But what is not clear is any offer of a progressive way forward, with only one candidate running anything resembling a regular campaign. The first full week of the Big Sell demonstrated the selfish spiteful side of local politics (but is there another side?) , exacerbated by a clearly scatterbrained and distracting Bulletin.
Crisafulli lobs a grenade into the middle of all this, with an startling raft of LG ‘reforms’ … read deregulation of rorts. One change actually says you can break regulations but nothing will happen to you. Pretty astounding, but probably a step in the right direction.
Why PM Albanese needs a personal valet … or if he’s got one, he needs a new one, slightly more switched on.
Barnaby’s got One Notion in his head.
And Trump adds to his many titles that of vandal, this time wrecking American history … literally.
The Nest is as always in need of a hand meeting blog costs, so if you can help out, the donate link is at the end of the blog. Thanks.
Let’s Herd These Electoral cats And See If We Can Get Some Sense Of it All
This past week, every time he riffled through the Daily Astonisher, The ‘Pie couldn’t stop thinking about humorist Stephen Leacock’s famous closing line his his short story Gertrude the Governess: Lord Ronald said nothing; he flung himself from the room, flung himself upon his horse and rode madly off in all directions.
In other words, it hasn’t been a good week for the poor old Bully and iditor Poulsen. Let’s take it in some sort of order, kicking off last Monday with a good plain language spruik by Joann Keune.
October 20, 2025 at 1:19 pm (Edit)
Well, it didn’t take the Astonisher long to make clear its rating of our mayoral election. At the start of the very first week of campaigning, this pesky old election has been relegated to page 16.
But at least there was a refreshingly direct campaign manifesto from one of the two candidates reported in today’s paper.
Joanne Keune has made a solid and sensible start to her campaign, hitting a few buttons that get straight to the heart of our council’s malaise. It’s not surprising that a professional public speaking coach has managed a plain language opening gambit, and nailed a major point first up in today’s Bulletin.
Keune proposed countering what The ‘Pie has correctly called a council executive power grab by using a mayoral position to bring back committees, which, it is now apparent, were scrapped at the urging of the TCC executive and CEO. As The Magpie lamented at the time, long standing committee system ensured councillors had the opportunity to be involved in discussions across a range of issues, close-up and personal with council officers, to be better informed, and shape resolutions to council without having often unpleasant and unfair surprises sprung on them.
Keune believes she has skills to encourage councillors to be more involved and didn’t mince her words (unusual for a political aspirant) when she said “I feel they (the councillors) have become spectators on what’s happening and not actually in there participating”. Ouch maybe, but mostly accurate certainly!
She also flagged that she will argue for rate rises not to be raised beyond CPI, and seek an overall review of middle management processes.
Not a bad kick-off, but lots to happen before the final whistle. But on this start, Keune might be one to watch.
Fibbing, missteps and misunderstandings abounded in the mayoral campaign coverage, along with the occasional expected cock-up. Poulsen’s main mental stumbling block was the single-minded fixation with personally nailing Troy Thompson to the cross he has made for himself. But she did it in such a cackhanded dishonest way that it could be seen as inadvertently getting TwoNames some votes as victims of the media. here’s how The ‘Pie saw it last Wednesday.
Bulletin editor Jill Poulsen has really got her tits caught in the wringer on this issue of Thompson’s participation.
In her red hot rush to lay in the boot, Poulsen slipped into the long outmoded attitude of by-gone media bullies, when she initially falsely claimed he had refused to ‘front a debate with eight other candidates’.
But Poulsen, in her moist eagerness to slip in the knife, straight out lied … and then was dopey enough in the same article to confirm that indeed she had.
In that same story, suggesting he was a cowardly cop-out, we learn what he actually said.
So Poulsen has not only shown she is a first class fibber (to avoid the more succinct ‘liar’) she also committed what used to be a prime journalistic sin of selective bias in reportage.
His Pomposity’s ‘need to check his diary’ certainly was outright wankery, but wanker or not, he had every right to see if he was legitimately committed to a prior engagement on that date, and be taken at his word in this circumstance. He never said no. It doesn’t matter what any other commitment may have been – a magic crystal convention, or panting along behind Michelle at Victoria’s Secret, or a boiling cauldron coven with his sov cit MyPlace mates – neither he or the other candidates are at the beck and call of the Bulletin. BUT Ms Poulsen seems to think he and the other candidates are, and required to do her imperial bidding, when she plonked this simpering wet lettuce leaf attack in an editorial.
DUTIFULLY?!? Bloody ‘dutifully’?
Just who the fuck do you think you are, Jill? Even when major news outlets actually had that sort of gatekeeper power they NEVER EVER said it. And you sure don’t have any such power with your increasingly discredited rag, ,the real voter decisions will be made via social media in 2025.
There are plenty of legitimate grounds for Thompson to be buried back into Sir Walter Scott’s ‘vile dust from whence he sprung’ but to tell obvious outright lies like this could only engender some sort of skewed sympathy for a man who doesn’t deserve any.
For the record, Thompson found he was free on the required date and said he would attend.
But Poulsen wasn’t finished yet. God know what possessed her to insert this self-promoting, click seeking fuckwit into a serious political campaign.
Although under other circumstaces he is mildly amusing, this unfunny pest thought it would be a merry jape to declare he was running for mayor when he wasn’t … and Poulsen agreed … she knew it was fake but ‘we all need a laugh, don’t we?’ Why on earth she would afford this fuckwit his hearts desire (about five grands worth of free publicity for clicks) AND run it among serious candidates. Poulsen is clearly not up to the job as head of a responsible community paper … but what am I saying? She’s not.
Anyway, this Fimmel turkey was brought down to earth with a thud, retrieving his signage when he learned he could be up for a $40,000 fine or even jail. But of course Poulsen gave him another free kick (about $2000 worth this time), duly reporting his about face. However, that’s possibly because she herself was told she could be the shit for this thoughtless fuckwittery.
Other real candidates were making all the impression of a feather landing on Ayre’s Rock. This from David Kippin left the breakfast buffet table long enough to fret over how we would fare without him at helm … our need is, apparently, desperate. Talking about the public housing scheme, he told the Bulletin …
Your leadership, David? The leadership that got you sacked from Townsville Enterprise (that’s gotta be the sort of first you really don’t want to own), the leadership that sees you in a legal quagmire as chairman in charge of the stalled West End hospital, or perhaps it was leadership of being on the board of the Oasis outfit when it lost government funding. Yep, your leadership is exactly what we’re after, mate. The ‘Pie will make a bet with you, old chum. If you win, The ‘Pie will do 10 … no make that 5 … laps around you in a pink tutu. There ya go, The ‘Pie’s just given you a few votes there.
Meanwhile, Dametto was looking ready for a punch-up, when he said he was going to ‘push the state government heavily’ to ensure ‘the roads leading into the northern suburbs were addressed.’ Hmmm, that heavy push of yours is a formidable weapon with the state government, ain’t it, Nick? Like you showed as KAP member for Hinchinbrook. Anyway, The Kid loves you now, so you never know. But when he wasn’t posing like a UFC fighter at weigh-in, Nick cut a lonely figure waiting for the line dance to start.
Then there was Ma Greaney, doing her best to put an early end to any slim hopes she had.
October 24, 2025 at 9:33 pm (Edit)
Having read that story, the whole this is laughable but infuriating nonsense. But two things jumped out at The ‘Pie.
It seems Poulsen has her riding orders to back Dametto and oppose Greaney. But is The ‘Pie crediting the paper with a subtlety hitherto not in evidence? Take this Greaney quote:
“We see it at Riverway in those green spaces where, you know, it’s sort of a safety aspect as well that, you know, mums and bubs, you know, have a place to enjoy a coffee and some time out with that validated parking,” she said.
It is a given in traditional media that a subtle way of editorialising against someone on any matter is to really quote them verbatim – the gurgling tee-heeing Bob Katter comes in for this treatment regularly. Here’s something to note: while they do so more for their readers sake than their subjects, reporters usually drop all verbal tics like ‘ummm’, ‘err’, and repeated unnecessary connecting phrases like ‘sort of’ and ‘you know’, but in this story, four times in a single sentence we get ‘sort of’ and ‘you know’, which makes Greaney sound like a woman who doesn’t really know what she’s trying to say. Which she clearly doesn’t.
This single story is a campaign disaster, proof of a candidate without a cause, floundering around for something meaningful to say. BUT meaningful is what she avoids at all times in the deeply ridiculous, vague policy search on something worthy but hardly of majority interest to beaten down residents. She doesn’t say how the validated parking scheme could work, or if businesses doing the validation will be the ones eventually charged for parking instead. It sounds like intensifying the current nightmare that is visiting the CBD.
And a fucking kids playground, FFS!!!
And Greaney airily dismisses the idea that she might’ve taken the trouble to cost this out, with the paper reporting “On the costs for the plan for parking validation, Ms Greaney said all council projects will be considered in the Mid Year Budget which is coming up at the beginning of 2026″. That is one of the most blatant non-answers worthy in it’s lofty arrogance of Capt Snooze Reynolds, and begs a major question that the Bulletin yet again did not ask. So it is likely to cost anything, or more likely, being so deliberately vague, dumped altogether. So Ms Greaney, you’re happy top promise things that you have no idea what they’ll cost, and therefore may not be possible.
And you asked a few people if ghey felt safe in the CBD, and they told, you triumphantly tell, they all felt ‘somewhat safe’. SOMEWHAT?!? Come on, madam, you’re ust embarrassing yourself now, give it a miss for your own sake. Let alone ours.
There’s more but suffice to say, Ann Maree Greaney is a deeply stupid woman way out of her depth. She is desperately seeking the relevance she needs to gain an office she deeply believes it is her’s by right. Her attacks on Dametto show she has panicked, and that she also see the Chamber of Commerce’s candidate, Michelin Man Kippen, taking votes from her narrow view of her constituency. She has shown no inkling that this is a city wide contest which comes with whole-of-city responsibilities and city wide concerns. She has also been spooked by the vociferous attacks from the Magnetic Island, mob which is her divisional turf.
And she hasn’t the wit to realise that meaningless word salads like this do one thing only … they help the biggest arsesole in this race, Thompson, by comparison … what Thompson says is wrong, unworkable and populist crap but he broadcasts his message in plain everyday language, making false promises in words that people can understand if not interpret for their real worth.
We’re still paying this silly woman to be deputy mayor and a councillor, so she should have the decency to step aside from this race, stop making a ninny of herself and be happy with her swindled wage.
Meanwhile, Back At The Astonsher …
Down at the paper the pressure was on to grab as many readers as possible, but they should’ve remember the old cliche ‘more haste, less speed’, because this popped up on their Facebook page on Wednesday.
Everyone? Where’s the frontrunner Nick D? Is this blatant bias? Or just another incompetent cock-up?
While the illustration even looked like he’d been airbrushed out, it turned out it was just another of the fuck-up by the kiddies in charge of the FB page … it was hastily amended when the person on Magpie Watch at the Bulletin found out about the glitch. Kippin had breath in a bit to make room.
What does it say about three aspiring mayoral candidates who want us to believe they are law abiding, thoughtful people whose foresight and leadership we desperately need, who then flagrantly break the law in their quest for a vote?
The North Ward roundabout on Eyre Street is one of the busiest roundabout in Townsville. THIS SIGNAGE IS NOT ONLY DANGEROUS, IT IS ILLEGAL.
In 2019, when Jenny Hill was worried about rival signage, the council issued a warning: “A Townsville City Council spokesperson said Council crews would be removing any election material that was positioned in areas that are unlawful.
“Council is very mindful that the community is subject to significant visual pollution during elections and we want to do what we can to reduce that impact,” the spokesperson said.
“All candidates have been notified that Council crews will be removing election signs or material that are positioned in areas unlawfully.
“Council crews will be patrolling the entire community from the city to the suburbs to ensure that candidates comply with the rules governing election campaign materials and the impact on residents is reduced.”
Council crews can only remove illegal election signage on Council-owned land and assets.
