taxpayers and ratepayers to maintain and operate.
Any other suggestions for a list of Jenny Hill failures I’m compiling for exposure in the leadup to next year’s election?
Reid Park redevelopment for the V8s must be on the list. Sold as a great event venue it isn’t even used very much by Council staff for meetings anymore so apart from the week of motor racing and maybee Carols by Candlelight it sits empty all year. Not to mention the many many random fart bubbles the Rotten Mullet has launched to distract ratepayers over the years.
The unwise purchase of the North Rail Yards could be there, too, maybe. Plus all the stop/starts and lies that has generated.
The biggest problem with the use of the pit area of Reid Park is the outrageous costs of hiring it! That is the number 1 reason for its lack of use by anyone bar the Council.
But what the fuck uses would that eyesore have that could make it even remotely profitable or even break-even. The V8 debacle is one of Jenny Hill’s most egregious decisions as an on-going concern. Te Pests were her when she became mayor, and a responsible person would’ve put aside any moist-making enthusiasms involving high-powered cars and put the needs of the whole community first. But that was and still is way too much to hope for.
Looking forward to your ‘list in progress’.
Don’t agree about the Total Tools Stadium, though. While The ‘Pie opposed the move at the outset as both unnecessary and political maneuvering by Lancini and Hill, and the lack of flexibility in it’s design and usage, it is now a fact and needs to be accepted. And exploited to its fullest extent. If it’s a white elephant, that’s more to do with the utilisation of it by the Dudley Do Nothings at TEL and the inept council leadership.
Or her.
Lansdown anyone?
We’re nyet to see how that pans out, but the undeniable problem there is the mayor’s bullheaded rush to establish the precinct without any proper due diligence and feasibility study of the overall needs assessment and location suitability. The long running farce with the Magnis grifters was a toe curler if you’re from Townsville. On top of that, the competition from the SDA on the port access road was a factor apprently not factored in, and the good news there is that tenants are starting to take up lots there and there’s much welcome activity. (Be interesting to see how they build, given the place is mightily flood prone.
Rates notices arriving and pissed off homeowners everything Townsville facebook page . Mount louisa $3,165 + 37 % increase , Cluden $1,861 , Currajong $2,066 , Oonoonba $1.754 , Deeragun $1,890 , Jensen $2,000 , Hyde Park $2,594 . We know the Mayor didn’t tell the truth ( again ) when she said Council was obligated to pass on the land value increases because most other Qld Councils didn’t . Legislation says Council could have averaged the rates increases over 3 years which should have halved the increases . Team Hill supported the Mayor so show them the door in 24 .
Mike, I have a question about your calculations. You say a “homeowner” in “Mount louisa $3,165 + 37 % increase “. If you are referring to a Category 1, Principal Place of Residence – ie. a regular family home in a Residential Zone – I can’t see how the actual general rate, as distinct from utilities and other charges, can increase by “37%” as you claim. As I understand it, although many land valuations throughout the city have increased considerably as the market has driven up house prices, the Council has continued to use the same “in the dollar” rate calculation and COULD have hit ratepayers in booming suburbs up for whatever value increase the market had caused. But TCC has capped rate increases to ten percent (10%).
The big increases, different amounts in different places, has occurred in Utilities Charges which is a separate amount on your Rates notice and is not capped.
Palm Sunday , yes 10 % cap but per year . Since the land valustions 18-20 % in 2 years what other Council in Queensland has increase rates that high ? . 20-40 % on long term rentals so if your property switched from principle place of residence to rental what increase do you get? + it’s passed on to renters . Concerning with the cost of living pressure Team Hill had no issues adding more pressure on families / home owners yet the Mayor sold it as a ” cost of living budget ” .
The Bullsheet is unthinkingly lapping up the Brisbane Government’s bullshit again with two stories talking about supposedly “local companies” getting work. On Friday we saw how locals
Everick Cultural Heritage will work on the Burdekin Falls Dam and today we are told that Woolams are lining up for Olympic work as well they might being a national tier two constructor. Look at Evericks website and it says to ring Brisbane head office for any Townsville queries, and Woolams have a small local office with a skeleton sales and PM crew with the bulk of work exported down south. It takes 5 seconds to google this stuff but why dont the Bullsheet bother.
While The ‘Pie largely agrees with your argument, Barely, two factors worth considering. The crucial factor – especially in the property conditions of the moment – is where do the workers come from? Are locals being given a reasonable preference over other temporary FIFO workers? As I understand it, there is a points loading favouring local companies (meaning same city or region, not the LGAQ’s twisted definition where ‘local’ means Queensland), but that is always open to the machinations and power corruption of the likes of our favour-seeking mayor.
And that’s the other thing that is so galling about ‘local buy’ … the very name of the campaign is deceitful, and intended to deceive and hoodwink the general electorate binto thinking nice things about those who introduce the scheme. That’s like Jews voting for Hitler because he decreed pork chops at half price, a move of no benefit to the devout.
In both cases we can expect either FIFO or offshoring the work. With no local staff Everick Cultural Heritage will fly people in to do any meetings and do the remote work from Brisbane. Apart from the hire car companies at the airport there is zero local benefit. Woollams have a long history of using their preferred southern subbies for work on their projects while the core management functions like quantity surveying, contracts, project administration, etc are centralised in Brisbane. While Woollams might use a small number of local subbies the key difference between using these clowns and really local firms is that the profit flows out of the city rather than continuing to circulate.
Christ Barely, it was up for all 20 seconds.
Engineer, one reason the TBully might not have appeared to look for evidence for Everick’s presence in Townsville is that they tried a teensy bit harder than you and found an office in Tomlins Street, South Townsville in the Telstra (and Adani) building and a name of one of Everick’s local operatives with local phone number. But don’t let a trivial fact get in the way of an even more trivial and irrelevant conspiracy.
