In the 20’s musical, No, No, Nanette, the heroine is a naughty runaway out for a good time … nothing’s changed if a midweek report from Channel 7 is to be believed (always a question). – KAP Federal Candidate Nanette Radeck had turned turncoat and signed on Labor’s ersatz Mullet Mob. If this is correct – Radeck is very coy about it – then in her very first foray into local government , Ms Radeck has managed to put the Bulletin’s nose out of joint. The paper has not made a single mention of the matter, which means that either it isn’t true, or Jenna is mightily pissed off at being scooped. And Radeck has said nothing to refute or affirm the & claim. The Magpie’s looking on from the cheap seats.
A conspiracy too far? Has Mayor Mullet engineered a nifty little doh-se-doh, effectively hiding the 2018/19 council financial figures from voters until the last minute before next year’s election … or maybe not at all until after the poll. The ‘Pie, with the help of some determined friends, shows how she appears to have pulled off this ‘culture of secrecy’ tactic.
But somehow, madam mayor has still found time to walk into the swinging door of the Woodstock Action Group … and the Landsdowne project sees Clr Les Messagebank Walker live up to his reputation as a jellyback politician .
The Brewery for sale? Seems so, according to at least one canvassed businessman …
… and overseas, Trump gets the hump: derided as Donald the Dodard, the clown-in-chief packs his juggling balls and honking horn, and heads home early rom Europe.
But first …
Too Clever By Half?
Mayor Mullet sees herself as someone who knows how to turn adversity to political advantage, and she has made an attempt to turn the monsoon flooding tragedy to electoral gold. Not by being the self-proclaimed and highly dubious heroine of the hour (bit hard to claim when you deliberately flood hundreds of homes ‘for the greater good’ because you were too slow-witted to act earlier). No, our mayor has managed to use the February monsoon as a reason to greatly delay details of the Townsville City Council’s 2018/19 budget and financial statements. Almost to the point where such information will not be available before the March council election.
This is how The ‘Pie reported the matter during the week.
|
The Magpie 2,213 approved
|
Submitted on 2019/12/03 at 10:27 pm | In reply to Critical. CONSIDER THIS … IT QUITE LIKELY WE WILL GO INTO THE COUNCIL ELECTION NEXT MARCH WITHOUT THE 2018/19 BUDGET AND FINANCE FIGURES BEING AVAILABLE FOR SCRUTINY. Magpie pal Phillip Batty is a terrier when he can’t get answers out of bureaucracy, but his tenacity has now paid off and it has been revealed this alarming matter than cannot be allowed to move forward. Here’s how that this disgraceful chicanery – The ‘Pie attributes it directly to the mayor – has been engineered. As Phil has said here in comments, the council adopting and signing off on the council’s 2018/19 budget hasn’t happened and it’s way beyond normal time. So, knowing under normal circumstances, this would put the council, mayor and CEO in breach of legal requirements, Phil asked the Department of Local Government what was going on. It appears that on May 30 this year, the TCC quietly sought a two month extension to the normal budget and finance reporting timelines, claiming ‘The extension provides Council the time required to finalise the inspection of assets following the unprecedented monsoonal event and accordingly update the asset register as at 30 June 2019.‘ Minister Stirling Hinchcliffe approved the extension, and given that the usual time lag is already a couple months, this takes the deadline for presenting the budget to the A-G up a December 31st, to be presented to the Auditor General for checking. This is how the Local Government Department informed Mr Batty of the situation: In typical bureaucratic fashion, the time lines are as rubbery as Les Walker’s spine. The ‘monsoonal event’ will by that time be 11 months back, and there are no indications of how long the Auditor-General will take to return the budget and financial statements with the required ticks. It is highly unlikely that the wheels of the Auditor-General’s Heath Robinson checking machine will return anything for the late January 2020 sitting of council, which will likely be the last fbefore the council goes into caretaker mode before the election. And when a council is in caretaker mode, the order of the day is ‘do as little as needed, preferably nothing.’ So Mayor Mullet may well going into the elections without being held accountable for the budget outcomes.The voters will be none the wiser to what she’s been up to. No wonder Townsville is now not just a national joke, but is now mentioned overseas for crime and backwoods politics. |
But one person who isn’t surprised is Bentley … he’s reminds voters when they don ’t know history are bound to repeat it.
What Price Jenny Hill’s Cynical Hypocrisy
so, even with a team of hopefully competent staff, they can’t get their shit together over assets affected by the February monsoon without seeking and getting an two month extension to December 31. Which will bleed well into 2020 … and as demonstrated above, possibly past March, before any budgetary figures are available to the electorate. BUT OFFICIAL EXTENSIONS AREN’T FOR EVERYONE, APPARENTLY – THE MAYOR POINT BLANK REFUSES TO GIVE THE RESIDENTS OF WOODSTOCK AN EXTENSION FOR SUBMISSIONS ON THE WIDELY OPPOSED INDUSTRIAL PARK PAST DECEMBER 20 … THE SHORT NOTICE SUBMISSION PERIOD IS PURPOSELY PLACED IN THE FRANTIC PERSONAL RUN-UP TO THE CHRISTMAS/NEW YEAR BREAK.
But sliding this past all those ratepayers whose whole chosen lifestyle is now under threat – for no good reason – ain’t gunna be the walk in the (industrial) park you expected, Mullet. They will meet you with cattle prods if necessary.
First there was this …
And your lack of proper research is astounding for someone so fond of the ‘feasibility study’. And the local councillor Les Messagebank Walker was nowhere to be seen … or heard on the end of any of the many phone calls from angry residents.
Steamrolled, dragooned, call it what you will, if the council has a coherent argument for this chicanery, ratepayers don’t just deserve an explanation … it is their right to get one. And the residents are right when they say you’ve really fucked this one up, Jenny.
This from one who attended last week’s meet’n’greet’n’hoot.
|
Winx Winx 2,213 approved email hidden; JavaScript is required |
Submitted on 2019/12/03 at 8:51 am I was at the Woodstock “information day” on the weekend (I live in the area), and it is shaping up to be a proper clanger for Jenny. Walker refuses to front up, or even talk to anybody about it. Phone calls and emails are all met with the stone wall treatment. Jenny got collared by the leader of the push and agreed to “do something about it” when the complainant said it was ridiculous they couldn’t even get their divisional representative to talk to them. Turns out the State government may have erred by not consulting with all departments – the Dept of Education is steaming because it’s 1200m from a State primary school, and nobody has done any groundwater testing or hydrological report. One of the TCC-commissioned reports given to the Woodstock group after a bit of arm-twisting included a Main Roads report that mentioned land resumptions necessary to build an overpass. It said no consultation would be carried out until they figured out which properties would need to be resumed. It looks like they will get an extension that will carry any decision past the election which, hopefully, will see commonsense return. The funniest bit in the whole exchange was when the leader of the Woodstock group was told by (I think it was a council town planner, not sure though) that the reason council needed a new High Impact Industrial zone, rather than just shunting everything to the existing one at Yabulu was that the Yabulu precinct was “contaminated”. The Woodstock one is on a watercourse that feeds into the Ross Dam, so that’s comforting to know when you drink a bit of town water, I would imagine. Fun and games. |
This bullying is on the nose, Jenny, and you’re going to get your tits caught in the wringer of forced transparency yet again. You are a manipulative disgrace. You can’t even cheat competently.
What hope Townsville.
Mayor Mullet’s Prescription For Her Sick City – Laughter Is The Best Medicine.
The Townsville Bulletin’s Business Breakfasts have become a comedy club tradition in this town, nothing like starting the day off with a chuckle or two. Comic legends like Lil Patty ‘Hot Lips’ O’Callaghan and Jenna ‘The Iditor’ Cairney cut their teeth at the venue.
But despite the wonderful success of the format – the latest gig, Laughing All The Way To The Game: The Transport Plan For The New Stadium was a real rib tickler – The Astonisher has never been one to sit on its laurels, so they have made created a national first … Karaoke Breakfast With The Stars.
And the first star was none other than Jenny ‘Mayor Mullet’ Hill, who brought the house down on Friday last. A gifted teller of tall tales and a comedian, Our Mullet outdid herself with her opening comments describing how on game and event days at the new stadium, she would drive her mayoral car to a parking spot she had already selected (let’s hope it’s not take she quipped merrily), then catch a bus before walking to the stadium. This riff forced her to stop her act for five minutes when the audience went wild, howling with laughter, banging their heads on the table while thumping out their appreciation on the tables with both fists and falling off their chairs. This was priceless humour, because everyone knows Jenny will drive to the front entrance, get in for free, drink free piss all night with her mates, then get a ratepayer-funded staffie to drive her home. When the pandemonium died down, the tears of mirth were replaced with tears of love and appreciation when Mayor Mullet launched into her signature song, I Did It My Way. And when she reached a particular point (if not high note), there wasn’t a dry seat … errr, eye … in the house.
But such is the magic of this woman, that there was some quiet, reflective moments, when Mayor Mullet explained that only 2% of Townsville people used public transport, and that ‘we need to change that mindset’. The glittering audience lowered their eyes in contemplation at this sage advice, some women clutched their pearl necklaces, the men thoughtfully fingering their gold, monogrammed Loloma cufflinks. Yes, she knows how to stun an audience into silence, does our Mullet. As you have seen, there was much more to her week, but this was surely the highlight.
