A worse than its usual bad week for the Bulletin, with errors of fact on two front pages during the week, one forcing an published apology. The Bulletin appears to be working on the Trump’s Theory of Alternative Facts …. keep fucking up so often and so regularly, that fucking up so often and so regularly becomes the accepted new normal.
But it’s not just what The Astonisher prints … what it doesn’t print is also raising eyebrows and blood pressure.
Hard to believe … but for the first time ever, Boris Johnson is leaving a party early …
And pop goes her popularity … the pong of corruption puts Anna on the nose, big time. But ‘Kid’ Crisafulli is far from home and hosed just yet.
Before we dive in: If you enjoy this weekly missive and would like to lend a hand in meeting its costs, the donate button is at the end of this week’s edition. Be greatly appreciated.
He’s Gone!! … Well, Nearly … Umm, Almost … Ahem, Soon …
With more than a touch of Trumpian tenacity, Boris Johnson has finally bowed to the inevitable and has resigned as Prime Minister of (no longer Great) Britain. Well, sort of … hangin’ in there a bit, just for the good of the country, y’know, until a new leader emerges from the scratch and gouge cage fight going on at the moment. This man, widely regarded as the worst and most morally corrupt prime minister in British history, is doggedly clinging to power, saying he will stay in office to ensure there is a ‘smooth’ transition of power to his successor. Johnson’s resignation speech was redolent with plummy attempts at self-justification, for which he must get points for consistency right to the bitter end. And his speech certainly was bitter. It was vintage BoJo, a fact not missed by the most biting columnist on the planet, Marina Hyde in the Guardian who said of his performance ‘I’ve seen more elegant prolapses.’
Bentley was a bit more sympathetic … but not much.
But sympathy is not a word you could apply to London radio pontificator James O’Brien … hilarious vitriol would be closer to it, but you can hardly blame him when you hear how he sums up the Johnson years.
Front Page Fibbing
THIS FRONT PAGE IS A MISLEADING LIE … and if The Bulletin knows it, that’s really bad … if it doesn’t know it, that’s worse.
The Iplex involvement IS NOT some victory for a local firm, unless the Bulletin expects us believe that ’30 direct and indirect workers‘ are going to manufacturer 24 kilometres of 1.8m diameter diameter pipeline in the next 18 months or so for this $51m pipe supply contract. And will start doing so in the next 6 to 12 months.
Iplex is an international company, and The Magpie understands these pipes will be built in Adelaide and trucked or shipped up here. Just as they did for Stage 1.
But with these ballyhooed announcement from , unanswered questions hung heavy in the air. Just about every speaker said things that raised questions, but as usual the media was snoozing their way through it all. Steven ‘A Little Boy Called Smiley’ Miles did the tightrope act of seeking admiring applause for the government for keeping a promise, but his standard gormless and unconvincing performance raised the first question, best posed by Clr Fran O’Callaghan.
The question for The Magpie was why did this contract merit such hype, and ndeed to be announced in this manner anyway? The only thing new is the contract, which in fact is no surprise at all.
At the announcement, each of the ‘Gormless Three’ local state members (Harpic wasn’t quick enough to into nodding dog head position) trotted out their scripted meaningless platitudes. But then, up steps Mayor Mullet, whose words were far from reassuring the her council has a grip on this project. ‘We have spoken with landowners and a new easement had to be created to be able to get the pipeline down to Clare Weir. We’ve started work doing all the surveys, getting the corridors and having the cultural and environmental surveys done.’
If this is not the complete bollocks it appears to be, then it certainly is a daft way to instil any confidence in this imbroglio. ‘… have spoken to landowners’ is an open ended statement that tells us nothing about whether everybody is on board, or if there’s a chance that courts may be involved to force the issue. But more importantly, why has this only started, talking to others involved, and surveys. For chrissake woman, … you’ve known for what, five fucking years, where things were going to go, which property owners needed to approached and deals made, what nanny state surveys needed to be undertaken, and your starting only now? Even the spurious claim about pipe manufacture … wherever it will be …. won’t start for ‘6 to 12 months’ anyway.
This has all the classic ingredients of what should be dubbed a George Walker Labor clusterfuck of half truths and wobbly timelines. That is, as in George Street/Walker Street, where both administrations are resorting to grossly premature guff like this to deflect from other less flattering issues, integrity for one and competency for the other.
Incompetence Is Also An Issue For The Bulletin
Roll along to Friday, and the paper makes the most embarrassing amateur series of cock-ups you couldn’t make up. So serious, it led to an unprecedented media release by the council.
First we got this …
… which was WRONG by more than half a million bucks. The error was compounded in the iditorial, clearly written by an iditor who doesn’t read his own paper.
All this created howls of rage in Walker Street, and prompted She Who Must Be Obeyed to issue this unprecedented dressing down on its Facebook page.
A local paper, eh? We’ll just have to guess, will we? Not since the days of gutsy editor Mick Carroll has the Bulletin been in public conflict with the council, and the battle has never been taken onto social media. There were no doubt a few terse words between the parties, because on Saturday, this …
For the uninitiated, there are three headings used for this sort of mea culpa ‘Correction’, as here, ‘Clarification’, and the most damning of all, which usually is by legal direction ‘Apology’. But there is one mystery that lingers … where the hell did anyone get the figure $750,000 in the first place(which is exactly the figure ratepayers stump up for TEL each year, but that surely can’t have led to this error.) Wherever they got it, it wasn’t from new reporter Natasha Emeck. Her clearly written story made no mention of $750,000 in any context whatsoever, so how the headline writers and the iditor managed to conjure up this figure will, like so many things at this increasingly amateurish paper, remain their secret.
Speaking Of Puzzling Secrets
Hey, did you see the Bulletin’s coverage last Monday of Saturday’s big blockbuster footy game, where the Cowboys belted arch-rival Broncos before a near-capacity crowd of just over 23,000? Did you see how the paper pumped out a great feel-good story for Townsville?
You didn’t?
Well, that’s because nobody did. THERE WAS NOT ON SINGLE WORD ABOUT THE GAME OF THE YEAR IN MONDAY’S PAPER. Quite amazing, and inexplicable, given News Ltd’s history of this club, and the acres of newsprint over the years that has been devoted to all matters Cowboys.
This is not as trivial as it may seem at first glance, it shows there is a clear unawareness of this community, caused by the ever-rotating staff turnstile at all levels of Bulletin staff, top to bottom. This thread from Nest comments last Monday
Sticky Fingers
July 4, 2022 at 11:28 am (Edit)
Mr. Mag, nearly 25,000 at the “White Elephant Arena” on Saturday evening, a magnificent Cowboys local derby win over the Broncos and not one article in the Bulletin, either online or in today’s rag!
It appears the powers that be at the Bulletin know nothing of basic journalism and publishing.
The Cowboys’ win should have been emblazoned across the front page this morning … a good news story!
And, what did we get?
“Crime spike: Townsville bus drivers terrorised by gangs of ‘out of control’ youths”
But, WTF would I know?
Reply The Magpie
July 4, 2022 at 3:13 pm (Edit)
Without a hint of a dig or comical overstatement, that is truly unbelievable – to tell the truth, The ‘Pie didn’t believe you until he checked, so apologies, Constant Onanist. And The Magpie cannot conceive of one single even far fetched reason for such an oversight … except maybe that the new iditor is from Melbourne. Without a doubt, it is some sort of monster clusterfuck at the Bulletin and an explanation is certainly merited if they are All For Us. And this is not a paper that could even remotely argue that it was old news being on Saturday … especially when they specialise in a ‘yesterday’s news tomorrow’ policy with days-old stuff regularly featured. Anyone down in the Bulletin bunker care to explain?
Reply Prince Rollmop
July 4, 2022 at 3:20 pm (Edit)
Perhaps the Iditor is actually A.I that uses algorithms to scan the world for stories and then uploads them onto the Newspapers website? It would make sense as there are no real reporters anymore, just shit stories and Hardley Normal commercials.
The Magpie
July 4, 2022 at 3:46 pm (Edit)
AI ? Artificial, certainly, Intelligence, your kidding.
The Magpie
July 4, 2022 at 9:46 pm (Edit)
It is actually worse than that when you look at this story. Having for so long been fed a diet of excessive excitable juvenility when it comes to reporting the Cowboys, The ‘Pie was looking for a front page typically boffy unfunny headline and an action pic, a bit of a factual report somewhere in the first six pages, a pointer to a full back page headline and further prominent guff … and more pix. So no wonder he missed this headline that had nothing to do with the game itself back on page 29.
