Meddling With His Past: Our Accidental Mayor’s Major Blunder In A Garrison City

Thank heavens he’s not in the army. Troy Thompson is continually laying mines to trap his foes and then treads on them himself.  It’s mesmerising to watch.  Even the Townsville Bulletin has gone from tut-tut to put up or piss off.  The situation is now untenable, both the mayor and the paper unable to fulfil their respective roles properly for the benefit of the community.  The Magpie ponders if there can be a way forward out of this omnishambles.

An interesting take on the selection of the deputy mayor … a touch of treachery and its rewards.

There’s always something in the air … but soon,it may not be airline start-up Bonza.  But all the airline news isn’t bad. Some sanity might return to the airline industry here if Australia can follow the American lead legislation about to take affect over there,

And a corporate Christ promises an Lansdown Lazarus. But it’s only for those who believe in miracles.

The ‘Pie has been busier than a Gaza glazier will be next year, with our mayoral mayhem greatly adding to small army of barking spiders making comment. It’s almost getting to be a full time job (actually, it always has been), so if you can lend a hand with support to meet blog costs,it will be much appreciated. The appropriate button is at the end of the blog.

Now onward …

It Was A Classic Case Of Painting Yourself Into A Corner

When running for public office, it is generally wise to be able to back up any claims that you make … it has always been a basic and  reasonable requirement that one verifies what they claim. For reasons known only to himself (and reasons others can rightly guess) our new accidental mayor Troy TwoNames Thompson does not think this applies to him. Seems he’s about to find out that it does. This is the photograph, first published by The Magpie on Anzac morning,  that started the latest round of insistent questioning of this dodgy dodger.

As about all Aussies know, you wear medals not your own on the right hand side, and those you have earned yourself are proudly displayed on the left breast. This rule is backed up by laws that provide penalties for those who tell visual lies.  The problem here is that Thompson, while not breaching any such rule (the medals are his father and his grandfathers), he has insistently claimed an apparently honourable five years in the Army – he’s mentioned the SAS, hinting laughably that he was one of that elite. But if this is so, where are his own service ribbons and or medal which he would have received if his narrative is the truth. They were nowhere to be seen on Anzac Day, his left hand side as bare as a commando undie drawer.  And in a city like Townsville, that’s bound to be noticed.

While The ‘Pie and readers asked a few questions, made some suppositions,  and offered some free character readings, it was the Townsville Bulletin that uncharacteristically went apeshit, something they usually reserve for sick kids or dead accident victims. First there was the carefully but forcefully worded story …

… then on Saturday, a front page ..

… with a a full page story on page 4 …

…and finishing off with a blazing editorial.

The ‘Pie includes this editorial boot to the Thompson jewels because so few people read the Bulletin nowadays that many Nest readers may have missed this turn of the worm.

That said, this piece may prove to be editor Cas Garvey’s finest hour, because it goes to the heart of what the paper should always do,  and should have always been doing for the past eight years, but wasn’t. b The Bulletin has demanded TwoNames prove what he says  and produce his service record, if he can. This is of course the fruit being borne of a touchy, jumpy Thompson and his prickly relationship with the paper doing its job. He was so unnerved by questions he didn’t think would be asked, he finally cracked showing all the aplomb and dignity of a cat on an eight lane freeway , losing all sense of reality. He  huffed and bleated an indignant  ‘how dare they’ and grandly announced that (despite being the mayor with a duty to communicate with residents),  he wasn’t talking to the Bulletin anymore.

And that’s where the matter rests at the moment.  As The Magpie said, the situation is now untenable, both the mayor and the paper unable to fulfil their respective roles properly for the benefit of the community. But there’s only one person who can fix that … Thompson needs to slip out of prima donna tutu and behave like all others in his position everywhere have always behaved.  But seems by now, telling the truth … not just about his military service, but his educational, financial and domestic violence background … he’s going to have to walk over a lot of wet paint to clear things up. If he can.

It is possible, depending on how things pan out, that the CCC may recommend fraud charges. And the military will be having a close look, too.

But take it from The ‘Pie, he won’t go easily. It’s not every day a con man hits a quarter of mill per year jackpot, plus perks.

ThIs Week’s  Quip Around The Ears Trophy Goes To …

Charlie is quoting from the Astonisher’s editorial.

Charlie Wulguru

Submitted on 2024/04/27 at 9:26 am Quote: “The Townsville Bulletin has a responsibility to this community to ask questions of its leaders on behalf of this city and the request was simple:” How long has this been going on?

Subtle, eh?

An Insider’s Tale Of The Deputy Doo Dah Vote

It seems that Thompson’s much ballyhooed promised land of ‘transparency, accountability and honesty’  has been laid waste already.  With less than a month gone,  the deputy mayor Paul The Angry Ant Jacob is playing the new discombobulated mayor like a ukulele,  and acting as the bargain basement Machiavelli with lucrative appointments for the undeserving.  The Magpie  will reveal why it is t’s empire building at its crudest and again establishes the scourge of party politics in Walker Street … it’s pretty obvious who will do the kneeling and who will do the thrusting.