Mystery Corner: Has KAP member Naughty Nanette Radeck Drunk The Mayor’s KoolAid. Sure Looks Like It.
The local government election is already posing all sorts of conundrums, like where the hell is Sam Cox, who finally makes the big announcement, puts up a couple of billboards, rattles off a couple of empty meaningless slogans and then goes invisible? ‘Out of town’ until today was the reply to a polite inquiry. So perhaps this week, instead mouthing a platitude about ’time to change’, Sam may condescend to tell specifically some of the things he will change, some of the things he will do, rather than what we all know the toxic incumbent has done.
But that’s nothing to the intriguing mystery of KAP member Nanette Radeck, who stood for Bob’s mob in Herbert in the last federal election (she got 9% of the vote). Last Wednesday, Seven News reporter Ben Downie told us - unequivocally- that Nanette Radeck had joined Team Hill as of today (Saturday) and is running for election under the mayor’s banner. Now, in The ‘Pie’s experience, Mr Downie is generally on the money, but here’s the mystery. Since that piece, the Bulletin has run nary a single syllable on what is inarguably one of the year’s major local political surprises. And Nanette Radeck has point blank refused to confirm or deny the report, despite several straightforward queries That is, apart from describing The Magpie and his readers as ‘rush to judgement’ types. Well, Ms Radeck, rushes to judgement in this town are usually caused by a culture of secrecy and very amateur political codswallop.
The ‘Pie knows from experience that the Bulletin always believes it has a sort of divine right to get scoops like this before anyone else, and that TV and even radio should follow after. They get very sniffy indeed … even threatening … when something like this happens, so perhaps we have to think that Jenna is mightily miffed. It would seem Ms Radeck has made the somewhat unwise decision to poke this particular bear for no perceivable reason.
One Nest reader commented that Ms Radeck had publicly stated she would never ally herself with anyone who said Townsville didn’t have a water crisis. Ms Radeck apparently has a pretty wide support base … mostly among the femi-nattering Ladies Who Lunch Then Lurch - and she is clearly well educated and intelligent, all of which so often ends up counting for nothing when one gets seduced by politics. And to think there were quite a few of us hoping you would have a run at the mayor’s job.
So it would seem that voters in whatever division Mr Radeck chooses – or is directed to stand in by Mayor Mullet – will have one choice of a political turn-coat as their representatives. And no amount of twisting blarney about an independent council is going to change that solid fact, Ms Radeck. Or should The ‘Pie not have rushed to that judgement, sweetie?
Well here’s another rush in that direction … never a Mullet favourite and off-side big time with electors, Les Walker may depart the public stage in March, and guess who may have been induced to join Jenny on the promise of becoming deputy mayor? No clues, now ….=
Oh Dear, Will Townsville Have To Endure Another Embarrassing Cock-Up
See this bit of contrived electioneering tripe during the week?
This was nothing more than a manufactured bit of Labor mates campaigning for Jenny, it is truly insulting codswallop they expect us all to swallow with humble gratitude. there was Mooney taking a break from stacking his Townsville Hospital Board with Labor cronies and TEL board member Sandra Harding (Jenny is vice chair) doing their bit for their pal with a confabulated piece of utter bullshit. The basic story from a JCU media release about some castles in the air is one thing, but to somehow link Jenny Hill with it is preposterous and pontless … apart from a campaign opportunity. To start talking in incredible numbers and benefits STARTING 16 YEARS FROM NOW when right at this moment the bloody town is dying for want of simple good grass roots governance is a deeply base attempt at distraction.
Take this Mooney quote: ‘“The precinct has the ability to kickstart the local economy to the tune of an extra $1 billion annually.’ And this : ‘Construction activity was expected to generate $7.8 billion for the local economy.’
Utter bullshit, even given the starting timeline, buried well down in the story, of 2035.
One of the first thing this proposed team of boffins should study is the potency of this trio’s urine and the unique properties of bovine waste … because this is a weak-as-piss bullshit campaign boost for Jenny Hill.
But guess what, these sloppy grinning nincompoops could possibly find themselves on the business end of a legal bazooka. The REAL TropiQ in the Netherlands, of which the originating JCU release makes no mention or link, will almost certainly have something to say about the use of its well established and respected name.
There is no suggestion of any link, so a cease and desist letter is probably winging its way to messer Mooney and Harding. Not The Mullet, she actually has nothing to with it, unless she’s gifting the leftover Adani airstrip money to this mob.
Miscellaneous
It’s an email sent to State Parliament by a clearly well informed person just after an inquiry into the Ross Dam water release was announced. Some wow-factor quotes all through this piece.
And on the local business scene … has Carey Ramm put the Brewery on the market, is it for sale? At least two local bizoids have been approached to gauge interest. Let’s know if you hear anything. Or maybe you can let us know, Carey.
This Is The Equivalent Of Kicking A Man When He’s Down.
Actually, a man kicking HIMSELF when down. Sure Townsville has a juvenile crime problem, but it greatly insulting to the intelligence and to the community as a whole to publish this sort of skewed tripe.
Just for starters, how far do you trust a news site (9MSM) that can’t even select the correct file photograph. That ain’t Townsville, fellas! It’s Port Lincoln, South Australia.
But the real clue to the fallacy of this community bashing is this quote:
“The city is ranked as the 60th worst location in the world for in terms of crime, according to Numbeo, the world’s largest user-contributed database which provides statistics on global cost of living, housing indicators, health care, traffic, pollution and crime.”
‘User contributed’? So that’s where this damning info comes from – some citizens – no one knows how they are selected or if they just simply volunteer information out of sheer frustration – vent on the crime situation here, and sure it’s serious. But to dishonestly write in such a sensationalist and absurd manner to compare this city with Tijuana, Baghdad, Caracas and Tripoli is beneath contempt. Indeed to comparing it with any of the 59 other locations before it is journalistic clickbait of the worst sort.
The real view should be that if you remove the kiddy car stealing out of the equation, Townsville is no worse nor better than just about any other city in Australia. This is one slur we can’t pin on Mayor Mullet … but we can pin it on the those unthinking grandstanders broadcasting of their frustrations to a global site that has no other agenda than to sensationalise un-researched information in the pursuit of money. The lack of dignity and loyalty to your city is astounding. Our problem, we fix it, the world isn’t going to help, just gawk.
‘And where’s the Bulletin in repudiating this crap? You know the Bulletin … the paper that’s all for us.
Wanker Of The Week. Who Gets The Golden Wristy This Time?
A tie … if it was two different people who wrote these Astonisher click-bait come-ons. Probably just the one incompetent … drunk.
In order, they didn’t and it won’t. What rot.
Trump As Chump Gets The Hump
The rare American bird, the Puff Throated Tweeting Trump (genus: anus tangerinus) flew off home early from Europe when other NATO leaders sent him up gutless, referring to him as Donald the Dodderer. He will be back in time for the early Christmas present from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi … a very rare (only two oithers ever) lovely little collection of articles of impeachment. A trial is expected early next year, before it all goes up to the republican controlled Senate to be chucked out as a ‘witchhunt’. But for a man who has no sense of humour, he sure makes a lot of people laugh … often in despair. Our weekly gallery starts with a German view of another clown.
And Finally …
Given all the venal, self-seeking twicers and grifters that people this column every week, The Magpie by contrast wants to make a big shout out to those selfless men and women who day in ,day out, week in , week out, display those currently unfashionable qualities of selfless dedication, courage and stamina cheerfully offered to alleviate the adversity of total strangers … the Australian rural fire fighters have restored great faith that often derided Australian core values are alive and well. The ‘Pie salutes you.
…….
Lots to have a natter about in comments and no doubt plenty coming up, don’t miss your chance to have a say. And if you think The Magpie’s alternative voice is of value to you, a donation to help the Nest along will always be greatly appreciated.
The Mayor will park her car and catch a bus to the Game ? Setting a fine example. But ? Will her car be there when she gets the bus back or will one of the local stars of Grand Theft Auto Townsville Edition have knocked it off by then and gone on a joyride through the city then leave it burned out ? Never fear. When it happens one of the three nodding representatives of the great southeast kingdom will lookup another excuse in their comrades rule book of blame, under the heading starting “ ItsNewmans fault still”
Pie..maybe someone else can verify this whisper too. The land adjacent to the stadium (old rail turn outs on Ross Island side)..how long until the owner of that (very cheap) land submits a development application for a car park? The purchase price was next to nothing, the stadium needs car parking. The landowner (entity) can then donate/ cycle more $$ to our wonderful MPs. It’s the Kev Seymour method. Should I take my tin foil hat off?
Who owns the land?
Certain landowner who rolled out the ol’ railyards development on Flinders Street West…
If you mean Peter Honeycombe, why don’t you say so? You haven’t suggested anything illegal HAS taken place, nor is it likely. Look, this is an example of unnecessary coy secrecy and ambiguous riddle-me-this … and we get quite enough of that from the Power Elite, thanks.
Sorry Pie, some of us pretend to be the smartest in the room when we really aren’t!
