The tragi-hilarious blooper by the makers of the localised Townsville version of the Monopoly board game is sorts funny and sorta serious at the same time. The quick quid merchants have been cleverly pranked in their haste to make a quick quid out the city … or were they?
A local businessman calls out Mayor Mullet’s dishonest political polka of recent blockbuster rate rises – the rises are actually great news, she insists. But in the face of community unrest, she probably thought she had to do say something, having just swanned back in from a ratepayer funded knees-up to Korea … where the ratepayers copped a double-whammy.
They’ll be the death of us yet … is a family crematorium business got planning a new – and dare one say, gruesome – idea for their funeral home here in Townsville? Can we expect a new twist in their previously unsuccessful plans to turn the funeral parlour into a crematorium with a difference? A bloody big difference.
Mackay zooms ahead of us again … but we could’ve stayed up there with them but for some short sighted idiocy.
‘Cracker’ carks it … the much loved Scottish actor Robbie Coltrane – Hagrid in the Harry Potter series and Fitz in the TV series Cracker – has died.
And heading this week’s American gallery is that newly revealed and chilling video of the politicians trapped by the January 6th insurrectionists. It is damning of rump and now the committee have subpoenaed him to explain himself. The circle is closing.
Short commercial break: This alternative voice for Townsville is free to you but not to The Magpie … costs of putting out The Nest every week are forever on-going. If you want to help out, the donate button is at the end of the blog. Thanks.
Now, onward …
Monopoly Funny – Was It Deliberate Or Just Dopey?
Whether it’s slick or sloppy, the pranked local Monopoly edition has given us a much needed laugh, albeit maybe tinged with bitterness.
Quick recap – because you sure would not have seen in the Bulletin – a company proposed and produced a monopoly edition featuring local locations …Strand, Castle Hill etc … instead of the traditional London landmarks. it’s not known if the TCC or TEL subsidised this commercial venture. In the run-up to producing the board, the makers asked for local suggestions to be included in the chance cards. Without anyone with local knowledge overseeing this exercise, it appears this one got under their guard and up the noses of some.
The Seven News story that revealed the boo-boo has its own funny side, their interviews not doing much to negate the reputation of one of Townsville’s most notorious streets. And it didn’t take long for social media humorists to arrive on the scene.
One idly wonders what other suggestions for chance cards were rejected as a tad too pointed and extreme. The Boyes Court one was pretty clever and subtle. And that leads one to further wonder whether this was accidental at all. Because after the Seven story, social media lit up with hilarity and the next day, stacks of the just released board game were walking out the door (at around $60 a pop). It seems buyers were after the Boyes Court edition as much as curio collectors as players. Much like the 1631 Wicked Bible, which misprinted the commandment “Thou shalt commit adultery’ and also had the Bulletin-like cock-up “Behold, the Lord our God hath shewed us his glory and his great-asse”.– errors that cost the printers a 300 pound fine (2022 equiv. about $100,000) , but the 16 known copies of the Wicked Bible still around are now a prize collectors item worth about $100,000.
This is mentioned not because the Townsville Monopoly set is likely to become valuable or all that rare, but the Wicked Bible Theory is marketing law about creating a demand.
So is that what happened here? Every chance, you’d reckon. But while it lined the pockets of the board’s promoters, if the news is spread wider (hello, Rupert) it will be another damaging blow to the city’s attractiveness to both visitors and some investors.
But Hey The ‘Pie Ain’t Gunna Miss This Opportunity – A Little Comp
The old bird is aware The Nest has become maybe a tad too serious of late, so let’s revert to some fun, and hear your suggestions for chance cards. (Make them fit to be printed, please.)
The Magpie will offer two special prizes for the best Chance Card entry;
1st prize: a intimate candle-lit dinner with Mayor Mullet, Aaron Harper and Les Walker.
2nd prize: two intimate candle-lit dinners with Mayor Mullet, Aaron Harper and Les Walker.
Here are some starter ideas for local Chance Cards.
‘Bones found on Lansdown Eco-Park site, area declared sacred ground. Lose a turn – 6000 jobs.’
‘You libel prominent political fatso. O directly to council petty cash tin and pay $50,000 out of public funds.’
‘After a beer at the Castle Hill café, fall off zipline – go directly to hospital, retire from game.’
“You join Townsville Enterprise as an executive. Do nothing. Collect six figure salary from all other players.’
Anyone Getting The Feeling That Mayor Knows We’re Onto Her?
In Thursday Daily Mulletin, Mayor Mullet stamped her dainty size 12 Doc Martens in anger, railing against ‘scurrilous comments and mistruths being peddled in by some in our community,’ singling out letters and texts to the editor of her very own paper and on social media. For good measure, she took a swipe at ‘unnamed elected officials’ (read Clr Fran O’Callaghan) and an also unnamed government minister.
To defend her stand, she trotted out for some reason a report compiled by the Cairns City Council. Using her usual thimble and pea trick, she said this report proved that we here in Townsville were lucky that she performed so very well. So quick summation, Jenny – you’re right and everyone else is wrong, including ratepayers, at least one other councillor (the one with a spine), and even a government minister?
The following is from a prominent local businessman who asked to remain anonymous (who wouldn’t with Miss Vindictive in the charge).
Malcolm, I note the Mayors comments in Thursday’s Townsville Bulletin on rates came from Cairns City Council benchmarking report July 2022 .
I do also note Mayor Hill quoted section 74 of the local government regulations requiring a local government to calculate the rates for land using the rateable value of the land .
It appears Mayor Hill has manipulated the truth .
Furthermore, non-Principal Place of Residence (PPR) investment in property increases 20-40 % rates vs average 9% PPR .
Cairns rates PPR set .545 cents per $ rateable value
Townsville rates PPR $1.05 per $ rateable value
Townsville minimal rates +18.5 % higher than Cairns .
The median valuation of the regions is how the Mayor manipulates her lala land financial lies, treating us like mugs .
The Mayor’s panicked realisation that she had to conduct a rear-guard action against just about the whole community came immediately after she had returned from her pointless and valueless Korean jolly, as reported here last week. But it wasn’t until Monday or Tuesday that the ratepayers suddenly realised they were being double dipped –
– when it turns out TEL CEO Claudia Brumme-Smith, Ms B-S herself, was there to hold Jenny’s hand and help sample the local hosts hospitality. No use arguing that Ms B-S’s expenses were paid by TEL and not the ratepayers, for the obvious reason that without the council’s $750k a year, TEL would be going nowhere. It’s going nowhere now, but without council money, it’d be going nowhere at twice the speed. Just hope the Dudley Do Nothing’s membership are pleased to know they are getting the membership money’s worth, too.
Seems TCC Isn’t The Only Council Being Asked Hard Questions
The Nest’s old mate Phil Batty, now domciled in Airlie Beach, recently took a tilt at the Whitsunday mayoralty, but with no luck. However, that hasn’t stopped Phil from taking the fight to the council as a ratepayer, over dodgy figures the council had published. the council examined the claims and in fact admitted there had been some error in reporting … in one case, by a factor of ten, roughly.
But the council gave Phil the courtesy of addressing them in person,and they allowed him to make his case. Now the outcome is still be decided, but good God!!! addressing the council about financial anomalies. Wouldn’t happen around here, ask Clr Fran, and if a member of the public tried it, they’d get Tony Bligh’s legal boot in their arse. And if they peristed, they’d probably wake up ione morning in bed with a horse’s head.