If Troy TwoNames is our accidental mayor, Clr Kurt Rehbein’s is the luckiest grizzle and grunt under the sun. Given even a cursory glance at the stats, it’s clear a drover’s dog would’ve beaten him worse than a rented mule. ha he been opposed. But he wasn’t.   As you’ll see why,  just about anyone would’ve wiped the floor with him. The Magpie vouches for the author of the following,  but in his own and not just the authors interests, the writer will remain anon.  That’ll help drive the barking spiders in sweaty singlets in Thompson’s dim basement into a frenzy.

Here’s what our informant has to say:

Following the shellacking of Team Hill at the ballot box, including incumbent DM Molachino,  Kurt Rehbein considered making a play for the DM role and was sounding out others. Whether he was counselled against running by his ‘advisors’ or saw the writing on the wall as the possibility of a Team Hill majority faded is anybody’s guess but it seems his aspirations cooled.

Then at some point, with the dust settling, Ma Greaney decided it was time to put her hand up. It seems she actively sought and received the support of independents Brodie Phillips and Brady Ellis. Having secured the independent vote Greaney probably thought she had her nose in front with Rehbein, Batkovic and Mooney onside.

Now here is where it gets interesting.

Rehbein, it seems was a bit of a hold-out, but Rehbein and Greaney were seen in amicable discussion at a Stockland coffee shop on the Monday before the vote. The good oil is that it’s here that Rehbein apparently pledged his support for Greaney’s bid. BUT somewhere between Monday and Wednesday, Rehbein did an about face. My spies in TCC halls tell me Rehbein was seen in multiple discussions with Jacobs on the morning of vote and apparently by just before the special council meeting Greaney knew Rehbein had flipped.

We now know the outcome. Rehbein’s backflip turned a potential 6-5 win for Greaney into a 6-5 win for Jacobs.

The question is why?

In Wednesday’s Bulletin,, Rehbein’s reasoning for what appears to be his his treachery was that the community had spoken, implying no more “Team” Hill, and that he was listening. As has been noted in The Nest,  given Jenny Hill’s vote in Division 7,  this may actually have been an act of survival on his part. The irony is that Jenny Hill got him elected in 2016,but in 2024, while elected unopposed, his booths were among the worst performing for Jenny Hill; 40% or less of mayoral vote. If any no-name, such as another Vera Dirou, had stood against him, Rehbein would have gone the way of Cook, Molachino and Ryder….out the back door.

In contrast, Batkovic’s and Greaney’s divisions were Jenny’s best where she got roughly 50% of the primary vote.

So now the ‘why starts to  become clear:  we now can see that Rehbein’s support for Jacob gave him a seat at the table for CEO selection (you rightly called him out on his what!!..me!! response) and safe passage into an LGAQ role, plus  some extra $$ in the kick. He might have got there with a vote for Greaney for DM but my spies tell me Thompson stepped down from taking an LGAQ role to allow Rehbein to step up. One of your blog contributors and a Thompson sympathizer Bent Pipe said as much this week (“Note also the fact he had already decided the team members positions for each advisory. And he elected Rehbein on the LGAQ”). That would likely have been at Jacobs’ behest. Seems the non-Team player Rehbein has found himself a new team.

The Magpie finds it strange for this dishonourable prick to tell the paper that the ‘community had spoken’, implying is vote reflected that voters didn’t want any more Team Hill or Labor … and then votes for an ambitious Labor politico in Paul Jacob. Seems if Rehbein shakes your hand, don’t just count you fingers, check if anything is left up to the elbow.

So Much For No Deals, Now Or In The Future

After the deputy mayor election there were, and are, concerns about the position be contested every year within the council. It could be argued as a good thing,  it is could get rid of non-performers.

But hang on a sec, is this another TwoNames strategic cock-up?

Trying to be cunning,  Thompson probably thought if the deputy does not back his decisions and agenda,  he will have him replaced next year. There would be a salary loss of something like $20/30,000 per year. TwoNames figured no one really go against him and risk losing that much from their pay packet. Smart move by Troy to keep deputy in line, eh?

Not really. He seems to  forgotten – yet again – all about the council and that it votes on the deputy matter.  he can’t seem to get it into his head that he is not a one man band. And he’s no Jenny Hill, so his silly plotting on this matter guarantees all sorts of time-wasting, non-productive hours of councillors maneuvering and forming blocs for purposes that will not benefit the ratepayer one iota.  And worse, mate, if karma is back from holidays, you just may get an actual strident critic that’ll will cause you … and the general population -… all sorts of non-productive in-fighting.

Great that your so forward looking, you goof.

And Lest We Forget Her 

The ALP have just called for Expressions of Interest (not nominations ) in becoming a candidate for various electorates, including Herbert and three Qld senate spots
Wonder if Jenny’s wounds have sufficiently healed for her to drag on the purple doona and waddle down to the ALP office to express an interest.
Senate would be where she would want to go now … in the unlikely event that the backroom boys fancy damaged goods in the form of yesterday’s woman.

ThIs Week’s  Quip Around The Ear Trophy Goes To …

Charlie Wulguru 65 approved

Submitted on 2024/04/27 at 9:26 am “The Townsville Bulletin has a responsibility to this community to ask questions of its leaders on behalf of this city and the request was simple:” How long has this been going on???