Outline of events,
1) Honeycombes acquire land on peppercorn deal
2) land is highly valuable to a nearby land locked development (Cowbs HQ), new owner knows this, given heads up from her majesty
3) DD into development opportunities for car park and ancillary developments (only fair)
4) land is contained within CBD incentives area (discount on infrastructure contributions)- car park best use for lowest cost
5) HPG can then be our saviour on traffic issues
6) effectively (at their construction expense) getting major win financially
It’s the heads up and land deal terms that I/ we have issue with
Well, OK, but that doesn’t seem too far away from how business is done when you consider that no matter what Honeycombes perceived or real shortcomings (woeful architecture, high density slums of tomorrow) tradie disputes etc Honeycombes have actually done something, and spent their own money – a bloody lot actually – and provided three times more jobs that the number of staff sacked by the council. If all the shifty white shoe pals of the mayor did half as well without standing around posturing for Astonisher happy pics, we’d be very well off indeed, and The Magpie would be redundant. (Now there’s an incentive, Jenny!).
cf the hopeless crap involving the Ross Creek frontage behind Northtown. A sleazy middleman trying to make a buck without doing anything or really caring beyond a quick payday. And how did that work out for you, chum? certainly hasn’t worked out to well for the town with another eyesore festering away in a prominent position.
I think Honeycombe has it on a $1.00 lease from TCC.
Have those terms ever been confirmed or is it Commercial in Confidence ?
The Honeycombes have done more for Townsville than most, showing support in a failing economy when others have not. It’s way too easy to bag them instead of recognising their contribution.
Exactly.
At the time it was on the front page of the Newspaper.
I dont think this is correct. Honeycombes deal was with Aurizon if I recall the media not TCC for the stadium side land. A car park is a great idea isn’t it although I am sure there will longer term plans. All credit to the bloke if that happens for a while rather than it laying empty for another 10 years. Saddens me how townsville people now think doing something, if that something makes someone a little profit is a bad thing. We should be prouder than this and used to be….
Indeed, Trevor, The ‘Pie has never lived anywhere on this planet … and that’s plenty of places … where the dumb politics of envy was alive and prevalent. IOt is a scourge on this town, but is regularly played up to by self-styled wealthy ‘battlers’ champions’ like Hill and Mooney, while behind the scenes, scheming away with the best of them.
Pretty sure there’s a big problem with the contamination of the honeycomb site to be cleaned up yet before anything goes ahead. 50 million I was told. As was the stadium site which had the same issues. I don’t think it’s a big secret just a massive amount of money needed to get to next step
Yep, that’s always been the case … and this ‘site contamination’ is yet another nanny state cash cow for the government … because the risk is mainly bullshit.
Another great blog Pie . As insurance renewals start coming in, although we expected increases the amounts i.e. up to 30% for some non effected areas to 50% – 160 % fo effected is creating major issues for many residential and investors on how to try and fund the increases and thats those who can actually get cover . Colin Dwyer got an article in today’s Sunday Mail ( copy emailed) stating since Cyclone Larry insurance costs have doubled and in North Qld it has cost $1 bil in the last decade . Townsville businessman David Bowers said cover for the body corporate of a 20 unit complex has increased from $84k-$220k a year so $6,800 a unit . It’s understandable that discretionary income is being diverted from local businesses to fund insurance . Of course the State Government stipend of stamp duty ( if removed could reduce policies by up to 9% ) on insurance continues as a cash cow .
Simplistic amateur hour stuff Mike, don’t be sucked in by this sort of crap typical of economists like Colin Dwyer and his lack of general understanding of business. Insurance costs reflect risk, the higher the risk the higher the premium, we had a $1.5 billion flood this year, yet this council have done nothing to mitigate the risks of that happening again, not a thing, so until actions are taken to mitigate that risk, the premiums will rise, so when someone has a question about insurance in Townsville why don’t they direct it at the Mullet and TCC about what actions are being taken to address that risk other than open a new disaster centre in Garbutt for people to have meetings, really bloody helpful that.
The Local Disaster Management Group had a mock disaster for some practice recently.
Was it a cyclone? Since we’re coming into cyclone season. No.
Was it a flood, so they could learn from past mistakes and get it right? No.
Was it a bushfire? Which somehow seems relevant right now. No.
Knock me down and call me a koala
…it was a solar flare.
Given that we are in the 11th year of solar cycle 24 and that flares usually occur in the latter end of the cycle, it’s not really a bad choice. Many cities and regions have been crippled by the impact of a solar flare. In 1989 the province of Quebec lost power following a geomagnetic storm.
Ummm, polite inquiry … are you related to Guy?
Oh dear Magnets…. where did you get this information from. NASA says the next cycle starts in 2020 and may not be as intense, by a significant margin.
“The Sun’s activity rises and falls in an 11-year cycle. The forecast for the next solar cycle says it will be the weakest of the last 200 years. The maximum of this next cycle – measured in terms of sunspot number, a standard measure of solar activity level – could be 30 to 50% lower than the most recent one. The results show that the next cycle will start in 2020 and reach its maximum in 2025.”
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/ames/solar-activity-forecast-for-next-decade-favorable-for-exploration
Not necessarily a premium rise. Friends of mine had their place in Idalia go under. $100k plus for repairs and recent renewal didn’t have an increase.
Cankers , not being sucked in we are actually paying it . Our house renewal +$800 (+33%)/ Investment unit strata title $600 (+50%) . Add this up across the Ville and it will effect disposable income and local businesses as well as more stamp duty $ for the State Government .
That TropiQ story is classic Townsville, think up some hair brain scheme, an artists impression, chuck up a number with lots of zeros on it, put up a date many years from now and hope the gullible dick heads of this town lap it up, which they generally do. I am amazed that Harding would put her name to another idea out at JCU after failing to get the private hospital idea off the ground, showing once again that unless it’s begging from Govt the leaders of this town have no idea how to engage private enterprise and secure an outcome, just bloody hopeless.
‘Pie, did you notice in the media release concept illustration that the proposed buildings for the proposed TropiQ complex next to the hospital more or less completely cover the current public car park. Although I guess that won’t affect the mayor’s ability to access the area for her next photo opportunity because she will be going by bus, won’t she?
And the secure mental health facility seems to have disappeared. Relocated to Walker Street?
Walker St facility not secure. They get out, walk the streets, and stand in front of cameras.
All except Les Walker … stays inside with the crayons and crash helmet.
It appears that the State government or the council have installed a new spinning plant in “The Astonisher” under the pseudonym”Eugene” who is espousing everything positive about the two entities. as Cranky pants has stated the fools in this town will fall for it, hook line and sinker.
Dear Pie,
I think you were being a bit unkind to the Mullet regarding her parking her car and catching the bus to the Total Tool Stadium. Clearly she was referring to after the Council elections in March 2020.
Surely this Nanette business is not true? A Katter supporter getting into bed with the Labor party??? WTF is going on here – surely NOT?!!
Just how is this Mullet going to be reeled in and stopped. Seems to be as slippery as a Bali-belly discharge – is Mr Cox going to do a progressive expose as we move towards poll time???
Interesting to note, in context of a possible Radeck -Team Hill is she/isn’t she announcement, that the Radeck family have a strong connection with Mooney going back to the Eighties through the University Football Club
The way all the networks work in this town you just never know….
This from the FUGS (Former University Greats) Facebook page:
Yup,The ‘Pie mentioned that connection during the federal election – just that her dad had coached the same team Mooney was involved with. Only hole in your theory WW is that Mooney cannot abide The Mullet, and like many other Laborites, is mightily pissed with the ‘independent’ farce. But back in those days, an ambitious Mooney was what has been called in political circles, a ‘young thruster’ – an extremely apt phrase generally for Mr Mooney – and being the prominent character he was, it is odds on that he was very well acquainted with Ms Radeck. So while Labor haters never forget, those in the good books are always remembered.
Perhaps he is playing a long game and setting up a Mullet replacement….so that he can continue to pull the strings behind the scenes.
Yes! Speaking of University Rugby League Club.
They were raising fund through new membership in the late 70’s early 80’snto build a League’s Club. I paid $25 for membership, carried the receipt around in my wallet for years.
Never heard another bloody thing, and yes, Mr Mooney was treasurer.
Today they call that Crowdfunding !
Nanette was/ is a school teacher, most of whom are rusted- on Labor believers!! It does not surprise me at all! P.S. Good news about Les, ( if it turns out to be true ) let’s hope so anyway. I’ve been anticipating a call back from him now for over 3 years!
Please correct me if I am wrong here, but…
Our local bus company had an upgrade to its onboard ticketing system several years ago which was in fact a regression. The new ticketing system did not include GPS capabilities which enable the bus company to locate busses and see if they are running on time. This also assists with children not being picked up and allegations of bus driver misconduct.
This also means that Townsville has no online app where we can see how far away our bus is, if it’s late or early. Other cities have this.
Additionally, until this year the last review of our public transport network was many years ago. Far longer than other regional cities, and as such it wasn’t capable of meeting the demands of the city. This is mostly because our local politicians weren’t interested in public transport and only put pressure on the State for Stadiums and such.
This meant that there were no frequent public transport services to areas like Northern Beaches, Oonoonba. Not enough busses to meet demand. And busses which ONLY run on arterial roads.
It’s not that people prefer to drive cars, but that the public transport system just doesn’t meet the needs of the community.
I get it’s a circular reference thing, why change when there’s no demand, there’s no demand because they won’t change. Sunbus would probably justify by saying it suits the people using the service.
I tried out the journey planner on a few different start and end points, most of the routes seem to be around the 1 hour mark which seems a little on the high side, but I guess it depends on start and end and how close you are to the hubs like City/Stockland/Castletown etc.