But ah ha, you might say, that’s not a council controlled road area. Well, maybe (honestly, don’t know) but it doesn’t matter, Dametto, Kippin and Greaney are in the shit anyway then, with the DTMR, who make it clear this is a big – and dangerous … no no. Their page on the matter says:
Election signs must not:
• distract road users
• obstruct road users’ clear line of vision
• obstruct pedestrian or vehicle movement
• block official road signs
• otherwise cause a hazard to road users.
If you would like to place election signs on state-controlled roads you must complete a self-assessment for each sign.
These dangerously-positioned signs clearly do not meet the requirements of the first two bullet points. If there’s a prang, it will be interesting to see if those involved claim distraction or blocked vision … then the faeces will really hit the rotational cooling device.
Anyway, only 20 more days before this unique entertainment ends. Probably in disaster of one sort or another, but at this stage, Dametto is the only candidate with a coherent campaign plan, and with some undoubted Brisbane money in his dilly bag and likely some professional help, he is the man to beat. Hmmm, wonder if, since there is no declared Labor candidate in the field, if Dolan Hayes is doing his mate Premier Kid a favour and helping Nick out? Nah, perish the thought.
And Just When We Aren’t Looking, The Government Drops This Little Time Bomb Into The Local Government Playpen
This seems crystal clear … parts of this reform are to ensure there won’t be a repeat of the Jenny Hill hijacking a council administration, stacking it with various rorters and favour seekers. But should we be careful what we wish for?
Most of this sounds all bright and sparkling, the start of a yellow brick road to the sunlit uplands of community peace and contentment and …. WHOA, WAIT ON !!! what the hell is that third bullet point
- removing conduct breaches from the councillor conduct framework and streamlining training requirements, so councillors can focus delivering for their communities,
A sensible reform perhaps, but the devil will be in the detail of this one, so let’s hope the baby doesn’t go out with bathwater. Because it is reasonable to believe this is Crisafulli’s way of easing the burden on the silly Labor-inspired of having the Office of the Independent Assessor. The OIA was a bureaucrat brain fart by Palaszczuk in 2018, and created another layer of nanny-state fuckwittery which was as useful as a button on a sock. But just how far will councillors now be able to go, when they couldn’t before? And if they do clearly fuck up, what will happen then? Nothing, it seems, except some Nanny McPhee private instruction. add another button to the sock. We will need to be on the look-out for any jiggery pokery by our representatives, but don’t fret, The ‘Pie is sure the Bulletin will keep a fearless close eye on matters.
TwoNames had better not start crowing too loudly about this, because his lying and cheating was involved before he was in office, which took any real judgement away from the hopeless OIA and plonked in firmly in the CCC’s lap. Where it still sits, soiling itself very day it stays there.
A Smart Choice To Attract The Younger Vote
Having showered and freshened up after his visit to Donald Trump’s colon, God only knows who advised Albo that it’d be a good idea to walk back into Australia wearing this.
Our finger-snappin’, rare earth rappin’ PM’s choice of a T-shirt spruiking an ancient and defunct band is strange enough in itself , as is the spooky, Epstein-like words ‘Unknown Pleasures’, but Albo apparently overlooked the fact that Joy Division’s greatest hit was ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’.
Maybe the Libs and Nats should sue for plagiarism. But they have others problems now that Beetroot Barnaby has … we shall we say … fallen in – or over – with One Notion. The Shovel had it covered.
But even the hardened Canberra media mob, used to handling such diverse challenges as anything Bob Katter says or listening to Craig Emerson’s karaoke policy speeches, will now have to contend with a new hazard.
Two New Records For Trump in One Week
Fresh from claiming a peace that wasn’t … the ultimate in alternative facts is describing as peace more genocidal bombing of Gaza by Israel … Donald Trump didn’t even have to announce his latest achievement, it was noisly evident next to the Oval Office. He has robbed the office of the President of the President of The United States of its final, dangling, twisting-in-the-wind shred of dignity.
Incensed with the millions of Americans from across the political spectrum who marched across the country in the No King protests, the Orange Abomination proved worthy of that title by responding to the demonstrators with this, a video of him as King and pilot, swooping in a fighter jet to bomb No King demonstrators with shit. One supposes he should get some sort twisted points for an accurate metaphor.
But the other record he can claim is that of the greatest vandal ever to occupy the Oval office, by ordering the destruction of the entire East Wing of the White House. He is replacing it with a gaudy faux renaissance ballroom. It was this attack on the nation’s history that has most triggered the population … and the nation’s pen men.
And Finally …
Don’t know why but this reminded me of our Townsville mayoral election.
…………….
That’s it for the first full week of unenlightenment, there’s a couple or more to come … feel free to vent your frustrations in comments. The candidate questionnaire is waiting to see what coms from the Bulletin meet and boo get togethers. If you feel you can assist with Nest finances (the word ‘dire’ is always hovering around these requests) the link to donate is below.
Think of all the cruise ships coming to Townsville for the CBD playground attraction
I saw Keune at the Upper Ross shops on Saturday afternoon talking to voters. A very rare (and welcome) sight indeed to see a mayoral candidate up our way, showing any interest at all so she is walking the talk. I have never see Kristian Price at the shops, though he does, from time to time set up a table at the Riverway Library. Prior to that, Mark Molochino would set up in a carpark, near the shops, though I never saw any people there to talk to him, a classic case of you come to me and an opportunity to get out the promotional marquee.
Kristin Price wanted to be the KAP candidate for Hinchinbrook. So he’s busy trying to repair his ego back in his failed pizza shop business probably.
I see Keune at the Willows Markets today. Its actually nice to have a candidate out talking about integrity, bringing people together and working for the community. She also had dedicated letter boxers in my suburb yesterday who were picking up footpath rubbish as they went.
This community spirit stuff is what I’m looking for, not more yelling in my face, not promises to spend public money on shit we don’t need, not people who wont commit to serving a full term, and not unethical, immoral people who want positions of power for their own benefit.
Dear Magpie. Sorry for my long post:
Who is Townsville’s Antony Green?
How will the optional preferential voting impact the mayoral contest?
To digress, the most fun challenge is what order would get your vote counted the most, that is choose the 7 candidates in order of their vote being exhausted. (Antony Green does not support this form of voting)
A quick and incomplete survey of some of the 2024 LG elections, including TCC mayoral race, show 53 to 70% just voted 1 and had their vote exhausted early in the count. With 9 candidates, Townsvilians should be encouraged to provide preference votes to ensure their vote is counted. Of those who voted for Harry in 2024 only 47% indicated a preference.
In the 2024 TCC election there were 141,424 registered voters – 29,404 did not bother to vote. I could not find on google if the ECQ chased up these non-voters as they have for the 340,000 who did not vote in the 2024 state election. The fine for not voting is $161 but they offer a half rate $80 fine for early acceptance. Of those who did not vote in the 2024 state election, 96,400 gave a reason, 31,700 paid the $80 fine and 13,400 paid a $161 fine (total fines $4,693,400). The ABC (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-12/queensland-electoral-commission-voting-fines-state-election/105761396) does not say how ECQ will pursue the remaining 208,600 non-voters or what their fate will be.
If the fines of non-voters were put back into the election system it would go a long way to paying the cost of holding the elections. For example, those who did not vote in 2024 TCC election – assume half had a reason, the $80 fine on the remainder is $1.18million – enough to pay for an attendence ballot 2025 by-election. Their electing to not be part of democracy could actually pay for democracy.
Or will they write this off as they have for COVID fines (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-30/queensland-government-writes-off-covid-fines/105829608), and if they do what does this mean for the sucker who pay their fines early; not a refund. Is the advise sit tight and you will get away with it?
Always good. Always entertaining, Mr Magpie.
I see that ThreeNames has an electioneering YouTube video out, produced by the NQ Freedom mob. I did not waste heartbeats by watching it.
The election is already over with ballots circulated. The candidates still campaigning should quit and just wait for the result.
Why? Were the ballots ‘circulated’ with the voters choice already inked in?
Silly comment.
No one is going to wait to fill them in. There are no more chances to persuade significant numbers of voters.
With your apparent ability to speak for the whole community, it’s a shame you didn’t run for mayor. Oh, wait … have you?
This isn’t a usual election with a polling day at the end, and looking at early voting trends in recent elections we know that people are increasingly getting it over with as soon as they can. The election is already over.
Yeah, right. If you say so, Sir Humphrey.
Last week you decided to delay finalising the questions to be put to all candidates by email. You wrote that we have plenty of time, and all your helpful, sometimes funny, occasionally insightful, sometimes balmy, and sometime bullseye suggestions have been collated and are being refined down.
Now that voters are receiving their ballot papers and presumably making their choices and mailing them back in, will you be putting the questions to the candidates so that we can see how they respond?
Yes. The ‘Pie has his schedule, but is waiting to see what the Astonisher’s meetings cover.
I have drafted a draft how to vote card for myself. I am confident for place getters 5, 6, 7, 8, and Troy Thompson, unchallenged for No.9.
I have in order No. 1-4 at the moment but that may change subject to the reporting here in The Nest over the next weeks.
And yes, Food Trucks is No. 8.
I will share my how to vote card once it is finalised. I know you will be interested. Now just be patient please.
This interesting and believable (if the methodology and survey is true) has been posted by the on-the-ball site Townsvilleans Blocked By Troy Thompson.
The only part The ‘Pie doesn’t accept is the hinted assertion that there are undecided voters out there agonising whether to vote for Thompson. Undecided does not mean deluded. No one but his fanatical tin foilers are giving him a second thought, it just the unpalatable mish mash of the remainder that is giving the undecided pause. Worth sharing around.
But this appears to be an updated poll.
To save you working all that out yourself, he ‘Pie has collated call of the card, top to bottom, three weeks out. Up to you to accept or reject.
Dametto 45.06%
Jacob 14.5%
Greaney 12.6%
Kippin 7.37%
Keune 5.71%
Patel 4.28%
Gleeson 3.68%
Thompson 3.45%
Poulsen 2.97%
Magpie, would you think the apparent popularity of Dametto is not so much about his capacity or leadership qualities (which are pretty much unknown) but more about the perception that he is the only real politician in the race? People sometimes say they don’t want politicians let alone party politics in local government but given the choice and the widely held view around here that newly-‘independent’ Dametto is Crisafulli’s man for Townsville, I find it a bit of a surprise. Or maybe not a surprise given how many voters don’t seem to know what they want!
Bob,
Regarding your comment on elections that people don’t know what they want. I’d say some have no interest at all, and only vote to avoid a fine. But that’s different to expressing an interest.
For some voters, David Chrisafulli’s endorsement of Nick Dametto might be the kiss of death for him becoming Mayor of Townsville.
But overwhelmingly, in politics, as in sport, in Australia voters like to back winners. And Dametto is the favourite.
I sort of get that, Clarabelle but I don’t understand how Dametto came to be a front runner right from the start, party politician and all. But yes, he is new blood (in the council) and Thompson was as well so that might count for something. OTOH, the Bulletin backed Hill and that came to nought. Then there’s the novelty factor of mail-in voting which few would have tried before. I think it’s wide open and the polling used here in the ‘Nest from Facebook Thompson rejects is hardly a representative sample – fun though, and interesting that they are fans of Dametto. Perhaps we are about to learn a whole lot more about our neighbours and their predilections.
Dametto’s out the front on name recognition, established (if vague for some) public presence, and is not a loathed figure like Thompson. His political experience in Brisbane, albeit for KAP, will sway a lot of voters, too, along with the widely understood fact that he will have the premier’s ear, something no one else in the line-up can claim. That is the reason based on reality, and not an endorsement. And always wise to remember that Thompson’s victory was only partly due to his campaign lies, it was more based on the fact that he didn’t win the election in his own right, Hill lost it.
And as Richo always says, there’s only one poll that counts, the one taken on election day. So yes, all fun and games with no realistic solid advice available from anywhere. Especially the Bulletin.
On the very day of its much hyped ‘candidate debate’ – it’s no such thing, but let it pass – the paper mystified its dwindling readership by deciding the one issue that had the populace awake at night was this.
The ‘Pie skipped past it, putting it down to some out-of-touch aberration, but then he glanced at the iditorial.
Seriously, Jill? Crime, sewerage failure, rampaging rates for little return, lack of transparency by the council executive, opur tattered national reputation, and you somehow deem bog-standard entrance signage worthy of a double page spread on the day of the Big Debate? Have you been secretly inundated with anxious readers’ dismay on this matter?
