Adani Airlines looks like being grounded … and it looks like Mayor Mullet will be too when the time comes. Put simply, Jenny Hill has behaved like Donald Trump writ small.
A momentous week in the ‘Ville, with one single issue overriding all else … that secretive council decision to gift Guatum Adani $18.5million of ratepayer funds to help build an airport for his far-from-assured Carmichael mine.
The social media outrage and instant reaction – of unprecedented proportions in this city – has threatened to implode on Mayor Mullet and her hitherto entirely robotic council. The issue has also effectively emasculated the Townsville Bulletin, which is a neat trick since it has never had any balls under its current management anyway. Lot of dicks though.
That Adani airport story dominates his week’s weighty matters, but we shouldn’t be distracted – that’s what they always want. So The ‘Pie also reports on how one single person poses a VERY REAL PHYSICAL threat to Townsville.
And Donald Trump doesn’t know he’s president … he said so in his own words.
BUT LET’S DIVE STRAIGHT INTO THE BIGGY OF THE WEEK.
FIrst, copy and paste this and forward to anyone with a pulse and an x or y chromosome. Tell the mayor she ius not to gift the Adani family company $18.5million of YOUR money. Remember, bad things happen when good people stand by and do nothing.
https://www.facebook.com/tsvratepayers/
And you know it’s really serious when Bentley puts in the boot … and he sinks the slipper as only he so eloquently can.
It is not just the financial insanity of the move, the stealth and back-door secrecy that has further fuelled the anger of a community that feels it has been duped and betrayed by a council – and particularly the mayor – who were elected to protect and champion their interests with wise and considered stewardship. Good luck with that under Mayor Mullet’s egotistical reign … she is Donald Trump writ small.
This is how word filtered in about it all went down. Magpie readers came to the fore admirably.
Tenacious D
October 13, 2017 at 8:39 pm (Edit)
It was MOVED by the Mayor, Councillor J Hill, SECONDED by Councillor R Cook:
1. “that Officer’s Recommendation 1 be adopted;
2. that Council note the update supplied in closed session and authorise the Chief Executive
Officer to complete and execute all applicable transaction documents with proponents
regarding the economic activation opportunities discussed in closed session at this meeting
and to take the necessary steps to establish a special purpose vehicle as discussed in closed
session at the Special Council Meeting held on 10 July 2017; and
3. that funding for the special purpose vehicle be capped at no more than $18,500,000 in 2017/18
and 2018/19 financial years.
Hee-Haw
October 13, 2017 at 5:27 pm (Edit)
Well the minutes from the meeting on the 4 th October are out.
No declaration of a conflict of interest with real or perceived
Spending capped at $18,500,000.00
Only Paul Jacobs voting against the motion
Then the daft scheme was made public, and the shit really hit the fan. Instantly.
Mayor Mullet no doubt figured there’d be ‘a few whingers’ and even maybe what the Bulletin smugly called ‘some smug commentators’ having a go at her, but it’s safe to say she was rocked by the both the size and the ferocity of the backlash.
So what to do? Why, make yourself the victim of course, not the robbed ratepayers. So an unquestioning Bulletin served up a yarn about Jenny the target.
The Magpie replied immediately in comments.
October 12, 2017 at 9:56 am (Edit)
IS SHE’S LYING? YOU’D BE ENTITLED TO THINK SO
OUR PERFUMED PURVEYOR OF POLITICAL PORKIES OUT-DOES HERSELF … BUT THE PERFUME IS NOW A STENCH OF BLIND POLITICAL PANIC.
She’s sinking deeper and deeper into her own shit.
From today’s Courier Mail/Townsville Bulletin iditorial:
‘Townsville mayor Jenny Hill says she’s being swamped with phone calls from abusive activists over the Adani mine.’
The operative words here is ‘Jenny Hill says’. No proof, no screen shot of a record of any of those supposed calls, not a single damning recording of a single call, just a self-serving claim. And those are just two holes in a claim that that an outright liar could leave.
The Magpie challenges this self-seeking conniving political player to prove what she says, or The Magpie is fully justified, on your record alone, Madam Mayor to call you a liar.
HERE’S A LITTLE Q & A:
Q: You are quoted thus:
‘Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill said she was receiving up to six calls a day from people who didn’t live in the city, with many coming from phones with a blocked caller ID.’ end quote
So if ‘many’ of the calls came from phones with a blocked caller ID, how do you know they came from Sydney and/or Melbourne … and not Townsville, maybe?
Q: How did they get your mobile phone number? If it’s one listed somewhere on the TCC website or even your FB page (as if!) surely you would have your executive assistant take all incomings? And you surely have more than one mobile phone?
Q: You say ‘ “Some block their caller ID and refuse to give their name. I think that’s cowardly.’ Would that be as cowardly as secretly putting in place a scheme to bilk the ratepayers of $18.5million, with no public consultation or input before you sprang it on an unsuspecting and consequently gobsmacked and outraged public, because you knew from the outset it would be universally unpopular?