I did laugh when I saw the option to get form the City to Annandale on a Sunday involves a 48 minute walk, must be the same team on the stadium transport plan. But that’s the point isn’t it, the route isn’t high demand so it has one lousy option.
Link for anyone who’s interested.
https://translink.com.au/townsville
Serious question. The ‘Pie has been in Townsville for just on 30 years, and never has he seen a bus even half full, let alone chockers. Has anybody seen one looking like a better than break even load? admittedly, when the old bus terminus was operating, there were quite a few punters from time to time, but that’s all gone west now. What we have here is a classic case of a distant bureaucracy creating rules so local managers start pulling plans out of the air. What’s more, since we are told officially that only 2% (two) of the population use public transport in Townsville, those really big buses look a massive waste of money.
I see dozens of them chocker’s every time there’s a Cowboys home game. But otherwise, they’re (the buses) not paying for themselves.
Was controller, senior controller and before that diver of the blue bombs, 2007 to 2013. New ticket machines came with the new buses back in 2009. We’re swiftly removed and put in storage. I was tasked At the time to take GPS readings of every bus stop in the network in 2010 to herald in the translink network. Within the network the company covers northern NSW to Cairns, Townsville was referred to the “Dark Side of the Moon” by the parent company. Too hard to manage to hard to get funding. GPS tracking and CCTV have been part and parcel since 2012. But when a complaint is made the footage always managed to have a technical fault. During the Bligh years my then manager and I put forward planning for a Sunday all city timetable, plus new routes to new suburbs being built. The short answer at the time was that the a Gold Coast had just won the bid for the Commonwealth Games. No funding for anything north of Noosa indefinitely. There was also a proposal for a new stadium at either the show grounds or current new site. Our planning showed a crowd in excess of 15 000 could not be guaranteed to arrive before the game on time or be cleared within the required 3 hours. Only three exit points. Throw in a slow moving frieght train and it could blowout to 6 hours. But as usual best laid advice ignored in time. I’m really interested to see what happens the first game. Maybe my old boss and I were wrong and our madam mayor and the three local noddies are right in this case.
The journey planner is rubbish. Has a heavy Brisbane bias, I tried using a few months back when I was in town for a reunion… Gave up & started searching for pdf’s of the routes & got shunted back to Brisbane routes…
I used to use the old route 5 a lot to get from Douglas to the airport to fly out due to convenience. The old site was much more user friendly….
More importantly, would someone please explain to Mr Mooney the rule about buttoning a suit?
Well, buttoned or unbuttoned, it’s way better than the drab double breaster he wore to court as a witness for News Ltd when they lost the defamation case … the suit looked like he bought it at an ex-KGB spy’s 1950’s garage sale.
Geez Polythene Pam, you do tackle the big issues don’t you?
There is no issue more important than how to properly button a suit – for a 2 button suit top button always/bottom button never – as I was forced to tell Alan Kohler (he has learnt the error of his ways and now correctly buttons his suit whenever he appears on TV).
And next week, the etiquette of overcoats in north Queensland during summer.
Do you know how to button your lip?
That remark is for PP not your Pieness
“as I was forced to tell Alan Kohler”. Good lord, I’ve heard it all now: pretentious? moi?
Just a bunch of greedy egotistical fools
With out any view out side of there own top end of town mentality
Mayor Mullet is an expert for taking credit for things she has little to do with.
If you read the Astonisher she is totally responsible for the stadium, which has been funded by taxpayers, not ratepayers.
The one thing the Mullet is responsible for regarding the new stadium is local transport and while the stadium is on track for Elton’s retirement benefit in February, no transport plan exists at this late stage apart from the bus stop in Ogden Street.
From what I hear they’ve only just started working on a “plan”.
But she wasn’t just waxing lyrical about her non-existent stadium transport plan this week.
She is also responsible (apparently) for bringing big time concerts and events to the stadium in the future.
I almost rolled off the couch with laughter when I read this quote from the Mullet during the week:
“What we need to do now is work with everyone to ensure that it is not just the events that we want to go to, it is also marketing those events in Sydney and Melbourne to attract those people up here.”
So there you have it – if Pink decides to include Townsville in a future Australian tour, fans in Sydney and Melbourne will go to the expense of booking flights and accommodation to come to the Townsville gig rather than take a bus or taxi to their local stadium to get “Pinked”.
I asked one of the biggest promoters in the country what Townsville would need to do to be included on national tours by big name acts in future and he smiled, shook his head, and said:
“Why would a promoter go to the expense of transporting an artist plus their entourage, backing musicians and tons of equipment to Townsville for one concert in an open roof stadium when they can simply put on an additional concert in a capital city.”
The Mullet could, of course, stump up a couple of million of our ratepayer dollars to cover the transport costs – if Townsville wasn’t $300 million + in debt.
Didn’t Tony Mooney get dumped as mayor because our debt reached $100 million?
Errr OLTD accommodation you say, what accommodation do you mean, I’m assuming that you mean 3 or less star rated collection of hotels and motels that make up the majority of the accommodation within this city. If they’re wanting to attracted southern visitors as distinct to those who get sent here for work related purposes then someone needs to build a few hundred 5-star hotels.
I was at The Ville today and noticed that the standards here have slipped with staff in a variety of poorly presented uniforms not ironedand you could see the tatt on one young female staff members lower bottom (Now that might cause yoyr readers to flock to The Ville), customer service has slipped and customers having to ask staff to put up shade umbrellas on the deck outside the Quarterdeck after standing in the sun for a period of time as no other tables were available. Looks like management need to get out of their offices and walk around the hotel at random times.
However, the pizzas were damm good as I peer over my waistline but it’s Christmas time and the personal trainer will be waiting to inflict his weight reduction program of exercises in 2020.
A transport plan you say?
Let me see, how many buses do Sunbus have?
How many drivers would make themselves available?
Which shopping centres would act as a car park for those wanting to catch a bus, not forgetting 7 day trading?
Will the bus price be included if you have pre-purchased like in the South east?
I doubt Mullet could answer any of those questions
But here is an idea to mull over
People from Ingham to Northern beaches could get on an historical train included in the price and maybe. The same could happen from Ayr.
Some smart operator could even do a weekend package deal with overnight motel stay for the late evening games.
Did Radeck ever actually answer you polite question on Facebook? Or should I say the repeated questions.
No but suggested she was happy ton talk about bit with The Magpie and his ‘rush to judgement’ readers tomorrow(Monday). Alas, apart from the normal voice problems, there was a slight accident on the weekend and now there is no voice until the hospital does a quick grease and oil change sometime this week. What we don’t get is what is wrong with a simple yes or no? That indicates that Nanette knows there’s likely to be some push back … as there usually is when a deal is made with the devil. And there remains the mystery of the Astonisher’s silence. This is one time The ‘Pie hopes he has got it completely wrong, but as explained to Ms Radeck, people tend to rush to judgement in the absence of facts … and there is no reason that should be the case regarding a simple question.
As Jim from the Vicar of Dibley would say No No No No No No No No……Yes
Been told that a number of long term Cowboys game attendees will no longer be attending home games as they will be unable to get to the new stadium and have been told that there is no area near the stadium where people with wheelchairs and other disabilities will be able to be dropped off and picked up. Apparently they have been told that they will have to get to and from the designated public bus stops or park in the CBD or at Reid Park and either be wheeled or walk to the Stadium. Sounds about right as entrance to Stadium is off Stanley St at end of Lowths Bridge and Dean Park will be closed on home game days. Also told that Saunders and Dean St will be closed as will Stanley St from Odgeon St. What a f**k up.
Have friends who’s parents have been season ticket holders since the Cowboy’s started who are in the same boat.
The Cowboy’s couldn’t tell them the parking/traffic plans so they have decided not to renew, sure many are in the same boat. Getting on in years, and not physically able to hike from the bus hub, or where ever else parking is going to be.
Council I think published some time ago that Stanley Street Bridge will be closed, this is to allow for all the pedestrian traffic after the game who are supposed to be heading for the Bus Hub/Palmer St/Flinders Lane etc.
Going to be interesting on a Friday afternoon with all the normal CBD Workers trying to get home, but raises another question where will the usual Dean St Carpark workers be parking on Friday game days?
Bus hub Science? You mean bus shelter don’t you – it’s a freakin joke to even refer to it as a hub!
You’re right of course, in fact shelter is probably being generous as well.
It’s a collection of bus stops…not sure what the right term is – disappointing comes to mind.
By the way I didn’t mean to suggest I agree with the “vision” of everyone walking from the stadium to the CBD, I remain highly sceptical it will work out that way for various reasons including lack of parking and lack of venues.
Look, you all know how The ‘Pie hates to be brutally frank, and always likes to cushion the blow heh heh heh …. but the success of the new stadium and any resultant traffic chaos will depend on one thing … the Cowboys performance in 2020 and beyond. A quick check of crowd figures for the past few years will show the fickle nature of the Cowboys fans – if they are duds in 2020, or even performing mid-table, who is going to spend dwindling discretionary money and make intricate travel plans (involving leaving your car at risk of being kiddy-jacked) to watch a losing team?
It’s a collection of bus stops…not sure what the right term is – Terminus comes to mind, in all its variations.
Maybe expand on hub and name it Hills Hub-ris?
Well, shutting Stanley Street south of Ogden Street on home game days won’t work. The 400+ residents of The 2 Urban Quarter buildings and the Mint apartment will be trapped in their homes with no way of leaving (by car anyway).