Wanker, you know far more that Everick’s head office then. Did you look at their website at all? https://www.everick.com.au/qld-north Although I suppose someone working in ALP PR probably has a better link to fellow travellers than the average local government official.
Engineer, one reason the TBully might not have appeared to look for evidence for Everick’s presence in Townsville is that they tried a teensy bit harder than you and found an office in Tomlins Street, South Townsville in the Telstra (and Adani) building and a name of one of Everick’s local operatives with local phone number. Not that either of them would necessarily be the appropriate contact for an enquiry about the company’s operations. But don’t let a trivial fact get in the way of an even more trivial and irrelevant conspiracy.
Townsville could have bid for an AFL team, and hosted top level cricket matches, if the stadium had been designed to accommodate all the major sports.
Before anyone starts complaining that you need a rectangular stadium to watch rugby league, take a look at where the NRL is holding its showpiece grand final this year, Accor Stadium.
It was built as the main stadium for the 2000 Sydney Olympics and has hosted a wide variety of sports and entertainment ever since then.
The people who insisted the Townsville stadium be rectangular, and the politicians who listened to them, have a lot to answer for.
It emphasises both the selfishness and the hobbled vision of this state’s decision makers, all driven by the ballot box. Queensland for decades suffered the ignominy of being second rate NRL citizens, then along came State of Origin and then Queensland teams allowed into the now national comp, and our state’s player pool becoming a powerhouse of the game. But our decision makers stayed stuck in a time warp of Queensland’s initial inferiority complex about ‘bloody southerners’ which was rarely just jokey banter of a rivalry, doing a Canute against the tides of sporting change. AFL is still shunned and joked about as a serious regional possibility in this state, which is against the flood at a time the streamlined game is the peak crowd puller in the country … and by a country mile. Chanting front bar nitwittery about ‘we are Rugby League heartland’, even if true, means those involved in the game are shitting themselves when they saw the success first of the Sydney Swans, then Brisbane and now the Gold Coast. This mayor, as a reverse vote catcher aimed at this trembling League cohort, won’t even put the $10m lights into Riverway in case AFL gets more of a foothold (most pre-season fixtures would have to be twilight or night matches) and any possibility of Big Bash cricket or one-dayers.
Doesn’t say much for an inclusive, mature city in which a variety of well-catered sports are established and growing … most are fighting for both attention and survival. And a mature city doesn’t depend on recalcitrant ballot box boofheads to become an inclusive, tolerant and prosperous community with wide appeal in lifestyle and pastimes, particularly sports. No one will desert the Cowboys, or Broncos, Dolphinsn or Gold Coast because ofn other spoirts, and the ticket sales at the Total Tools Stadium wfor NRL matches will not be affected one tiny bit.
The attitude is summed up in this vignette: when the ‘Pie was a sports reporter for Channel 10 in the 80’s, and had done several favourable reports on the imminent arrival of the Swans from South Melbourne, he had a fiery confrontation with Mike Gibson in the Mosman Rowing Club, with Gibson at one stage screaming the old anti-immigration trope ‘go back where you came from, this is a rugby league city’. His sweet temper was not improved when I asked if his vehement on air bagging and slurring on the AFL and its followers was borne of fear and uncertainty about league appeal and at that stage moribund rules (since changed much for the better, improved athleticism, tactics and overall speed, AND all prompted by the threat from AFL coming to town). But the city … and the league … accepts AFL with good grace and the fan base gradually grew to be the powerhouse it is today. And in no way to the detriment of League. You see, when those from NRL territory move to an AFL city, many take to the Australian game, while the reverse in rarely true … even today, NRL is too slow for them.
A different albeit more expensive configuration to the stadium here would’ve been a decision of clear foresight, and a much better investment in the long run for Townsville.
This same fate of self-interested Magoo-ism is likely to blight other projects in this city and region. Just for starters, the ‘concert hall’ concept (criminal almost in its restricted usage) instead of an entertainment/convention center, and the Burdekin Dam wall upgrade to an idiotic couple of metres instead of the 14m in the original two stage plan.
Oh dear, Mr. Pie, what will Johnathan say?
EB – whatever he is told to say.
Garbage, the stadium was built for its permanent tenant, the NRL and its Townsville team, the Cowboys. Why would you waste a shit load of money building a stadium in any other configuration than the one your long term tenant wants. I am sure if the Cowboys were given the option of playing in a new oval stadium or staying at 1300 smiles stadium they would never have moved, they know a certain percentage of their fans wouldn’t go as often, or even at all, people want to be close to the action, and if you put a 30 -40 metre gap between the sideline of an AFL field and the first row of seats it would have an effect on crowd numbers as well, and your in lala land if you didn’t think it would.
The stadium was built with public money i.e. taxes. Which is paid by ALL citizens, and is not for the exclusive business satisfaction of any one group, in this case the NRL. And it was built on prime real estate that belonged to the council … or most of it did.Fully agree with fans wish to be as close to the action as possible, but not much of a fan if you wouldn’t go to a game because ‘too far away from the action’.
The Magpie, if you noted, has always asked why a configuration featuring retractable seating blocks was not possible in this day and age. That would’ve solved the problem which you mention, but yeah, up in those two top tiers of seating, or anything six rows back at ground level, yeah, real close to the action. The extra money involved would be well spent if we had anyone with any vision.The idea was flatly rejected in one report as not a physical option at this site, but no explanation was ever even attempted as to why not.
Magpie, it was interesting to see how the round oval Sydney stadium was set up for the oblong Matildas game last night. It looked like a whole heap of temporary low-rise seating was set up along the far side of the field (hard to see the near side on TV) – probably at huge expense but justified for a short term multi-use for a global TV event. If someone was trying to justify a round oval stadium for multi use in Townsville they’d likely have a mount one of those damned business cases which would be highly compromised by political interference rather than stand-off independence. I suppose they could store all the temporary stands, decking and seats down the road at Reid Park but hey, what a hassle.