Wonder If Jenny Was Watching TV Last Night
National TV audience last night (Sat) enjoyed an entertaining Women’s Big Bash League match between the Brisbane Heat and the Melbourne Stars. What was noteworthy for us here in Townsville was that Mackay, with little over half the population of Townsville, hosted the match at the Ray Mitchell Oval, under TV-RATED LIGHTS. Crystal clear vision throughout, wih the multiple camera coverage top class. And it was clearly evident that the Mackay council mis investing in are building at least one new grandstand, the works in progress clearly visible in many shots.
But somehow, our dizzy mayor doesn’t think lights at Riverway Stadium (a much more physically attractive venue which would be a great advertisement for our city) would be a good investment unless sports bosses promise her a schedule of events for TV.
Seriously, when is this woman going to get over herself?
(Sorry, rhetorical only, we all know the answer is never.)
We’ve Heard About Dissolving A Marriage, Or A Partnership, But This?
An entertaining story, especially for the more morbid among us, has just popped up on the Bulletin website. Not surprisingly, the well written yarn is out of Mackay, but it may have some ramifications for Townsville down the track.
Now, how best to describe it? First, not the sort of thing to be read if you’re eating or have just recently finished. Oh, we’ll just let you read a slightly edited version of the story by Mercury reporter Heidi Petith. The end line is a corker.
Whitsunday Funerals Mackay applies to build The Gentle Way ‘cremator’
After an application to build a traditional crematorium was rejected, a Queensland undertaker has lodged a new zero emissions plan to “dissolve” the departed.
A Mackay undertaker is seeking approval to install a new environmentally-friendly machine that will dissolve dead bodies using alkaline hydrolysis.
Whitsunday Funerals owner Jeff Boyle has submitted an application to introduce “The Gentle Way” technology at his funeral home on Shakespeare St, opposite a McDonald’s restaurant.
“This new technology does not result in any waste or emissions and could operate in the backroom of any funeral parlour without anyone being the wiser as the whole process is self-contained within its system and (there is) no disposal into the sewer system,” a report lodged to Mackay Regional Council states.
Whitsunday Funerals has developed The Gentle Way, which is a zero-pollution service. The body is put into a water soluble body bag, placed in a basket and into a pressurised water-filled chamber with lye, a caustic liquid commonly used to make soap.
In support of his application, Mr Boyle commissioned an odour assessment that sampled air from his Bowen-based business, where a Gentle Way system is already installed.
The samples came in well under the threshold.
The new application to council states The Gentle Way system turns a body into bone fragments and liquid, after which the fragments are “placed into a cremulator and turned into a white powder-like product”.
The liquid, which includes organic compounds such as salt, sugars, amino acids and peptides, are transferred into a wastewater treatment, where it is turned into PH-neutral water and “high-grade” fertiliser.
“The human bodies are 65 per cent water, and by recycling the water, we have more than we require,” documents state.
Soylent Green, anybody?
So what’s the Townsville connection. You may remember about four years ago, a family from a Bowen crematorium applied to set up a branch of the business on Railway Avenue, Railway Estate. A petition from locals knocked that on the head, so the place became a funeral chapel only with the dearly departed then departing dearly by road to Bowen for the final bonfire. The proponent for the initial crematorium licence was Neville Boyle, who is the owner of the Bowen operation and the brother of Jeff.
So one wonders if given the – umm, shall we say, watertight – proposal and its technology soon become a subject for our council to discuss?
Anyway, the process is bound to excite interest in different quarters. It’s understood the heads of several motorcycle gangs have expressed an interest in the technology. And why not, much tidier than woodchippers.
The End Of A Magical Career
The man who will be remembered by a generation as the lovable and wise Hagrid in the Harry Potter movies, Robbie Coltrane, has died. The Scottish actor, also well remembered as the psychologist Fitz in TV’s Cracker, was 72.
But The Magpie loved Coltrane for a different reason … he once threatened to beat up Piers Morgan in a London restaurant … Robbie, old mate, rest peac efully in the assurance that The Magpie is in that long, long queue to complete your planned service to mankind.
Flying A Kite
Ewen Jones
Several people have raised an interesting idea with The ‘Pie in recent weeks. How would Ewen Jones go if he stood for mayor? Those asking have all been in favour of the former Federal MP, and we could do worse – actually we are doing worse.
The ’Pie tried to contact Ewen, but hasn’t heard back, maybe he’s still got the sulks after The Magpie poked his tongue out at him a while back.
One question would need to be answered: has Kid Crisafulli tapped him to stand for one of the Townsville seats next election?
But here’s the thing, although somewhat unlikely. If Ewen was interested in re-entering politics, he could have a crack at the mayoralty (doubt he’d be interested in being a lowly councillor) sometime around March 2024. If he loses that, depending on the margin and perceived public sentiment, he could quickly saddle up again and have a crack at state for The Kid in October 2024.
This speculation is prompted by Ewen appearing to lift his profile on social media a bit, and sinking a dainty slipper into the local Labor ciphers.
Care to make a comment Ewen (in less than 10,000 words please mate)?
Donald Trump Subpoenaed But What Will They Do If He’s Refuses?
That is the question being bruited about in the American halls of power and over dinner tables and in bars this past week, since the January 6 Committee ordered him to attend the hearings and be questioned.
The subpoena came just after hitherto unseen video was released by the committee, which showed trapped politicians sheltering from the rioters on January 6 … and clearly demonstrates the deliberate inaction of the Mobster President, as he rolled out his foot soldiers for a attempted coup.
But The New Yorker’s Andy Borowitz reckons he knows how Trump will weasel out of the subpoena , because he’s got form for doing that. Andy’s take heads this week’s gallery.
It Was Inevitable Really
This from comments during the week.
IN-FUCKING-EVITABLE!
So much for your empty boast, News Ltd, that the Townsville Bulletin sets the news agenda in Townsville … this makes it clear that rather than lead public discourse, you are followers of transitory ephemeral junk, and have now become just another social media outlet.
We’ve put up with insulting tomfoolery aimed at an 8-year-old mentality before, but this time, non-metro papers have been singled out for the undisguised scorn of News Ltd. Can imagine this being tolerated in a major metro paper?
Nope, but good enough for the bokels and yogans of Townsville (the cross breeding of bogans and yokels, as perceived by Holt St).
But some a cannot resist a comment like that .
| Dave of Kelso 10,722 approved |
Submitted on 2022/10/10 at 9:48 pm | In reply to The Magpie.This one scratches the couch. A titty kitty.
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| The Magpie 10,722 approved email hidden; JavaScript is required 120.152.24.64 |
Submitted on 2022/10/10 at 9:51 pm | In reply to Dave of Kelso.Slut!!
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And Finally,
…old radio mate John ‘Mother’ Hubbard has an exciting offer for the right people. He messaged the Magpie with his intriguingand generous offer, so anyone interested can get in touch through the Nest.
Is anyone interested in a free helicopter flight for 4 people? I’m looking for 2 people to join us this Sunday 16th October and the Plan is to fly early from Townsville Airport up to Cairns where we’ll have a Champagne breakfast. We will then transfer to a High Speed motor Yacht for lunch before flying to Hamilton Island for a bit of tea and then fly to Magnetic Island for an evening meal. We’ll then fly back to Townsville Airport landing about 10.30pm. If anyone is interested please let me know… Preferably someone with a helicopter and a yacht otherwise we can’t go……
And now in semi-retirement, Hubs, who was always a hands-on sort of bloke, has taken up a new hobby, which is only marginally different to his old hobby.
……………..
That’s the week, for what’s it was worth, comments promie to be lively in the next few days, join in with your say, its free.
And if you can support the Magpie Nest with a donation, the appropriate button is below.