I hope Elton is planning on singing quiet ballads. The first time the wowser brigade deem the music “Too Loud”, the complaints will be flying.
Mooney, geeezas, is he still leeching off the public purse. Always been a shifty bastard, first met him in the Vale Hotel in the early 80’s when he used to sell raffle tickets for JCU footy team I think it was, cunning little bastard even back then. I left Townsville in the late ’90s, to get away from the you know what crime problem, yes the protected race? and away from a corrupt Mooney led council and Moonies Sargent at arms Barry Taylor. It’s a shame to see the corruption ongoing in what was a town I loved. Good to see you Pie, keeping an eye on all these pricks. Just a shame Townsville Council and State Government have been riddled with grubs for so long.
Looks like his son will follow in Tony’s footsteps.
Currently working for Council and now running for Council. I wonder if Colleen was pushed?
Well don’t have to worry about redneck interview now magpie. And I’m sure chris Condon would be thrilled to see another Mooney running for council. If this clown Sam Cox dosnt start to say things then he’s as good as useless. He got some running in the paper when he announced and he’s been silenced ever since. The paper has alot to answer for to for running big picture’s of the mayor with all good stories, but where a the rebuttal interview??? If there’s a story relating to Townsville on Monday he should be in the paper Tuesday with something.
Anyone know the rules surrounding council employees running for council? Do they have to resign from their positions like state and federal candidates?
Nah, they can apply for up to six weeks leave without pay.
If they don’t get elected, it’s back to work on Monday
Went online last week to find out how much Cowboys season tickets cost at the new stadium and google search somehow took me to a NRL website that showed the number of 2020 season tickets sold by each club so far. With the new stadium I thought Cowboys would be up there with the Broncos and big Sydney clubs but no, they were last on the membership list, behind even the hapless Gold Coast Titans.
No wonder Lozza Lancini is moving south next year.
Apparently 5000 of season ticket holders from 1300 have signed up for 2020 according to a little video sent last week from the Cowboys, don’t know what percentage that indicates, but I know 10 years ago it was 9000 plus corporates for about 12,000 guaranteed seat count each game, don’t think it would be that high now. Cost isn’t the issue, families can still get season tickets for $612, not bad value, so one would assume that access etc would be the main thing keeping people away. I was looking at some corporate options for work which again were reasonably priced but I have no idea how I can get in or out of the place and the rules are simple, if cranky doesn’t go, no one goes, so at this stage we ain’t going.
As a matter of interest, do season tickets holders … who have after all bought a seat at every game … counted as attending even if they didn’t? Just askin’.
Something many of us wonder Pie, and looking at the people in the stands some days and how many they say are in attendance I would have to think they do, the seat is sold, they can’t sell it to anyone else so it is highly likely they take the core season ticket numbers and add the variable of single match day tickets to get a total.
Just like the Bulletin does with circulation figures … give ways are counted as sold.
I would say season ticket holders are counted, even if they don’t attend.
I was at Bronco/Titans game at Suncorp Stadium and they announced the crowd at 35,000 but then said actual figure was 24,000 as 11,000 ticket holders did not attend.
Hey Pie. Sick of life? want to do a bit of self harm? Have a gander at the latest offering from the TRAA .
just a heads up for you.
–
JENNY HILL NOT TO BLAME FOR THE WEATHER BUT” DID CORRUPTION HELP TO SINK A CITY?
You get an honorable mention if you have the patience to wade thru it all.
I don’t.
Middle to senior management in the Council shall have no issue with parking at Total Tools. They’ll simply park securely under the building at 143 Walker Street and stroll down to the grounds, past all the food vans and street entertainment. Bit of an uphill walk back, particularly when you are chockas with all the free piss and deep-fried food, but, hey, we are here to serve, right?
Jenny`s pedestrian plan seems to have overlooked the fact that when the first game kicks off in the open air stadium against Broncos March 13 (Friday) . It is still the wet season, and with the current fickle nature of the weather, it could well extend beyond April. Cyclone anyone?
WHAT? Surely you’re not saying the boardwalk will not be a COVERED board walk, one that protects from both rain and sun? Come off it, no one would try that on. Would they?
I’m assuming that Jenny’s traffic management plan will get a test on Saturday 29 February for Elton John’s concert. I’m imagining the comments from the numerous visitors that are supposed to becoming to the city for the concert if the traffic management plan is a f**k up.
I see the Pie’s mate Typo Gleeson is to have his own show on Sky News covering regional issues.
Good opening for the Woodstock Action Group to contact him.
Somebody on ABC local radio speaking on the matter as I type this.
Oh, the mirth of this Monday. This from Sky TV squeaker Typo Gleeson in the Astonisher article (obviously written down south):
It must be a newly found passion for Typo Gleeson, because it was certainly absent in his floundering iditorship and naive editorial dishonesty of the Townsville Bulletin, a stewardship that started the paper’s accelerated death spiral. And it is interesting to note that he didn’t mention Townsville in his CV paean of self-praise – perhaps he has had a shame-faced realisation of the extent of his Townsville disaster.
But the good folk of Woodstock, fighting against the narrow and speculative self-interests of Jenny Hill, should be wary of talking with him. Typo is the ultimate bum kissing bully, easily swayed by convenient winds, and he is hardly likely to go against Labor’s Jenny Hill, because wouldn’t he just get a smacking from Sky colleague and Jenny mate Graham Richardson. What’s the betting the disrupted Woodstock families fighting for their rights will be ‘a selfish clique’ and Mayor Mullet the heroine of ‘jobs, jobs, jobs’.
Please stay away, Typo, you’ve done this town enough disservice already. Go and ask stumbling squeaky questions of some other poor bloody unfortunates you choose to harangue.
I think you will find it is Tom Gleeson, of ABC Hard Quiz and current gold logi holder fame.
I think I won’t.
I think i’m wrong
You’re right.
pity though, he did a great “go away” episode on Cairns
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaTzfDO0q74
Did he do Townsville? Or was it cancelled because it wasn’t funny, just the truth?
Where are you Sam? The forthcoming election is shaping up to be just like the last. That nice shiela, (you know the podiatriste and champion of the premiership women’s basketball team, successful business woman) nominated, then for all intents and purposes disappeared. The electorate, most of whom hadn’t been paying attention until the last minute, voted for the only familiar name on the voting slip, and lo and behold the inimitable JH was returned. Lets hear from you Sam, soon.
Years ago when Ken Turner (One Nation) was the member for Thuringowa I asked him why he had almost nothing to say on current issues, never in the paper.
He advised that he frequently sent articles to the TB but only the very occasional “motherhood” issue would be printed. The TB, now the Astonisher, effectively stoped a member of Parliament from informing his constituents.
Could the Astonisher be doing the same to Sam Cox?
Any ideas anyone?
Well, tad unfair at this very early stage. But we’ll soon see.
Well, well, well, was Ms R a Labor polly in disguise all along? I wonder how the Katters feel about this – duped maybe? Oh dear, looks like we have another ‘I’ll do anything to get to the trough swiller’; very, very disappointing.
On the face of it, agree. But Radeck says in the article Bob and Robbie are ‘supporting her moving to local government’. That leaves the door open to speculation about some interesting backroom conversations.
Hmmm, ok Pie, so maybe she’s to be a Katter mole in the vipers nest then………
Vipers kill moles, not the other way round.
‘Pie, political party closets never get cleaned or closed in this town eh? This will be Sam Cox’s electoral albatross. He might have been known in the ‘burbs of Thurg as a rock solid Campbell Newman/LNP man back in the day but in 2017 he defected into the arms of Pauline Hanson, Steve Dickson and the gun-totin’ One Nation kaleidoscope in the Burdekin. Hard to work out where his politics might now lie but from what we can see of the Jenny Hill team, she seems to have covered all the bases from guns to greenies, cleverly leaving a bit of red meat out at Woodstock as loss-leading bait. Cox’s going to have to establish some sort of beachhead in middle Townsville and frankly I don’t think his CV is up to the task.
No More Dredging Your comment is awaiting moderation.
December 9, 2019 at 11:14 am
‘Pie, political party closets never get cleaned or closed in this town eh? This will be Sam Cox’s electoral albatross. He might have been known in the ‘burbs of Thurg as a rock solid Campbell Newman/LNP man back in the day but in 2017 he defected into the arms of Pauline Hanson, Steve Dickson and the gun-totin’ One Nation kaleidoscope in the Burdekin. Hard to work out where his politics might now lie but from what we can see of the Jenny Hill team, she seems to have covered all the bases from guns to greenies, cleverly leaving a bit of red meat out at Woodstock as loss-leading bait. Cox’s going to have to establish some sort of beachhead in middle Townsville and frankly I don’t think his CV is up to the task.
The Woodstock cock-up has turned up one bit of serendipity for the mayor … it will hasten the demise of arch goof Messagebank Walker. You can bet she has urged him to stay on the sidelines, knowing the rage that has generated among many voters.
Les Walker’s Div10 electorate is the biggest in Townsville – perhaps that’s where Sam should have gone if he really wanted to break in to Local Government (which isn’t all that clear). Because unless some ScoMo turns up to challenge Walker in his Cluden – Oonoonba heartland he’s going to be back. I haven’t seen today’s TBully. Is Hill’s team the same as the last but with those three changes mentioned?
Yup.
Sam’s fate is entirely in his own hands now.