Yup, everything’s just too fucking hard for Townsville, eh?
Here’s why, despite cost which would not be punitive in the long run, a retractable system for Total Tools Stadium could’ve been a massive boon for the city.
Check here, https://www.alloyfold.com.au/retractable-seating/
This single example features indoor solutions, but there is no reason a custom built system for a stadium would not be feasible. But it was dismissed out of hand as ‘not suitable for the site’. Which in fact suggests that the planners knew of and maybe briefly considered such a system, but were given short shrift by the short sighted, on the basis of cost.
Think of the marketing possibilities, with people and TV wowed by a unique technology (for Australia as far as The ‘Pie can discover), the system becoming part of the attraction of the wide variety of events.
And those poor NRL luvvies who can only get a hard on (or a wide on) if they’re ‘close’ to the action.
Thinking about Albo and The Voice and I wonder if he ever intended it to get up. Let me explain. First he picks a name which is already in use with a TV show and MMM radio network mental health support just to confuse things. Then he launches a campaign full of bullshit “apple pie” arguments made by people the majority already hate. Then he sits back and lets it all unravel while the Dutton Dunce takes the bait and paints everyone with a legitimate question or real concern as some sort of redneck fanatic. No matter what happens Albo cannot lose and if it get defeated he went down a hero fighting for justice against the redneck right, if it get up, he is a hero for winning and has consolidated his base in the looney left and champagne socialists. All the while there are still voiceless indigenous communities fighting for basic utilities and public health.
Hey Malcolm, have your email issues been sorted out yet?
Cheers
WW
Sort of, mate. Intermittent Bigpond on Safari but Telstra apparently don’t know how to restore it to Chrome, my main platform.
But my gmail address has been working perfectly all the way thru (thank Christ!) and comments – which come through on a totally different channel – haven’t been interrupted. Anything sent to email hidden; JavaScript is required is treated as private email and not seen by anyone else. Have transferred most of my menu. bar over to it by now.
Pie, There is a bit of misinformation about Bigpond being proffered about. Telstra shop at Stockland said Bigpond is closing down, which is. bullshit.
Telstra’s own story is that they are doing upgrades to the network, but as you say, they can’t give any timeline on how long. I can read and send my emails on Telstra webmail but have to login every time. It’s bloody frustrating.
I see our new muppet editor has removed her photo and byline from the editorial today.
Guess who reads the Magpie blog.
Indeed, it has been confirmed to the old bird it is as The ‘Pie originally thought … Ms Garvey’s way of introducing herself to the community. The ‘Pie is informed it was only for the first week, and that is fair enough. It was more than all previously nameless incumbents – nameless until The Magpie ferreted out their names … had had the courtesy to do. And it’s worth noting that Ms Garvey has, according to her Linkedin profile, worked here for a year or two previously not so long ago. Which is a definite advantage, but we’ve yet to see her policy on campaigning politicians. And one hopes as well as no pic, she stops using the first person singular pronoun … editorials speak for the paper and its role in the community … in fact, larger papers have an editorial board so their stance is unmistakable.
You are here to keep her honest Malcom, so please keep her on her toes! And I may even chime in with the odd comment if I see her prostituting her paper to the Councillors, or filling the papers pages with idiot stories glorifying hoons, vandals and fucktards.
Well, Ms Garvey would have to care about what The ‘Pie has to say to keep her on her toes. An unlikely happenstance anywhere in News Ltd although it is a fact that they seethe privately – even down in Holt Street – as being exposed as the shysters they are. We’ll let Ms Garvey settle in, shall we?
Well we have now seen her approach to campaigning political wanttobes. Just Hoover up the drivel from the Mayor and print it. TCC have known about and we acknowledge there is no easy fix for the water pressure problems in parts of Division 10 while thankfully there are no pressure problem in other parts because we do not provide reticulated water at all. Reliability of the power supply is a State issue which is unlikely to be fixed unless there is significant growth in the infrastructure there maybe it could be an Olympic project. In the dark north that second entrance to Bushland Beach is as old an methuselah and just as likely to make an appearance. The best these clowns can do is unearth very dead horses to ride around on.
Poetic.
Barely, By her iditorial in todays Astonisher, she is not exactly toeing the mullets edict. She is encouraging other people to put their hand up for council election.
Yes, noted that.A small glimmer, perhaps.
Hazbin. That is a reasonable point and well made. There may be hope for the Bullsheet after all.
Still seems very inexperienced to be the Ed and leading an inexperienced crew.
Of course she won’t go against the paymasters from Sydney so we can expect more of the same.
She will do what they want, show she’s a loyal servantand get a job higher up th news food chain like her predecessors.
Is it just me or is the only thing that Albanese is talking about is ‘the voice’? FFS Albo, wakey wakey hand off snakey – we have record inflation, a record high crime rate, household distress, and a nation that hasn’t fully recovered from the 2 year COVID shutdown we never asked for. Pensioners are getting turfed out of their homes and legitimate single Mums can’t feed their kids 3 solid meals per day, yet the babbling idiot PM can’t drag himself away from ‘ the voice’. What a fucking shit show.
Australia’s record high inflation rate was 23.90 percent in the fourth quarter of 1951.
Only 1951 when the Second World War was recently finished and rationing was still a thing seems a reasonable time to have high rates. What’s the excuse for now when we live in a period of relative milk and honey?.
Obv ious reason … have you seen the cost of milk and honey lately?
World War Two ended in 1945.