This was a gushing profile on a Cowboys player making his debut … the story didn’t make a single reference to the game itself overall AND IT DID NOT EVEN RECORD THE THUMPING SCORELINE.
One wonders if the Bulletin has enough readers left to have received any complaints.
The ‘Pie won’t rush to judgement about the paper’s new sports editor Nic Darveniz …
… who looks like he’d be puffed after a game of darts. The decision may not have been his, but Mr Darveniza could be the culprit, having been in the job just 7 months, knows nothing about the history and traditions of the Townsville sports scene, and anyway, has a background mainly in rugby union …. and GPS level at that.
Some mothers do have them … and tit seems hey all get sent to the Townsville Bulletin.
Anyone Notice This During The Week?
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email hidden; JavaScript is required 120.152.89.73 |
Submitted on 2022/07/10 at 8:34 am
Anyone notice this during the week?
TCC’s made-up position of Team Manager City Growth was filled last by a bloke from Rocky named Jesse Gillard (good Labor name, any relation, we wonder?) in an apparent Labor engineered rort …. he left The ‘Pie is told he left after just seven months to work on John Ring’s dismal Federal campaign. Now Mr Gillard says he’s taking a ‘career break’, which the fleeced residents of Townsville hope lasts … oh, maybe a lifetime.
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Meanwhile, In A Place That Isn’t Townsville ….
The Magpie
July 7, 2022 at 2:19 pm (Edit)
Could there be any sweeter sound than those opening words ‘Construction has begun …’ and more sour sound for our mayor the words that follow – ‘in Maryborough.’
And the reading doesn’t get better for Mayor Mullet, or for the three spare wheels we call local state MPs with their Maryborough counterpart in high crowing form..
Member for Maryborough Bruce Saunders said the facility would create more jobs in regional Queensland,
“Whether it’s trains or batteries, we’re making it in Maryborough,” Mr Saunders said.
There is an increasing awareness that Jenny Hill is constantly being sidelined and fobbed off by her Brisbane mates, with projects in Mackay, Gladstone and Rockhampton all announced and then started.
No wonder she looks like she’s just swallowed a gecko in the photo at the pipeline contract announcement.
Or maybe she’s just pissed off that the mandatory safety glasses weren’t rose-coloured.
Pop Goes Her Popularity …
Palaszczuk’s in the poo with the people big time, but Kid Crisafulli is far from home yet.
Now, keeping in mind this is a poll of just 1000 people, it still has validity and is not one of those pointless ‘have your say’ click-on-the-page polls beloved of the Courier.
And the numbers are only surprising in their extent, especially in the past few weeks.
The pollsters analysis clearly suggested Crisafulli shouldn’t be breaking out the Moet just yet … Palaszczuk’s descent has not been matched by Crisafulli’s ascent, although he is certainly up. Many of the those disaffected with the Premier are equally pissed off with the LNP for whatever reasons, and appear to be drifting off to the Greens and other minor parties, although ‘Pie very much doubts that Queensland is about to develop a taste for TEALS.
So if the state voted now, the outcome would be a hung parliament, which this state needs like an aperture in the cranium.
But a lot of heavy thinking and heavy drinking between now and the next poll – which it will either delight or dismay you to know that that is on October 26 2024.
That is, if she makes it that far … the Courier’s Lethbridge has his doubts.
America Remains Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered …
…but unlike Ella Fitzgerald, they’re not in love again. Relief at Trump diminishing threat has been replaced with growing dissatisfaction with President Biden on a series of fronts. Americans for the most part are a people who demand simple answers to complex problems, and when they don’t get them, they vote accordingly. Or shoot someone. This week’s gallery.
Some Final Matters …
Just to show that it just the Townsville Bulletin, here are a couple of prize bloopers, the first funny, the second no quite so.
as versus what after being assassinated?
And while The ‘Pie is always at pains to not allow The Nest to become too Facebooky, he can’t resist showing this pic he took during the week … this in the middle of winter and that cold snap. Nature is weird and wonderful.
……………………
Another week gone, plenty to talk about in comments, come and join us, post 24/7. And if you can give a bit of support to defray blog costs, the donate button is below.
A poll on the comments on any news site on announcements by Mayor Hill reflects frustration by ratepayers on the cover ups and mismanagement in Walker st . The irony Fran gets reported by other Councillors for painting the Council in a bad light . T.C.C. are yet again advertising for a Team Manager City Growth salary $190 k . Didnt the last Labor ring in from Rocky last 4 mths ? . Average mortgage payments in the Ville are up $170 a mth , rates increase 9 % , insurance car / home 20% + , groceries , fuel , car rego and whilst collecting $billions in mining royalties / stamp duty the Palaszczuk Government delivers $175 energy rebate to cover cost of living increases .
Re TCC’s made-up position of Team Manager City Growth: indeed, the job was filled last September by a bloke from Rocky named Jesse Gillard (good Labor name, any relation, we wonder?) in an apparent Labor engineered rort …. he left The ‘Pie is told he left after just a few months to work on John Ring’s dismal Federal campaign. Now Mr Gillard says he’s taking a ‘career break’, which the fleeced residents of Townsville hope lasts … oh, maybe a lifetime.
Haha! His experience at NBNco would have set him up well. They’re all about engagement.
Hi Guys, He was only in Rocky for a short time. Going further back in LinkedIn he spent most of his time working in Canberra.
Labor Party Travel Agency.
Very interesting how our spineless politicians are getting shit-scared about the viciousness developing amongst their constituents. Not that I agree with political murders, however it’s not a surprise considering politicians are mostly millionaires who put themselves above society and are immune to the consequences of their actions as they are untouchables. They shut the globe down in the war against COVID, and of course they still got paid and even got payrises while millions of people globally lost everything they had worked for. People have lost everything and are now losing it big time. How would you like to be an American living in a shithole that is falling apart yet the government spent trillions on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and have so far given around $70b to the Ukraine while America falls apart at the seams. No wonder people are so pissed off.
https://au.yahoo.com/news/aussie-ministers-grim-warning-after-shinzo-abes-assassination-matter-of-time-020706639.html
Your comment gives The ‘Pie the opportunity to vent his disgust and frustration and say something he has been privately thinking for four or five years now about America’s former Mobster President …. when I read endless whinges and alarms about the TFG latest outrage, (Twitter shorthand for The Former Guy, for the uninitiated) and keeping in mind the daily slaughter because of crazy gun laws, I increasingly want to post the 3-word Twitter reply ‘FFS, just shoot him’. It would get The ‘Pie banned from Twitter possibly, and besides, like you, The ‘Pie does not believe in killing anything, not just human scum. But was good to just say it. Thank you.
Her comment and Albo having to prefix his statement with “we all have to worry now” was the epitome of uncouthness. Just give a heartfelt condolence (even if you don’t feel it) and leave it at that. Even the Chinese FM and Russian President who have some considerable disputes with Japan could manage that.
They can’t help trying to make something about themselves.
Dave Nth, please resend in cluding lost link. Magpie’s fault, astounding claim, agree with you.
Sky News, great speech till 3.29 mark and after that he rambled. We all know these things happen however distasteful when they do so why mention it I suppose. When I saw Andrews remarks, yes I was fired up at the tackiness and then stumbled on that Sky article. I admit on retrospection and with less heat I might appear unfair to Albo though.
Anyway Pie for your perusal.
https://www.skynews.com.au/world-news/anthony-albaneses-issues-dire-warning-about-shinzo-abes-assassination-and-outlines-plans-to-remember-the-former-pm/news-story/b29a2127aeb6342e21ed29121df95061
Unless any politicians could be mistakenly associated with religious groups then they should be fine.
https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/07/72f7e65dbce1-police-struggle-with-mystery-of-abe-shooters-motive.html
Three pluses in today’s column: James O’Brien’s brilliant rhetoric, describing Madam Hill as ‘looking like she swallowed a gecko’, and the beautiful Tabua pic. I have a query that someone may be able to answer – I thought the so called Haughton pipeline was drawing water from the end of irrigation channels at the back of Clare, near the Haughton Rv. Saw a reference to this a couple of years ago. In the last week, I’ve seen two comments that the pipeline is being directed to the Clare Weir, on the Burdekin Rv. That is actually a significant difference in distance. Does anyone actually know. I’m sure there’s a map somewhere, but i don’t recall actually seeing one published.
https://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-04/Haughton%20River%20evaluation%20summary.pdf
Thanks Cynical Cricket. I guess we can go back to calling it the Burdekin Pipeline.