Transparency and Corruption in 3 levels of Government with IBAC in Victoria unable to release enquiries ( some concerning the Andrews Government ) locked up in legal challenges . Queensland the CCC unable to release the enquiry into Jackie Trad as the Attorney General and Premier approved State government funds to Jackie trad to fight the release . On the local front we have our independent Councillor Fran O’Callaghan reported to the OIA ( office of independent assessor ) how many times yet since she asked questions the Council has been forthcoming on delayed projects and 66 % cost blow outs on a $5.5 mil library location . Conspiracy theorists ” our sources tell us ” when its someone in a room with access to a computer the Chinese are taking over and buying everything including the Port of Townsville , corruption at Bluewater which is giving Councillors the excuse for an enquiry by the Councillor conduct tribunal + OIA . Recommendations that Councillors can block individuals from their Council social media pages as well as express their political views is part of the 40 recommendations . Steven Miles is the Local Government Minister .
Has the story about Jenny Hill and Claudia Brumme-Smith’s junket to South Korea at ratepayer’s expense signaled a new cost-cutting development by the Townsville Bulletin?
The waffle, sorry sketchy details, of their trip was written by – wait for it – Claudia Brumme-Smith, and published in the Opinion section back on page 17 under the byline COMMENT – CLAUDIA BRUMME-SMITH.
Surely this breaks new ground in print media – a ratepayer funded employee writing a report on what a trip she went on actually achieved ( if you read the story, nothing).
So is this a sign of things to come, like Jenny Hill writing an explanation of why the council is $80 million in debt, or the NQ Cowboys reporting on the suspension of one of their players on a domestic violence charge.
It could be argued that this has been happening for years, but it’s the first time I can remember that the editor came clean and admitted it by giving the TEL boss a byline.
Maybe it’s just a new way of cutting staff, or avoiding having to ask Jenny hill hard questions.
Well, it least the iditor had enough cells left to put it on an opinion page. this town is being taken for mugs and the usual suspects are obvious, the mayor and her spineless feather-bedded councillors, TEL and the Bulletin.
The Townsville Monopoly game and last week’s embarrassing Nah, it’s Townsville promo have added to the city’s reputation as a Bogan backwater. As for the junket to Seoul by the Mayor and her TEL sidekick, the photo of the two of them standing in front of some sort of historical or cultural building like a pair of easy to impress tourists says it all. The joke is on us.
Did you really mean to post the last cartoon?
For goodness sakes Paula, lighten the hell up ! It’s a very old cartoon that’s done the rounds for a lot of years.
With all that’s happening in the world today the cartoon is hardly hanky wringing material.
If it offends, have a Bex, a lie down and keep scrolling !
WT Actual F!!!
A RAPE PUN IS THE WAY TO GO FOR THE MURDOCH MEDIA? DOESN’T GET MUCH LOWER THAN THIS.
Sometimes, you imagine that the great News Ltd journalist character on Mad As
Hell wasn’t a joke, but factual reporting.
Subterranean .. what a disgusting piece of shit that author must be
Not just the author, it is always ultimately the editor’s responsibility.
And cop this … IT’S A WOMAN, Gemma Jones.
A really bad blue, and it won’t be just the sisterhood out after her. But she’s well grounded in this sort of sleaze; before being appointed as Advertiser editor in 2021, Jones was …ta da … deputy editor of the Sydney Telegraph.
So it sort of figures, she was the ideal candidate to infect SA with Murdoch’s cancer.
PS Adelaide is Murdoch’s home town, and his family moved in the highest circles of the state’s nescafe society.
The Mayors ollie jollie to Korea is a farce. An unjustifiable expenditure that should be broken down line by line so we can see what WE spent and what WE will get in return. They won’t do that for us because these trips are bullshit. Politicians have been playing this rort for decades. Just look at the Cr Tully/Pisasale world tour with private planes and 5 star accomodation. Fucking thieves and grubs.
Well, all The Magpie can say to that is … is … is … nup, you’ve said it all.
Our illustrious mayors visit to S. Korea may have had an affect on N.Korea’s poor man’s version of Tsar Putin.
Have you noticed the missiles have stopped, they’re nowhere nearly as intimidating as Spinning Jenny.
But, but, but Magpie, there is clearly method in the Mayor’s business development madness. Apart from wondering who else was in the delegation to Korea (or did the two ‘leaders’ go alone?), I came across this delightful insight in last year’s TCC self promotion to an Australian Foreign Affairs thingy to, of all places, Israel:
“Like Israel, Townsville’s diversified economy, world class research capability and long-starting entrepreneurism provide strong footing to extend the already strong start-up ecosystem.
As the birthplace of Australia’s only regionally-founded technology unicorn, Safety Culture, Townsville stands apart as Australia’s leading regional City for high growth business creation.”
So there really is a proper unicorn out there somewhere.
It would be a most appropriate animal on Jenny’s coat-of-arms.
Palm Sunday , based on the media spin on Townsvilles unicorn Safety Culture you support a scatter gun approach of spending hundreds of millions of rate payers $ on the pretext (no cost benefit analysis) you might find another? Council budget 2022/23 $80 mil Lansdown + $74.7 mil blow out Haughton stage 2 because the Mayor’s gold plated politics with her State mates. Minus the $ out of the City with our two biggest developers leaving town as well the amount of home owners cashing up ( most at a loss ) just to rid themselves of their poor performing local properties and invest elsewhere .
FFS Mike, I “support” nothing of the sort. Get a life.
Jenny in Korea, front and center resplendent in her purple doona…..again. Plenty of empty seats at her meeting??
https://austchamkorea.org/2022/10/12/mayor-of-townsville-visits-seoul/
The Purple Doona gets another outing.
It all just gets worse. But where to start.
This happy snap raises more question for our mayor – and for Ms Claudia ‘Utter’ B-S.
First of all, this is a meeting with the folks from Australian Chamber of Commerce in Korea. So our delegation was meeting with the people who were already there to do what you’re pretending to do, promote Townsville. If it was needed to bring Townsville to the attention of these good folks, did you have to stiff the ratepayers to rock up and bore them shitless – your fax broken? We also have a happy snap of them sitting around a table talking about … oh, fuck knows, maybe best Seoul bars for a good time with some bikers? Any notes from the meeting which may shed light on the importance of this tete-a-tete? (Joking, just joking, settle down.)
The second – and more disheartening issue – revolves around that chubby-cheeks on the right. This bloke …
… is one Jonte Verwey, who is described in the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Korea photo caption as ‘Councillor Advisor’. So Jenny took along, at ratepayer expense, the bloke supposed to be her personal ‘advisor’ but who in fact is a Labor wannabee and spare wheel foisted on the mayor by the Labor hierarchy by a pissed-off Palaszczuk who was annoyed by his pimply idiocy. It has long been know that Mr Verwey is totally ignored by Mayor Mullet, his hair style seemingly the result of standing side on for the latest blast from the mayor about his inadequacies. This jaunt is presumably some sort of reward for loyalty – courtesy of the Townsville ratepayers.
Mr Verwey has featured in this blog before, when his dismal standing in the Labor Employment Agency was revealed by a Labor insider. He aspires to have a say in our city’s governance despite never having had a real job, let alone a business that employs people, in his entire short life.
The final question is who is the rather pleasant-looking, uncredited lass on the left. Clearly a visitor to the Chamber (the neck tag says so) so one presumes she’s with Ms Utter B-S. The ‘Pie has tried to line her up with TEL ‘Meet Our Team’ pics, but nothing seems a certain match. And she isn’t seen here in this crowded clamouring meeting of people falling over themselves to get a glimpse of the Purple Doona – so does that mean Ms Utter B-S took along her own photographer? Or did Jenny?