Hey FISH! Where’s this business-type candidate for Mayor you so confidently ‘announced’ was coming, on here a while back?
Keep it relevant and lay off the gratuitous abuse, Plucker, last time The ‘Pie will edit you … next time, delete. Sorry pal, but in an election cycle, credibility will count double. As will the old bird’s available time diminish.
Fair enough Pie, understood – but we can keep jousting, right???
Of course, Plucker, always appreciated and still want your contribution, but you do yourself down with schoolyard nah-nah-nah stuff. Doesn’t do this blog much good for what little credit it already has.
Oh ScoMo … the dumbest thing a dumb person can do is have dumb friends. What a giveaway!!
KEY QUOTE:
Mr Houston uploaded a video to his Instagram on Saturday of himself standing out the front of the grand building, saying: “Well here I am at the White House. Never say never.”
Never say never? Wouldn’t that indicate that a previous attempt to be invited to the White House failed? Like the your mate the PM failing to get you in for a dinner? Which ScoMo huffily refuses to talk about, suggesting by non-response that it bullshit.
Hahahah, you dunce!
Mayor Hill has underlined her survival instinct yet again with a rejuvenation of her team.
The second most recognizable Townsville Sportsperson. A notable person from the other side of politics demonstrating that Team Hill is above Part politics and then some family of local Labor Royalty.
You guys keep underestimating her but I don’t. She will romp it in.
Smack forehead!!!
Why did we not think of this before???Especially when you’ve got master of the political manoeuvre Dolan Hayes hovering in the background.
For all her imbecility in business and finance, Jenny Hill has had the rat cunning (or good advice) to realise in the past few months who might enter the field to offer a credible serious challenge to her cushy little number in Walker St. She clearly isn’t worried by Sam Cox, in her estimation he’s no threat, especially when he’s taken the political cut-price route of not running a team. So who, she wonders, who now is around who might be a problem. Our mayor long ago realised that all those ‘distressed’ business people around the place, typified by the knock-kneed Chamber of Commerce, have no will or sense of community sacrifice to run against her. So … hmmm, who … oh, wait just a minute. Only one person springs to mind that could be a very real threat, someone whose name has been frequently mentioned as an alternative mayor.
Nanette Radeck, of course. Bit of a profile, good talker, got the populist chat down pat and despite a stellar academic CV, manages an Aw gee shucks I’m just ordinary folks persona. This last one would be a big problem for Jenny because that’s her territory, talking directly the soon-to-be blue rinse set. On top of that, Nanette Radeck can still turn blokes heads as she walks past, so there’s the drongo male vote right there, and any po-faced boiler-suited feminnazi who wants to take issue with that statement should stay out of politics.
So what to do? Would Radeck sell out?
Would she bloody ever!!
God knows how much time, effort and scheming went into it, but the answer appears to have come to pass … recruit your one most potentially destructive candidate to be on your team. The ‘Pie would bet that part of the inducement would a promise of the deputy mayoralty, and Ms Radeck is super ambitious to get the lips comprehensively around the public tit to find the idea most attractive. Jenny is aware that Les is on the nose big-time, and is aiding and abetting his own demise with a disgraceful performance in his own division, first on the Goodsell’s dust saga at Cluden and now the refusal to even meet and talk to the Woodstock dissenters. So the role of deputy doo-dah – wholly ceremonial in this council – will likely be up for grabs thus avoiding a messy arm twisting council vote.
But in the unlikely event of Walker getting re-elected, that would pose sizeable problem for Jenny, especially in the unlikely event that Les Walker is re-elected. Shunting him aside for someone who is a Katter anti-Labor gal at heart will cause a massive implosion in Townsville’s diminishing platoons of rusted-on Labor foot soldiers, but not to worry, our Jen will have four years to sort that out.
The ‘Pie has many thoughts about Mayor Mullet, but underestimating her is not one of them.
It is still a disappointment. I wonder if she will slavishly support everything the Mullet brings to the table, assuming the worst, or could Nanette form an opposition of sorts?
That would be doubly down on treachery. Surely not.
Good government is assisted by a good opposition.
That does not include the bloody loony Greens, that would be best used as compost for the garden. I said, “Good opposition”.
Back to happy 4 hours
With only 25.5% of first preferences in the federal election I don’t think you need worry too much about “rusted-on Labor foot soldiers.” And with Annastacia Albanese piffle paffling and wiffle waffling about coal and jobs and Townsville’s port expansion at the expense of the GBR and the soon-to-be-quarried Upper Ross suburbs (also in Les Walker’s Div 10), Labor is set to be even more on the nose around town. See how Jenny Hill is maintaining a discreet distance from rusted-on Labor Party figures. Makes sense. She’ll be holding hands with ScoMo by the time the election comes.
NMD – is that not in Molochino’s bailiwick?
LB, I beg your pardon – you are quite correct. The port’s quarry site is in Division 4 – Molochino country. My mistake arose, I think, because the 2016 Council announcement about the quarry was made by Deputy Mayor Walker. It included this little detail:
“While the nearest residence is 9 kilometres away, the quarry will be subject to a range of conditions to mitigate against potential impacts including noise, dust, ground vibration and stormwater run-off, and truck movements in the local area.”
As part of the proposal, the port will construct a private road to haul the rock from the quarry onto Riverway Drive, and then to the port via the ring road to avoid utilising Granitevale Road.”
Well, that’s an absolute lie. I calculate that our block is only 6 KM from the quarry (direct line), and there are dozens – if not hundreds – of occupied properties closer than us.
LB, I’ve found it difficult to locate the precise position of this port quarry, which, as far as I can tell, is completely different from the existing “Pinnacles” quarry located near Kelso. As far as I can see the 1200 hectares block of freehold land is just west of the point where Granitevale Road hits the Black River. Do you know this area well? Apart from a few scattered houses there is the town of Rupertswood well within cooee. If this is the location then a “private” haul road from Granitevale Road across to Kelso and Riverway Drive will be quite an undertaking. Wonder when that will be built?
Round Mountain. Sticks out like dogs b….ls
Fishframe, thanks for that but it doesn’t make sense. I know that Round Mountain is in the Pinnacles area near the RR Dam and the other ‘Pinnacles’ quarry but this is kilometres away from Granitevale Rd which, at its limits extends in to Pinnacles National Park. The port purchased a 1200 hectare freehold block some years ago. It should be easy to identify but I can’t find it.
No More Dredging – from my experience, there is an extension of Granitevale Road (which is gazetted but locked gate to you and me) which pops out part way between Round Mountain and Humpybong Station. My guess is everything will come out through Pinnacles area down through upper Ross, over Ring Road past Lavarack and onto Port Road.
Fishframe, not sure you’ll still be following this on Saturday afternoon but still . . . .
I’ve been to the locked gate up Granitevale Road – past Rupertswood and Mt Margaret, off the asphalt, through a couple of floodways and under the high voltage powerlines – about 8 kms up from Herveys Range Road. Still in the north flowing catchment of Black River. I think it’s about here where the port quarry is proposed. The shortest route from here to the port would be back down Granitevale Road but the Council (and others likely) do not want that to happen. They want the Port to “construct a private road to haul the rock from the quarry onto Riverway Drive”. Now I suppose if the quarry was over the top of the range and into the catchment of the Ross it would still be possible to construct such a road around the back but the implication seems to be that a new road will be constructed from near Mount Margaret (somewhere) across to something like Allambie Lane, Kelso. Does this seem feasible to you or have I got this arse about somehow?
Re your reference to po-faced boiler-suited feminnazi`s, my daughter recently graduated with a Bachelors (masculine) degree, if they are so obsessed with PC and “feminine” issues surely it should have been awarded as a Spinsters degree?
Its like when they fucked up, by calling all theater performers Actors, which is masculine, ergo they downgraded and neutralised the very females (Actrix) they claim to represent by not emasculating the blokes.
WW,
Cox is a “sniff the breeze” merchant who swings to wherever or whomever he thinks will get him elected to whatever level of government. He has absolutely no hope, based on his previous form and lack of any meaningful input to the debate.
Radeck is in the same camp.
Likewise, I can’t stand Hill. She is too clever by half while (at the same time) as dumb as dog shit. That said, I have been saying for weeks that Hill will romp it in. The great unwashed REALLY couldn’t give a stuff who the Mayor is and most would have no idea who their Divisional Councillor is. She will win in the apathetic stakes, hands down.
Anyone else running for a position should hope that their name is first on the ballot paper – that’s a sure-fire winner.
J S’n, How about having a run in Division 10. It’s ripe for picking.
I know that you don’t underestimate her Magpie. Others here do. When the bomb goes off, only Cockroaches and Jenny will be living in Townsville. Long me she reign.
Well, Willy – you and I agree on at least one thing. I despise her style and duplicity, but I am pretty well sure she will get re-elected. So far as No-Yes –Nanette is concerned, I hope she never tries out for the big game again, her treachery and cynical avarice will be a gift for any half-way decent opponent.
At least the basketball player has had good practise at raising her arms in the air the highest.
She will agree with every thought fart and dumb arse idea and proposal that the mullet puts up.
Give her a break … she’s a sports person. Thus window dressing … at the moment, you never know.
Be super sad if such a nice respected person, beloved by the Townsville public, becomes just another Hill puppet.
Just got back from the Rasmussen shops.
Indiginese openly harassing people for money in the Woolworth’s car park.