Years ago, Judge Clive Wall, replying to a barrister who said he didn’t know what a magistrate was thinking by sending the matter to a higher court, drily observed that in his experience, trying to work out what a magistrate was thinking was an exercise in futility. A nice little pecking order putdown, but the good judge’s observation could well apply to the current editor of the Bulletin.
AnAl’s tee shirt is stirring things up as Joy Division has been referred to the brothel in a Nazi concentration camp where Jewish women were raped by Nazis.
The brothel was a fictional (or at least never proved) one featured in the book House of Dolls written by a holocaust survivor. The band lamely dnied an Nazi connection despite having Nazi illustration son album covers.
So yes, our Prime Minister should have been both aware and wary of such connections … unless he meant us to join the dots.
Fucking hanky-wringers looking to be offended.
Maybe but see if you can engineer a lucid moment, and try to imagine that this can possibly cause more unnecessary distraction by an either ill-informed or otherwise thoughtless act by a person who should know better. Anyway an explanation of a politician wearing a way out-of-date T shirt is worth a question if just out of curiosity.
Its currently popular to wear band tshirts for old bands. The PM is showing his up and coming voter base that he’s awfully cool.
I’ve got grandkids wearing shirts with Divynals and David Bowie on them. I don’t assume that means they want to snort a fuck tonne of drugs, piss on crowds, support fascism, cross dress or that they are making politcal statements. I dont even assume they know the music. I just assume they are wearing a tshirt that has some great album artwork on it, because thats the trend.
Being your grandkids, it’s highly likely they do, or will.
But love the way you speing ton your hero’s defence at the slightest bit of wry humour.
Anyone who hasn’t seen Albo in an old band shirt before has been living in a cave or a liar.
No one, certainly not The ‘Pie, has ever said any such thing. The conversation was about a particular T shirt.
You’re not very bright and teensy bit bitter about life, aren’t you, Cheap Meat.
Artificial intelligence indeed! the boy was lucky the officer was not one of Trump’s trigger happy “goons”.
“Armed police handcuff teen after AI mistakes crisp packet for gun in US”
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgjdlx92lylo
HERE’S IS SOME CRITICALLY IMPORTANT VOTING INFORMATION.
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO VOTE FOR THOMPSON EVEN AS LAST CHOICE, YOU CAN LEAVE HIM OFF THE BALLOT ALTOGETHER – WHERE HE BELONGS.
Because the misguided powers that be decided on a postal only vote for Townsville mayor, the situation is ripe for confusion. In most preferential voting elections, you have to number EVERY SQUARE FOR YOUR VOTE TO BE VALID.
THIS NOT THE CASE IN THIS POSTAL BALLOT, YOU CAN JUST VOTE 1, OR YOU CAN PREFERENCE IN ORDER SOME BUT NOT NECESSARILY ALL SQUARES. Your vote will still be valid.
This from the government site.
Never, ever seen that before anywhere in Oz, I’m unsure if its legal, its always been in all elections either just one, or the whole herd!
Supplementary: How will they be able to fairly calculate if a candidate scores enough or not to keep or lose their deposit.
Simple calculation if 4% of the vote is the cut-off. Think that’s the usual figure, but happy to be corrected.
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1AUAPpYEbS/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Thompson has a campaign song, written by Joanne Kuenes good friend Jeff Salter, that might sour their relationship. I still think it’s Dametto’s campaign to lose, but I feel Thompson has gained support because of the negative media. Was at the RSL for lunch and 5 of the 8 eating there with me and the wife said they voted for him because he’s still there and they felt sorry for him. My wife, son and myself did not vote for him.
Maybe we should all stop giving him any attention Pie, it’s concerning. Anyway, Nick got three votes from us. Have a good week.
The Nest is here to report matters as factually and informatively as it can. It is not in the blanket censorship business.
Achilles, optional preferential voting is old hat in Queensland:
“ The report says that the February 2001 State Election was the fourth to be held with optional preferential voting and the results showed that electors were now thoroughly familiar with it.”
Typical government/political spin … the only electors familiar with it were those in the three previous main-in only electorates.
Don’t think so, Magpie. Here’s some more of the same statement which had nothing to do with mail-in voting:
“Premier Peter Beattie has welcomed a survey by the Electoral Commission of Queensland which shows that most Queenslanders are embracing optional preferential voting.
“The report says that voters are increasingly endorsing the reason why optional preferential voting was introduced – that voters should not be forced into voting for candidates they do not support,” said Mr Beattie.”
Sure, a later Labor government dropped OPV for tactical reasons but not before numerous state elections were conducted using it. It might be novel for Mexicans but old hat way back to, I think, the Goss government.
Is as maybe, but the issue remains here in Townsville today that this is a postal only vote. And that is wrong.
Even the Newman government used OPV which has been around in Queensland state elections for more than 30 years. Note this article from 2015:
https://theconversation.com/are-queenslanders-in-danger-of-wasting-their-votes-35919?utm_medium=article_clipboard_share&utm_source=theconversation.com
State elections are now mandatory preferential elections thanks to a deal done between Labor and the Katters back in 2016.
Townsville Local government elections are Optional Preferential. Mark 1, some or all.
The last election was the same.
Votes are still distributed in the same way that preferential votes are distributed and when/if your ballot is exhausted and your choice is not one of the remaining candidates then thats ok too. It just means your vote didnt go to someone you didnt want it to go to.
Pie, the fewer boxes you number the quicker your vote will become ‘exhausted’ (a proper ecq term) and you no longer participate, through your ballot, in the allocation of preferences that in this election will be critical.
I encourage all to number every box 1 to 9 taking pleasure in assigning T Thompson to No.9.
No.9 is not a vote for T Thompson it is, from the Townsville voter, a pineapple up the rectum.
Coming last would not be as satisfying as seeing him come nowhere at all. Forget Thompson, it’s long been NOT about him.
Spent time at the Willows markets today and saw Kippers melting and not interested in the public. He was happy to talk to his team but let his workers talk to the public.
Keune on the other hand chased people around the market everywhere to talk to them including in front of market stalls. People wanted to escape her, but she persisted and market stalls lost their business.
The crowd avoided their stalls like every political campaign, and the stalls along their side had a bad day’s trading.
Markets might be an easy target for politicians, but it is terrible for the mums and dads who run stalls trying to make a living. Once the election is over, they vanish, never to be seen again.
On the way out, Ma Greaney has her signs on every pedestrian crossing fence along Thuringowa drive, effectively blocking the sight of pedestrians from motorists including out the front of the school.
Couldn’t agree more, the list of wannabe’s is really ordinary considering how large Townsville is. I think Demented has it in the bag, with some other percentages going to Foodtrucks and the Michelin Man. Jacob will also pick up some votes, even if he dresses in. 70’s safari suits. The Gleeson kid is now in the shit for posting some approving comments on a porno rape site, so you can count him out. He was always a 100:1 long shot anyway. A field of sub-standard candidates which will leave us in the shit for the next 2 years as far as Mayors go. Hopefully the current group of councillors can keep chipping away at issues locally. Jacob and Suzy seem to read reports and agenda items and are a wake up to some of Joe McCool’s sneaky antics, so that’s a positive. Joe is by far not the worst CEO we have had, but when teaming up with the CLO some underhanded and crafty tactics become apparent.
Joanne Keune is diplomatic in saying the Councillors have become “spectators”. The elected arm of this Council has been ambushed and overwhelmed by the UNELECTED operational arm ever since the despot Mayor Jenny Hill was deposed.
In operational terms, the position of Mayor is currently irrelevant as the CEO, Joe McCabe, and his executive underlayer control every breath this Council takes.
Projections of 45% of the vote to Dametto may turn out to be wildly overstated. But then , that is the nature of political campaigning, isn’t it? TALKING IT UP. He probably only needs 20%.
If Nick wins, we can all be comforted that David Crisafulli has never really left us. He may be functioning at an extraordinarily high level running the state and ensuring that Brisbane won’t be embarrassed by a deficiency of sporting venues for our upcoming Olympics.
But he can still spare critical moments to ensure the lid stays on Townsville.
Question for a potential Mayor.
Will you ensure that the management plan for the Ross River Dam reverts to having as the primary directive “Flood Mitigation “ not “Water Resource” as was the intention and basis for the original construction? Note that we already have water security and the estimated cost of the 2019 flood was over $1.4B.
Hey NOAH, when you say that we already have water security do you mean that the Haughton 1+2 pipeline and pump station at Clare is good to go? If so could you tell us when it was finished and who paid for it – particularly the last bit that was said to be a couple of hundred million over budget? I thought it was stalled in limbo because a) we no longer have a water crisis, b) there’s nothing happening at Lansdown yet, and c) ratepayers are unwilling to pick up any more than the $79m tab we are already lumbered with.
Good luck finding an update let alone a new finish date … that would be a NEW date because the only info says it is/was due to be finished mid-2025.
Sorry Bob, I have assumed that the first two pipelines we paid for are functional. What is missing is the treatment plant at Toonpan that John Howard gave TCC $49.5m for in 2005. I believe that the money was redirected to Mount St John waste facility. Basically if we have contamination in the RRD by way of a rail or road accident in the catchment we only have Paluma as there will be no access to Burdekin’s water.
Redirected. Got any evidence of that redirection?
Search, Toonpan Water Treatment Plant 2005
NOAH, if, according to you, the Toonpan deal with the Feds was $49M. Federal funding for Mt St John was only $39M.
Why would council make a deal that stiffed them $10M and who made that deal?
Anyone who has been down to the Burdekin/Haughton will have noticed the pipework is nearly all finished and covered. The site for the pump station on the banks of the Burdekin, appears to have been remediated and leveled after the terminal pipe work and boxing was completed. As of about 2 mths ago, no evidence of any work starting on that building..
Perhaps, with all its fevered attention on vital election issues like a new welcoming sign for the city’s entrances, the Bulletin might care to make a polite inquiry about your on-point information.
NOAH, the question of the RRDam’s primary function ie. water supply or flood mitigation, is complicated by the midlife installation of floodgates around 2007. Before that there was no means of exercising control over flood flows – when the water reached the spillway (100%) whatever came next went straight down the river. With the gates in place it is now possible to load up the dam close to 250% making flood mitigation a serious possibility, at least up to a point. Interestingly, the two most recent studies or reviews of the dam’s flood management systems have conflicting views about the dam’s primary function:
A Review of Ross River Dam Gate Operations to Improve Downstream Flood Immunity
Bailey W.G, Ballard J.R, and Saunders R.E published sometime after 2011.
“Ross River Dam was originally constructed in 1974, following a feasibility investigations phase that commenced in 1965. The dam was originally constructed for flood mitigation following the large flood event of March 1946.”
Inspector-General Emergency Management (IGEM)
Independent Review of Ross River Flooding, February 2019
“The dam’s primary function is a water supply facility for Townsville, with secondary function as flood mitigation. Ross River Dam is not prescribed as a flood mitigation dam under the Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008.”
The ‘Pie doesn’t quite understand the importance of delineating the difference between water supply and flood mitigation. The RRD is there, it exists, it has flood gates, and is also our primary water supply. The lowest point the dam ever reached was 32.5% in February 2007, and was a benchmark quoted by 2016 mayoral candidate Jayne Arlett for her core platform of a need for waterproofing Townsville with a connection to the Burdekin Dam. (A policy Jenny Hill dismissed with an airy ‘water crisis, what water crisis? There isn’t a water crisis.’ And the moment she was re-elected pinched the whole issue and successfully lobbied for the still incomplete project.)
So water security is close to be being a non-issue, and while The ‘Pie does not pretend any engineering skill at all, fails to understand why a bumper but not flooding flow in the river is released at the earliest stages of heavy rainfall … because we are not going to run out of household and industrial water now we (almost) have a pipeline.
But let’s not go on about this, it really has fuckall to do with the issues which are supposed to decide this election.
According to the Ross River Dam website the historical lowest level was 10.95% on 5 January 2008.