This old bird has no axe to grind with this young lady, but be interesting to know who paid for her presence at this crucial, ground-breaking meeting the outcome of which that we will never actually know about – should something accidentally of a substance have occurred, it will of course be Commercial in Confidence.
But seems it was a good dress rehearsal for Mayor Mullet’s address to the UN General Assembly, which she is sure is just around the corner. The dress of course being the Purple Doona.
Christ, this town, fair dinkum.
That picture of the alleged international meeting in S. Korea doesn’t look like any of the many high level meetings I’ve attended anywhere in Asia,
Also the seating arrangement is out of kilter, usually each delegation would all sit on one side facing the other.
From my experience the room would be jam-packed, including a photographer from the local rag and often full of hi-tar cigarette smoke.
If Ewen stands for anything one can only hope that he may have learned from previous times. Who knows he may even return phone calls and respond to E mails!!
Geez, Eddie, don’t say that, haven’t you heard of the Theory of Unintended Consequences? If it gets out that someone could win the mayoralty by answering phone calls and emails, Les Walker may learn the lesson and stand when he gets turfed out next election.
But yes, no matter what madam thinks, mayor is nowhere near exalted and removed from the great unwashed as is a federal MP, so while Ewen might be a steadier hand on the tiller of MV Townsville (who wouldn’t be?) he would need to have a different approach. But then again, he’s always been a very good ‘hail fellow well met’ type of guy in person.
Well, that didn’t take long, did it?
Liz Truss will be turfed out of Number 10 within days, if not hours, if not already at the time of writing. Tory MP’s are so livid with incoherent rage that their analogies have set a new record for vindictiveness … and that’s saying something when it comes to British politics.
https://twitter.com/PippaCrerar/status/1581201158227435521?cn=ZmxleGlibGVfcmVjcw%3D%3D&refsrc=email
As the storm breaks over her inept head, here’s a few samples of the strangled fury of members of her own party – The Magpie just loves the image of the first one of a woman trapped in a loveless marriage.
She’s a balled-up apron of disappointment and regret.
I hope a seagull picks her up and drops her in the middle of the Atlantic – she an absolute berk
It’s not a question of if she goes, it’s a question of fuck off.
She has the aptitude and charisma of a crisp packet in a high wind, And I want her chased out of Downing Street by wolves.
British political subtly and wit seems to also be a casualty of the times.
Let me know where to send the food parcels.
The Brits conundrum is identical to the Oz one. They had an eminently suitable candidate and chose the long straw anyway.
Oz had an eminently suitable, and qualified candidate by her exemplary track record (Julie Bishop) and none the less chose an overbearing pompous bigot.
Ummm, what ‘eminently suitable’ candidate did the Brits have? Tell us, fascin ated to hear who.
But you’re right about Julie Bishop … and what a lot of embarrassed and money she would’ve saved us all, deftly whacking her Manolo Blahnik’s into any groin needing strict discipline. What fun we could’ve enjoyed witnessing that famous death stare during Question Time.
Errrr!!! yep; you’re probably right, the Brits were really the epitome of “a rock and a hard place”.
Just like the USA, they had a choice of Sleepy Joe or Sleepy Joe or get some DNA from the corps of a historically competent Leader and clone him/oooops her.
You been sippin’ the Listerine a little early, Heel?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sm-RE95lKJ0
‘Pie, I think your comments re Mackay cricket ground are spot on. Tony Ireland Stadium really is a good ground to watch both cricket and footy (the real footy that is, the one born in Melbourne). More than one person has told me just how good the stadium is in particular for watching cricket, one in particular with knowledge of a number of international grounds comparing it superior to Lords, Trent Bridge et al. From memory ‘Pie, my recollection is seeing you out there enjoying some cricket on at least one occasion. I know it’s trite and I know it’s a cliché but “build it and they will come” really does apply here – if the TCC puts lights in almost certainly BBL cricket and pre-season AFL at the least will follow.
The ‘Pie has been to all those grounds you mention – was even honoured to watch one England-Aussie Test match in the 70s from the members at Lord’s. Back then, the Oval was a dump, but all the grounds were very spectator friendly. Also been to all Australia’s major grounds except Perth, and their virtues are well known. And yes, of the provincial grounds I’ve been to, Riverway is head and shoulders above the others. It could easily become the premier venue for cricket, and be in demand for pre-season AFL fixtures, all of which would fill the ground.
In the long run – no make the medium term – the expenditure on the lighting, which would equal maybe two years subsidy of the V8 SuperPests, would be rewarded across the city with the high regional and occasional southern influx. And overall, would be of much greater benefit than the sparsely attended, secrecy shrouded V8s. But The ‘Pie doesn’t want to make this a contest, the V8s have their fans in a motor made city, but in terms of returns on public money and attractive, positive exposure, Riverway lighting is a no brainer – which perhaps explains why the mayor is opposed to it.
There are some perfectly good colour TV acceptable light towers at the old Smiles Stadium that is being demolished.
Well, that subject’s been broached before, and others have said that not the case … The ‘Pie doesn’t know one way or the other. Anyone?
The lights at 1300 Smiles aren’t fit for purpose for Riverway. The poles are mounted on tall concrete plinths, so aren’t very tall by themselves, so you’d need new ones. The lighting isn’t LED, so you’d need new ones. It might be possible to recycle the lights for a community sport site like the soccer grounds or junior rugby league, but that would probably be it.
Hey Polythene…haven’t I heard you say it’s only real footy if it is played between 12 Melbourne teams, at suburban grounds, with all games starting at 2:30 on a Saturday afternoon?
Close – 11 Melbourne teams plus a ring-in from Geelong – 6 games on a Saturday arvo, all starting at 2-10 pm – 1 at the ‘G, 5 at suburban grounds like Princes Park – shouldn’t be too hard to arrange – just bring back the VFL
Regards Ewen Jones when the Federal Member, while I don’t recall ever telephoning him, I did email him from time to time. I always got a considered reply from him, or one of his staff.
Should Ewen wish to re-enter politics it should be Mayor OR State Government, not both. An unsuccessful campaign for Mayor is not a good start for a tilt at a State seat later in the year.
Swap overs aren’t always easy … just ask Mooney, just ask The Mullet. Heh heh heh.
Why the hell would he, it would like someone who played NRL going back to third grade country league.
We need a mayoral alternative with no political baggage, a realistic vision for Townsville and cash to compete against the the big parties.
The ‘Pie would settle for one out of three … a sensible doable vision for Townsville.
Not when I went to school, Coles.
Coles cannot claim they were just rounding out, the real deduction leaves a payable amount in still-current coins, BUT at least the mistake is in the customers favour.
But “don’t care what are you whining about?” doesn’t cut it either; if this is the accepted standard, what errors in favour of either customer or store might be happening at the checkouts?
Nice try Fransparency, but no cigar. Unless you can provide proof of your claim (which btw may involve sudden compassionate leave), your targetted comment won’t be published and The ‘Pie will just regard you as one of Jenny’s vicious trolls.
Weak as piss Magpie. You’re happy for any one of your minions (I’m thinking the Uncivil Engineer, Prince Rollmop etc.) to feed scuttlebutt, innuendo, rumours and untruths through your biased blog to feed your Hill Derangement Syndrome, but don’t you dare fucking touch our precious Fran. The purpose of the leave is irrelevant, and if its compassionate that would be sad, as everyone entitled. Its the secrecy. Watch this space you craven has-been.