Meet  Jesus C. Grocott,  Who Promises To Raise The Dead … But With A Couple Of Stipulations – Patience And Public Money.

 

Early in the week, Queensland Pacific Metals, a linch-pin for the Lansdown hub in the scrub, told the ASX it was scaling back it’s Lansdown plans to concentrate on its Moranbah operations. Didn’t have enough dough to operate both, the board told the stock market, ‘we only have enough funds to keep one of them going’.. That was widely interpreted to mean the Lansdown venture was effectively mothballed, and given the conditional nature of the TCC lease on the land allocation, could actually mean it was dead.

Then yesterday, QPN’s non-executive Director Stephen Grocott said no, this parrot was not dead.  As reported to ace stenographer Lighton Smith, it was all a matter of money to resuscitate it. Although QPM doesn’t have the necessary folding itself, ‘additional government or investor support could remove the final roadblock standing in the way’. Ah, so the begging bowl has been whipped out. Again.

Ah, so, Dr Grocott, an extra 15% of taxpayer or investor money will see the $2.1billion project back on track, will it?  That would be quite a few million, so enough to make things tickety boo, building started, jobs materialising?

Well, no actually.  Get this.

Dr Grocott again: ‘We have full approvals, and just need the last 15% of the funding to complete a very high quality bankable FEASIBILITY study.’  A fucking feasibility study? Which, in the normal run of the English language, is a study to see if things stack up financially and business-wise. And of course, this follows the previously reported (not kidding) pre-feasibility study, which in essence was a feasibility study into whether a feasibility study was justified. The wheedling tone of  the words  ‘just’ and ‘very high quality’ in that sentence puts the whole report on the nose, and  (humblebrag) proves the Magpie’s warnings over the past two years that QPM was far from being adequately funded for this project.

It’s shaping up as a mini-Magnis Mark 2.

But congrats to Lighton Smith, who extended his admirable record of never having not asked an original, meaningful question for any story he’s ever done.

Is It Bye Bye Bonza?

Perhaps not yet, but this seems to be worth keeping an eye on.

And here’s some cheery news – American passengers whose flights are cancelled get an immediate refund on their airfare. Plus any other service extra they paid for like WiFi. Or if their baggage doesn’t arrive with them.   It comes into law in a few months. One can only hope that the Australian Government follows suit.

And the aspect that most pleases  The ‘Pie is this overdue and fair measure from the announcement:

“We made sure Enforcement of Penalties for cancelled flights that it was structured in a way that didn’t all just come back to the Treasury in the form of fines,  but it went back out to the passengers in the form of compensation.”

Brilliant. But could it happen here? You can bet the airline spin doctors and lobbyists are already burning the midnight oil.

Courting Trouble

The dual nature of the American legal system … some are more privileged than others … has been shown in stark outline this week. While Donald Trump continues to get away with multiple breaches of gag orders in blatant ways that would have anyone else cooling their heels with Knuckles McGurk in cell 6, a New York court has thrown out Harvey ‘The Wayward Weiner’ Weinstein’s rape conviction on a point of law – that’s the case that kicked of the #MeToo movement.

But putting aside the glaring contrast in attention to legal niceties, the NY Supreme Court got it right. And given the relative tame reaction of those that author Kathy Lette calls the Vagilante Army, it seems that the point of the appeal is well taken and valid … women unconnected with the charges against Weinstein were allowed to testify. To any Australian lawyer, this is astounding to have been allowed in the first place, a ‘he looks good for it, look at what else he’s supposed to have done.’ miscarriage of justice. But the Vags need not worry Harvey will be coming through the bedroom window anytime soon … he is off to California, to start the 16 years he got there for a rape conviction that still stands … and he will be retried in a new trial in NY (they are unlikely to invite the wrath that a refusal to re-try would bring.)

The upside for Harvey is that he’ll certainly be racking up the frequent flyer points across America.

Irony corner: the Weinstein case was heard in the very same courtroom in which the world’s most famous feline handler snoozes through his fraud trial.

From Around The Net

The ’Pie has always been interested in the rules surrounding naming of racehorses and occasionally has flights of fancy when a name hints of a childish saying Daddy liked, or a more lustful one hidden behind some cleverv words.  And so, it seemed there might be a story of some memorable nocturnal domestic activities of an alpha male owner of horse number 9 in race 1 at  Cairns on Monday.

PS it didn’t come first, which is bad news on the racetrack but good news in the boudoir.

And Finally

If you get somewhat taut with all the stuff going on in Walker Street, in Brisbane, Canberra, Washington, Ukraine, Gaza,  or belgian Gardens, for The ‘Pie, this image puts it all in perspective … in Bogey’s famous words ‘It doesn’t amount to a hill of beans.’

………

That’s the lot for this week.  But a special shout out to the three or four citizen-journalists who trusted The Magpie with their information included in this week’s Nest.That’s what the blog is all about, a forum for what won’t be said elsewhere. (However, nut jobs need not bother.) Comments are fun and informative too, worth puttingon alert for lotsa laughs and high blood pressure. That donation button is below.