Yeah, in fact, I was surprised at the percentage my search came up with, because I remember actually writing stories for the paper about that at the time. So thanks. I remembered 10% or thereabouts. However, the principal of my point stands.
Bob, You are correct. There is not actually a flood mitigation plan. The plan is for the protection of the dam and states no regard for down stream damage. Automatic releases at 100% happen regardless of any existing localised flooding downstream. Due to the short catchment the inflow response to heavy rain is immediate and the only real mitigation will come from a lower level at the start of the wet season. The modelling to determine that appropriate level has not been done.
Magpie, Thank you for the opportunity. If you live in the “Black Zone” or the Bohle Plains The choice of Mayor is critical to your future considering TCC controls the RRD. Maybe not as important to others focused on parking and revamp of the Strand.
The only good thing about this mayoral election is that we only have to wait 2 years to turf out the successful candidate if he/she doesn’t perform up to expectations.
And what happens if the current councilors decide they can’t work with the new mayor? Do we keep having elections until we find somebody that suits them?
I tried to fill out my ballot paper over the weekend and it did my head in.
I couldn’t find anyone on the list I wanted to vote for.
Surely in a city this size there are some suitably qualified people who want to run for mayor.
What is it about Townsville that retired businessmen and women, who made their fortune in this city, can’t give something back?
Doug,
I understand your pain. Two years to find a worthy competent candidate, lest we have a rerun of this current bun fight.
Good luck Townsville!
Bit surprised by the gushing over Labor’s Joanne Keune in the comments here in the Nest this week. Her completely unserious interpretation of the city’s crime problem as reported in the Astonisher should render her unsuitable in the eyes of anyone other than the most hardcore of Comrades.
What did she say?
She blamed, amongst other things, “kids watching Ninja Turtles”
First of all – places with less crime than here have equal access to harmless tv shows
Secondly – a quick google of the Ninja Turtles would show they’re actually crime fighters… go figure!
Looks like young Mr Gleeson has pretty much had any chance that he may have had wiped out by his foray into a subreddit called r/rape-hentai if the Astonisher is to be believed, tsk tsk.
A cancel culture storm in a teacup. Good old Bully, always using a sledge hammer to crack a nutcase.
Did the Bulletin do some investigative journalism or did they get a tip off about Sean Gleeson.
Hopefully all other Mayoral candidates are getting a similar level of scrutiny to level the playing field.
What would be far more ijnteresting would be to go through the social media history of the Bulletin staff, from Poulsen on down. Given the minuscule parameters they work by, one imagines they should remember casting the first stone invites unwelcome attention.
And he’s out, due to “ill health”
Chief cooker and serial shonk Twonames Thompson is headed to Maggie Island today.. No doubt he will be knifing the big girl Greaney in his attempt to smear all candidates. Can’t wait to see what he promises the Maggie ratepayers, but hey, does it really matter because this absolute dropkick won’t get voted back in. Let me be clear, when he fails, he will do a Trump and claim the mayoral race was rigged, he was treated unfairly by the media and Brisbane blah blah fucking blah.
Is he walking to Maggie?
Thompson should be ‘knifing’ 45% Dametto if he’s looking to win this thing. Surely on the figures and opinions being bandied around here, 12.6% Greaney is no threat to anyone. Anyway, ballot paper now in hand I’m wishing I could see the Magpie questionnaire. BTW can anyone put a start time on the Upper Ross candidate forum on 4 November? Can’t find a mention anywhere online.
OK, Bob, The ‘Pie will stretch the meaning of ‘volunteering’ a bit and ‘volunteer’ you because of your impatience to do a bit of the work for The Magpie.
So please send in the email contact list of all candidates. Because remember, we have to get the questions out and then await whatever answers come back.
So, quick sticks, hop to it. COB today would be good.
I gave it a shot on three candidates for nearly half an hour and got nowhere. Sorry.
Conveniently, most of the candidates provided an email address on their ECQ nomination form. The three that did not were Thompson, Poulsen and Dametto. Otherwise:
email hidden; JavaScript is required
email hidden; JavaScript is required Patel
email hidden; JavaScript is required
email hidden; JavaScript is required Jacob
email hidden; JavaScript is required
email hidden; JavaScript is required
Excellent Bob, thank you (yes, serious for once), saves me a chore.
YAY, The ‘Pie has his ballot paper, took him all of under a minute to tick, seal and sign. Ticked 2 boxes only. Don’t buy all this hyperventilating malarky about how we should vote preferentially. Longest part was finding someone to witness it, but that’s all fixed now. Honestly, can’t understand all the agonising about this, it’s pretty straightforward, and most of you know in your heart that it is.
Hold it right there, Dear Pie!
We here in Nest land are holding off voting, loyaly waiting for the candidate’s answers to The Magpie Questionnaire, that we be fully (maybe) informed to place the numbers in the order that Townsville so desperately needs, and here are you, our leadess feeler not only jumping the gun, but the bloody thing isn’t even loaded yet.
I am here standing beside myself in dismay.
FFS Bob, You have until November 15 to fill out the ballot paper. So if you are serious you can wait a little longer before you post.
Seriously Alahazbin, what the fuck would you know? Mind your own business.
Ooohh ah!!!
So Bob, You aren’t serious. Vote for the idiot.
I can’t find your name on the ballot paper.
Bob,
I attended a meeting at the start of the year. Meeting opened at 6PM.
I googled up Upper Ross Community Voice and from an image of the minutes from a meeting and again, 6PM.
I assume it will be 6PM for this event.
I take it that you will be attending. Alas, I cannot so, please provide a blow by blow account to The Nest that we are all informed. Thanks.
Was hoping for a daytime function. School night at our place.
Bob,
Natalie Marr attends these meetings. Her office might be able to confirm. Just a thought.
Saw Thompson at riverway walking this morning, asked him some questions, including will he be attending the debates, he said he might be a late scratching. Asked him if he’s coming to the Upper Ross Voice on the 4th, he said, no, it’s cup day, and he has other engagements. His trailer signs are in the Upper Ross, Darymple road, city and on the island, he said Nicks the favourite and will comply with the council officers, whereas he won’t. Quite defiant, but answered my many questions.
We’re all fucked for the next two years at least! This mob of shysters doesn’t deserve to be considered worthy of being called Mayor of our fair city.
It’s almost a rerun of the election when ‘anyone but Hill’ will do………only this time it’s anyone but Threenames, Greaney and the big fella (who looks like he’d be flat out getting out of bed)! The others don’t stand a chance, apart from Dametto, who looks the likely winner.
Time for me to hit the street corner!
‘Flat’ is not a word one would normally see in a sentence that also refers to The Kipper.
I’m not into fat shaming, but seriously Kippen is the size of a house. The role of Mayor, if undertaken correctly, is dynamic, energetic and consistent. Is the Kipper match fit to undertake such a role? Again, genuine question and not meant as a dig at him. Just a concern.
If people can refer to the previous Mayor as the purple doonah I don’t think those who post in this blog care that much about fat shaming. And I agree 100% with you. To be honest it’s shameful to let yourself get that unhealthy and then put your hand up for a job that requires limitless energy essentially. He should quietly remove himself from the race if he had any real concern for representing and fighting for the people of Townsville because he is clearly not physically well.
Really! I don’t think it’s anything to do with physical appearance, more on intelligence and understanding of lg. There are a couple to pick from the list, maybe three.
The term morbidly obese is an understatement, perhaps a medical & drug testing should be added to the pre employment of mayor. That puts Kippin, Thompson out, and Dametto may not pass the test if enhancing was tested, Greaney is obese too, so it’d take out a few. The weight comments are not meant to be insulting, but a genuine observation by many. The Dametto comment is something many from One Million Strong Gym would be happy to verify.
The Magpie would like to point out that denying the reality of images that face voters every day in an election campaign is not having an effect on their decision making is nanny state political correctness being used to stifle free speech. there is a lot of dishonesty out there amongst the PC flinchers, when they harp on about what can and cannot be said. An many in this crowd would never admit their hypocrisy of thinking these things themselves occasionally.
“The weight comments are not meant to be insulting, but a genuine observation.” Hahahahahaha! So you’d make that observation as the father-of-the-bride when proposing a toast to the mother-of-the-groom and the bridesmaids? Yeah, right!
Bob, are you carrying a bit around the middle and back old mate? Read the comments again, s l o w l y and come back to us!
It appears it comes down to me to bring up the dress stakes. Again.
Greaney got Jacob turfed for not looking the part of a Mayor. Which she replaced with her idiosyncratic up market bag lady look.
We’ve got Dametto doing the thumb-thug stance every chance he gets.
A young dude looking like an extra from Mulhullond Drive.
And some assorted patrons from menswear shops in Stockland.
Bravo, Joanne Keune for your outfit featured in today’s Bulletin; trying to acknowledge the importance of an arts scene in any collection of humans claiming to constitute a city.
I’m not sure that with your complexion orange is your colour, but full marks for injecting colour into an otherwise insipid election.
yes she is certainly a smart dresser, with a load of energy. All good qualities for the job
How much tax payer funds is the State LNP burning through in their wallowing in filth campaign advertisements for Hinchinbrook though?
I was at the old Courthouse yesterday morning where Joanne highlighted just how much this City has lost in the way of Arts funding. Channel did an in-depth interview with her and so did the Bulletin. Sadly Channel 7 news mentioned absolutely nothing about the issue. Instead they had a story about some tourism award a Tsv company had won. Of course it featured TEL and the Acting Mayor telling viewers what a great tourist destination TSV was. Our Acting Mayor is getting free advertising for her campaign whilst on full pay from the rate payers. In terms of a tourist destination when people come to our CBD they are confronted with boarded up buildings and dirt and filth. We need a Council who maintains our City and Serves the Community not the interests of Big Business. Ratepayers need service, just basic things like sewerage that works, decent roads and rubbish removal. Big Business will want to come to our City if it is well maintained with a happy and energetic community. Why would anyone want to invest in a CBD that looks and feels like a rubbish dump
Don’t fret Baker. Foodtrucks Greaney will not be elected Mayor of our city, she can appear on TV all she wants, not going to make any difference at all to the by-election outcome!
Perhaps appearing on TV or in the Astonisher is actually detrimental to her electoral chances.
And to my eyes and ears, Pie!
It’s all very well for Joanne to carry on about arts funding, but the great unwashed of Townsville couldn’t give a rats about them, especially given the wedgewood fiasco. They have more pressing matters on their minds, like where am I going to take the kids to amuse them in the school holidays, when can I take my tinny out on the dam etc., etc.
And before the Magpie goes all Sir Humphrey on me, the arts is an important component of Townsville, just not high on the agenda of many ratepayers at present.
JH are you saying that you want to deprive battlers of little bit of pleasure? Not all of Townsville is obsessed with footy ‘n rock concerts.
We have a lot of highly talented acting, dancing and singing performers in this city. Don’t forget the professionals who give their time in the production of presentations.
Most times I have attended productions at the Civic Theatre, they have been sold out. And patrons have included all ages from the seniors like me to teenagers there to cheer on their friends performing in the cast.
Quite right, and here’s another little bit of pleasure for you all in amongst all this blind man’s bluff. The ‘Pie has been inspired by this.
Not sure a banjo is the appropriate instrument for someone seeking to lead a city perceived as redneck. Hmmm, but then again …. Anyway, Keune and Thompson have both decided they want a campaign song. So how’s about we in The Nest suggest suitable theme songs for the different candidates. Thompson has any number of possibilities, but a couple of Ray Charles hits would do the trick ‘You Don’t Know Me’, and ‘Born To Lose’. Paul Jacob could strut around in top hat and tails to Puttin’ On The Ritz’ and The Kipper could adopt anything singer, Jimmy Buffet. Foodtrucks could pick any hit by Momma Cass as a tribute.
Keep suggestions brief, just candidate and song, and let’s give it a whirl.
I’ll Get Back You Greaney
Does Anybody Love You – Cass Elliott 1972
Thompson: Either “Would I lie to You” Eurythmics 1985 or “Lawyers, Guns & Money” Warren Zevon 1978.
Can someone explain to me why we are all still focused on saving this dead horse? The CBD died when Mooney made the Mall a drive though Mall and sold off the high rise parking to Honeycombes to turn into units. What it needs is a DNR. Let it die in peace.