Lady behind cash register advised that;
1. a waste of time calling the police as they won’t or cannot stop this behavior,
2. only a matter of time until open theft from the store increases, with the resultant threat to staff and
3. whilst being polite to all customers daily she is called a “White C##t.”
It really makes one proud to live in this part of the town, served by politicians keenly attuned to our wants and needs and are always ready to act.
This slow motion catastrophe is going to end in tears, one way or the other.
Dave, I gave up on that place last year. Now, I drive all the way down to Coles at the bottom of Thuringowa. Cleaner, better stocked and much nicer clientele. Plus shaded parking. I still stand by the long-suffering newsagent, though. Grumpy old bugger, but can’t do enough for you.
Funny, The Magpie is also a purveyor of news, and also fits your description.
You are correct on both accounts. I only needed a bottle ( a plastic ) of milk.
Hey yeah I go there too, woolworths Rasmussen is a basketcase now.
What’s sad is they are about to build a new store costing millions , nothing will change.
They will have to keep the car park pot holes. They have been there so long they are now heritage listed.
This is exactly what happened to Coles at Rising Sun but they also had the Rising Sun lot to contend with. A lot of Coles Rising Sun customers now go to the Annandale or Fairfield Waters Shopping Centres. Another story of how powerless the police, really have to feel sorry for our hard working police officers, are against the ALP government and do-gooder protected species.
Nanette
https://tenor.com/view/vicar-of-dibley-yes-no-gif-13150090
The Astonisher really needs to lift its game and be more responsible in their FB posts rather than just aiming for a click bait response.
This post refers to a fatal traffic accident “on the Bruce Highway south of Townsville”. It turns out the accident was at Mt Ossa, about a half hour north of Mackay.
The majority of people who see the post can’t read the story (‘subscriber only’ ) to see the detail of the actual location. Click baiting the location of this tragic accident as being ‘south of Townsville’, just creates unnecessary worry and concern for locals with family and loved ones living or working in the southern approaches and suburbs of Townsville.
Perhaps I’m over reacting, but I’m not comfortable with this click bait technique which is becoming a quite common approach used by the Astonisher.
‘There wasn’t any ‘no nukes’ deal.’ Kim must be loving all this.
So the Townsville Hospital is undergoing a name change. As a long term patient over 12 years I have to ask the question at what cost ? Currently wards and units are understaffed, and using equipment that isn’t working not maintained and not replaced. Dialysis unit has 6 BP machines among 26 patients. Today only one if those machines is working. One temperature probe working intermittently and one blood sugar tester. 26 beds and chairs, but 7 the controllers to adjust them are missing. Bit uncomfortable having to sit on one for 5 hours not being able to adjust it. Brand new dialysis unit only open one month and outlets for the machines leaking. Poorly designed dialysis bays too small to allow machines to be moved from left or right of the patient so today I’m spending 5 hours with blood lines draped across my neck and staff must lean across me to clamp connect and disconnect lines. In my case last week a staff member forgot to clamp my artificial line. When disconnected from the machine we both got covered with 2 litres of my blood. Very distressing for the nurse. But as they say. You lose the blood they can always replace it. All because of poor design of the unit areas. Seems priorities are a bit upside down as usual. But never fear. Comrade tony will fix everything with a new name.
Bing, I had a gadget implanted in my chest at the Cardiac Investigations Uit last week. I could not fault the staff or the amenities. The morning intake process on the ground floor was a little tedious – why only one person at the counter during such a busy period? I gained the impression that the admin section is very under-staffed. But why change the name? What part of “The Townsville Hospital” is hard to understand? What is the proposed new name?
Well, since it doesn’t involve either the massive costs or the politically spiteful motivation of the change to the perfectly fine Lady Cilento Childr Hospital in Brisbane where wad the problem?), this seems to be a good idea. During my time there, almost all the nurses and many of the medical staff were JCU trained, or in training for their degrees. And it could mean federal dollars for certain upgrades. So it’s not about understanding the name at the basic level, but also its larger place in the community. Plenty of other things that could be looked at out there rather this positive change, like the stacking the board with Labor cronies, favoured ones and out-of-town blow-ins, one who has now famously ‘blown out’ again after less than a year.
I’ve said it before I can’t fault the nurses or doctors. Life saving angels each and every one of them. And they have to put up with miserable old buggers like me all day. My issue Is Mooney and mates won’t give them the basic equipment they need to do their jobs making their day more difficult and not promoting healing environments for the patients. Sack the board buy the needed equipment and give all the medical staff a pay rise instead of changing the hospital name. Not rocket science.simple solutions for simple problems. Only fools makes complications to make themselves look better if they happen to fix it.
I went to the hospital to give blood. I eventually gave up because they were asking too many questions: Like:
“Whose blood is it?”; and
“Where did you get it?”
Droll.
They asked you where you got it from because in Townsville if it isn’t nailed down it will get stollen
Onya Bing, you’re on fire! Good to read that you are in fine form. Plucka
Bing, even nailed down stuff gets stolen in Townsville. Come the 6th January all the builders will be back at work and checking what’s been nicked from sites over the break. Last year someone removed a fully installed gas hot water system.
Know the criminal element in this town, the first thing they’ll steal from now on is nails.
I saw the signage change on the Discovery Drive entrance yesterday while coming and going from the hospital. I assume the signage on the Ring Road entrance has also been changed.
Mooney is quoted in today’s Astonisher as saying the cost of the change is not significant. Funny how bureaucrats and politicians consider that the costs for vanity exercises like this are not significant when the poor old taxpayer is the one paying.
Just out of interest Mr Mooney, just how much did it cost to remove the old entrance sign, fabricate the flash new one, and pay the four blokes working on it for the day to install it? Did JCU go 50/50 in the cost?
As a dialysis patient do you think you’d be able to find a vein if you had to hook up to an older machine outside of a medical practice??
I’m with plucka, where’s the so called LNP mayoral candidate and team fish??? Sam Cox is as good as done. Heard nothing done nothing. He was quick to get on here after your pasteing of his letter but not a word since. I know people have emailed him and refered the magpie as where the email came from. Don’t wait for a Christmas card Malcolm. Also Suzie batcarvich or how ever you spell it, will if she wins, be known as Suzie “back of the bus” because she will just be a celebrity hand raiser to the mayor. What a joke
Well, at least she’s standing. Are you?
Like Paul Jacob was in the last election. Had a name in the media and around town and as soon as they are elected, boom, they disappear after the first council meeting. Alot of people I’ve spoken with have lost respect for Suzie and that’s just fact. Once she put herself next to the mayor who has single handedly fucked this town and hidden it, she lost alot if people surport .weather I run or not has nothing to do with just being a celebrity just so the mayor can guruantee a seat. She’s a sportsperson not a politician. She will do as she’s told. She won’t be a voice for Annandale or Douglas just like the last one. Coombe I think!
I bet the mullet approached JT. But his price would have been too high.
Ray Gartrell, where are you?
Ditto, Gary Eddiehausen?
Or he was quick to see that he’d spend a lot of his popularity capital in one hit. besides, he is actually getting on and doing REAL things, especially with indigenous youth.
I agree that unless another mayoral candidate emerges soon the Mullet will get another 4 years.
But with the city’s debt already at alarming levels, we need a majority of truly independent councillors to stop her from spending us into debt we will never be able to repay. It’s essential that independents nominate in every division to a least give Team Hill a run for its money. Maybe we can’t get rid of the Mullet (hopefully CCC will do that after the LNP removes her protected species status) but surely we have to make the council more transparent and prevent the mayor donating ratepayers money to Jamie Durie.
Maybe I should stand. I’ll offer to do the job for just my pension. My mayors salary can go to pay down debt. I’ll take the perks though. First order of business would be to open the books to a full audit. And keep it simple. If I only get $10 in the budget to spend. That’s all I’ll spend. Belts will have to be tightened.
Magpie for Mayor!! On the proviso that we still get our weekend Blog. Nothing like an insider to get the juiciest gossip.
Happy to serve on both fronts … when they invent the ten day week.
The statue sticking out of the water at the Strand should get the “stupid” award for 2019. My taxpayer dollars being put to good use again.
Only seen the pic, so will have a look at the actual thing before commenting.
Given local business and community funded the initial start up cost of the MOUA project (almost $1M I think) and the community consultation showed significant support for the overall project I also …. Get some community pride in your bloody town!!
Seriously, isn’t this the kind of PRIVATELY proposed not for profit project we deserve to have funded a little by the State? I really wish locals would start getting behind projects that support the economy generally, not just go negative just because the Govt you don’t like funded it or it doesn’t benefit your back pocket personally… you have to pay the taxes anyway, would you prefer it fund a park in South bank Brisbane?
Trevor: I think it is the over-cooked hyperbole that pisses people off. It’s an attractive and interesting concept for a limited number (not everyone looks as good as I do in budgie-smugglers). However, it is simply not going to be the massive tourism drawcard that some would have us believe. On top of that, we have become rather cynical of these future projects and concepts that are being pushed down our throat and which will never eventuate. But good luck with it, Trev, it is a worthwhile community asset and I look forward to seeing it.
By the way – who originally came up with the idea? Wasn’t it Shane Fitzgerald?
It sure was Grumps. And mullet threw it in the bin, because it wasn’t her idea.
$2 million of taxpayer money for a couple of statues at the bottom of the ocean. Sealink is the only beneficiary of this complete rort.