Dear Fransparency, you’ve well and truly outed yourself now, chum, with your latest unpublished spittle-flecked inane offering. The ‘Pie’s lovin’ it, seethe, baby, seethe.
Yep, sounds like EB has burnt out a few brain cells and overloaded itself with stress after seeing negative talk about Jenny and also mentioning the Kid in a positive way. Ha ha
Please stop it, RollMop…it’s embarrassing!
Gosh! Two mentions in a row.
I’m really quite flattered!
I’m glad you feel flattered by two mentions. But I imagine you feel more flattered when a Councillor says hello to you at a town hall meeting. Muppet
Nice one Pie! as my Grandfather used to council us “Don’t rise to the bait love your enemies……… .coz it drives them crazy”
The advice to me as a youngster was, “Don’t argue with a fool, it will reduce you to their level, and they have had a lot more practice. “
What is wrong with the young sheilas of Tasmania when, on their graduation day they get some good advice from a sexually deprived since youth, hense potentially sexually depraved individual (check out the Royal Commission findings folks) and they, that is the Tasmanian Sheila’s don’t heed every word from this bloke in a frock?
“Wives should regard their husbands as they regard the Lord, since as Christ is head of the Church and saves the whole body, so is a husband the head of his wife; and as the Church submits to Christ, so should wives submit to their husbands, in everything.”
Sounds like the start of a dodge bdsm story that my dodge mates have told me about. Never read one myself, no no no.
I am satisfied and strengthend with only pure thoughts.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-17/plans-scrapped-to-use-disrespectful-reading-at-graduation-mass/101544254
Prove me wrong old man! The simple fact is this; Mayor Hill has done many many good things for this great city over the past decade. She commands more respect than a burnt out court reporter, chum.
Name them.
And this ‘burnt out old court reporter’ wants to do nothing more than air the truth that others – including you – try to hide. And he does not give a fuck about the ‘respect’, especially not from those who offer theirs to the likes of the mayor and the likes of money-grubbing apologists like you who never done anything for anybody except yourself. (BTW, that you, Jonty?)
What about that piece of $90,000 piece of scrap metal on The Strand.
Franswhatever? Could you possibly list some for me. I lived in Tville for many years and enjoyed the place, forward looking, growing nicely, I was in Thuringowa, now part of Townsville Council. Now when I visit, which is rarely, I am just hugely disappointed and leave as soon as possible. City centre, crap, parks and gardens, crap . I could rave on, could you ?
Do you have a list of these achievements at all? I must have missed them.
Yeah I’d like a list of great positive achievements that this absolute idiot of a Mayor has done for the city too.
The list of things she’s either done or not done to f**k over what was a great city, about 10 years ago, seems to be endless.
More what she’s not done than otherwise … and what she’s been stopped from doing. Airstrip, anyone?
Mount Louisa walking track.
You mean the track that was built without thought given to where all the patrons would be parking, causing no end of frustration for nearby residents?
Yes, NQGal, that’s the one.
I have been promoted to MINION which is a damn sight more than has happened to me in a while at Wanker Street.
Oh c’mon Magpie, you’ve got us all curious now. Has Elusive Butterfly assumed a new name – Fransparency?
You can be sure if Council management had anything compassionate they had to order it in specially.
The photo of Jenny Hill on the Townsville Bulletin website today suggests she either had too good a time in South Korea, or she needs to see a doctor.
That’s an old photo, been floating around for a year or more. But the subject of the story, which we visited in the weekend blog deserves the extra comment that God bless Tony Raggatt for his tongue-in-cheek drollery. His opening line is a classic of subtle humour.
“Townsville councillors will be looking to impress ratepayers with figures showing they are paying among the cheapest rates in Queensland for centres with more than 100,000 people.”
Clever.
It would seem that this new player in the Magpies Nest is a deluded J.Hill zealot. Personally, I would agree that it sounds like Elusive Butterfly or Stevie from Belgian dip has a new blog user name. No sane person would rate Mrs Hill at a standard above a dog turd. Only a loyalist family member, J.Hill herself, one of Hill’s acolyte Councillors, or some grifter with a paper bag ready to pay off a Councillor would defend our incompetent Mayor. Yes, a Mayor that is a bully, a liar, an imbecile and an alpha female that walks like a man. Not to mention that her record is one of achieving a giant ballooning debt over the past 10 years and driving away keen investors due to her exploding ego and nasty vindictive personality. So, Fransparency, why don’t you head back into Hill’s office and make her another latte or go back to kissing her grotesque ass.
Tut tut tut … manners!!
(Edited).
Jenny isn’t an an alpha anything. She’s a miserable micro managing old bat who is having health issues because of her obsession with maintaining total control.
Can Magpie provide an update on whether anyone offered Mother Hubbard their helicopter and yacht for his proposed trip yesterday? I’m sure he would have at least ponied up for the booze bill.
You obviously don’t know Hubbard.
Every pound’s a prisoner as they say in Ireland.
I am not saying there has been or has not been Medicare fraud, but I find it interesting that before any inquiries have begun Peter Dutton comes out with, to the effect, “I would be very surprised if there was widespread fraud.”
This from the political party that fought against the Banking Royal Commission (not necessary, nothing to see there). Well that did not end well for the LNP Government, or the Banking sector. In the light of that sorry episode perhaps there is nothing to lose by shining a light on Medicare and see what we see.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-17/federal-government-describes-medicare-fraud-as-deeply-troubling/101542560
Some excellent real reporting backed by facts. Bulletin journos must be totally confused if they saw tonight’s throughly professional 7.30 report – which is unlikely since they probably couldn’t tear them away from watching cute cat videos on Youtube.
Soon we will get to see if TCC really is invested in the Lansdown project. In August the Council, through a Brisbane-based facilitator, lodged an EPBC application to build a new road access into the Lansdown site ( Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct Access Road. EPBC Number: 2022/09281). The plan is to construct 1.7kms of new road to rebuild and extend Jones Rd. According to the application the proposed start time is about now, the end date is in 12 months.
hahaha, you really aren’t very bright are you, Lonely Onanist?
Putting aside the silly the obvious dog whistling subtext, building 1.7kms of road for a proposed multi billion dollar estate proves nothing, it’s a silly rationalisation because the Townsville City Council is the developer. It can hardly not be invested in the project, because at this stage, walking away is not an option.
But building a bit of road is hardly the acid test for Lansdown …. connection to water and gas would surely be priorities – once that’s done, then we shall see if Jenny’s legacy gamble will bear any last fruit.
Well Magpie, construction of 1.7kms of road will be the first actual investment by Council on the site. It will cost a few bob and that will be TCC money, not state or federal funds for disaster remedy or ‘CityDeals’.
As for gas or electricity or water supply, each will have state funding although the private gas pipeline passes right through the area already. None of that can get going until there is something more than a half-arsed dirt track into the site.
Meanwhile Magnis has just published its annual report to shareholders. Superbly written gumpf, pages and pages with very little comfort for whoever put up the (maybe) $4m that the last Feds reckon TCC invested:
“Whilst the development of a local battery manufacturing gigafactory in Townsville remains an option for Magnis, we are currently working with all key stakeholders to identify a way forward.” (Hmmm)
“Magnis continues to engage with all key stakeholders, including in relation to the commercial arrangements for land and infrastructure at the current proposed site, potential alternative sites, and the overall National Battery Strategy.” (potential alternative sites?)