D N, The mall construction was in full swing way before Mooney. More in Perc Tuckers reign and then Captain Snooze was mayor after Perc passed away.
Shopping centres killed the mall.
An unpalatable truth, shopping centres with free parking were an unavoidable result of urban growth and lack of foresight for early adaption and innovation in the CBD.
The real gut kick for the CBD traders is the simple truth that no one dare utter … that in a democratic society, they are at the mercy of market forces to shape their present fortunes. And they’ve got the short end of the stick.
Any change will require a massive government and/or private investment with a core business or entity. One idea is already underway is to people the area with new flats, but another possibility, if we’re willing to embrace the big ideas, is, say, a proper university campus and suitable accomodation within the area … maybe the South Rail Yards which continue to stand neglected. Not the token uni presences which come and go in the area.
But anything else beside large scale out-of-the-box thinking, will always remain just tinkering around the edges …. the area needs people, and given the current parking situation which is about as attractive as dead dogs rotting in the street, there is in reality bugger all the council can do about it. Dead dogs can be cleaned up, but threatening motorists with hefty parking fees – anything is hefty next to ‘free’ – and $100 infringement fines allied to limited parking times is the poison that kills the dogs in the first place. Parking, and no overriding attraction to be a destination just underlines an intractable situation.
For what it’s worth, when I first experienced the Townsville CBD in 1983, it was booming, crowded, bustling. I worked in Ogden St. Never had to worry about parking. There were plenty of options and mostly free. The options to shop were also plentiful. Restaurants and night clubs abounded. In fact, I thought I had found Paradise.
Then the airconditioned shopping centres began to lure the shoppers out into the ‘burbs as Townsville expanded, the parking meters popped up like mushrooms, as did the high-rise accommodation. It became harder to get a park, more traffic, and less reason for me to be there. Today I avoid the CBD if at all possible. The stadium hasn’t helped with congestion either. I don’t know what the answer is. Are there any tropical cities which have thriving CBDs? I’m not convinced that Cairns (apart from the Esplanade) is booming. Perhaps we should ask the current mayoral candidates for their plans to solve the conundrum!
Well, Benters, as you know, that question has been asked in The Nest on a weekly basis for more than a decade now.
And The ‘Pie will confess he has always known the hard truth of the matter but never pushed it … in a free and open market society, especially one as mobile as Townsville, the decline and submission of the CBD to suburban malls and small business clusters was inevitable. And in truth, there wasn’t all that much that the council could or can do about it, they couldn’t in any conscience withhold approvals for legally structured plans. The market, ever mindful of customers amenity (read free and abundant parking), will follow the path of least resistance to profits.
The ‘Pie has always known this, but his silence is not that he wasin denial, but avoided pushing it because of genuine empathy for the hard working business people there, who are more and more dismayed year on year. Like them, he hoped some small miracle, some brilliant flash of ingenuity, would turn things around. But if we were all looking to the council to solve this problem, it is a severely limited hope.
It is only the market that will decide, so it is the market that will have to act, and all the council can do is be super flexible, scrap a lot of dilatory red tape and do everything they can to woo an entity with the power and clout to provide the answer.
And no one seems to be willing to think on a large enough scale for this to happen.
Because what is needed is a large entity to buy up big … a whole city block if possible … to create a concept that is a people magnet. Like a whole city block that is a university campus, or a tech conglomerate or … and don’t laugh, it is feasible … create a fully car-parked city shopping mall, a mini Bondi Junction/Edgecliff entity. Existing businesses could be absorbed into this space, and the areas they left filled by niche businesses and office apaces.
And this is where the council and the state government needs to free up the unnecessary constraints and red tape to make this happen, to become an attractive idea. We’ve already seen this massive bureaucratic road block in action with the uncompromising opposition over fire regulation details in the multiple proposals for the Dimmy’s building that have come and gone. No one wants safety concerns ignored, that’s always paramount, but in the conversations The ‘Pie has had over the years with informed people, the extent of requirements has spilled over in the extremes of bureaucratic arse covering.
‘Pie, you ran out of reply buttons, so this is a reply to your reply to Bentley ????
Whenever I’m in Brisbane I walk West Village (the old Peters Ice Cream Factory in West End) and think: this is the scale/mix that could actually flip a Townsville CBD block (or two).
What West Village actually did (tight facts):
• Scale & site: ≈2.6 ha precinct, ~800 m from Brisbane CBD. 
• Value & staging: ~$1.1b master-planned mixed-use, delivered in stages since 2016. 
• Residences: ≈1,000–1,250 apartments across 8 buildings (final stages now). 
• Daily-needs anchors: Two supermarkets (Woolworths + Harris Farm); Phase 1 included 19 specialty stores + 2 kiosks. 
• Retail/Commercial: ~16,560 m² modern retail/commercial across five buildings. 
• Offices & jobs: ‘Greenhouse’ office ~6,500 m² (stand-alone tower within the precinct). 
• Parking & ease: ≈1,900 car parks precinct-wide; 2-hour free visitor parking for casuals. 
• Public realm: ~6,500 m² of parks/laneways (half the site to green/open space). 
• Heritage first, then new: 1928 Peters Ice Cream factories retained and adaptively re-used (character offices/retail) with Metro Arts relocated into the precinct. 6-Star Green Star. 
• Market proof: Retail sold to Centuria (with a sovereign wealth partner) for ~$202m; 100% occupancy and 10.1-year WALE at acquisition. 59+ awards since launch. 
• Neighbourhood uplift (context, not sole causation): West End units show ~17.1% compound annual growth (REA suburb profile). 
How you’d fund something like this in Townsville (the bit we skip in local debates): bring in industry superannuation capital as a cornerstone partner — they specialise in long-horizon, income-anchored urban precincts.
• Cbus Super → Cbus Property: delivered $1.25b Collins Arch (CBD mixed-use, whole-block magnet). ISPT (super-fund backed) holds a half-stake in its office/retail — i.e., supers club together on these. 
• Aware Super → Aware Real Estate: just bought Brisbane’s “The Barracks” (~$150m) to rejuvenate a heritage-anchored mixed-use precinct — exactly this genre. 
• Australian Retirement Trust (ART) + QIC: active Queensland housing/precinct co-funding platforms (institutional partnership structure you’d mirror). 
• AustralianSuper → Assemble Communities: 25% stake in a build-to-rent/affordable platform — brings renters and 18-hour life into precincts. 
Translate to Townsville (your point, scaled up):
• Assemble one or two contiguous CBD blocks under a capable developer + cornerstone super-fund.
• Lock in daily-needs retail, office employment, hundreds of dwellings, generous public realm, and easy, time-free parking to beat suburban friction (that’s the West Village formula). 
• Heritage as anchor (adaptive re-use) so it feels like Townsville — not Anywhere, AU. 
• Council/State do the red-tape surgery up-front (performance-based solutions without compromising safety), so capital isn’t scared off by Dimmy’s-style stalemates.
If we want a CBD that competes with suburban convenience, this is the play: one big, mixed-use, heritage-anchored, easy-to-park destination with reasons to be there most of the day — and yes, funded with super money that already does this at scale.
Wanna make a late run for mayor?
The issue with Townsville’s business centre is endemic to Queensland as Cairns, Rockhampton, Gladstone and Bundaberg have shitholes for CBD’s. Boarded up windows, dirt, graffiti and peeling paint come together to create third world masterpieces. It is an ongoing issue that councils won’t address. They find it “too difficult” to enforce rules/laws or change rules/laws that make a tenant responsible for accepted upkeep. Sadly, when business vacate/go bust or whatever is the reason, there is nobody left behind to pay for the maintenance. It certainly is a challenge and one that councils won’t address.
If i left my home falling down and being a hazard to people walking past the council would be on to.
Many building in our CBD are simply investments that are often onsold at a a profit
RIP out all the parking meters in the CBD
turn the railway yards into an impromptu caravan park so the site makes money
As someone who has the task of posting corflutes for a yearly charity event, I am pleased to see the “apparent” clampdown on placement on pedestrian barriers etc. For years now we have had corflutes which average $30 each removed by the ‘unknown sign police’ who probably comprise the Council itself and the Qld. Transport arseholes – which are NEVER placed in the forbidden areas anyway! Political signs are seen to linger for months after the event, where we collect ours the next day, after all when you are raising money for a charity each loss of $30 hurts! I will be keen to see if this removal process actually happens!
No matter whoever removes corflutes from anywhere, authorities will be blamed.
Then there were 8 and after today, probably a few more should drop out. https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1400065682125604&set=a.411654407633408
At the mayoral debate today Twonames admitted to misleading the public in his previous election campaign. However he denied that he ‘broke the law’ and did something illegal Old mate will be a deceitful and lying stain right up until the bitter end, which is just a few short weeks away. Bye bye fucknuckle.
Thompson performed poorly at the mayoral debate. An absolute idiot and a lying germ. Leave him off the ballot paper.
I found out today the old BOM site is still up in the old format but on a different link. Its https://reg.bom.gov.au and the new site is http://www.bom.gov.au
It cost $4mil to bring about the shuffling of the links on the BOM site and radar images that doesnt have local crosshairs with circular range in kms that didn’t pick up the recent hail down south . Its like there is somebody straight out of the ABC’s comedy UTOPIA who’s whole being revolves around rebranding. My guess is either a labor jobs for mates thing gone wrong , or because of the repeated wet season fucking with the radars -it’s a foreign agent bent on sabotage to a national security asset. The result , $4mil to get rid of easily read site maps. People use it to make decisions. Why this is locally important is below. On the old site, you still had to assume light cloud on the radar means rain around Rollingstone on the highway.
So to anyone who doesn’t know, and I hope they are few , the mandatory gate opening/incremental release of The Ross Dam is %100 at 38.65 mts and is contained in appendix ‘C’ of The Emergency Action Plan on the Ross Dam page here :
https://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0028/119179/Ross-River-Dam-EAP-Appendix-C.pdf
But the river and wier heights, and flood sensors and Ross Dam spillway height data link isn’t anywhere to be seen on the council pages. For that, you have to go to the BOM site, which was far easier on the old site directories (dickheads) . The link and data seems exactly the same old https://reg.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/wrap_fwo.pl?IDQ60290.html – new https://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/wrap_fwo.pl?IDQ60290.html and here for other Qld Rivers and flood sensors https://www.bom.gov.au/qld/flood/rain_river.shtml And the actual observations are still the same https://reg.bom.gov.au/qld/townsville/ but try and find them on the new page quickly .
Newbies should get onto the following consistently outstanding fbook pages for early warning info BOM usually tip toes around for a few days before calling it.
Weather IQ https://www.facebook.com/weatheriqoz
Higgins Storm Chasing https://www.facebook.com/HigginsStormChasing
Townsville Storms https://www.facebook.com/TownsvilleStorms
And the Joint Typhoon Warning Center which is yank navy will call it very early according to their own criteria . How they are affected by The yankee shutdown and climate change denial we will find out https://www.metoc.navy.mil/jtwc/jtwc.html and https://www.metoc.navy.mil/jtwc/jtwc.html?tropical
Thank you, thank you, thank you Pat.
Awesome. Thanks Pat
Thank you Pat
A Godsend. I have copied your comment to my son who works at BoM, for his information (I cannot imagine he is a culprit).
Your advice has restored sanity within my household.
Good communication works wonders.
I’d steer clear of Higgins, they are known to HYPE UP EVERYTHING AND SHOUT ABOUT HOW GOOD THEY ARE.
One of the more sane observers would be Townsville based Wally’s Weather https://www.facebook.com/wallysweatheraustralia?
Agree. Higgins is just alarmist. Stopped listening to his rubbish years ago.
AND THEY’RE GONE ….
Remember this totally illegal signage at the Eyre Street roundabout in North Ward?
As of this afternoon, they’ve disappeared.
So where did you hide them?
That would be Troy Thompson or Paul Jacob?
The signs have had relocation sentencing applied.
WTF does that actually mean?
I think its amazing the mayoral candidates are out and about SO helpful in our hour of need.
It was great that they were out and about fighting against strand parking when they were really needed. …….
Oh
Thompson couldn’t help rambling on about, yet another petition about corruption and he was going to find where all the money had gone.