Anyone notice this during the week?
TCC’s made-up position of Team Manager City Growth was filled last by a bloke from Rocky named Jesse Gillard (good Labor name, any relation, we wonder?) in an apparent Labor engineered rort …. he left The ‘Pie is told he left after just seven months to work on John Ring’s dismal Federal campaign. Now Mr Gillard says he’s taking a ‘career break’, which the fleeced residents of Townsville hope lasts … oh, maybe a lifetime.
Pie I know that you hate to get involved in who is sleeping with whom but your man Gillard’s Labor connection was that he is (or was at the time of employment) the Partner of a Member of Princess Anna’s outer Ministry. Said Minister made a number of trips to visit our fair city that coincidentally coincided with old mate’s move north. I am sure she had a legitimate reason to visit Townsville or paid the travel herself.
While you’re right about ‘Pie’s policy on private matters, that is not a private matter, it doesn’t involve sexual positions, just rorting policy positions about jobs, and goes to the very heart of the corrupt Palaszczuk Labor government. Good information – if it’s true.
Come to think of it, in fairness, care to name the bonkee of the bonker.
Further to the comment on the blog today, Gillard’s squeeze at the time he moved North was the Assistant Minister for Education and Member for Keppel, Brittany Lagua. She visited our fair city at the same time he started his new job and Harper posted about her inspecting his lawn.
Good Sunday morning read, as usual. Cheers Magpie.
Apologies Nesters, but no comments will be published until after 2.30 this arvo … Ergon Energy maintenance blackout scheduled for Nest area any time now.. See you then. (You can still, send comments in, just won’t be posted until later).
Anna and her team of tools have obviously not learned from the local Labor mistake in the recent federal election campaign.
Mayor Jenny Hill, our “independent” mayor continually sunk the boot into Phil Thompson in an attempt to get her Labor comrade Ring across the line.
To say that her efforts were in vain would be the understatement of the century as she managed to actually conjure up a swing to Thompson, in contrast to the landslide Labor victory.
The LNP will be hoping, nah praying, she keeps campaigning for Anna and our 3 local drones until the next election.
The only one who helped Thompson more than Hill was Harpoo. If you look at the booth results for his Thuringowa electorate, Thompson achieved record results there! LMAFO! The booth that Harpoo was handing out for Ring at, blew previous results into the weeds. Harpoo really was Thompson’s secret weapon.
An English commentator said in the Weekend Oz that BoJo is stretching out his tenure as Head Soap Dodger because he has a lavish wedding planned at Chequers for July 30. All paid for by the peasants. The couple were married secretly, but want a proper knees-up.
Also, the photo where the mayor swallowed a gecko, the Side-eye that Scott Stewart is giving Walker would make GraceTame blush. Good stuff
Re Chequers … that’s been canned, according to London reports. Gosh, how mean.
You guys could be being a bit unfair to old Mullet in the pipeline promo with Smiley ! Maybe she didn’t swallow a gecko, maybe in her rush to be in the prized photo op with he Labor hero’s, she’s put her big girl panties on back to front !
There’s a difference? (Don’t reply please.)
Re the photo of the stooges with the glasses on – Private Cupcake Stewart looks like he’s swallowed a sheet, Messagebank Walker looks like he’s having trouble digesting a beer can, Mullet is struggling with the gecko aftertaste and Miles, well he looks like an ad for a dental practise!
Perhaps miles should have a private chat to Yvette D’Arth, whose bottom row of fangs look like a graph of one of the more challenging graphs of the Tour de France.
Malcolm – check out the choppers on Daniel Mookhey, NSW politician. Stuff nightmares are made of. Best seen in video.
Pie,
You would have chortled into your birdseed yesterday if you could have seen Private Cupcake,Harpic and spouses and Woolfie from TEL and partner in the same Corporate suite as us at the Superpests. Harpic says Hi as I walked past, I just ignored him.They sat on their own,did not see them engage with anyone,and were they hoeing into the freebies like there was no tomorrow!
Friggin Parasites.
Well, a certain big-boned plus one still holds the record for the number of bugs scoffed in one sitting at a Cowboys’ box.
Report in the the online Bulletin this morning about the cruise ship the Coral Princess docking in Port Douglas.
Once again, Mr. MP, News Ltd. journalists made a mystifying mistake.
“The huge holiday ship was travelling up the east coast stopping in at Airlie Beach, Cairns, Port Douglas, Willis Island and Brisbane.”
They forgot Townsville!
Ahem, Ms. Claudia BS…surely not??
The ship will have a problem ‘travelling up the east coast’ and getting from Willis Island to Brisbane.
The PortsNorth (Cairns) visiting Cruise liner schedule for the remainder of 2022 proves that TEL is useless.
https://www.portsnorth.com.au/marine-tourism/cruise-ship-schedules/
https://www.tropicnow.com.au/2022/june/17/cruising-returns-to-cairns-in-massive-injection-to-the-local-economy
But then there is no comparison between Cairns and Townsville. Townsville greets visitors with the stench of cow shit and a barren wasteland entry into the city which has little for visitors to do unless a mid week junk market is held where as Cairns has a welcome of green manicured lawns and gardens into the cities picturesque CBD and heaps of attractions within the CBD and the surrounding area. The question has to be asked, WTF is Mayor Idiot and TEL doing to improve the cities image.
They can’t even get a Ferris wheel attraction or similar on the Strand
https://www.tropicnow.com.au/2022/june/21/views-as-far-as-green-island-reef-eye-gears-up-for-cairns-comeback
Yes well Townsville has a proper industrial port, the largest in Northern Australia. Cairns has a multi-purpose port that does a bit of industrial trade. They really aren’t comparable. If you want a cruise ship terminal then we need a separate one. But I can’t imagine any sensible tourist wanting to visit Chez Hill. And those who are often disappointed.
Townsville isn’t and never has been a tourist destination. It’s an industrial and business destination. It doesn’t have rainforest or reefs close by. It has a dry tropical island, and the beaches are ordinary. The accommodation is geared to business visitors and the occasional backpacker. The city centre has always been very unwelcoming to visitors. No gift shops, cafes close early afternoon and transport is abysmal.
Mind you, I’m no fan of Cairns. It’s wet, and hot and mouldy. The gutters don’t work and 2 streets back from the foreshore, there are no gutters. People have to mow regularly because otherwise they won’t be able to find their houses in the jungle that was their lawn. And if you think we have a long term water problem here, maybe look at Cairns. As soon as it doesn’t rain for a bit, they have water shortages.
So I think, while you are looking for tourists, which are never coming, the Mullet and TEL have been focusing on industrial solutions. Some are obviously completely insane. But at least they are looking in the right direction.
Agree with most of that, and have been saying much the same in The Nest for years – specifically that Cairns is Tinsletown, Townsville is Muscletown (i.e. industry/government depts). But why then does TEL … especially that silly Wolfe woman … keep prattling on about tourism? And even sillier, claiming TEL is the peak marketing body for tourism?
Just quietly, although The ‘Pie bleeds for the decimated businesses in the CBD, he is personally glad that the tourist boats don’t come here much …. so embarrassing what we present them with. Promote Maggie Island – which can be fun and a good tropical experience – and footy games, and leave it at that … outside Billabong Sanctuary, there’s bugger all else here, can’t even have a coffee and a bite to eat on Castle Hill because of some background rort by the council. The ultra popular parachute experience is no more, like the Red Baron joy flights. Time for Morrison of The Ville steps in and wake up these fuckers … he’s one person who will happily tell Jenny to GFH if she interferes with market leaders like him.
Oh, and there’s an attitudinal difference towards visitors. A few years ago, The Magpie wrote about the visit of US navy ship arriving with the headline ‘The Smell of Greenbacks Is In The Air’. Many of US sailor was mightily pissed off when they saw it – The ‘Pie knows because more than none told him down in The Exchange Hotel. But a bit later, when the port couldn’t accommodate another US ship at short notice, mit went to Cairns. Guess what the Cairns Post headline was: US Navy Coming … We’re ready To Party’. One paper crassly venal, the other a welcoming community. Nothing much has changed.