“The Townsville Project (iM3TSV) remains at a preliminary stage, as the re-zoning was granted towards the end of the 3rd quarter of the reporting period and as yet no commercial terms have been provided in order to progress this opportunity.” (Aw shucks)
The estimated total construction costs of the 18GWh factory in Townsville is $3Bn. Project development has been phased into 3 stages of 6GWh to reduce the upfront capital requirement. Stage One construction costs are estimated to be $1.12Bn. Without a demonstrated ability in capital raising of this quantum, there is a risk that the capital required won’t be secured or will be significantly delayed. There is also risk that battery cell offtake agreements will not be secured for each of the three stages or that the price will be less than estimated. This could impact the project’s ability to repay project finance and result in a lower fair value. To mitigate these risks, iM3TSV will appoint a financing professional in the capacity of advisor to jointly develop the Project funding strategy as part of this feasibility study.” (if FrankP can’t raise the dough you’d have to wonder who possibly could).
It is NOT TCC money, it is ratepayer funds, ratepayers who were never consulted, asked or had Lansdown as an election issue. And why can’t water and gas connection get going immediately if everything is going to hunky dory … these sort of tradies don’t drive councillor clown cars, and a bit off road has been the only way to go with the pipeline.
As for Magnis newsflash, thank you, all totally correct except for the words ‘just published’. The reason Nest readers know it is correct is because they read about here three or so weeks ago, as reported by The Magpie.
What they read in the ‘Nest back then was from the Annual Financial Statement 2022 quoted by me in Comments on 30 September. What I quoted to you today is from the Annual Report to Shareholders published on the Magnis site on 17 October (ie. yesterday). It’s a formal notice in the runup to the Magnis AGM to be held in Sydney on November 24.
OK, agreed … but says the same oily things, doesn’t it?
Was todays Bullsheet a new record? At 32 pages it was so light I had to use my coffee cup to weight it down and I counted only 7 local stories out of the whole thing. It looks like the staff forgot to develop a copy for today and at the last minute throw anything they could find on t social media in to holes from the Courier Mail. What an embarrassment.
Sounds how they do it most days.
Fransperancy, I’ll start respecting Jenny Hill when she:
– allows ratepayers to find out what their money is being spent on
– ditches her commercial-in-confidence excuse for preventing scrutiny of questionable deals
– allows all councilors to vote according to what’s best for their division instead of what she wants
– concentrates on providing basic services instead of lining the pockets of event promoters
– stops throwing millions of ratepayers money on the dying V8 Supercars weekend
– scraps our $750,000 donation to Townsville Enterprise
– stops bullying and harassing our only genuine independent councilor
– fixes the potholes that have turned Townsville roads into potato patches
– comes clean on the real cost of rates increases
– trades her annual overseas “trade mission” junket for a one-way trip to Malta
Ahhhh, if only.
For its succinctness, that is Comment of the Day so far.
I nearly choked on my coffee this morning when I read this story.
“Where my government will approach community infrastructure grants, it’ll be by delivering through local government,” the Prime Minister said. “I think that the way you ensure probity, and the way that you ensure value for money is by asking local communities through their elected local representatives what their priorities are.”
But my alarm grew when I noted this par.
I don’t know what sort of reach the Mullet has into the Fed space but surely even she isn’t so vindictive against Thompson that she would try to kybosh the $2M secured for the AEIOU people? Time for her to step in and save that commitment.
Or would be not hesitate to use the well being of autistic kids for political point scoring? Albo linking probity to this particular local government council and its priorities shows he knows SFA about this town, or its mayor.
Anyone want a taste of what’s in store for Queensland regions as the Olympic infrastructure program starts sucking the lifeblood out of the countryside?
Well, try this, sort of says it all in microcosm.
$10 bil cut from regional Australia in next weeks Federal budget . If LNP did that Mayor Hill and the 3 local State MP,s would be attacking Phil Thompson . As its a Labor Federal Govt not a peep from our Mayor or 3 State MP,s .
Count your blessings, Mike. Point taken though.
Today’s TDB, page 11 article about Captain Cook’s maiden voyage, written by Danielle Gusmaroli is a howler. One hopes Danielle didn’t do her Journalism degree at James Cook University. To suggest that Banks was to accompany “Cooke” shows how low the journalism standard of the local rag has become.
The Bulletin’s standards just keep getting worse, Mr. Pie, if that’s possible?
Today’s, Page Five, lead headline.
“Neighbourly brothers to recieve iconic gifts”
Wait a minute, wasn’t Jenny Hill going to pay Wagners $18 million to build that Adani Airport?
Could the $6 million she’s paying them to build the 280 metre Flinders East boardwalk be some sort of consolation?
Maybe Jenny or one of her puppet councilors can clear this up by explaining why this boardwalk is costing millions more than the much longer one BMD built to the stadium.
Bet you any money the smarmy answer – probably fromm Palm Sunday – will be that the stadium one isn’t over water.
Thanks Magpie for providing the probably correct answer.
https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts-townsville/thieves-total-townsville-familys-55k-car-hooning-at-mundingburra-soccer-field/news-story/0716da9a1a041aace3fa4ffecf34db47
More shit reporting from the Bulletin hacks, Mr. Pie.
Apart from the ridiculous use of the word “allegedly”, twice, two questions that obviously weren’t asked??
How did they get into the house, and, where were the car keys?
This fuckwit is retiring after 41 years milking the taxpayers and mixing religion with politics. Farewell church boy, don’t bang the door (or an altar boy) on your way out…..
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-18/fred-nile-to-retire-from-nsw-politics/101548754
Another interesting blog this week in which Council are again lampooned and comments from Townsville’s mentally deranged are aired publicly. Surely you lot must have something better to do? It’s quite sad.
You obviously don’t.
Unsurprisingly, you are advocating a policy of ‘ignorance is bliss’.
This is not even a matter of ‘either-or-‘ …. machines are always METER.
Is The ‘Pie missing something here? Journalist’s right to protect whistleblowers is a basic right in a democracy, that’s a given for The ‘Pie … but here’s another Corruption Commission proposal that is surely upside down proposition …
… that proposed public hearings on corruption matters be held ‘only in exceptional circumstances’.
Surely it should be the other way around … that such hearings are ONLY held behind closed doors when exceptional circumstances demand it. e.g national security.
If it becomes law that hearings only become public ‘in exceptional circumstances’, who makes the decision one way or the other? Any Commission free of any political influence is a complete myth.
That is inarguably an open endorsement and invitation to political corruption, coercion and manipulation.
Sure there has to be a balance between ‘show trials’ of dubious origins and blameless people being questioned (but not necessarily damaged) and the public’s inalienable right to see justice done. (Well it should be an inalienable right, but isn’t in today’s Australia. Sadly).
The latter trumps the former any day of the week.
This is posted as a reply to your piece about public hearings of the proposed NACC. I think the ‘public hearings’ part is not about making the hearings public but about making accused individuals appear before the Commission in public. What they seem to be saying, in order to prevent the NACC becoming a kangaroo court or star chamber, is that no one will be called to give evidence in public unless the NACC considers that the evidence before it is so compelling and meets a particular threshold that it is in the public interest that a person is made to appear.
If you check back, The ‘Pie covered that argument in his comment, albeit briefly.
Serial text-the-editor commenter Steve of Belgian Gardens suggests Magpie bloggers should have something better to do.
Stop it!!!!!!
He suffers withdrawal symptoms if his drivel doesn’t get a run in the Astonisher every day.
I meant to ask Steve, now that they are digging out the shipping channel, will it make the sea levels drop?
Not much, especially as the dredged material is going to the reclamation area
What on earth is the issue with people around here not being able to respond in the actual comment thread?
Is there a problem that from this The Magpie cannot see? Someone else a few days ago said comments weren’t appearing as replies in any sensible order.