Poor old Harry was lost at sea much of the time, giving answers to none existent questions.
Dametto performed well as a seasoned politician. But came across as detached.
Gleeson was noticeably nervous and fumbled a lot, however, appeared sincere. I doubt that without experience in the snakepit he could pull the council together.
Greaney said virtually nothing memorable apart from advocating that no one from outside could possibly be mayor.
Jacob demonstrated that TCC wasn’t a cohesive body and that he was an indecisive man. Voting for one motion and then wanting to reverse it later. He clearly showed his dislike of Foodtrucks.
Keune seemed the only one on the campaign trail. Interestingly, an unsubstantiated, assertion by Thompson that she offered him legal advice caused her some stress. She avoided answering the allegation. Why?
The Kipper was wooden, talking about his vast business experience, notwithstanding his associated disasters. He was so detached from local current affairs that he was confused by the question about expanding paid parking.
The debate viewing was hampered by loss of video and sound.
Purely my observations. I’ll look forward to other interpretations.
And to Jeff
I think I will vote for Mr Thompson and I hope many other do. For him to be voted in as Mayor will create a farce of such gigantic proportions that something will have to be done about the nonsensical voting processes in Queensland, and perhaps Australia.
Word of warning to all thinking of voting. Black out your date of birth – you can’t trust the buggers to lawfully handle such significant personal data. After all, a code number is given on the envelope.
Although The ‘Pie has never gad reason to do so, can’t birth dates be looked up in various places, for various reasons?
I think Gleeson was noticably absent?
He’s pulled the pin.
Dametto read from his sheet, the Crisafulli small target process was clear. I think Thompson may have won the debate, Keune was good until Thompson caught her out with some legal advice she’d offered him, she had stated he’d been poorly done by. Interesting times ahead, Greaney was in her own bubble.
Oh yes, Three names was the only candidate to confirm that he was (personal opinion only) in favour of removing fluoridated water from our system.
That utter dickhead Threenames has gone on the attack against his arch enemy (and there are many) The Bulletin. Democracy boy Troy is claiming a conspiracy by the mainstream media. Poor innocent Troy is being unfairly treated apparently, and why? Because he is innocent. And….he has state eyes another petition. Seriously, this bloke is totally insane and obsessed. A real Hannibal Lecter.
Silly comparison … Lecter was smart.
Agree Pie, Lecter was extremely intelligent and smart. A small flaw in knocking people off and eating parts of them is a nothing to see here issue. We all have our little quirks !
On the news King Chas was heckled about Prick Andy, he missed a golden opportunity where he could have responded piously with “I am not my brother’s brothel keeper”.
Got my ballot in the mail. One thing sticks out. I place my vote into a marked envelope with my name and address details on it the I have to sign it with a witness then place it in another envelope with the return address showing. I thought a vote was to be secret?? How do I know at the other end that whoever is opening my envelope isn’t tampering with my vote paper. All my details are there for them to see if I donkey voted or not so does that mean they can fine me because they know who I voted for or if I didn’t fill out the ballot properly? Sorry but I’m not comfortable with this way of voting. It’s my right to vote if want and as soon as I get my name scratch off it’s only my vote. I don’t need to sign or get a witness any other time I voted. Why now? What if I don’t sign or have a witness
You cannot be fined for a donkey vote, which in fact means you number from the top sequentially (which i one reason the top sp;ot on the ballot is sought after). Or a spoiled ballot paper.
ExTCC, it might be some consolation to know that all the ballot paper envelopes will be opened at the same time (after 15 November) in full view of scrutineers appointed by the individual candidates – if they have chosen to appoint them. Once the ballot papers are separated from the envelopes there will be no way to reconnect them. I guess the information on the signed and witnessed envelope can be checked against the electoral roll and then be destroyed.
ABSOLUTELY FUCKING BRILLIANT!
My postals for self and wife arrived in Brisbane yesterday for our arrival in a day or two.
There has been heavy rain in Brisbane.
The ballot envelopes got wet.
Guess what people, the fucking papers are printed in water soluble ink. They are unusable!
Come business hours a phone call to the ECQ from me!
During the so-called “debate” Greaney said people must vote for a candidate with experience in local government, and that candidate was her.
Given the experience of the past 9 years, – $6 million boardwalk from nowhere to nowhere, $4 million tin sheds on Castle Hill, Flinders Lane white elephant, state of roads in her division, Strand parking meters, her part in Team Jenny Hill’s record city debt creation, backstabbing of Paul Jacobs because of his dress sense etc etc – No thanks.
NF, regarding your beefs about Greaney, for the nth time, the boardwalk was entirely paid for by the state, not ratepayers (and looks like it might soon conveniently connect into a Flinders Street East waterfront development) whilst the shed on Castle Hill was a love job between Jenny Hill and Phillip Thompson, federal member. Dunno about roadworks in her division – that’s Magpie territory isn’t it?
Re roadworks in Div 3, Nort Ward, Castle Hill, Belgian Gardens … to be fair, attention to them is quite good, and there have been some significant works carried out over the past four or five years. Whether this had anything to do with Greaney or is just because it is the visitor showcase area of the city is unknown.
The wharves development is coming along fast, the refresh of the old Bullwinkles building really emphasizes the sorry state of the rest of Flinders Street.
And technically Foodtrucks has very little local government experience other than collecting her paycheck. She has barely represented her electorate, she has avoided town hall meetings, she has avoided meeting her constituents over on the island, and she has avoided local government activities in favour of attending breakfast and lunch buffets or having copious amounts of coffee breaks with her former team mate Commandant Hill.
A vote for Greaney is a vote for an arse-clown.
Ma Greaney has gone all out because she knows she only has 2 years left on the public purse before she is voted out. Same with Phantom. Both get a free hit.
Just who do you propose we vote for?
Thompson is a fraud and a cooker
Patel has no experience
Poulson has no experience
Kippen also dresses in tents, has no local government experience and has a sketchy business background.
Keune has no experience and shes starting to show that shes batshit crazy
Dametto has no local government experience, has bailed on his state government electorate not even a full year in, has made controversial statements on domestic violence, abortion and isna trump and gun lover and cosys up to Nazis
Jacob has experience, mostly dresses in op shop couture
Greaney has experience, dresses in the same type of tents most women her age wear.
Jacob and Greaney have had to deal with the fallout from Thompson, have pretty much held council together during that time and the place has been more functional than it has been since before Hill.
If we have ton apportion responsibility for the relative stability of the current council, it is Robbo and Batwoman who have taken constant watch. Damn shame neitherc ran, one because of honoyrable family committments, the other for some rumoured bones jangling in a closet somewhere. Foodtrucks just likes sucking up to ‘our wonderful CEO’ and fuck the constituents. She has contributed exactly nothing. Donald Duck would’ve done a better job.
Duckie
If you think most women of a certain age wear tents you are spending too much time doing your ogling at Stockland.
Duckie – I am Ma Greaney’s age and I wouldn’t be caught dead in one of those appalling tent dresses.
The ‘Pie, who continually picks up the most arcane trivia, is let to believe the style is known as a ‘prairie dress’.
Gods honest truth Magpie, I thought the ladies bought those things at Doug Edes.
Same place Kipper gets his.
In The Kipper’s cazse, they’re called shirts.
If you put Dametto in one of Kippers shirts it would most certainly be a dress.
Just in time for Halloween ghosts. Although inthe Kipper’s case, it would be Gasper rather than Casper.
So I call the ecq.
You are caller No.7 in the queue.
11 minutes later, “High volume of calls. Call back later. Goodby”.
To be fair, at 11AM another attempt. Phone promptly answered by a very helpful lady and a solution quickly achieved.
Tuesday a train ride to the CBD and ECQHQ in person.
While you are there ask them to refer the 2016 Maidment donations to the Hill Gang that weren’t declared leading to hundreds of $mil in apporovals-to the cops to investigate. That’s because , even if there is a time limit on prosecution, if they lie an investigation is on foot and it’s perverting the course of justice.
Re the big Debate: Bulletin gave Greaney the highest marks. No real surprise there.
Underdressed: Harry Patel; no competition.
Overdressed:
1. Nick Dametto.
Dark suits and ties with gold cuff links have no place in the tropics. Less is more, gentlemen.
2. Joanne Keune
A three piece suit with long -sleeve blouse? Not counting undies, that’s a lot of layers for the tropics. Although toning down the orange to a softer shade of coral is very flattering.
We’re all looking forward to seeing the candidates’ interpretations of casual island at the MIRRA meeting this Saturday.
Now you’ve got us all thinking whether Ms Keune’s dainties are also orange. Maybe a bikini for MI visit.
Cowbell, what did you expect Dametto to wear, a kaftan to compete with the tent wear the current acting Mayor parades around in?……….
Wow
There you go objectifying Nick Dametto’s body again.
My eyes are up here ladies.
You have a dirty mind, Guy.
But tell us about your own candidate’s wardrobe should you have bothered to run.
No, don’t. Please.
Island casual? That would be a sarong. And what does a gentleman wear beneath his sarong? His sandles.
You’re not calling yourself Willie for nothing, then.
C,
There was a movie years ago. Right title, wrong subject.
I think it was called Free Willie.
Florence Bay, when we were younger and our children young everything was ‘free’.
Bob, for the upteenth time, the useless boardwalk and the Castle Hill sheds are in Greaney’s division and regardless of whether the boardwalk was paid for by ratepayers or taxpayers its still a white elephant, affectionately known by locals as the World’s Most Expensive Fishing Platform. As for the roads, take a drive along Hanran and McIllwraith streets.
And let’s not forget her obsequious support for the ultimate Hill financial disaster, that bloody failed arcade.
Frankly NF, I don’t give a damn about the boardwalk. I do care about who pays to finish off the Haughton 2 pipeline and pump station. It’s about $200m over budget and there has been no contribution from the federal government. Not a dime. If Dametto gets the mayoral job let’s see how he goes with his apparent buddy Crisafulli in helping Townsville ratepayers dodge a water security bullet that we had no responsibility for firing. Not an election issue? Well, maybe it’s time we made it one. Magpie, where’s that questionnaire?
Bob, there was money on the table from the Feds for the Haughton Pipeline until Hill & Cameron the Dick decided to be too smart by half and refuse it.
Well, I guess we need get cracking on coming up with a ‘nickname’ (
) for Dametto, considering he appears to be the front runner for the possum fur gear. Dunno if he already has one, anyone?
Getting the ball rolling, what about ‘Mayor Midge’? Midge can refer to a little and/or short person. He is height challenged………
I’,
If he is height deprived he would be a little stout.
** Guinness **
No, that is Irish. What is the Italian equivalent?
RLW – No equivalent, Italian beer is the reason most of them drink wine
Plucker
that’s just nasty.
No more nasty than your remark about his dress at the recent debate, in my humble opinion, Cowbell!
I like Slick Demented for Dametto’s nickname. He does have some questionable associates, such as new age Nazi’s and he dresses the part of a dapper Don, very slick. Or we could just refer to him as “David’s boy”? And for the record, unlike Foodtrucks and the Michelin man Kippen, he doesn’t dress in marquee tents so that’s a positive. Demented – the pick of a bad bunch.
Ow about Dodger?
Plucker, how about ‘Flipper’ for Dametto (given that he’s bailed out of KAP and seems to have taken up with the LNP, but claims to be Independent………).
Dogs that I have had, as a boy, and as an adult (sort of), earned their name from their behaviour as puppies in the first few weeks.
Perhaps, who ever becomes Mayor will earn their Nest name while they in their ‘puppy stage’.
And how are Incontinence and Leg Rooter getting on, Al?
Dametto looks like an angry garden gnome.
Twonames only has around $1,900 in his election war chest, and most of that was from his own contributions according to the ECQ website. Not even his cooker buddies have contributed ha ha. It’s an absolute pleasure watching this brain damaged freak flailing like an injured seagull. Love it.
My guess is that post-election, Headknocks will keep up the complaints about bias and hate groups for a few weeks. He will tinker with petitions and he will release the occasional “media statement”, but he will run out of support and money. He will then slip slowly into the ether and all that will remain if him will be is a bad memory for Townsville.