Just brilliant!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Stadium,_Singapore
And there you go:
The stadium has configurations for football, rugby, athletics, and cricket.[10] In its football and rugby configuration, the lowest tier of seating can be moved forward (covering the running track) to provide a more intimate experience. It takes approximately 48 hours to reconfigure seating arrangements to suit an upcoming event.
And Aussie Rules.
Nice try Elusive but how do you get grass to grow (for cricket and AFL) under the moveable seating? No mention of cricket actually being played at the Singapore venue. Aussie Rules on a field largely bordered by a permanent hardened running track? A few issues there which may well have been canvassed by the designers of the Townsville stadium. Oh, and a construction cost of about $1.5 billion. Hmmm.
You really are a typical Townsville negative, aren’t you Palm? It’s all very well to debate an issue, but you so laxily just say ‘fuck it, all too hard’. You should run for council – if the PS job you currently have will still be there when you get beaten like a red haired stepson at the ballot box. Argue by all means, but do try to be a be a bit positive the town’s future FFS. Not for you any Field of Dreams nonsense, eh?
It’s tiresome but just to indulge you this time, no one mentioned a running track for Total Tools, be pointless for a sport with limited crowd appeal, the seating arrangements can be moved back in 24/48 hours (probably faster with increased technology) and anyway, the retractable element would be more seasonal than the occasional week by week affair. And a typical bit of nonsense from you about the cost … it’s more than twice the seating capacity of Total Tools, a 55000-seat DOMED stadium (half the cost) and a one-off special design, while ours is a basic McStadium.
You are all going soggy in the brain, why the fuck would you build a stadium to accomodate sports that have made no commitment to use the fucking thing, all of the multi user stadiums you identify all had multiple sports committed to playing in them, like the Westpac stadium in Wellington. The AFL nor cricket made millions of dollar contributions to the stadium here or signed multi year contracts to bring games to Townsville, so why would you build a stadium design in an oval shape or with retractable seating for them to use, it’s just plain stupid.
You may rest assured neither the AFL or Cricket Australia, Cricket Queensland or whoever handling the Big Bash games were asked if they were interested. No doubt at the insistence of the NRL and therefore similar insistence from the Queensland Government. And you’ve got it all back to front … the NRL signed a tenancy contract, but correct if wrong but do not believe the NRL ponied any money at all, just guaranteed the rent. Soccer didn’t put in a dime but we’ve two or three events there. Nor has any concert promoter, although we’ve had a few of those, too.
Agree though something is plain stupid.
Indulge all you like – Singapore was a 55,000 seat stadium when I read the article. But the kicker is that a Townsville stadium, used mostly for league, union or soccer with (very) occasional AFL or cricket, would nearly always require the seating to be configured for the rectangle game ie. week after week. No grass would grow under the seating unless it was all packed up immediately after every rectangle game and laid out again just before the next weekend. Which would be stupider than the V8 track which at least has half its stands and other hardware moved on to the next venue when the once a year event is over.
Yeah, all too hard. Let’s have another beer.
PS Error rectified, thanks. Doesn’t change the point.
Elusive butterfly wouldn’t have a clue. After all, he/she/it is just a dumb TCC councillor or councillor bumboy wouldn’t know shit from clay.
I bet you’re glad you got that off your chest Mr. Morgan!
Feel better now sweetie?
And Mr. Pie, re: the cost…let’s not forget the Chook Government is spending a billion bucks, re-doing the Gabba which seats 40,000.
Paleeze!!
I’m hearing some interesting tales from my state government insider in regards to the renewable energy push. My source has told me that the QLD state government is struggling to get FULL support from regions when it comes to gas, oil and hydrogen development. The reason being is that because successive state governments have invested every dollar in the southeast, and now that there is a push for new industries in regional locations, the infrastructure doesn’t exist to support these new or expanded industries. Well fuck me sideways with a chainsaw, who would’ve thought!! That’s right, local Councils are pushing back because of the impact these new industries will have on existing businesses and current infrastructure. Not enough roads, bridges, hospitals, schools, water supplies, energy providers, daycare centres, construction workers, and the list goes on. So it’s good in THEORY that places like Townsville, Mackay and Gladstone would welcome new large industry providers, the reality is that there needs to be a huge up-spend at these locations FIRST. And as usual, our state government has put the cart before the horse and the chickens are coming home to roost. The current state government spin doctors are struggling to spin their way out of this one. Federal government is mandating renewable energy target dates which simply won’t and can’t be met. Fuckwits. My source reckons there is a big showdown coming between the regions and the state and federal governments. Some serious dollars need to be spent, yesterday….. time to grab the popcorn.
It’s simply embarassing Qld State Govt and their failures $2.4 bil just on Downers rail carriages Maryborough . Steven Miles deputy Premier polls so badly they limit his media appearances but his 900,000 extra dwellings in 23 years in Brisbane was shot down by major builder and developer saying with the Olympics builds its not possible . On the home front our Mayors focus is getting re-elected in 8 mths and announcing two Team Hill candidates to run against the two independents Fran and Sue . You know those pesky indepependents who forced the Ceo to declare only 60 % of the projects last year were completed or how could Council blow out a $7.5 mil Riverway library re-location by $5 mil . Townsville needs more independents to ask about the missing $700,000 Council contribution to Concert Hall review or why did the Mayor / Councillors claim they were obligated to pass on the land value increases and how the lowest rates increase in Qld 3 % was 8-10 % the same as last year . Show them the door in 24 .
Transparency is our middle name. As transparent and easily seen through as the dance of
the seven veils.
The big problem with the Concert Hall that Jenny Hill and her TEL puppet have unintentionally announced that it will be purpose built for the Chamber Music Festival.
It will not have all the facilities to host musicals, concerts and plays requiring backdrops, or any entertainment requiring an orchestra pit.
If Hill goes ahead with this latest brain fart of an idea Townsville ratepayers will have yet another white elephant to support.