Ok, had another look-see, and all OK here in The Nest. The only thing that may be happening – and yes, have noticed this two or three times recently – is that readers are posting comments without actually specifying to whom they are replying. This way, their comment will not go into the appropriate thread, and will be a stand-alone comment divorced from the subject. So always make sure your comment is directed to whom you are replying. We’ll see if that fixes the problem. But thanks for pointing it out, Steve, you old sharer and carer, you.
This even out-does the Bulletin’s usual modus operandi of yesterday’s news tomorrow ….The Bulletin forced to break its management-ordered silence on the DV charges against Cowboys player Luciano Leilua … 16 days after his arrest which was carried at the time by all other media around the country … and today, it makes Page 8.
“rape accusations” Mr. Pie??
Whoops, amended. Thanks.
Fuck sake. Les Walker. Blaming his staff. No surprises really. Fucking incompetent idiot.
If all the village idiots, from all the villages, left their villages, and made their own village, of idiots. In that village, Les Walker would be the village idiot.
I see Messagebank is in the naughty corner with the police after leaving a copy of “Forensics for Dummies” as a tribute at the recent Police Remembrance Day.
The MP is blaming his staff for the purchase, which was gift wrapped, so he couldn’t possibly know what was inside.
Given what is being aired at the inquiry into the Qld forensics lab that samples provided by the Police were routinely not tested, forensics would be a particularly sore point for them at the moment.
If the staff member thought it would be a great joke gift, it was the wrong event and wrong time.
MEMO IAN LEAVERS
Qld Police Union
Christmas gift suggestion of two books for you to give Les Walker.
Two books? What was the other one? Any suggestions?
New edition out shortly with preface by Les Walker.
I’m sure this is on Ian’s list.
https://www.dymocks.com.au/book/all-the-ways-i-think-youre-a-cunt-by-matt-shaw-9781722884321?gclid=CjwKCAjwwL6aBhBlEiwADycBIPJhMF0BL2ukWLj3ZLVWbDwxdpi2YP89mNIHDL65xoujowVJ6yB1RxoCmJEQAvD_BwE
Your comment is published under Magie Rule Number 3(section 2, para 1): humour trumps propriety when merited.
Just don’t anyone get any ideas that this a new leniency in the already Wild West of comment language in The Nest. You will still need to use euphemisms to substitute for that word, like ‘Nick Kyrgios’, ‘Alan Jones’ or ‘Tony Bligh’.
Duly noted.
I just spat my coffee. This is the best thing I have seen for a decade. Do they do bulk orders because I see the Council secret santa sorted out.
Unfortunately this is all on Les. No jokes were made by staff members. No funnies where cracked. The book was purchased for an entirely different purpose.
Les, as usual is a gutless, lying, POS, who is more than happy to let others take the fall for his colossal incompetence.
As I listened to the Treasurer on radio this morning outlining some of the cuts we can expect in next week’s Budget it occurred to me that the $10 million upgrade of Dingo Park Road in Cr Fran’s division could well be on the ALP razor gang’s chopping block. Did Barnaby Joyce and the National’s pork barrel brigade actually deliver their $8m share or was it one of the unfunded promises they left behind?
Weekend Wanker that isn’t how funding is delivered. Once the project progresses beyound THOUGHT BUBBLE and appears on the ground either money is progressively doled out on achieving milestones or as a lump summ following completion. You might find it is only in your world that cash arrives up front in a brown paper bag.
Thanks Engineer. In my world nothing has appeared on the ground at Dingo Park Road so no milestones to dole out money for. So could the Feds quietly put the $8m back in their pocket and TCC put their $2m contribution back in theirs – or ‘our ratepayers’ pocket as Magpie would have it?
Reasonable questions, but why the smarmy comment about how The Magpie would have it as describing the money ‘as our ratepayers’? The TCC doesn’t equate with ratepayers?
Magpie, it was not intended to be smarmy. We pay our taxes or our rates to the government or the council and they deliver stuff back to us as ‘services’. We don’t get to pick and choose how the money we paid is spent. Some people refer to that money as ‘ours’ – because it was ours when we paid it. Others refer to it as theirs (ie. the government or the council) because, well because it is theirs to spend how they see fit. Most of ‘us’ did not have a clue that $10m of our taxes and rates would be spent by ‘them’ on that local road to support or facilitate the development of that local business. That’s democracy for you.
Democracy in this sense has a much wider remit that the everyday expectation about roads, rates and rubbish expected and demanded of local councils. When a matter involves a council becoming a developer does not automatically condone or endorse the idea that ‘it is their money to spend how they see fit’. The amounts required, both now and in the future that will be involved in Lansdown, should have been the subject of wider public consultation, inquiry and indeed, should have been an election issue.
That, old chum, would be democracy for you.
Sorry, I failed to refer you to your comment earlier – “It is NOT TCC money, it is ratepayer funds, ratepayers who were never consulted, asked or had Lansdown as an election issue.”
Fair question,and the answer will depend on the contract that Council entered into with the Federal Government. Hopefully we have a strong agreement which guaranteed the funding rather than one of the usual thought bubbles which seem to come out of the PR bunker without anything concrete behind it.
Speaking of unfunded promises, is any of the Commonwealth millions ponied up for Lansdown actually locked in? Could we see the whole money trail terminated now that the government has to make ‘tough decisions’? Wonder if Federal Phillip has any idea. After all, they were his ideas once.
Once again, Sunday Wanker uses the weakest of arguments to have a shot at Phil Thompson. Sunday Wanker/Not the ECQ/
No More Dredging/Elusive Butterflog, get a fucking life you sycophant. Take off your rose coloured Labor glasses, rip down the posters of Jenny Hill out of your lounge room, deflate your J.Hill inflatable doll (complete with purple doona) and go get a life. Phil has done more for Townsville in a few short years than Hill has done in a decade.
Larry, when you want to find out about the expenditure of taxes by ‘the government’, who do YOU ask? I think the first port of call should be your local member – which in this case is the Member for Herbert, Phillip Thompson. Mr Thompson hasn’t said much about Lansdown for well, years really, so perhaps we will hear something from the new government on Tuesday.
That begs the question, why would he say much about Lansdown? It is a highly politicised matter of doubtful value and provenance, having arisen by the efforts of a Labor mayor desperately trying to shore up her abysmal record and be seen as progress and positive for Townsville (The Magpie will give the mayor the benefit of the doubt that these were at least among her motives).
Commitments on all sides to this raggle taggle development has been lukewarm for the most part, and the amounts of money involved so far are insignificant.One also wonders what the state and the Feds think about a Qld regional council with a clearly incompetent and dictatorial mayor, becoming a developer. Which is never a good idea.
What next, Magnis for the North Rail Yards?
One of the reasons why the local member might want to say something is that that is the arrangement about these CityDeals. In a document signed by the Federal and State government ministers earlier this year the Queensland government agreed to:
1. acknowledging the Commonwealth in any branding or signage that is displayed to mark the official opening or other official public functions for activities relating to the project;
2. providing at least one month’s notice to invite the relevant Commonwealth Minister to speak at opening and/or completion functions and other significant phases of the project; and
3. inviting a Commonwealth representative to official events or other public functions for activities relating to the Lansdown Eco- industrial Precinct and ancillary infrastructure.
The Morrison Feds DEMANDED that the local member be invited to every photo opportunity, even it’s about a bloody shed on Castle Hill. In the case of Lansdown a contribution of $12m for infrastructure is hardly “insignificant”.