Q: What has your mate Gautam promised you and Rocky’s mayor in return for what amounts to a gift to th Adani family company? Wouldn’t by any chance be a covert re-election campaign war chest of considerable money, would it?
This is straight out of Labor Playbook 101, and quite simply, it reeks.
But as the week wore on, things just got worse for her. The Magpie tried to keep up. The highlights.
THEY KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE A SHIT STORM…..
The speed with which the apologists for the Adani airport swindle have been wheeled out confirms that Mayor Mullet and the other protagonists of this scam knew what was coming. But bugger the ratepayers, what would they know?
Denis Wagner
Yes, it was orchestrated from as far back as May 11, when the Chamber of Commerce invited Denis Wagner, the business dynamo behind the impressive new private airport at Toowoomba, to address a meeting at The ‘Ville (casino to those who don’t keep up with the Sheraton’s name changes).
He subsequently had a closed meeting with the TCC, about which you can bet he pushed for the Adani airport for the personal business reason that he’s going to built it.
Moving on to this week, suddenly with lightning speed, we have a slew of radio ads, cleverly never mentioning the airport but in fact dog whistling a message that we have to spend money to attract jobs and growth … and ergo, the Adani airport deal is oh-so-necessary. Which of course is pure bollocks. But ads like that aren’t just chucked together at a moment’s notice, they were sitting there on stand-by.
So who could have put these slickly constructed ads together? Well, we got a clue to a couple of days earlier, when this letter to the iditor was given prominence.
The writer, David Lynch, is the bloke on the nice little earner to do a totally superfluous ‘feaibility study’ of the Hell’s Gate Dam nonsense, which has been feasibility studied to death already. This is a featherbedded mini-scam in itself sponsored by TEL, an organization which exists through the grace and favour of the Townsville ratepayer.
David Lynch Empower Economics
Mr Lynch is also the bestie and business partner of our old mate Dolan Hayes. Now Mr Hayes is a businessman who has to make a quid, is a skilled writer and a canny reader of the political tea leaves. So he probably penned a few words for a few bob a little while ago. You see, Mr Hayes is a major Mullet whisperer, as well as being on call for TEL if required. But never wishing to visit the sins of the partner on the other partner, The Magpie seriously doubts Mr Hayes would be so dumb to advocate and initiate this Adani swindle … it is well known that he often shakes his head when mayor Mullet wanders off the reservation, spreading noisome thought farts around the place,
Mayor Mullet And The Monkey Trap
Eastern literature has long offered us the parable of the South Indian Monkey Trap. The trap consists of a hollowed-out coconut, chained to a stake. The coconut has some rice inside which can be grabbed through a small hole. The monkey’s hand fits through the hole, but her clenched fist can’t fit back out. So, the monkey is suddenly trapped, but not by anything physical – she’s trapped by an idea, unable to see that a principle that served her well – “when you see rice, hold on tight!” – has become lethal.
And that dear reader, is EXACTLY the situation our mayor now finds herself in.
She has schemed long and hard to sneak her hand into the coconut coffers of the council to grasp some valuable political rice. And now she can’t let it go, and has been caught by her own greed and hubris.
One wonders if a certain Mr Adani employed this trick when our mayor was being hosted in India.
And those who owe her favours – in this case Laurence Lancini, whom she consistently backed to get a the white elephant CBC stadium into the city – returned the compliment when he got 20 ‘prominent business people’ to sign a letter backing the mayor. Apparently, this letter was simply supposed to support and boost the mayor in her sneaky endeavors, but it ended up as a double page photo spread in the paper.
Reports are that some of those featured are hopping mad about that, and believe it had been misrepresented to them as a private letter to lift Jenny’s spirits. Naïve to say the least.
But here’s the thing. It is certain that none of the 20 of (apparently) top business brains would EVER consider putting their own money into this airport venture which they are so eager for the ratepayer to underwrite. Not a single one of them would ever in their wildest dreams think of sinking their own hard earned into such a speculative and questionable venture. But all are happy to have the ratepayers of this city … their customers and friends … to take the risk to benefit them should it come up trumps, but if it doesn’t, oh, well, business as usual.
You’d like to think that they would’ve all considered that aspect before putting their name to a document that was never going to be confidential.
And Another Thing …
That petition …
https://www.facebook.com/tsvratepayers/
… is the modern way of doing things, but someone is so pissed off with the mayor, that this little missive has started turning up in letter boxes around the place.
That is an extraordinary effort, and gives another indication of the depth of resentment the mayor has stirred up in a city with enough real problems without this sort of raid on the public coffers.
This is far from a done deal, and far from over for Jenny, no matter how this issue washes up – Mayor There Is No Water Crisis Mullet can no longer hope for a collective bout of aquanesia from the electorate, should we have a good wet season and the dam fills again. This isn’t going to be forgotten in a hurry, although some in her camp think it will ancient history by the time the election comes around. The whole town now waits for a credible challenger to appear.
Impaler The Impairer?
Worried about cyclones this season? Well, you have another reason to hope they give us a miss this year.