Still nothing in the Townsville Bulletin about Hill’s promises to the Chamber Music Festival organisers.
Ms Garvey must be already on the Team Hill re-election campaign team.
Ratepayer, when you refer to the “Concert Hall that Jenny Hill and her TEL puppet have unintentionally announced . . “, do you think this would be the same structure / building that was outlined in the original TPAC concept (at the Civic Theatre site) as “An 800 seat Concert Hall”? I’m only asking because that TPAC proposal assumed that “all the facilities to host musicals, concerts and plays requiring backdrops, or any entertainment requiring an orchestra pit”, was already available in the existing 950 seat Civic Theatre and would not need to be replicated in a new concert hall. I thought it was now the LOCATION of this hall that was the bone of contention (at least here in the ‘Nest), let alone the cost to ratepayers.
Note the date, folks … he finally has a valid point!!
be careful with the pronouns, how do you know PS is a he?
Weekend Wanker, it is very likely to be the same facility and thank you for reminding us that the original planning and original push was to redevelop all the facilities on the same site as the Civic Theatre to avoid the need for duplication. The new and brilliant plan from the stable genius Rotten Mullet wants to strand the new asset in a new location. Cherry picking facts out of a document might have worked for you in Year 10 debating but it does not fly in the real world. Back under the desk you naughty apparatchik.
Seems to me that constructing this building soley for the Australian Festival of Chamber Music comes with considerable risk given that over 38% of their revenue comes from government. What happens if government funding is reduced. The building may be needed but must be multifunctional so that it doesn’t become another white elephant.
https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/charities/836b6c8a-38af-e811-a962-000d3ad24a0d/profile
Palm Sunday totally ignores the fact that rubber/plastic matting is laid on top of the grass at stadiums all over the world for major concerts.
After the concert the matting is picked up and taken away, leaving the grass underneath just fine, so I can’t see why the same wouldn’t apply to retractable seating. In fact it would be reasonable to assume that the seating would have significantly less impact on the grass as the matting.
Could Palm Sunday be Laurence Lancini in disguise?
He wishes!!
Unlikely that the Weekend Wanker is Lancini because Lancini had at least a couple of functional brain cells and left Townsville in his dust when he realised that the Rotten Mullet was dragging us all down the crap shute.
Agh Laurence the old silver tail. He doesn’t have time to read and comment in the Magpies Nest. He would be too busy doing push-ups in front of his gym mirrors or sculpting his silver hair in front of the bathroom mirror.
The Magpie has been informed many years ago that Mr Lancini wouldn’t even know of The Magpie’s Nest.
RR, I ignored nothing of the sort. I pointed out that if you have a round oval used mainly, 20 or 30 times a year, for rectangle games, you have to keep the seating off the outer pitch most of the time so that the grass can stay alive. Simply put, if you have rectangle sports on the weekends you have to pack up the seating and plastic matting (all day) on Monday and lay it out again (all day) on Friday. At least every fortnight.
Excellent YouTube video of ANZ stadium in Sydney showing the mega action for the transformation from AFL to NRL field. You’ll have to copy/paste the title into a search because the link does not work:
The transformation of ANZ Stadium from AFL to NRL field
Right, Palm, as The ‘Pie has said before, all too fuckin’ hard, let’s go down to the pub and let Jenny worry about all that shit, eh?
What narrow codswallop from a faux expert.
FFS Magpie, it’s not the mayor’s problem. Management of the Townsville Stadium is in the hands of Stadiums Queensland.
Oh, sorry, you’re right again. Not the mayor’s problem, the council had no say in the whole thing, although when it has a successful event, the wise who want to live do not stand between Jenny and camera. But of course you’re right, the mayor in no way should have any discussions with Stadiums Queensland about how this asset to the city could be flexible in its calendar.
Why are we having this discussion about the stadium, it is now here, it won’t be getting bulldozed any time soon, we need to get some positive views on how to further utilise it, I think we need to be putting our energies in getting rid of the deceitful mayor and the three useless head nodders. Suddenly today the mullet as she is known on this site introduces two new members to the “independent” team, both are very active members of the Labor Party. Are they what Townsville needs? One says that the Northern Beaches needs a new access, all well and good, why hasn’t Anna given Jenny the money to do this already, what the new candidate does not understand is that Anna is gone in 24.
Oh by the way, how do I know Labor is gone, Dolan told me.
The ‘Pie totally agrees with your stadium comment, but that does not mean to say that the political analysis can not include an examination of better planning options that were either ignored and not even contemplated if know. Those discussions are about leadership quality, not about the stadium, which is quite you beaut.
Sunday Wanker, you really are a proud git aren’t you? Just lay down your weapons and raise the white flag and admit defeat, muppet.
IN-BLOODY-EVITABLE!!!
But school kids across Florida are cheering.
Is that what they call their appendage these days.
Meanwhile the same school kids are shooting up schools with guns and sitting on Pornhub 24/7.
That’s maybe because they REALLY hated Shakespeare.
For info. Update on court proceedings. Note the photo of the car theiving snot and the fact that he ‘brake checked’ the car following him.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-09/gregory-clubb-trial-alleged–jennifer-board/102707420
Dealing with the the Palm is like explaining things to little children.
Now Palm, put brain in gear and get yourself up to date on the concert hall fiasco.
Most of us are aware that the Civic Theatre is booked out almost 2 years in advance, meaning Townsville misses out on shows for lack of a suitable venue.
So we need another venue that has all the necessary equipment to host a wide variety of events – not just chamber music.
Here’s a question to think about: how many times would a dedicated concert hall be booked if it can’t be used for just about any entertainment event?
Answer: 2 weeks for the annual Chamber Music Festival plus a few other nights for uni graduations and school speech nights.
That’s a perfect recipe for another Jenny Hill white elephant.