Once he dried the tears of mirth, The Magpie is not sure where to start with this little gem. Let’s start at the end – How do you know, what evidence of your claim, that the Feds demanded Thompson be invited to every photo shoot? Would they even bother to get heavy on that score, as you suggest?
Points 1, 2, and 3 are simply proforma minutiae in matters like these shared projects anywhere, not some special arrangement about the hub in the scrub. (An interesting side question: does the branding and signage at the Total Tools Stadium meet this criteria of branding and signage … it may do, but The ‘Pie has only noted a prominent state signage when driving past. Nothing about the Feds that he’s noticed, but could be wrong.)
And yes, $12million is chump change when you’re talking about this sort of development, and as easily overlooked when we hear of bullshit promises of $5 billion for a dam that won’t be happening any time soon. ‘Insignificant’ is a matter of comparison. A two lane arterial regional road cost almost $8 million per kilometre., so on that basis, $12 million get us one and a half kms of road, hardly a big deal. But welcome nonetheless.
Now c’mon, mate, fess up, is your first name Jonty?
Love your work Prickster. Your suggestion that Les Walker would be the village idiot of a city filled with idiots gets my vote for Comment of the Year. It could apply to Townsville where people are idiotic enough to vote for Jenny Hill at every election.
Ironic no? Jamil Hopate is about to be subjected to a couple of years of his father John’s favourite on field tactic …. shoving fingers up men’s bums.
Apparently it’s a very popular pastime these days, with diversity and all that shit. Another deadbeat footballer throws his career away for no logical reason. Moron.
One could guess it’s always been popular, but it’s just that it’s talked about openly now.
One of the funniest things I have heard on TV was years ago on one of the football shows. One of the hosts (cant remember who) said with a deadpan face as the Hopoate scandal was in full flight “now we cross to John Hopoate to give us a footy update.”
This crook has resigned her post. What a joke. She was the girlfriend of an ‘ex’ bikie (I didn’t think you were allowed to ‘quit’ being a bikie?) at the same time she was on a law enforcement committee. Is this shit for real? I though it was bad enough that the lame Tanya Plibersek is the partner of a ‘former’ criminal. Christ, these dopey government Sheila’s sure do know how to pick them.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-20/bandt-asks-thorpe-to-resign-as-senate-deputy/101557298
Two things about your views. The first The ‘Pie agrees with and goes even further – why is resigning a position which carries an extra load of cash sufficient to ‘penalty’ for this blatant wrong doing – it wasn’t just poor judgement, merely suggesting its in the same league as fascist Ginni Thomas denying she and hubby Clarence don’t discuss matters before the court (Roe v Wade, voting issues). Thorpe should be out of parliament and subjected to an inquiry to see if any leaked information can be tracked back to her.
But on Plibersek, you’re 100% wrong, as The Magpie has had to point out to other ignorant, half-baked commenters on this matter. Plibersek met her husband while he was in Silverwater prison for serious drug offences … he used that time to get a uni degree, and when released, went on to rise through the ranks of the NSW public service to become one of the most respected and accepted members of the higher tier. And has not been investigated or suspected of any wrongdoing.
The reason The ‘Pie gets annoyed about comments like yours is that the uninformed and politically motivated smears on Plibersek are not just that, but they try to demean one of the great rehabilitation stories that could ever be told. Aren’t we all forever looking for those sorts of noutcomes?
She stands accountable on her own for her political career and decisions, but she undertook a marriage that easily could have derailed her budding political career early on, but her private family life is a fucking sight more admirable than many other that could be mentioned. (Hi Barnaby, Christian P, and now Ms Thorpe.)
Michael Coutts-Trotter is so well regarded, that not only did he survive the usual clear out of department heads after a change of government, he is now heading up the NSW Premier’s office.
Looks like the lettuce wins.
It seems Mayor Mulett is not the only one who is misusing the Office of the Independent Assessor for political gain,
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-21/qld-office-of-independent-assessor-council-complaints/101533872
At least Fightin’ Fran won’t feel quite so alone.
So 83% of the complaints are from 5 Councils. I’m willing to bet $100.00, to be donated to the Magpies Nest, that Townsville is one of those Councils, with the majority of the complaints being against Fran herself. I mean let’s face it, the Mullet is nothing less than a vindictive bully who won’t stop in her endeavours to crush somebody. Abusing due process is not something she is afraid to do.
The Magpie will hold the stakes – just drop it around to The Nest.
I have mentioned the issues surrounding import inspections numerous times within the blog and I appreciate these comments being published. Townsville has been a victim of these import inspection delays and is particularly managed poorly on a local basis by idiot managers too busy sucking up to their Canberra bosses while travelling around Queensland pretending they are important. The entire Department needs gutting as we cannot continue to have our businesses financially impeded by their dysfunctional stupidity.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-21/quarantine-clearance-import-fruit-and-vegetables/101556138
The first day without Mummy, he buttoned up his jacket himself.
Well done Pie. Usually I couldn’t be bothered looking at pictures of the clown, or grilla, but that is amusing. Your comment of the week? I think so.
I thought for a moment there he looked like that other retard Joe Biden.
What The ‘Pie particularly likes is the set of the mouth, like that of a gulping yokel.
Has he got his duds on back-to-front, too?
Photo date 1st November 2018.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://srilanka.factcrescendo.com/english/old-photo-of-king-charles-iii-with-misplaced-buttons-shared-as-a-photo-after-the-queens-death/&ved=2ahUKEwjPj73I2fD6AhXhR2wGHXRWDjIQFnoECA4QAQ&usg=AOvVaw1lj_0Y9y9dYuLYxLFAjVmG
What a pettifogger you are Dave. Pretty obvious by the casual(ish) gear, the parasol, and the fancy dress military bongos that this was not recent and one could tell not in pommyland … but still a good joke.
Have a relax and a laugh, mate.
You are right of course.
Charlie’s minder must have received a right bollucking for his (presumably a him) negligence.
I was taught from a young(ish) age that before going on stage, or before the troops, or on the carpet before the CO, remember ABC and XYZ. ABC and XYZ.
Always be cheerful, and, Examine your zipper.
I like how these royals pose while wearing medals. What ‘medals’ has Charles earned in his lifetime? Perhaps a medal for the most use of a pen? Or a bed wetting medal? A medal for having lived off the taxpayer purse for over 70 years? Or maybe a medal learning to drive a car? Either way, the giant eared fucktard does nothing other than use up some of the earths carbon footprint.
Prince – for all his disgusting faults, Andrew did hover his helicopter 200 metres behind his ship as a lure for Exocet missiles during the Falklands war. Harry was on the front line in Afghanistan. His brother was a highly regarded and courageous rescue chopper pilot. And you?
MopRoll…don’t you just hate those people who use a blog to anonymously and ignorantly attack others about whom they know nothing?
Often the attack is very personal…you know…the state of someone’s teeth or the size of their ears!
Wonder why they do that??
Aww, petal … but isn’t it a bit hard for an attack to be personal when the attacker doesn’t know the identity of the one being attacked, and vice versa? Anyway, the answer is because they can … but you wouldn’t believe what doesn’t get published.
AT LAST!!! FIXED!!
Why didn’t they think of this before?
An Indigenous-led justice group is taking an active new approach to curb youth crime in Townsville, getting sworn in as JPs and taking part in cautioning and conferencing first-time offenders.
Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman said members of the Townsville Justice Group (TJG) are now able to participate in youth justice conferencing and have also received additional training to become JP Magistrates.
“Reducing rates of serious youth offending and making the criminal justice system more culturally appropriate for Indigenous peoples are key priorities for our government,” she said.