“But why then does TEL … especially that silly Wolfe woman … keep prattling on about tourism? And even sillier, claiming TEL is the peak marketing body for tourism?”
One reason, possibly the only reason, is that there is a vast pool of federal and state government money available for promotion of tourism – by anyone, in any place, for any possible attraction. Just this year TEL has pulled $130,000 out of the state government for the development of a tourism strategy for Magnetic Island. Alongside that is some spongey number between $2.5m and $5m for the mysterious Museum of Underwater Art, another state-funded tourism promotion. And surely TEL had a hand in the $2m shed on Castle Hill – federal money that washed out of Phillip Thompson’s office for “tourism”.
If ever there is a change of government in Queensland, TEL will be in a perfect place to lobby the new Premier and minister for Tourism, Olympics and Paralympics, D. Crisafulli. Kinda makes sense to call yourself the ‘peak marketing body’.
Speaking of drones Mr. MP … Stewart, Harper and Walker … why don’t the organisers of the SuperPests use drones instead of those infernal choppers.
Quieter…definitely; cheaper…definitely; just as effective…probably!
Anybody?
Unless people have suddenly gotten very, very small, they can’t take joy rides in drones.
Good one Nutsy!
P’raps they could ride on military grade drones and shoot out the “pests” before self destructing their useless selves?
Speaking of the V8 Superpests, the Bully online today has a photo album of the fans that “turned out in droves” for Saturday’s edition of cars following each other around the Townsville street circuit. But the overhead vision on Ch 7 told an entirely different story. Spectator stands nowhere to be seen (like in the old days) and fans scattered like brown’s cows on the grassy mounds. A closer inspection of the Bully photos reveals that many were from the rate payer sponsored welcome party in Via Vomitorium on Thurs nights with a heavy sprinkling of drivers and pit bimbos. There were more people at the Hoods concert on Sat night than at the races. Expect to get a glowing report on the weekend from Mayor “Revhead” Hill and the TEL puppet CEO on Monday saying the city was booked out for the weekend. Truth of the matter is that Townsville has been booked out for the 2 weeks of the school holidays. I tried to book a room for last weekend for a mate who was coming up for a wedding and there were just 3 options left – all poor quality at eye watering prices.
Mr. MP, Bulletin front page headline tomorrow?
RECORD CROWDS AT SUPERCARS!
… with a photo of the Mayor enticing the non Labor voters in her tight jeans??
Doesn’t bear thinking about!
I enjoyed watching Supercars yesterday for the trophy presentation. The mayor presented the winning team trophy and was booed by the crowd. Sensational!!
This is a good development. Perhaps it will encourage a competent honest ethical mayoral candidate to come forward in 2024 knowing the tide of public sentiment is changing. I can only hope.
And divisional candidates … believe it or not, there are some good ones on council at present, but don’t shine for the public because of – ahem – media policy priorities, if you catch my drift.
Pie I have to disagree with you on this one. The only way that the Mayor is able to act with impunity in the manner in which she does is because of the support of the Divisional Councillors. If they don’t agree, speak up or resign. Leadership is about not walking past poor behaviour and calling it out. They owe a duty to ratepayers. That duty is greater than the fear of getting yelled out or frozen out by Hill. Not a single one of Team Hill can be excused from any of the resolutions passed because they were ordered to, from every back room deal they agreed to and every blind eye they turned. They might be decent hard working people but they have made their beds.
Fully agree with you, Simpson’s Fan, but the thrust of the comment was that some do some tasks worthy of media comment but the mayor hogs the spotlight if there’s kudos to be earned. But that is no t to disagree with the truth of what you say.
Hey, here’s a song for Mayor Mullet’s love of power:
Whoa oh oh oh chip, chip you tell a little lie
Chip, chip, you make your baby cry
Chip, chip, you cheat a little bit
Chip, chip, you quarrel over it
Oh oh oh one day you’re gonna discover
One little wrong leads to another
Chip, chip, a-chippin’ away, chippin’ at your mansion of love
Giveing credit to Gene McDaniel’s oh warbling one….copyright and all that stuff …
Has the Bulletin made another mistake or have I?
Plum
something superior or very desirable specially : something desirable given in return for a favour
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plum
plumb
adjective
Definition of plumb (Entry 4 of 4)
1: exactly vertical or true
2: THOROUGH, COMPLETE
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plumb
Just askin’
Wondered about that too, but gave the benefit of the doubt as a semi-illerate’s attempted pun about pipelines being plumbing. Of course, when they read your comment (which they certainly will do, rest assured) they won’t know what you’re talking about.
Magpie, just more evidence of the management and procurement skills at Walker street, the debt collectors and the debt recovery firm that the council uses, Collection House and CLH Lawyers appointed Administrators a few weeks ago. Buy Local? Nah, why bother?
A few comments on this blog this week in regard to the drop kicks and duds in management roles in Townsville. One of the problems with Townsville is that we have duds hiring duds. TCC hires ‘mates’ (who are duds) into executive roles. A dud Mayor and consecutive dud CEO’s employing duds. Then you have TEL. An organisation that has a staff payroll of close to $1m per year with an elders list of employees, with a dud CEO in Claudia and a dud Board with Gill and Hill on it. They produce nothing, other than commissioned reports that are compiled by people external to their organisation, TEL can’t even do the work themselves. TEL trying to steal credit for the $5.4b Hells Gate project is just downright embarrassing. Chair Gill and Claudia BullShit should be sacked for such an embarrassing stunt. What duds. But of course, when you have the Queen of duds Mayor Hill involved, nothing comes as a shock.
The bottom line is that until the current crop of well-heeled and ingrained duck it’s in local government, state government and connected organisations are all given the arse, we will continue to be lumped with continuous duds.
The Astonisher had a measly 4 paragraphs about the Superpest Races and a QR code to access the full report. Scan the code and it is a subscriber only story! Surely if you have spent your $2.50 to buy the paper, you should be able to also access the “full story”.
I know Fran is a regular reader of this column, so can she please inquire on behalf of the ratepayers just how much the V8 Superpest weekend is costing us.
Surely we are entitled to know how much of the $39 million TCC has budgeted for entertainment is going to make this event profitable – for the southern promoters.
Gotta love this sassy woman – talk about the Theory of Unintended Consequences.
Dallas: A pregnant Texas woman who was ticketed for driving in a car pool lane reserved for multiple passengers is arguing that Roe v Wade being overturned by the Supreme Court means that her fetus counted as a passenger, and that she should not have been cited.
Brandy Bottone was recently driving down Central Expressway in Dallas when she was stopped by a sheriff’s deputy at a checkpoint to see whether there were at least two occupants per vehicle as mandated. When the sheriff looked around her car last month he asked, “Is it just you?”
“And I said, ‘No, there’s two of us,’” Bottone said. “And he said, ‘Well, where’s the other person?’”
Bottone, who was 34 weeks pregnant at the time, pointed to her stomach. Even though she said her “baby girl is right here,” Bottone said one of the deputies she encountered on June 29 told her it had to be “two people outside of the body,” according to the Dallas Morning News, the first to report the story. While the state’s penal code recognises a fetus as a person, the Texas Transportation Code does not.
“One officer kind of brushed me off when I mentioned this is a living child, according to everything that’s going on with the overturning of Roe v Wade. ‘So I don’t know why you’re not seeing that,’ I said,” she explained to the newspaper.
Bottone was issued a $US215 ticket for driving alone in the two-or-more occupant lane – a citation she told local media she’d be challenging in court this month.
I nearly wet myself, Mr. MP!
“Police have ended their search for a missing Condon man after his body was found deceased.”
less than 2 min read
July 11, 2022 – 12:32PM
Townsville Bulletin
Yes, well spotted, Tugger.
UPDATE, 1pm: Police have ended their land and water search for a missing elderly man after his body was found this afternoon.
Police confirmed the missing man’s body was located deceased.
The man’s death is not being treated as suspicious.
What we have here is a classic painting-by-numbers approach to writing by the kiddies at the Astonisher … The ‘Pie has no doubt that the police sent out an advisory saying exactly that, and it was mindlessly regurgitated by some lazy person at the paper. Police are notorious for their tortuous and torturous (look up the difference kiddies) language and it has always been the journo’s job to put such statements into plain English. That second line is completely redundant, anyway.