Got it?
Phantom, so you want the CityDeal funding to be used to duplicate the Civic Theatre – the complete opposite of the TPAC proposal.
Not sure if you ever attend the Civic but I can say the last four times I’ve attended, one show was a musical which used all the ‘theatre’ facilities and orchestra pit and the other three were bands or comedy shows which only required a stage. Perhaps you have access to the historic booking figures to demonstrate some other case study? Otherwise I suggest you are talking through your hat.
And did you see that the recent Chamber Music Festival needed an extra stage and temporary fencing etc outside the main building? Townsville needs a dedicated concert hall, wherever it is located and whoever can be conned into funding it.
Visionary as ever.
Palm, how much is she paying you? Or in fact are we, the ratepayers, footing the bill for your tedious spin?
Visionary as ever.
Palm, how much is she paying you?
Now Wanker you are deliberately misrepresenting what was said. The core argument from everyone else here apart from you is that adding a comcert hall to the existing Civic Theatre precinct doubles the number of stages, doubles capacity, increases the flexibility of the precinct, and does not duplicate the back of house facilities, parking and amenities. The Rotten Mullets brain fart to build something completely new across town is the only proposal which does suggest the duplication of those facilities and the cost for them.
Oh my lord, Engineer. You reckon I was “deliberately misrepresenting” what the Phantom said. This is what the Phantom said:
“So we need another venue that has all the necessary equipment to host a wide variety of events – not just chamber music.”
A venue that is fully equipped for, ” . . just about any entertainment event”.
That, Engineer, is a duplicated Civic Theatre.
EB, comment not published, said error appears to have been rectified.
However, the real question is why is this very private story even considered to be a story? Sad and ‘tracic’ certainly … but for family and friends as it always is in these circumstances. The Bulletin is in danger of becoming a whole In Memoriam page. A very unpleasant thought occurs … surely even the Bulletin wouldn’t be so low as to tell the family they’ll do a story with pics if the family buys a large In Memoriam ad.
Surely not!?!
Surely not Mr. Pie…you are such a cynic!
But check this little lot out.
Once again these Bulletin morons get it badly wrong.
Gregory Clubb to stand trial for alleged manslaughter of Jennifer Board
“Prosecutors will have to convince a jury the alleged driver of an allegedly stolen car which hit Jennifer Board’s motorcycle is responsible for her death.”
Tony Wilson
less than 2 min read
August 9, 2023 – 9:49AM
Townsville Bulletin
The stolen car did NOT hit Ms. Board!
E.B.,
In the ABC news link I put up yesterday you can read that the thieving snot ‘brake checked’ (momentarily slamming on the brakes to cause a following vehicle to lose control, crash or at least scare the shit out of the following driver.) the following vehicle, initiating the sequence of events that resulted in Miss Board’s death. Theiving snot Clubb caused that death via the following vehicle.
Let’s not try to turn this into an nill-formed trial by media. The undeniable fact is that the chasing car itself should not have been where it was and behaving as it was anyway. And not sure what your argument here is, Dave, Clubb has already been charged with manslaughter and if the report reads correctly, has pleaded guilty and is not going to trial (if he is to face a Supreme Court sentencing hearing.) Knowing you from your history here, The ‘Pie is surprised that you are ipso facto endorsing vigilantism.
Anyway, you missed the point of EB';s spot comments about the inaccuracy of reporting by one Tony Wilson, who seems to write his reports by transcript and file clippings from a remote place, one believes Brisbane. There’s no Tony Wilson listed as a TB employee, and the only relevant one The ‘Pie could find was an ex-Gold Coast Bulletin reporter who was Schapelle Corby’s authorised biographer. Hard to be believe someone with that background could write one of the overall worst pieces of court reporting we’ve seen in quite a while.
Is The ‘Pie correct is this summation, Ms Garvey?
And while we’re on this story, another question:
What is the significance of Ms Board being an aspiring police officer? We never read of a deceased person as being an aspiring hairdresser. Or accountant. Or anything really. Somehow the Bulletin parrots this sort stuff as though it adds some relevance to Ms Board’s death. (Which yes, Bulletin Nest monitors, her death was tragic, but The Magpie doesn’t say so, he allows HIS readers to make up their own minds.)
No disrespect to Ms Board, who died in unforgivable circumstances, but The Magpie speaks here only of journalism and reporting.
And The Magpie tried to resist the ‘broken record’ syndrome BUT LISTEN UP, ASTONISHER CLOTHHEADS … CLUBB IS NOT GOING TO STAND TRIAL FOR THE ALLEGED MANSLAUGHTER OF MS BOARD.
FFS HE IS GOING TO STAND TRIAL FOR THE MANSLAUGHTER OF MS BOARD.
That is the charge for which he will appear, and which he defend or plead guilty to. The charge itself is the allegation, therefore this is childish tautology, dictated by southern lazy legal fucktards who have decreed ‘just stick a lot of alleges in stories in case you fuck up’. No call for excellence, but colour me flabbergasted.
And guess what? The ‘Pie is reliably legally advised that ‘allegedly’ is not the impregnable shield these idiots believe, and does not apply in many of the Bulletin’s misuses. One classic was where the paper basically called the police liars for a statement they had made about finding tainted property … ‘police said they allegedly found …. ‘. The only inference can be that the reporter reckoned there was a chance the wallopers might have planted the illegal cache.
English is precise for very good reasons, and doubly so when it comes to the law.
Not endorsing vigilantism at all. There are three critical links in this chain of events which had any one been broken Miss Board would not have died that night. 1.Clubb in stolen car. 2. Vigilante car (can’t recall name). 3. The deliberate aggressive act of the ‘brake check’.