It’s important that he knows that these fictional hate groups are just that, fiction. A fiction of his demented imagination. People en masse despise him because he lied to them, deceived them, coerced them with smooth talk, all the while being a liar and a shonk. That is where the anger comes from Troy. You caused everything that has unfolded and you alone will, and are, paying the price.
Despite all our fervent desires , Thompson is unlikely to “…slip away into the ether…”.
The grub has long-sought elected office, and would know that – given the now widespread understanding about his laughable skill-set – any roll on council is his best (only?) chance of securing an income in Townsville.
I suspect that for Thompson (and probably Keune and possibly some others) this tilt at the mayoralty is mainly about positioning and building recognition for the 2028 councillor election.
In 2028 Thompson would be a chance as a councillor in his (mum’s !) home division 5 (currently Dirou), and even more so in division 4 (currently the somnolent Price) or division 7 (currently the breathing shiver Rehbein). He will also know that his prospects will be improved if he spends the next 2 years lying about what he will do and sniping at the bobbing heads of the current councillors.
It is notable that Thompson’s posters and corflutes for the Mayoral election are primarily located in Kirwan.
Sadly, I suspect that, like herpes, the Thompson infection is forever.
Headknocks has been applying for jobs with Qld public service. Pretty sure he won’t be making the interview round on any of them.
Here it is in black and white, straight from the horses mouth!
ECQ User
4:41 PM (0 minutes ago)
to me
Good afternoon
Thank you for contacting the Electoral Commission of Queensland.
The Townsville City Council Mayor By-Election is an optional preference voting method.
You must place the number one against the candidate of your choice, you can then place a number in as many as the other candidates as you wish, you do not need to place a preference for all the candidates.
I hope this clarifies the voting for you.
Kind Regards
Alicia
Electoral Commission of Queensland
Ph: 1300 881 665
HB,
I suspect that the helpful Alicia would not appreciate being called a horse.
Shes also probably sick of questions about the bleeding obvious as well.
TNX HB, that was my issue of concern, now clarified, no requirement to fill in all the optional squares an edited edition is fine
Cheers
Malcolm,
pleased to advise ballot papers, have begun to arrive on Maggie.
Also MIIRRA meeting looks to have all candidates in attendance, apart from Gleeson.
Duck Nuts can you scrap together the ferry fare to over to our fair isle?
Meeting starts at 10am – one not to miss.
I have a feeling that Hindenburg Greaney will attend this one, considering there is much at stake as wannabe permanent possum fur wearer. Security attendant Joe McCabe may also be in attendance.
Does it matter that the ballots have reached Magnetic Island? The retarded residents can’t read or write anyway! Old codgers laying in their hammocks and drinking pineapple daiquiri’s while moaning about traffic (one car per hour), footpath cracks, palm fronds touching powerlines and backpackers swimming in the bay. Let’s face it, Magnetic Island just doesn’t count!
KK
Yes it does matter if ballot papers are arriving in residents letter boxes on the island.
Obviously the candidates think the islands 1500 or so votes is worth the trip over to attend the meeting on Saturday? They might even need a pineapple daiquiri or two after.
So is the motto for your island still ‘Get wrecked on Keppel’ or isn’t that considered political correct these days?
Aww gee… thanks for thinking of me, but I’ve got to cut my toenails that day. 10am is toenail cutting time.
Nanny McPhee Oberhardt is now doing some consultancy work with LGSG (LG Services Group). Ironically, LGSG is owned by Scott Mason. Mr Mason did a short 6 month stint at TCC as a Director but left after butting heads with CEO Prince Ralston. Mr Oberhardt has spent time massaging the TCC turd and fixing other dysfunctional councils so he is well equipped to provide consultant services to those in need, and by the sounds of things that is a lot of councils. Interesting.
There was another meet and question candidate challenge on Tuesday, an early evening function at the Brewery, organised at by the Chamber of Commerce.
It was apparently a much more professional event, with about 160 turning up. One Nest reader who attended offered this summary.
I went this evening to The Brewery to listen to all candidates answer questions put to them, in a very controlled environment.
Only 4 spoke well, in my opinion.
David Kippin – but we know about his past history of failed leadership.
Troy Thompson – to my surprise – then, that’s the mark of a true con man.
Joanne Keune – did very well. Smartly dressed.
Nick Dametto. Came dressed in wellcut navy suit, white shirt and blue tie. Was the best speaker. Looked and sounded the part.
The real challenge is to get people to actually cast their vote.
But the Chamber of Commerce continued a very nasty undercurrent started by the Bulletin … a restriction on the gathering that shoukd have been free to every voter. It was free for members of the Chamber of Commerce, otherwise, you were slugged $30. It would’ve been much smarter and more forgiveable just to make it a closed session for Chamber members only, with heaps of good news (for the Chamber) flooding social media afterwards.
And what price information about how we are governed in Townsville? The Bulletin clearly showed what it thinks of the community by its severely restricted access to their over-hyped unenlightening, and ultimately dreary Ville bun fight. Only subscribers to the paper could watch it, (what about people who regularly buy the paper without being subscribers?). Otherwise you’ll just have to take the Bulletin’s highly selective interpretation of how things went down.
One would’ve thought that the paper would livestream the event on their Facebook page or on some other platform for free, because the paper is, as we all know, all for all the community. It says so, repeatedly. Using a fake and inconsequential hoked-up debate as a subscription raiser again tells all we need to know about the diminished role the Townsville Bulletin plays in our community in 2025. And its underlying avaricious attitude to all things Townsville.
Does the QR code in today’s Harvey Norman Bulletin require a subscription?
Probably not, but was it there for a look in on the live carry-on?
No. I tried watching live and missed half from buffering, drop outs and audio failure.
Organize your own candidate debate if you don’t want to pay for it, you cheapskate.
Your community spirit … and yankee Republican spirit that democracy is only for the rich to make money from … shines through your community-caring words. So who does the money go to, especially if the venue is a CoC member? And did the Astonisher pick up a few thousand subscribers ($32 a month, if signed for 12 months) because of their tawdry fakery of actually giving a shit about Townsville?
Bob Roberts is right though, Magpie. It costs bugger all to hire one of the numerous ‘community’ halls in Townsville, spread out a few dozen chairs, plug in a microphone and use free social media to invite one and all to a public forum with the candidates – who would fall over themselves for the exposure. It looks like MIRRA, on the Island, has done it once a month for decades only asking for a gold coin donation at the door. I imagine there will be standing room only in the little RSL hall there on Saturday. It’s depressing really that in a town of 200,000 (or a ‘Nest of many hundreds), most people care a bit but can’t be bothered.
You’ve just argued against yourself, and your comments don’t support Bob Robert’s let-them-eat-cake edict. If the Brewery gabfest was free for CofC members, why charge anybody else? If no non-members turned up, the cost would be the same if they did.
No one of the Chamber of Commerce, the Brewery, the Townsville Bulletin or The Ville is actually ‘the community’. They are just clubrooms for members and subscribers – and that’s OK. They aren’t interested in the unwashed riff raff. But they don’t have a monopoly on access to political aspirants either. If we want to see our politicians in person we have to provide them with a clean, safe forum. It’s as simple as that.
Nickname for old nick? After posing with Nazis and guns, making his infamous DV comments, and trying for likes on his official instagram with pictures of his arse in the sun and bikini babes, I nominate Ick Dametto. Or Hawk Tuah Boy after he filmed himself spitting with a Hawk Tuah soundtrack and the caption “she’s not the hero we asked for but the hero this country needed” (June 2024). He’s going to bring more negative publicity to the ville with this level of judgement.
Hey Grossed, at this point I think Inspector Clouseau might have nailed it with FLIPPER. Scroll up to see why that one seems to fit!!!
The ‘Pie tends to agree at this stage. But across all Australian politics, there should a Flipper Party, which operates like a sucker fish. Price, Joyce federally (and others), Camm at the state level and now Dametto.
‘Little Nicky’ named after Adam Sandler’s character in the movie of the same name. Is about Little Nicky, son of the Devil, who sets out to save his father who is dying after his other sons turn on him.
For some reason he always reminds me of Rocky the Flying Squirrel
I spoke with someone this week who spoke with Twonames recently. She said that Twonames is in it for the long game. His goal is to put his hand up for the 2028 elections. He didn’t confirm whether it would be for Mayor of just a councillor role, but he was going to remain very much in the public eye as he wants people to know him even better. So there you have it, this serial pest and head damaged buffoon is going to remain a scourge on our city for years to come.
You’re forgetting he may be Townsville mayor again in a few weeks time, heh heh heh.
Well Mal, if Threenames wins the mayoral race at least you will have some guaranteed weekly blog material to see you through to your mid 80’s mate. Maybe Threenames, his cooker supporters and the Townsville ratepayers association will all team up together to provide us with endless laughs from their retarded actions?
Indeed … and thanks for the wildly optimistic prognosis. Doing tis blog is taking years off the old bird, but as the Readers’ Digest always said, laughter is always the best medicine.
Not likely Pie. He is a dead duck, Dametto wins, though he is losing votes to Keune and Kippin, the split should not put Thompson back in, and I don’t want to eat humble pie ever again.
Humble pie? Won’t find much of that around here.
‘though sometimes of late, an excess of grumble Pie from the usual suspects!
Except he can’t run if he is convicted with a disqualifying offence. Watch this space.
I’m not convinced; he has the natives carrying on all over town about hard done by he is. I think he’ll get a slap on the wrist, he has taken aim at many, and stupid or not he hasn’t backed down, this bloke has nine lives, and he will grease the wheel and pop up again no doubt. If the government could have moved, they would have, they have tried everything, 2 show causes, suspension, a babysitter advisor, lawsuits for discrimination, OIA complaints, and he is not stopping, this is going to go on for many years yet. We shifted from the Mullet to Two names, and its long from over. Even if they get him on something with the ethics committee, if he gets elected in the next 2 weeks (big if) we go again, and people are lapping up his crap.
GD, With regards to TT’s 100 plus concussions in his playing days. Would JT, Michael Morgan, the other JT and other NRL players. If you ask them how many head knocks or concussions they received during their playing days, I bet it wouldn’t be any where near one hundred. This prick is making a mockery of a cruel disease that affects some great players.
It’s probably because he’s had a head knock or ….100?
Townsville’s chief charlatan, Twonames, has been referred to the Parliamentary Ethics Committee for unauthorised disclosure of PCCC material. Gotta love this high stakes game!!
Troy, let me be clear, you burned so many people including local, state, and federal government and their people and agencies, that you started a war, and one in which you will be the loser. They are now turning the screws back on you, and you deserve every bit of pain. Oh boy, here comes the whirlwind…..
As it seems that toot-names is short of cash, which flags a warning of his fiscal competence if re-elected.
It appears he’s squandered $240,000.00 with nothing much to show for it!
Maybe someone at Bunnings can tell us what he was building with all that timber and “stuff”! Maybe the voices in his +100 concussions have alerted him to a flood, so maybe he’s built an ark, better lock up your pets, well at least 2 of a kind anyway!
Rue, I believe that he has spent most of his money on legal representation. Plus some coin was spent on a cheap set of Chinese wheels along with a personalised number plate. The plate ‘FUCKTARD’ wasn’t available though. As for the building materials, perhaps it was used to build.a bondage den or a bunker somewhere up north. You know, cooker style, waiting for a Russian invasion, the collapse of society, or some Armageddon type scenario.
His money is evaporating with legal fees. Whilst some is covered by the tax payer/rate payer/insurance, some won’t be. The OIA findings and subsequent recommendations that the councillors enacted, saw a fair chunk of his cash go to the lawyers for that part. He has to pick and choose who he can afford to fight in court.
As you know, I’m not a Joanne Keune fan. I don’t think she is the right fit for the Mayor position. I don’t think she can represent the majority of Townsvillians. Looking through her personal Facebook to try and change my mind, it made for interesting reading particularly noting she is a great fan of TEL. She reported:
‘Great meeting today with the team from Townsville enterprise. So many exciting visions and initiatives for the future of tourism and indeed overall development in Townsville. Very excited to be the leader to move ahead and make the talk happen’….only one comment and that was from Pat Coleman who said to not give them a cent! She continued in another post…
‘I am standing for election to be the Mayor of Townsville !