And while we’re here, just a general reminder, kiddies, if you start a sentence with ‘The police said’ or something similar, there is no reason to use alleged in the sentence at all … unless you wish to suggest that the police are either wrong or possibly lying. If something the police have said is incorrect, then it is on their heads because THEY, not the paper per se, has said it.
Nice to see that Member for Herbert, Phil Thompson, has confirmed something The Magpie said in the latest blog.
Pipeline Progress
The State Government has announced a contract has been signed for the manufacture of the pipe for Stage 2 of the Haughton Pipeline. This is the project to build a pipe from the Burdekin to the Ross River Dam to top it up during drought and lock in water security for Townsville.
Unfortunately, this is a milestone that really should have been celebrated a number of years ago. The money was committed by the Federal Government in July 2019, but the State Government rejected the funds in August 2020 based upon a lie about how the money would affect the amount of GST it receives. Only a few months ago they admitted GST wasn’t an issue when they signed a deal with the Federal Government for billions of dollars of funding in South East Queensland.
When the announcement that the State Government would go it alone was made, the State Treasurer said construction would take 18 months. It’s now 23 months later, going to cost ratepayers an extra $79M and nothing’s been built. The people of Townsville deserve better and this project must be built as soon as possible.
Meanwhile the Labor Member for Townsville is telling his Facebook followers that the pipes will be built locally when, just like Stage 1, they’ll be made down south and shipped through our port.
And isn’t refreshing to see … indeed, isn’t it a measure of the man … that Thommo hasn’t taken his move into opposition as any signal to put his feet up and just collect his pay … he is using his time to be of practical assistance to those who voted him in – and those who didn’t, despite his party being shunted into opposition because of a demented, devious and deceitful leadership. The ‘Pie believes this bloke out of office is, and will continue to be, of greater value to this community than out three state goofs combined. Here’s an instance from his latest advisory.
Premium Pressure
July 1 marked the start of the Reinsurance Pool, which will see the Government taking on the risk for cyclone and related flood damage, and requiring insurers to pass on the savings to their customers. The latest modelling is predicting average savings of 28% on premiums for houses in Townsville. I have already had reports from locals already seeing savings of 25% realised.
Insurers are taking some time to implement the savings, and while there was always going to be a transition period, people can’t afford to wait any longer to see their insurance premiums come down.
I have followed up the CEOs to meet with them on your behalf. I have also asked for a briefing from the Head of the Reinsurance Pool Corporation and for a meeting with the Minister during our first sittings in Canberra.
In the meantime, here are a few ways you can help me take up the fight:
Funny how our independent mayor called him out.
Timely, then …
Refreshing indeed. But here’s a question. If I recall correctly, when the state rejected the $195m federal money, saying it would go it alone, PM Morrison said that since the money was “already committed”, the $195m federal money would instead be spent in Townsville (or in the electorate of Herbert, almost the same thing), on projects run past Phillip Thompson the local member. Which looked like a nice little pork barrel and saw the old GBRMPA HQ and Omnimax Theatre knocked down and something, something the proposed Hive development. The question is, what happened to the money? Is it spent, on what, and is there any change left over?
Whoops! Guess that’s not happening
COVID outbreak on Coral Princess among crew and passengers as cruise ship docks in Brisbane
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-11/covid-outbreak-on-cruise-ship-coral-princess-docked-in-brisbane/101228112
WHAT…!?! Just Fucking WHAT?
Media Release (Edited)
Premier and Minister for the Olympics
The Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk
Charters Towers welcomes second round of 2022 Regional Community Forums
Six weeks after the first round of Regional Community Forums for 2022, North-North West Queensland residents will again meet with Ministers and MPs in Charters Towers tomorrow to expand on their priorities and accelerate action for the region.
“Forum members, Ministers and MPs have had six weeks to develop their ideas and identify opportunities for the continued growth, wellbeing and prosperity of the North and North West.
Member for Mundingburra Les Walker and Member for Thuringowa Aaron Harper will be co-chairs.
Mr Harper said the second round of the forum would allow members to further develop their Action Plan for the region, based on identified priorities.
You have got to be kidding, you disgraceful repulsive little man. That you were co-chair of this hootenanny with its extra payment for you to sit on your fat arse and bang a gavel or whatever is bad enough, but you of all people chairing a meeting to develop an action plan based on identified priorities is ludicrous. The people of your own electorate have identified their priority to you time and again as rampant juvenile crime, and you have done NOTHING. Absolutely NOTHING.
Deeply disgraceful … you have no decency, Harper.
Pie , lets not forget Mayors Hills numerous committees Council announcement 21st May 2020 taskforce ( BAG ) business advisory group with the Mayor chairing with business / community heavy hitters for shovel ready projects . Townsville and the other Mayors have NQROC , State Government have developing North Queensland plan and Albo is planning a jobs summit . Les +Aaron only have to find all these committees plans in a few drawers in Walker st , cut and paste and there is another action plan .
So Magpie, what do you want him to do about “rampant juvenile crime”?
Stop lying and telling us what a wonderful job he’s been doing, and hector his own government enough to shame them into making urgent changes to legislation and mind-set.
That’s for starters.
What would you have him do, Westie, or are you happy with his performance.
Difficult to say on this issue, Magpie.
What legislative changes do you have in mind, and what mindset change?
It is the role of the public service to solve our problems. That is what they are paid for, they have the experts, write the legislation, come up with the budget for the parliamentarians’ approval. Let us face it, what skills does Harper have in coming up with solutions to complex social/ legal problems? He’s a paramedic for goodness sake.
Harper’s role is to be one of our community “representatives”. His job is to take our suggestions to the public service and get them implemented (or at least evaluated). So if you have any ideas, let your representative know, and if he believes your idea has support in the community, he can take them forward.
Your faith in that system is touching, kinda sweet, really. … balmy but touching. And your astounding excuse for Hapic’s lack of both action and communication is simply stupid, as his insistence in media releases and letters to the paper that his government bis having success fighting crime in Townsville. And no, he’s not a paramedic, he is the representative that we … or a misguided majority of us … elected to fight for us, he should be hopping mad at the broken promises about more police and the lax bail laws and overall nanny state approach to a crime wave that is ruining our city, both reputationally and in fact. But the party spotted his ego, and threw him the bonen of a title and the task of chairing the VAD laws, and that has clearly gone to his head. His championing of the VAD laws is laudable, but someone should tell him there is no assistance and no dignity for the slow death he is helping inflict on Townsville.
And your take on the public service is as asinine as it is wrong in its underlying implied assumptions … that is definitely not the way things work, or are even meant to work. Haven’t you been listening to the allegations of bullying and corruption by ministerial staff with the PS? The ‘Pie is sure you will correct him if he’s in error, but here’s the way he thought the democratic system worked. Putting aside statewide questions (like VAD) a constituent or a community group, bring to the MP’s attention a problem or a suggestion, the MP is bound to take this up if it is even remotely feasible and not whingeing crackpottery, and then it may be discussed, if deemed worthy, by cabinet … THEN, and only then … it it taken by our elected representatives to the relevant PS department for costing, legal overview, and feasibility. The PS then report back and our elected representatives who take it to parliament to be voted on.
Your comment has sidelined the entire elected body of government, virtually making them redundant until it comes to approval, and suggests that the PS must originate as well as facilitate, social ills and requirements. If you believe it is the role of the public service to solve our problems, you are living in the country country, comrade.
Holy snappin duckshit Westie! Go learn how legislation and policy is written in this state. And while you’re at it brush up on what the role of your local representatives is. It sure isn’t slagging off at other levels of government on your Facebook page. Or denying that community problems exist.
Yes Magpie, happy to correct you, as you request. Yours is a common misunderstanding of how government works.
My qualifications to comment, -I worked in all three tiers of Government, at levels up to one or two down from the top.
While the politicians have an important role, it is not as important as people think. The elected reps apppoint the Prime Minister/ Premier, who appoints the Ministers, who appoint the Departmental Heads, who hire/fire the rest of the public servants, who run the country. The reps also vote on legislation (writen by public servants).
At local government in Qld, the elected Mayor plays the role of the whole cabinet.
In my experience over many decades, I can’t recall a significant initiative originated by the politicians.