Therefore you agree that the vigilante who took the illegal chase is just as responsible for Ms Board’s death as the turd in the stolen car. Bit of a lack of consistency there Dave, because the vigilante has already pleaded guilty (apparently) to manslaughter.
The vigilante one third responsible. Clubb 2/3 responsible. 1. Snot in a stolen car dangerous on the roads, and, 2. The ‘brake check’.
So which third of a dead person is the vigilante responsible for, Dave? Couple of legs, and an arm, maybe? You are being an idiot on this Dave. If the vigilante had not been there behaving illegally, Ms Board would not have been killed.
Not continuing this thread anymore, the only reason it was broached in the first place was the questions of reporting integrity by the paper.
Pub talk is Lansdown is dead.
Heaps of ratepayers money down the drain and not one single lease signed at Lansdown to rescue any of the money spent on the mayor’s little jolly.
You might be a tad early with your npub talk, but fair to say for all the froth and bubbled burbled by the mayor and an unquestioning Bulletin, Lansdown had not hit the ground running, more limping.
From Frans Facebook page;
“I am concerned about the messaging in the LIVE TOWNSVILLE publication.
The Mayor’s message on the front page of this publication which has been mailed to every household in Townsville I believe, includes in my view electioneering and self-promotion. The statement that “Council’s stability, experienced leadership and commitment to responsible governance shines through ensuring Townsville remains a desirable place to live work and raise a family” I believe to be aimed at influencing the electorate to re-elect the Mayor and her Team in a publication paid for by the ratepayer”.
Go Fran, call the Mullet out for what she is.
“SHOW HILL THE DOOR IN 24”
Throw her headlong through the door in ’24 might be a satisfying slogan of course. (Metaphorically only, Palm, just so you don’t get your Ku Fu Panda undies in a bunch.)
Fran might be on shaky ground here. It might be better if she took down that comment and it was instead raised with the CCC by a prominent local citizen like Doug K, Mike Abraham, or even the venerable Malcolm. If Fran pursues this she is further sticking her neck into the Rotten Mullets noose.
Is that really you Barely? Never imagined a ‘venerable’ coming from you. Or anybody for that matter.
3 post from Fran in 24 hours, this is post number 2;
“I have just now lodged a Right to Information Request with the Townsville City Council for a copy of an investigator’s report into my conduct.
Complaint C/21/00436 was made against me to the OIA on 2nd July 2021. A summary of the complaint is that during an open meeting of council on 23 June 2021, I stated that I did not receive responses to my questions raised with senior officers, in relation to the Covid Support package provided by Council. It was alleged I had received responses to my questions on this issue and that there were a total of 96 responses provided to my questions on matters relating to both the operating and capital budget. It was alleged that my comments made in an open meeting of council were unfair to council staff involved, who had in good faith responded to a large number of my inquiries and that my comments may have been misleading to the public.
An investigator was appointed to investigate my conduct. I was interviewed by the investigator on 14th October 2021.
I have still not been advised of the outcome of this complaint against me and the outcome of the complaint is not on the councillor conduct register which is publicly available and is required to be kept up to date. I recently requested a copy of the investigator’s report into my conduct. I have been advised by the Executive of Council that I will not be provided with it as it is privileged. I have requested advice from the Executive of Council as to the basis of the claim of privilege over this document.
I have today lodged an RTI application for this document. I believe it to be grossly unfair for me not to be able to access a report into my conduct resulting from a complaint made against me. I will pursue access to this document vigorously”.
And so she should. What is really rattling the likes of not just the mayor, but also her cut-price legal shill and council bully boy Tony Blight, the architect of this flimsy campaign, is they really expected Fran to roll over and play dead after they aimed a few ineffectual kicks at her.
Big error of judgement, you cretins, you picked the wrong gal.
Your campaign of vindictive arrogance is ethically egregious in the deepest, politically connected sense, and is trying to use trivial technicalities to mount an ad hominem assault by someone elected by ratepayers. Disgraceful stuff that makes Fran even more determined not to cave in to this official thuggery.
Whether she gets even a modicum of justice from the Labor connected authorities is yet to be seen.
Post number 3 from Fran;
“I am OBLIGED to ask questions or RAISE ISSUES regarding Council’s performance.
A recent response I received from the Office of the Independent Assessor relevant to one of the multitude of complaints against me included the following statement:
“This is because Councillors have oversight responsibilities under the Act (section 12). These responsibilities not only permit, but oblige a councillor to ask questions or raise issues in relation to matters brought before council that are relevant to the performance of council, even if it is for noting only.”
Trust every one who is a Nester posts this on all their social media platforms. In fact, the timing is about right for those who support Fran (Sorry, Palm, you’re out of this) to start spreading message more widely. She’s up against massive ALP money and a Bulletin and TV station that are yet to change their tune and stop pointless stories which are only serving Jennyb hill’s election campaign. Time for a bit of people power, people.
The new bully editor isn’t off to a very good start.
A story in Wednesday’s paper and on it’s website yesterday announced 2 new Team Hill candidates/puppets for next year’s council election.
The online comments from readers were 98% negative.
Today the story has disappeared from the website. Apparently Ms Garvey doesn’t have space for a story barely a day old, but there’s still room for a yarn about the annual Goldfield Ashes cricket carnival, first published way back in January.
Ms Garvey must have received a call from Jenny Hill.
Or the person who runs the paper, the advertising manager.
Either that or Garvey received a call from Madam Hills’s number 1 fan and chief back scratcher, Leighton Smith. No big surprise that the story got yanked, it was obviously gathering too many negative comments against Team Shill, and seeing that the paper and the Mayor have a symbiotic and mutually beneficial relationship, it is likely to happen again…..Wash, rinse, dry and repeat.
“SHOW HILL THE DOOR IN 24”
One doubts the heroic Mr Smith would be game to front the new editor in such a manner. Anyway, not sure he’s even back this us after pigging out on Belgian waffles apparently for a few weeks.