I would like to thank the literally hundreds of diverse community members who have called me, emailed, texted and stopped me in the street to ask me to run.
Townsville is the undisputed Capital of North Qld. I have a powerful 10 point plan towards re-invigorating our city. I worked for 5 yrs as a very proud TCC worker, this must return. I understand the processes of the Council and will bring back the committees immediately.
This has in no way been a light decision, but I know I have the skills, education and experience to get our city moving again.’
Interesting that she mentions she worked at TCC for 5 years yet in her ‘about section’ on her page, she lists herself working for TCC from 1 January 1991- 1993. And whilst this is not a resume, there’s many work years missing from the list.
There are other dates and comments in her FB that clash so if you’re interested you can check it out, as long as she hasn’t locked or deleted it.
Keune, Greaney, Two names, Kippin, Harry, a Pig mascot and the other bunch of losers; not one decent representative among them. Fran would’ve romped it in. VALE Fran
After my discussions with her on the weekend, she came across as someone who is focussed on her own agenda, and screw anyone else in the way. She never listened but made it all about her and how good she was.
I need someone to represent my views and listen to my opinion.
With the Law degree, dealt with corporate law and Native title. Was company secretary at Townsville Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health service and today she says she is a School Teacher but there’s no mention of her work experience or qualifications anywhere to be found. If I had those qualifications and spoke about how great teachers are, I’d be really be putting it out there. It got Scott Stewart across the line. And then goes onto say that Scomo did a great job giving the Catholic schools all the money to beautify their schools. What?
I still think she is not on the right track. Off with the fairies at the hippy bush dances.
Perhaps this is an attempt to get into higher office in State or Federal?
Some of the things she has said sure doesn’t line up and in particular, with the legal profession. One would question why she chooses to be a school teacher yet has a law degree.
Teachers with law degrees are uncommon, but not unheard of. She was on staff at a very large high school in the Currajong area, at least up till the end of 2024. Might still be there, but don’t know for sure.
You jest, surely? Teachers with law degrees in primary and high schools. If so, they sure aren’t fuckin’ financial wizards, let’s hope they’re not teaching maths.
This is to the Magpie concerning the FACT that some teachers have law degrees
.
https://pimlicoshs.eq.edu.au/CalendarAndNews/News/Documents/The%20Pimlico%20Experience%20-%20Global%20Education%20FAQ.pdf
So Fuck off you puffed-up sanctimonious dickhead. And learn to spell.
Another satisfied customer, to be congratulated on his successful Humour By-Pass surgery. The ‘Pie himself will shortly be going under the knife to have his puffed-up sanctimonium reduced to a ventable spleen.
Agreed. Spruiking TEL is not going to win her a single new vote. What was she thinking? Is she after a job there herself?
I emailed Natalie Marr this afternoon, requesting that she make representations to the Premier and the Minister to release the CCC report. After 20 months of this bullshit, we have a RIGHT to know the report’s contents.
I’m now holding my breath in anticipation of her imminent reply. Everything’s turning red
Jeff, sounds like you’re holding tightly something other than your breath!
OK, A look at Damettos donations on https://disclosures.ecq.qld.gov.au/Map and compare them to Hathway and Crissafulli’s 2012 return and council 2012-2016 returns https://www.ecq.qld.gov.au/disclosurereturnarchives
Incidentally , for the purposes of Jacobs duty to disclose misconduct , go to Hills fourth amendment of the 2016 return and see the Maidment donations to the Hill gang were still not declared to the ECQ , yet they declared an interest on 12/11/2016 that they took the donations and gave the decision to approve the Mt Low Sanctum development to the labor appointed CEO to approve, despite over 25 objections from planning officers https://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/26106/OC-mins-22.11.16.pdf Then the breakwater and the Harris Crossing development on the banks of the Bohle on the way to ross dump. They have had the numbers all this time and those minutes are taken to state what happened. Non disclosure is a crime. The former councillors had a continuing duty to disclose misconduct. How many times have I brought that up ?
The Battle family were LNP donors on Hathaway’s 2012 return . Seeton , Kent and Eileen donated under each others names. A total of $14k
This time, Rodney Arthur Battle donated $5k to Dametto on 16/10/25 This is associated with Nortrans which is trucks and buses in Ingham .
On 22/10/25 Ranjit Singh donated $2k to Dametto. When you google that name he comes up as a Partner with Holding Redlynch and a previous CCC investigation into a $150k loan to Councilor Manning in Cairns . Developer and developer representatives are banned from donating .
GRAHAM JOHN ROLAND WHEELER and DESLEY FAY WHEELER donated $5k each to Dametto on 23/10/25 . Coincidentally , other people with the Wheeler Name , Peter and D Wheeler donated to Jenny Hill in 2016 . Those names are associated with Colliers. In The Townsville Bulletin 12/7/2018 “Development fight over’ The name Graham Wheeler was associated with the Willowbend development at the time . The council had an objection to this development at the time of the donations and election and it went to confidential court mediation/settlement and got approval.
Belinda Johnson donated $3k to Dametto on 13/10/25 That name comes up associated with the KAP and One Nation. Former Cleveland Prison Officer.
PETER BRADSHAW donated $2k to Dametto on 8/10/25 His name is associated with Aurizon . He donated to Jenny Hill in 2020 and 2024 $2k each time .
KENNETH JOHN WILLING donated $1k to Dametto on 7/10/25 That Name is associated with Civilquip
Peter Keen donated $5k to Dametto on 3/10/25 That’s AZKEEN Industries with is earthmoving.
What interest Aurizon , civil construction and earthmoving companies have in local government, I don’t know .
Pat, I know I’ve made fun of you sometimes over the years, for a variety of reasons (always stated), but this post is one of the best researched, timely and dot-connecting we’ve ever seen from you. Very skilful, factual and by and large non-judgmental (well, by your normal standards, anyway).
In most instances, doesn’t add up to anything that merits further investigation or condemnation, anyone can support anyone they choose, but this is the sort of useful information of who has been and is currently favour seeking and who is beholden to whom. Because, take it from The ‘Pie, folks, NO ONE gives money to a political party or entity out of the sheer goodness of their snowy white hearts. Sometimes it may be justified to help excellent developments, policies and ideas along, sometimes not so acceptable.
At every level, that’s politics. Pat, have you had a look at who has given to other candidates? Just a list would be good.
Final note: despite The Magpie himself arguing that it was wrong-headed if she wanted an assured victory, Fran O’Callaghan was adamant she would take no campaign support above $499, the point before donors needed to be declared. The ‘Pie personally knows she categorically knocked back at least two offers of $10,000 for her campaign, both from reputable established companies – one a major vehicle business that was not in a position to seek any favours down the track – and she never budged from that ethical position.
Fran may not have made the ideal mayor in the current climate, but had she become mayor, there would never be any questions about ethics, transparency, honesty or courage to implement the right policies.
Instead, we got Thompson.
With Damenteds latest announcement that hes going to turn the city into a high rise corporate jungle perhaps wheelers, keens, willings and others are getting in early to bulldoze down heritage buildings and redevelop it into eyesores.
When asked why this failure happened, Mr Keyes said “inevitably healthcare is a people driven endeavour”.
internal TUH
The answers as always will be buried in the HR files.
Someone would have raised concerns and most probably got sacked. It always the same.
Th´Magpie normally doesn’t entertain these sorts of conspiracy theories, but in this case, there is definitely something we afre not being told in this matter. Whether Trops theory is right or not, there is a lot more to this, without any doubt.
As the Queen used to say when some farted at dinner, well, now you’ve got my attention. It really will be interesting go see how the Bulletin handles this innovative approach to campaigning (and she’s not wrong, btw).
Got my ballot on Wednesday. Before it got soaked. Put it in the mail already. Voted 1 for Joanne.
Yeah but Pat?
My neighbour knew nothing of the election until I mentioned it when talking over the fence.
If you didnt know an election was coming at some stage you must live under a rock. Anyone considering running has had plenty of time to prepare themselves. Gather a team and have a campaign poised.
If you haven’t seen the multitude of bloody election signs littering our streets perhaps that rock is very large or maybe your head is wedged somewhere else.
The ECQ emailed people and sent text messages to people to advise them of the election. And… they’ve even bloody mailed the ballots to your house!
Information about the election has been in the newspaper, on the bulletin social media, on the ECQ social media, in every about Townsville Facebook group, and there have been radio interviews.
How would Ms Keune like to go about informing the community more thoroughly? Would she like some aircraft with banners? Perhaps a fireworks display? A parade? Maybe we could paint the city centre special colours in honour of the election?
FFS, stop giving her ideas.
DN You are full of shit er misinformed I have received no Information, other than a reply to my email, from the ECQ nor have I received a text message from them. I would be interested to see yours.
Text message received Tuesday 23rd October at 10:08
Townsville by-election for mayor is 15 Nov. We will mail ballot papers to you. There are no polling places for this election. Electoral Commission of Queensland
Email received Tuesday 23rd October at 10:02
The Townsville City Council mayoral by-election is on Saturday 15 November 2025.
Your ballot paper has been sent in the mail.
POSTAL VOTE
You can vote as soon as you receive your ballot paper and no later than 6pm on election day.
Remember to follow the instructions on the ballot paper and declaration envelope and have a witness sign your declaration envelope to ensure your vote counts.
Post your vote to us immediately.
For your vote to be counted, we must receive it by 5pm Tuesday 25 November 2025.
For more information, visit ecq.qld.gov.au/townsville or call 1300 881 665.
Remember, voting is compulsory.
You have received this email because you have added your email address to the electoral roll.
Visit aec.gov.au to update your enrolment details.
Ducks Nuts, you are an idiot mate. Some older people aren’t good with technology, or don’t watch the news, or are ill and simply do t get out and about or watch the news. It’s not as uncommon as you would think. But of course you have everybody worked out don’t you? Clown.
Every older person I know religiously watches the news, reads the paper or listens to local radio.
And if they dont do these things, how do you propose they get informed?
Town criers? That won’t work if they don’t go out.
Carrier pigeons?
Can’t help yourself can you Ducky – always have to have the last word. Reminds me of Steve from Belgian Gardens in that regard.
Ducks Nuts, always arrogant, always angry,
always has the last say. One would expect better from someone of your vintage. Fool.
I’m not angry or arrogant. You were just wrong, and not much fun.
So back to this election…how do you suggest we better inform the community?
Mr Whippy vans with loudspeakers roaming the suburbs?
Seriously, that is not such a bad idea. No, really. If candidates got out there, cruised down streets saying ‘I’m running for mayor, come out and talk to me’, would achieve a lot more than hoked up events like the Bulletin’s subscriber only cake throwing contest or the Chambers ‘ticketed’ (for non-members) more orderly event at the Brewery.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-31/halloween-australia-growth-displays-community-connection/105954120
$500 million spent on an American import. Hardly a cost of living crisis, is there?
It looks like Greaney might be throwing the match after all.
Today’s BULLETIN: she’s scrapping the kerbside collection scheme.
But, Council will be working with people, “like the elderly,”, who can’t get to the tip themselves.
We’ve already seen the disrespect she’s shown age pensioners when she threatened to evict them from their legally owned homes during the Amaroo saga.
Tip vouchers are useless to anyone who doesn’t have
transport.
Ah, but, Cow Bell, you’ve missed the more damning kick in the slats for Greaney in today’s Astonisher. It was in the least read part of the paper, but there it was in the iditorial.
But this wasn’t any high flown ethical policy of the paper that a candidate had fibbed/lied/ or in the more sanitised term ‘misspoke’, it was the paper’s apology for endorsing the lie. That candidate Greaney had actually said it was not commented upon.
Well spotted, Pie.
Deceit all round.
GASP!!! WHEEZE!!! CHORTLE!!! CAUGHT IN THE ACT??
THIS CANNOT BE ACCIDENTAL … The Bulletin whistling and looking innocent as they lampoon a mayoral candidate.
And serves her right for trying for some free campaigning not open to other candidates. She adds absolutely nothing of value to the story, but hilarity.
“Throw their keys in the water”? WTF is that supposed to mean? Interesting interpretation of justice.