The agenda of the Cabinet meetings you refer to is prepared by the pubic servants, with each agenda item being supported by a cabinet submission written by a public servant. Of course the skill of the Departmental Head is to only present submissions if they are going to be approved (in other words well supported, and not antithetical to the cabinets’ policies).
If legislation is involved, this is written by public servants.
In your example, if a community member makes a worthwhile complaint or suggestion to his local rep, that rep writes to the Minister responsible, who then refers the matter to his Departmental Head. The Departmental Head does whatever internally, and if the public servants feel that there is something that needs doing- perhaps a new policy, infrastructure, funding etc- they prepare a detailed proposal which ends up as a cabinet submission for approval.
In theory a Minister might initiate a project, and demand that a cabinet submission be written in a particular way, but I never saw it, for a very good reason. The Minister does not the expertise or the resources to come up with good ideas, and would be shot down in flames by the public servants who actually know what they are talking about.
Where things go wrong is where the politician tries to usurp the role of the Departmental Head, and the Head is too weak to stop them doing it. That is exactly what Mayor Hill has done, and is almost certainly the reason Ray Burton left, and why Townsville is in a mess.
Does it sound like “Yes Minister”? Well yes, because “Yes Minister” is startlingly accurate.
Your comment is appreciated and on the face of it, appears well informed, however, one might think you are arguing from just one side of the fence – you make it sound like the PS is made entirely up of intelligent and thoughtful Ken Henrys, full of probity and the spirit of npro bono piublico. So public servants either can’t stop (or actually initiate) pork barrelling and various other forms of corruption? Or can’t veto corrupt appointments to, let’s say, a bullshit New York trade position? My point here is that if the PS is so all powerful and the MPs so disempowered in any real sense of shot calling, why do we bother with elections if all they do is either rubber stamp or not rubber stamp PS decisions? And while it’s fair to say you more or less dashed off this comment, there are certainly a few startling aspects in there. One in particular may be just down to hasty phrasing but ” … and if the public servants feel that there is something that needs doing” … implies they can also simply tell the minister they don’t think its worthwhile, giving whatever reason a busy minister will accept without much examination. If so, that leads to an invitation to corruption and bribery of PS, not politicians. Despite frequent rumours to the contrary, public servants are humans, and subject to all the evils as well the virtues we all face.
And one thing The ‘Pie will make issue with you is ‘In my experience over many decades, I can’t recall a significant initiative originated by the politicians.
How about Howard’s gun buy-back and ownership laws, his boat policy, or Hawke’s Uluru statement, Keating’s superannuation creation and even, if I may be so bold, one would think that Malcolmn Fraser’s blocking of supply just might be considered significant. All were political decisions that public servants could not oppose or even modify beyond some structural tinkering.
Coming back to home turf and a question from a previous comment, what would The ‘Pie have Aaron Harper do? It is what he should not be doing. If he wasn’t in the thrall of his party and his hopes for a featherbedded future, he could take his electorate into his confidence with constant communication on the real issues concerning constituents, could constantly inform voters of his efforts be they fruitless or otherwise. Doesn’t mean he has tocouch in terms of disloyalty to his party, but his first loyalty should be to the people who elected them to speak for them.Harpic has a massive image problem as a greedy self-server, and almost all of it is his of his own making.(A good start would be to stay off Facebook.) Perhaps nobody in his position could ever be as effective as voters unrealistically wish, but being honest beyond party and career considerations would be way less infuriating than going down the Emperor’s New Clothes path and repeatedly insisting that things are great and being handled brilliantly when it is patently obvious they are not. That’s where the fury towards this self seeker is coming from.
Well said Westie. Your understanding of how much work politicians do is impressive.
We can scrap the entire elected group of blood sucking, useless parasites and let the experts get on with their job.
If you see your way clear to chop the heads off the lobbyists and others that would also be appreciated.
What, and cut off a major source of public service side earnings and perks?
There are many issues we could discuss raised by your response to my comment. However perhaps another time.
Your first example of a significant politician initiated response perhaps forms an interesting case study- John Howard’s highly lauded and laudible guns buy back scheme. I wasn’t there so this is only a hypothesis, but it is probably true, and could be applied to all your other examples.
Gun massacres were already a problem in the 1980s/1990s- the Strathfield Plaza massacre, the Hoddle Street massacre, etc. The relevant department had already identified options to address the issue- the gun buy back scheme was one of these. They had identified the impacts, and potential mitigations, on farmers, the military, the police force, the sporting shooters, the gun shops, the gun manufacturers, customs, the kangaroo shooters, the budget, the domestic violence victims, the courts and many others. They had done extensive polling, and unfortunately concluded that the population would not support a gun buy back scheme at their own expense. So they put the report on the shelf.
Then Port Arthur occurred. The public servants pulled the report off the shelf, and recommissioned new polling. Ahha- public sentiment had shifted. The population, including those in marginal seats, now supported the buy back option.
When the departmental secretary arrived, John Howard was in his office wringing his hands. It’s terrible, he said, all those people getting killed. What can we do? Do we have a deal for you, PM? Only one percent of GDP, gun violence solved, and…. this is critical….. you will win the next election, according to our polling. Do you want to be a hero?
Was Howard a hero? He did not think of the scheme, and sort through its myriad consequential impacts. He did not understand its feasibility, or the cost/ benefit. But he is a hero, because he signed it off- even though the polling showed there was no personal downside.
Well done Mr Howard.
If you look through your other examples, you will find that they could all be similar.
As The ‘Pie said before, you are clearly arguing from one side of the fence … the public servants are shot-calling heroes. And as for your ludicrous and self-serving hypothesis on the gun buy-back, like you said, you’ve just made that all up, seeking us to accept there is some versacity in it because of your totally unproven claims to having been a public service high flyer … it suits the arguments from your side of the fence. And to show the unreality of it all was the juvenile bit about John Howard … he was many things, not all good, but he was NEVER a hand wringer in the sense you ascribe to him. You completely dismiss or are unwilling to admit the possibility that the early polling was at the request of politicians (possibly Hawke and/or Keating), and it simply quite idiotic and bombastic to suggest ‘The public servants pulled the report off the shelf’, as though the commissioned elected officials – PM and senior MPs … didn’t know about and only the whip-smart PS saw a connection to Port Arthur. Howard would have ordered the polling … and frankly, I wasn’t aware that departments could order up expensive polling exercises unilaterally without ministerial direction to don so … on a whim, as it were, without any politicians involvement. If that is correct,m there is something deeply wrong with the system.
And at a stroke, you pull down Howard’s established legacy of political guts suggesting he wouldn’t have risked such a pivotal historical reform if there was the slightest electoral danger. Do you know that the poll you hypotheses about actually said there ‘was no personal downside’?
The whole tenor of your fairytale (leave that stuff to The Magpie, mate) paints you for what many of us suspect … you are a Labor troll and your self-stroking CV ‘one or two down from the top’ is likely bullshit constructed out of bitter ‘near yet so far’ disappointment. That view of your political affiliations is only bolstered by the fact that you chose Howard for your maunderings, and not Keating or Hawke. You have overplayed your hand, old son, to the extent that The ‘Pie cannot and does not believe a word you have said. Including ‘and’ and ‘the’.
Clear as mud… this ambiguously defined mega dollars contract is only to “assist” a water project just awarded by TCC. Their shares have just gone ballistic.
https://themarketherald.com.au/clean-teq-water-asxcnq-receives-order-for-townsville-water-treatment-facility-project-2022-07-11/
Weird language … received ‘an order’. And wouldn’t it be interesting to check out share movements in the recent past – touch of insider trading, anyone?
Following on to that, interesting line in the comprehensive article in the Industry Queensland website, which reads:
Townsville City Council has allocated an estimated $25 million project budget over two years for the recycled water treatment facility.
The council has been contacted by several parties interested in securing recycled water for hydrogen production.
This water will be coming from the Cleveland treatment facility …. which is close enough to be regarded as being part of the SRC.
But no, madam will want more pipelines headed out to the Hub in the Scrub?
Clean Teq has something to do with Lansdown. I have a sneaky suspicion that to get them here for their minerals processing and battery technology, they were offered the deal with the recycled water treatment plant trial in 2019. However since then, the minerals part of the business and the water part of the business have split.
Consider!?! BLOODY ‘CONSIDER’?
What’s to ‘consider’? That maybe this rort led by the man who calls himself John Porkbailaro isn’t worthy of an investigation, that it was just the boys and girls of Macquarie being well, just the boys and girls of Macquarie Street? What has already come out isn’t just worthy of an investigation, it demands an investigation.