TCC CEO Adele Young
There is enough reliable evidence to know that TCC CEO Adele The Impaler Young has what may be called ‘anger management problems’. Which could also be linked to Tourette Syndrome given she is known to often vent in the most colourful and foul gutter language. At the top of voice, in the office, in front of, and to, staff. Potty mouth doesn’t even start to cover it, apparently.
All of which doesn’t make her much of a leader that people trust, look up to and are happy to work closely with. Indeed, The ‘Pie recently talked over lunch with a former council employee, a skilled senior person no longer at the council, who described behaviour by her that The Magpie recognized as that of a workplace psychopath.
Which is as it may be, and tough for people working in Walker Street. But this can suddenly become every person’s problem, you and I, and a gravely dangerous one, when she puts herself in charge of a vital role she knows nothing about and is clearly ill equipped to carry out.
This became clear when Cyclone Debbie was approaching the coast, and in light of the aforementioned lunch conversation, The Magpie is satisfied that this commenter – also formerly with the council – is worth believing in all our interests.
Dearie Me October 14, 2017 at 6:48 am (Edit)
During Debbie the Impaler installed her self in the Disaster coordination center. And demanded a goddam bed!!! Al Morris, the previous coordinator, would have told her to eff off home as she was a hindrance to proceedings rather than a help. But the new people are incapable of this and she tantrummed her way through the event.
Council staff were not advised about what was going on. There were no clean ups ordered. Internal communications were abysmal.
Yes it was a fizzer of a cyclone but it was handled poorly by the Impaler who as usual was way out of her depth. So God help us when we get a real cyclone. This is a very real concern which should have the community worried.
When that was published, yet another TCC departee underline the danger Adele Young poses by telling how it was done during Yasi.
Alacan October 14, 2017 at 9:26 am (Edit)
When Yasi was tracking a direct hit at high tide Townsville was staring down the barrel of evacuating tens of thousand people. To where was a primary concern. It eventuated that it was a bullet that Townsville dodged by 100 plus kms and a few hours but impacted those north of us .
The impact assessment delivered to the TCC executive team by the very competent technical services exec manager ( position long gone) literally caused faces to turn white. For CEO Ray Burton, it was his first hit but he calmly listened to the team and let operational SMEs go to work whilst leading what was his part .. there was no room for anyone in the room with egos and puffing of chests .. it was dire and sobering .. ridiculous gestures such as a bed in a non-rated Disaster Control Centre – if we are talking the blue block at Bamford lane just would have been dismissed and laughed out of the room .. you are right dearie
Mayor and other senior elected members did visit the DCC but respected the work being done not only by council staff but by the other agencies manning the ops planning and Comms rooms.It was truly a supportive environment, despite the state premier getting a little excited about sit reps and non occupancy of DCC at the expected time of landfall by Yasi .. the blue block is not rated for impact of 5
I only hope as I said in earlier blogs that they are onto it .. it is serious business to be sure and something that Townsville LDMG and the member agencies did very very well pre Impaler
It was a well oiled process .. all knew their stations and it was not an accident over the years that Townsville has been able to respond well.
Someone should counsel Ms Young: having a bombastic know-nothing in charge during a crisis is nothing short of criminally irresponsible.
But Not To Worry Seems Forecasting Technology Is Getting Better
At least according to the Astonisher.
And what the hell does it say on her arm?
Speaking Of Bombastic Know-Nothings In Charge
Donald Trump topped himself this week … sorry, one could wish … that is, he topped his own idiocy with one of the biggest tell-tale signs that he is mentally unfit for his job.
He told an audience he had “met with the President of the Virgin Islands” to discuss the devastation caused by the recent hurricanes.
“I had a meeting with the President of the Virgin Islands, these are people that are incredible people,” President Trump simpered.
Ignoring the usual shining insincerity of the typical Trump drivel, there was another small problem. Trump didn’t know that HE in fact is the President of the US Virgin Islands. Bit of hint in the name there, Donaldo. And those incredible people, Donny boy … they’re Americans.
There was a cartoon printed in this blog long before this lunatic came on the scene, but it is more relevant now than ever.
Applause or Apoplexy … Here’s One Bloke You Cannot Be Indifferent To
One thing opponents of One Notion have always been comforted by is the grating high pitched wavering delivery of their chief salesperson, Big Red Hanson. And the general dingbattery of people like Malcolm Roberts. hard to listen makes them harder to agree with. The enduring fear is that a truly articulate person will come along to carry the party’s message forward with straightforward rationality without ranting..
This fellow is Pom Patrick Condren, who has a massive following for his regular anti-immigration and anti-Islam videos bewailing the woes of Britain’s immigration debacle.
Just imagine if someone this watchable this bloke was an Aussie and was the flag bearer for One Notion. Here’s a sample of how he tells it as he sees it (it goes on a bit but you quickly get the idea)..
Even Horny Same Sex Marriage Couples Have Problems.
……………
That’s it for a crowded week. The comments were a record, in excess of 350, so don’t miss having your say, they’re as lively as a frog in a sock (apologies Barnaby). And if you appreciate the increasing effort that goes into this weekly labor of love, a donation will always help ease the pain. The How To Donate button is below.