If you have the digital version just click on local and the story is there with lots more negative comments about the new proposed candidates.
If you think that Fran will beat Ms Hill to the Mayoral Position, you are dreaming. Surely you lot can come up with a better candidate. If she didn’t drink her own Kool Aid and stayed a s a Councilor until the next election after that, she may have a slim chance.
Oops, the ‘Ms Hill’ gave away your day job.
Without proof of involvement, Light’n’Easy, we keep family out of conversations here. Your comment is trashed.
The Townsville Bulletin gives preferential treatment to regular advertisers like Jenny Hill (keep an eye out for more ratepayer funded full page ads in the next few days – there’s been a heap of positive Jenny hill stories and photos this week) so why would they stop short of asking for an In Memoriam ad.
The whole system stinks like rotten fish.
Back in the days when readers were more important than advertisers, if a big advertiser tried to get the general manager to hush up a story (such as his son getting done for drink driving) it would be all over the front page the next day.
Times have certainly changed for the worse, to the point where you can’t trust the local newspaper any more.
The community watchdog has become the advertiser’s lapdog.
This whole myth that advertising holding sway over editorial content is complete bullshit. Never have I heard someone say anything about writing or not writing a story based on advertising revenue. Editorial independence still exists.
And you are …? You know this how? Ever heard of a bloke called Michael Wilkins? He might bring you up to speed on the ‘myth’.
Can hardly wait for the story sticking it up Gerry Harvey.
And forgot to ask, which editor actually asked to have half the front page where news is meant to go be taken over almost every day by an ad? And sometimes, offered the whole back page where sport is meant to go kicked off it entirely to make room for another offering of geegaws? Reckon that was at the editor’s request? And if that much sway is held by the counting house dept, you really think that self-interested editorial direction doesn’t happen in Murdochistan?
If you bring this up in the office, you will be told ‘Do you want us to pay you, we have to make money to keep you employed’.
So Jimmy, you would no doubt also disagree that Rupert has enough clout that he has been able to influence the outcome of elections in the UK, Australia and the USA? If you disagree, you should change industries immediately.
The print media is all about advertising revenue, profits for the corporates, and influencing the sheeple into believing what the media wants them to believe. Media whores working for their government and corporate pimps.
Queensland estimates Police Commissioner and Minister confirmed 200 less Police officers vs last year when they committed to hiring 1400 last . Nett to their commitments 1600 short . Don’t worry , like the engine immobilisers , $20,000 for Kiwi officers to migrate across the ditch + Aarons $40 mil Police hub at the old Dairy Farmers stadium . A record 166 cars stolen in Townsville in July and notice Mayor Hill has gone cold on blaming Aaron , Les , Scott for crime ? . Surely $50 mil pieces of silver the State offered without asking for the Concert Hall couldnt be support the party not Townsville residents .
Happy Birthday young fella!!
Tks, mate.
So Jimmy Olsen/Leighton Smith, where is that story about the $50 mill Anna gave to Jenny for the Concert Hall without having been asked for it?
And where’s that story about TCC and TEL telling the chamber music folk they are getting a “dedicated facility” at a site adjacent to the stadium, when the business case taxpayers are forking out $2 million for won’t be completed (according to Jenny Hill) for 12 months?
And what happened to Fran O’Callaghan’s media release announcing her core policies and the opening of her campaign office? Wastepaper bin?
Jimmy, you are either a fool or a lapdog.
Take your pick.
Your first two questions are valid and should be further investigated by the Astonisher, but you are in error on the Fran front …
… the paper did cover the opening of the campaign office and Leighton Smith did a suitable interview, including Fran’s now successful battle with cancer.
https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/news/townsville/councillor-ocallaghan-reflects-on-cancer-journey-after-last-course-of-chemotherapy/news-story/9f1810aa39782dd4a98dfca2fc6f3def
After reading the report referred to in this article (report opens in a separate window from link in article) I have to question if the seemingly open door policy for immigrants to Australia is the right policy.
If the research and statistics in this report are accurate then our young Australians have little or no hope in owning their own home and the homeless issue won’t be going away anytime soon.
https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2023/08/international-students-devour-all-new-housing-supply/
ALP and Indigenous politics gone absolutely crazy.
Nanna Anna’s drafting a Treaty with the Indigenous in Queensland so I wonder what she’ll include in the Treaty as she’s going to be desperate for votes.
https://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/sustainability/handed-over-ten-victorian-councils-blindsided-by-sweeping-aboriginal-land-rights-deal/news-story/6760aea4ee5b59ea3572b0207fdd4df5
Happy birthday Malcolm Magpie. Hope you celebrate in a suitable way.
A special day calls for a gift, so I have dropped a small nugget into the nest for you. Enjoy mate.
Thanks, mate, to possibly The ‘Pie’s longest loyal reader … what is it now, paper and blog … 20 years?
Greatly appreciated your support.
From day one of the blog, and still have not missed one edition.
And yes every Saturday morning in the paper before the blog started.
Always have and always will appreciate your work mate.
Hang in there Malcolm, Townsville needs you to keep exposing what others won’t.
It’s the principal of the matter
https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts-townsville/justen-shawn-orford-former-st-josephs-principle-set-for-arraignment/news-story/f6a7e53f16da70d8b9c0cbdfe7597c09
Maybe it’s an hereditary thing … and his mum thought that was the way you spelt Justin.
Amazings, no? Wrong in the headline, right in the story. Another subbing case of Fat Mumbai Fingers?
Haha! The Chaser spot on again!
https://chaser.com.au/general-news/poorly-written-and-filled-with-factual-errors-news-corps-new-ai-written-articles-massively-improving-editorial-standards/
Happy Birthday Mal.
Thanks, Westie.