The most interesting story of the year will be if ICAC consider the matter not worthy of their immediate attention.
It’s brazen conduct, but it’s conduct that occurs in all three levels of Australian Government. This incident has made the headlines, which in itself is a rarity, but it’s gone on as long as Government has existed in Australia. Jobs for the boys and girls, rewards, mates rates, call it what you will, one thing is certain and that is this level of corruption is endemic and ingrained in politics. They reward their mates with paid Director roles in government corporations, with paid positions on committees or as department heads. And if you look at local Government, we end up with former State politicians getting jobs as Councillors with local Government or as CEO’s in Government entities. Politicians rort, fiddle, fudge, scam and rip off the taxpayer purse.
I hold little confidence in our corrupt system ever fully changing, even if a national all level of government ICAC is permanently established. The trough swillers will find away to circumvent any safety nets put in place to prevent the systemic corruption and rorting that is a well known part of a politicians life.
It’s never been laid out so barely as this, and this is the publicity needed to demonstrate and it just hint at the rorting. This is so sensationally bad and arrogant that it could bring about a change in the electorate’s thinking, if someone comes up with a cast iron plan for legislation to stop this corruption.
You and the Prince seem to be on the same page about rooting out ‘corruption’ in political circles at the source and I couldn’t agree more. There are innumerable apparent examples from the Adani WoopWoop airport to Magnis@Lansdown and now this latest from Pork Barilaro in NSW. Why get comedians to make it up when there are priceless examples from real life? Which makes me wonder why the reticence about the secret life of Phillip Thompson’s $195m not-the-Haughton2-pipeline windfall? Of course he didn’t spend the money persoanally but we can see with our own eyes that SOME of the money got spent on the demolition work in Flinders St. East. Did someone say $50m? There were ‘AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT’ signs all over the shop at the time. So who holds the pursestrings of this little barrel of dollars now? Let’s see some evidence of transparency from the powers that be. Magpie, you say ” . . . isn’t it a measure of the man … that Thommo hasn’t taken his move into opposition as any signal to put his feet up and just collect his pay.” Now’s his chance.
The ‘Pie gets the impression – he read something somewhere a few days ago … that Mayor Mullet is planning a Canberra trip to discuss what to spend the remaining millions on. …. little doubt where that will go.
If that speculation is correct, maybe the unspent “already committed” GST-free Canberra dollars can be directed back to the Haughton2 pipeline project to save unsuspecting Townsville ratepayers from the unexplained $87m imposition apparently required to drought-proof our city. Now that would be a CityDeal we could all enjoy.
And why is this so? It’s obviously been allowed to happen, unfettered, at the expense of the country’s populace. Speaks volumes (NOT) for the standard of their comrades. AND, one of the most grating facts is that in “civilian-land” these low-lifes are mostly not worth a bump on a log and the roles they’re given cart blanche to fill, impact directly on our existence. Phfffttt!!! Bastards……….
Looking at all the shit swirling around council this week I just give up. Hoping to catch COVID to get some time off from this swamp.
C’mon Civil, it’s only Tuesday mate. Jenny is still on a high from sniffing all those V8 fumes and the part-time bludging half million dollar CEO has his head down busy looking after personal business interests. Perhaps the dreaded China virus will get to them first?
we can only hope. Don’t syuppose you know how to transmit Monkey Pox? That might fit better with those clowns.
Private Cupcake Stewart on 7 local news tonight responding to out of control youth crime break-ins and car thefts. His response ‘It’s always on our lips’.
WTF? Get it OFF your lips and onto ACTION you weak, nodding peanut. How the pluck does this bloke keep getting re-elected?
What was it on his lips? I have a few thoughts, most of which are bodily fluids.
Plucker, more crap from the Member for Townsville who has no idea whatsoever. He’s just a foot soldier for the Premier and the South-East corner of the state, as are the other two ALP state political morons!
How is it that people of Shri Lanker are in such dire straights right now, in the news etc, yet test winning heroes in the sporting news?
Good to see the people enjoying the palace that the Sri Lankan PM lived in. Another country where people are starving and the economy has collapsed yet the country’s leaders live in pure opulence while the peasants starve. There needs to be more uprising likes this around the world. Kick out the political parasites that steal all the money and live affluently while the rest of the country goes to hell…..
So what is the difference between Sri Lankan people invading parliament and the US citizens invading Congress
Oh, FFS, c’mon, Pooh.
(Sigh) The seditious American fascist mob was trying to overturn a legally honest and fair election result, so as to perpetuate their racist, preferential corrupt class system that was to their bullying benefit, and the benefit of a treasonous former president. The Sri Lankan action was exactly the opposite, an insurrection to overturn a preferential, racist, corrupt class system that was in place to benefit the unrepresentative elite.
Regarding that $195 million that the State Government and Jenny Hill didn’t want, Phil Thompson had earmarked a large slice of that ($40 million I think) for a badly needed new performing arts venue for Townsville. Now Labor is in power you can bet the performing arts won’t get a cent of it. Our revhead mayor will either grab it to prop up her Lansdown pipedream, or use some of it to keep the dying V8 Superpests profitable for its southern promoters. Our only hope is that Albo will give Hill the same treatment as he did by supporting Gladstone over Townsville.
Albo probably doesn’t have time to read this blog but can one of the rusted on Labor supporters who do please remind him of the enormous influence she had in the local election result.
Hang on, Ratepayer. Where’s the evidence that the member for Herbert “earmarked” any money for any project – even the $12m for infrastructure at Lansdown that was ‘promised’ last year? Compiling a list of possibles and probables does not rate a mention if nothing actually happens. If the pollie or his party was actually going to spend the money it would have been spent. The rest is just hot air. What Phillip Thompson should know is how much of the $195m was spent and how much is left over. He could just say it out loud, it can’t be a secret.
If there are millions left unspent they will probably go back into consolidated revenue to be used for something else. That something else could be finishing the Haughton2 pipeline and paying the bill for Townsville ratepayers. The LNP government thought it was a good idea for a while so there’s no reason why a Labor federal government can’t do it. Or do you want ratepayers to feel the $87m pain for voting in Jenny Hill – you know, cutting off our nose to spite our face.
Phil Thompson’s support for the performing arts centre was reported in the Townsville Bulletin on more than one occasion. Try Mr Google.
So what? Did he or his government commit to build the thing? No, they did not. All tip, no iceberg.
Palm Sunday . A quick google June 6th Townsville Bulletin “Herbert MP to work with Labor to deliver City Deal ” . $40 mil had been allocated to Reef HQ Aquarium and funding to Royal Flying Doctor Service . Yes , other projects were discussed by you also need to google how City Deals work as the Feds can approve but it still needs the States sign off . Mayor Hill attended a morning tea with Scott Morrison pre election a perfect time to discuss the $195 but left early . Meetings were stalled by the State Government over the $195 mil no doubt for Political reasons . It appears $140 mil is left so the State / Council will no doubt be like seagulls fighting over a chip on how it is spent .
You’re leaving me cold. Which one of Jenny’s spin doctors are you?
Mike, I’m not disputing that some money from the $195m not-the-Haughton2-pipeline got spent. I’m asking what was not spent and where is it now? You say there’s $140m so that’s a good start. I’m suggesting $87m of that could go to paying the ratepayer contribution to Haughton2 which TCC somehow got swindled in to owing. Did we ask for it? No. Did we know it would come? No. What is clear is that the Commonwealth originally offered to pay for Haughton Stage 2 and then reneged in the midst of some shitfight over Queensland’s GST allocation – a matter still totally opaque and unexplained. In the wash-up it was revealed that ratepayers would now be slugged for what had been a Commonwealth undertaking.
Reasonable points and questions as far as it goes, but as The ‘Pie understands it (from reading reports and watching him on TV) it was Cameron Dick who unilaterally declared the ‘Qld go it alone’ using some arcane GST mumbo jumbo reason as justification, that reason since proved to be spurious apparently, unless the new Labor Government has somehow managed to change the GST settings (which of course it hasn’t). So it most definitely was NOT the feds … not even the unspeakable Scomo scumbag … who did the reneging, it was the grandstanding and hidden agenda of Cameron Dick.
And the deal of the $87million unjustly foisted onto unwilling ratepayers because of political hubris lies squarely at the feet of Anna Palaszczuk and Jenny Hill working in cahoots over a Labor problem with polls and finances. Don’t you find it strange the mayor’s meekness when this financial burden was revealed … no kicking, spitting, renting of purple doonas – like she would’ve if Crisafulli was in power and had pulled the same stunt. Apologise for her and the TCC as much as you can wriggle and snivel, Constant Onanist, but you are definitely on the wrong side of Townsville history on this.
” . . . some arcane GST mumbo jumbo reason as justification, that reason since proved to be spurious apparently, unless the new Labor Government has somehow managed to change the GST settings”. Spurious apparently except it’s not very apparent at all. You have the same problem we all have. The Commonwealth has available to it a process called ‘clawback’ whereby it can give with one hand (say $195m for a project in a state) and then later that financial year, when the Commonwealth is doling out to the states the money it has collected from GST, take some proportion of the $195m back with the other hand. They just dock it from the GST allocation. As I understand it, clawback is entirely arbitrary and completely politically motivated. So you might do it for a pipeline project but not for a stadium project, depending on the political value.
So perhaps we should ask Mr Dick would it have been better to copo the extra GST than holus bolus, claim it more prudent and responsible to have a political hissy fit and say we’ll pay for it all ourselves. Doesn’t really make any sense at all, and Dick certainly didn’t make that benefit comparison.
If the unspent portion goes back in to revenue, would that offset QLD gst share?
I’ve never seen proof that the $195M was, or was not going to come off QLDs gst take.
Seems it wasn’t, it was Dick nat his brazen shing best Dickery.
This just looks like a huge Phillip Thompson stuff up. Anyone with a functional brain would have had every dollar allocated to a project and ministerial approval finalised before the election. Either Townsville has lost this money or it will go to Mayor Idiot’s pet projects that she can parade before us in her desperate run for Mayor in March 2024.
Always said Phillip Thompson was near to useless unless it was about veterans or digging coal out of this planet.
Another of looking at it is that Thompson was a little too effective as a political operator (or his team, anyway), playing Jenny Hill off a break at every opportunity, and by making her look like the ninny heb really is, cemented his position locally. Labor admitted as much when two councillors knocked back a nomination and all they could find was the hopeless Ring bloke. The ‘Pie reckon it is highly likely that all the silly dicking around regarding this money was directed by Canberra, because their polling showed that Thommo was home and hosed here. If they got back in, every chance the money would’ve somehow disappeared, along with the bullshit billions for Hells Gate. And now Labor’s in, there is no guarantee that that money will still be available … Labor didn’t pledge anything, and the GST fences seem to be mended, so they will feel they are under no obligation to help a city that voted for the LNP.
Crits – I thought that Phil did release a list of projects that would get funding, but the State refused to sign off for most of them? I may be mistaken, but Nanna Anna’s circus has form in that regard…
Mayor Hill ” Lansdown and NQ Spark are part of Councils strategy to future proof the City ” . 7 yrs as Mayor the Council has failed on cbd , crime , property values in the City . Most local big investors left town in frustration , as well as many failed project announcements . The future is the $600 mil + debt for ratepayers to pay off over 30 + yrs .
Has anyone heard why the KISS concert has been moved from Townsville to the Gold Coast?
TCC and Mullet have run out of ‘prop-up’ money???
WoW – the Cowboys performed too well this year and the rescheduled concert date is either the week before or the date of a potential semi final game. Cowboys are anchor tenants, so get priority. The concert could have been moved to Reid Park, but the promoter pulled it entirely.
So the Cowboys had better perform or there’ll two lots of disappointed fans. Not a KISS fan, but I know some who are, bought tickets for show and hoped desperately for second to go ahead. Deeply disappointed. And, don’t forget, there will be a flow on of cancelled accomodation and other because, once again, Townsville has missed out on a major music event. I was disappointed when I found the band Goanna has reformed and doing a Country wide tour, starting in Cairns and including Mackay, Rockhampton, Brisbane and Gold Coast. Townsville glaringly absent from the Tour. After this failed KISS concert, I think Townsville can kiss all further concerts goodbye and we all miss out. I don’t know why the Stadium at Kirwan wasn’t an option, or, like other recent music events, the Cluden Racetrack. Disappointed music fan.
NQ Gal, The concert could have been moved to the old stadium. Problem solved.
Too sensible.However, perhaps the promised demolition has already started. Anyone know?
OK LISTEN UP FOLKS.
MY BIGPOND EMAIL HAS BEEN AND STILL IS OUT OF ACTION AS OF YESTERDAY. I CAN STILL BE REACHED ON email hidden; JavaScript is required, but if you used the bigpond address, it is not sending or receiving.
It hasn’t been hacked, something to do with passwords, though.
Rectifying this is a problem for someone who cannot talk on the phone, so it might be a while before I can get it fixed.
Here’s a note of optimism in the Townsville real estate market:
“A vacant block of land with two mystery shipping containers has been listed for sale, and it is within proximity to a controversial industrial plant with a chequered history. Located at Yabulu north of Townsville, the 1432sq m block is a few hundred metres from a roadhouse and servo, and is in “very proximity” to the Queensland Nickel Refinery.
“It is zoned residential and the refinery, which is about 1km away, if that ramps up again, and I think it will in some capacity given the nickel prices, that will inject some value back into the suburb (of Yabulu).”
And Clive Palmer will launch unassisted from a deeply submerged submarine and fly over the city naked, showering us with genuine $50 notes. FFS.
Now you’ve given Peter Newey palpitations. ‘Two mystery shipping containers’? Pete will be convinced they are full of armed chainamen ready to stake claim to Bluewater, so they can poison our waterways with asbestos
More likely Pete will think the containers contain alien remnants, transported to Townsville via a spacecraft.
SHHHHH!
Mr. MP, I wait with bated breath about the Bulletin’s coverage of tonight’s State of Origin relating to the brilliancy of Cowboys players…
Front Page??
The negotiations with Harvey Norman for space are underway.
Well Pie you have done it again . How many months ago did you print that Townsville Business Development Centre would close ? . Council has not renewed the lease on Vickers rd Condon and the board and Smart Precinct are working on the best interests of the tenants . Will Councils decision be ” commercial in confidence ” ? . I guess Council will sell the asset .
Interesting article from The Wall Street Journal should come as a warning to The Solomon Islands and others at the Pacific Forum currently meeting in Fiji.
Sri Lanka’s Debt Crisis Tests China’s Role as Financier.
https://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/sri-lankas-debt-crisis-tests-chinas-role-as-financier-to-poor-countries-imf-bailout-11657735179
Today, World Bank data show that China by itself has more loans outstanding to low-income countries than all the members of the Paris Club ..
Sorry Achilles, not published, bit out The Nest’s league, plenty of other forums to talk about Sri Lanka and China’s outstanding loans – especially at such length. Think you made your point of interest in the other comment .
What was not published? The post you published above or something else? You are making my brains hurt.
Yeah sorry, but since The ‘Pie doesn’t know identities of commenters and their email addresses, the only way he can explain non-publication is to leave mysterious messages like that. And, along with various bother sensible commenters, Achilles is worth the trouble.
Understood, no worries
Mate, as always, appreciated the effort and the intelligent commentary, but The ‘Pie has try and herd the cats of this commentary page, so it doesn’t become a sprawling confusion. Thanks for understanding.
What is interesting, in reference to Sri Lanka and other countries imploding, is the ability for a nation or Government to repay its debt. On a slightly smaller scale, Townsville is rumoured to be up to its eyeballs in $600m worth of debt. Exactly how does TCC meet its debt obligations each year? How much debt is being incurred annually? Is TCC borrowing money to service its debts? Is the incoming revenue vs outgoing expenditure in favour of debt being paid down, or are we being saddled with more debt each year? These are some of the deeper questions of which I find it challenging to find the appropriate data.
SOS folks …
can someone please send in a comment that simply says test … not sure whether The Nest is having a problem receiving comments.
Test
OK, thanks Gal appears the problems with Pie email continue, but at least it seems the comments come straight to the curating screen even if they don’t show in emails, as they used to. We’ll manage. Thanks.
I had to check I had picked up the Bullsheet and not another paper by mistake at the newsagent wen I read the police/court article. Seems like good journalism and clear writing which makes a real change
An excellent story, ms Pilhofer was on her game with that one.