So a fair few folks on here are very cranky with the one you call Mullet, Mr Cox and this Radeck person. The basketball star also gets a mention and a Messagebank?
Starting to think I shouldn’t have bothered moving here – is there anyone out there not angry/upset?
Let’s us all know if you find one.
GG, you never said why you bothered in the first place. Perhaps you were an aspirational?
Me.
I’m only mildly peeved.
So, no comments on the Raggatt story today about a proposed nickel refinery at Woodstock?
We’re not talking battery factory here folks. This is a full blown QNI style smoke belching high polluting tailings dam included plant. To be built on the council development at Lansdowne. Seems the council has been involved in advanced negotiations.
Check out the ASX announcement this week from Pure Minerals, page 6. If this goes ahead, where does the battery factory end up? Is state govt across this as there is still a state development piece of land being touted as ready to go for heavy industrial on the Port Road? Has Lansdowne been assessed as suitable for this sort of plant?
Team Hill has been bashing up the locals to get the zoning change in place within months. Something smells here. Ipswich Council II anyone?
https://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20191209/pdf/44cf2dmfj97gmr.pdf
Coffee Mug, the minerals refinery site at Lansdown is right next to the battery factory site. Look up:
Traffic, Transport, Infrastructure and Air Quality Study GHD
In the site layout you can see the battery factory land. The refinery site is larger and on the northern boundary, north of Ghost Gum Rd. You can see from the drainage maps that this portion of Lansdown drains into the Ross River dam catchment. The rest flows east into the Major Creek – Haughton River catchment.
The Mullet’s favourite Holden Commodore being axed. What’s her next vehicle going to be? Suggestions are open!
https://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/motoring/holden-commodore-axed-after-40-years/news-story/afc2d62d60eb79dd2707b0f542aeb1e5
A paddy wagon?
A broom stick.
a Vroom Broom https://images.app.goo.gl/XdRwoR9R2mQYAUhH7
She likes red.
Interesting online comment in TB 50 most influential list
Kerrr-issst!!! Someone’s gunna get their arse kicked down at the Astonisher. Hahahahahahah ….(but very reasonable question, if The ‘Pie may say so heh heh heh.)
And the comment already has 5 “likes” – yikes , who’d a thought!
Well, that didn’t take long did it?
Was the office of the Auditor General lying, by being deliberately evasive … or just incompetent? With the current Brisbane regime, take your choice .. or take both.
The Townsville City Council meeting today adopted their 2018/19 budget, which was mysteriously … make that apparently secretly … signed off by the Auditor General on November 26 … TWO DAYS AFTER PHIL BATTY WAS TOLD THAT THE COUNCIL HAD UNTIL DEC 31 TO HAND IT IN TO THE AUDITOR FOR APPROVAL.
This led to the lead story in the blog on the weekend, and queries from The ‘Pie and Mr Batty in the previous couple of weeks. Mr Batty is fuming at being misled, and as we know from our Phil, this won’t be the end of it, some bum polisher in Brisbane is in for it. As Mr Batty told The Magpie today ‘Not only were they in possession of they had in fact been reviewed and signed off at a date prior to my enquire.’
But anyway, Lo and Behold … shazam, there it is, even on line now for your bedtime reading. Mr Batty is no doubt just one of you citizen journalists combing the council financial entrails for interesting tidbits.
Let’s start with this one … Termination costs for sacking 2 executives , Adele and Beckett , $740,085 ! Yep almost three quarters of a million. And a total termination benefits paid of $1,696,000, which must mean that the other poor sacked staff … effectively, 600 was it? … got to carve up just $995,915.
Battler’s champion Jenny Hill brought in two Labor mates, realised they were as wrong-headed as she was, , and WE pay for it.
Now tell us again that this woman isn’t a massive liability to this city.
Sacked? If the sackings were justified, why anything other than the usual accrued holiday pay? Same upon resignation. What were the terms of the employment contracts? Something smells very fishy here.
It’s clear the council under The Impaler used what is called ‘constructive dismissal’ … in plain terms, make life so unpleasant that people want to leave and either just resign or accept a redundancy they would not have otherwise accepted. Which makes one wonder if Beckett wasn’t a mistake and was the ideal person to assist The Impaler and The Mullet in their callous clean-out.
Yes, but why did we pay “termination benefits” to The Impaler and Beckett? They were not “sacked” – constructively or otherwise. If they were, where were the screaming headlines? If they simply resigned, why the golden handshake? What was in their contracts of employment? I suppose that we are not allowed to ask for a copy – ?
Contracts, almost surely. People at executive level like that don’t go anywhere with a financial parachute.
Indeed Grumps, twice in the last couple of years I have been offered some good packages to wake from my corporate coma, but in amongst all the things these companies were prepared to offer a minimum term contract was rejected on both occasions, because HR people know the pitfalls of such clauses, so why then is TCC offering these sorts of contracts.
Astonisher seems to have missed this financial detail. No surprises really. It probably wasn’t in the media release they received.
Jenny Hill paid more to Adele Young, Beckett and Jamie Durie than on flood repairs for the whole city, no wonder this town is fucked, why would anyone with half a brain want to invest in this corrupt shithole.
So the operating surplus has jumped due to a drop in depreciation costs…..the easiest way to cook the books and magically turn an underlying deficit into a surplus is to reduced the rate of depreciation expenses….or is it perhaps that TCC have no worthwhile assets left to depreciate…..just saying…..
Pie, my read of those financial statements is that former CEO, former director of finance and former GM of comms got the$1.69m. There may be some others in the payout figure as TCC has an exceptionally high turnover rate for staff.
Mr Batty?
Pie , thanks for the work ( and Phillip Batty on T.C.C. 18/19 annual report and appalled but not surprised that $ stipend paid to Adele the impailer, Screaming midget , Jamie Durie = Councils flood clean up work $1.5 mil which is a reflection of what priorities our Labor Mayor has and it shows . Would T.C.C. Economist David Lynch (the one you never hear from) one of the $300k employees ?.
Question: Given the size of the financial hand out to these three Labor mates, when put into perspective with flood repairs and in light of the level of TCC debt is there grounds for an accusation of corruption?
It seems corrupt to me, or at least criminally unethical. I know the Puddleduck will protect the Mullet, but is this not something that someone, let’s say, Sam Cox, should refer to the CCC.
Have a look at the attached and pay particular attention to the dates of the meetings and the date the minutes were presented.
Mullet is a magician, 2 of the 4 had minutes submitted before the meeting was held by months.
It would seem that the State (Puddleduck) Auditor General’s office did not read the TCC 2018/19 budget report.
Given council audit committee meeting minutes preceding the meeting, is this misconduct or more? How can this and matters previously raised in this blog be put in front of the CCC?
Plenty of positive spin in the Townsville Bulletin report today about the council’s financial position, but no mention of the elephant in the room – the level of city debt.
If you go to the council website:
https://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0030/80877/1819-AnnualReport.pdf
you’ll find the total debt is now a staggering $537.1 million. Anyone know how this compares with four years ago, and/or the Cairns council debt?
Chris Condon successfully removed Mayor Tony Mooney in 2008 with his “$100 million in debt” mobile road sign campaign.
Looking forward to Chris going to work on Hill’s $500 million debt?
OLTD
Debt at 30th June 2016 was $459 mill so a 17% increase.
Just ask Guy……Any increase in the debt since 2016 is all the fault of Les Tyrell and Townsville First.
The information provided by the council in the report show 378 million in loans.
By the looks of it the debt taking has stalled under team hill, at least it’s not 419 million.
When the loan taking eventually comes as inevitably the power dynamic changes in council we’ll see the rates exploding again. A Townsville first or any other incarnation will see rates explode / the water system privatised to pay for the mess created in 2008 – that was the long game – to sell an asset that made money, everyone needs water.
I’d not heard about them building another refinery in woodstock. There’s already large tracts of contaminated land to the north and south, wouldn’t it make more sense to use that? with an eye to game theory maybe the council figures if they cede a chess piece in division 10 they still win the game ?
If the current council loses a councillor in division 10 it doesn’t matter , the battery factory goes ahead anyway ( and presumably anything else).
The other thing is this – normally in any council election no one really cares. when I was wandering around my general feeling was about 80 percent of people didn’t care. I had one guy tell me it didn’t matter who won the council election – he was on benefits, then he threw my electoral advertising in the bin. Its amazing what you learn when walking around.
The only people that did care were the people multiple voting across the divisions, i saw them. Then you have bed ridden patients / OAPs miraculously voting multiple times as walk ins. When I realised Australia had no electoral security and all elections are won on slim margins i realised we were doomed. with no electoral security Australia as a nation is doomed. The structural changes to the system I would make are
1: abolish compulsory voting – this sorts the goats from the sheep and discourages people who don’t care from voting
2 : get rid of preferential voting and adopt a first past the post system
3: get rid of voting on any one day and conduct voting at approved Australia post offices , you give people an entire month to vote at any post office any where in Australia. Let’s be generous and make it two momths, if you can’t find time in two months to vote as a normal citizen you probably shouldn’t be voting.
4: a drivers licence is presented to identify you when you vote AND a finger print to identify you. This is easily done at an Australia post office anywhere. Anyone can get a licence, you can get a non driving licence for ID purposes if you can’t drive.
5 : Australia post is used to run the logistics of the election. Scale back and curtail useless existing organisations such as the ECQ, AEC they don’t understand the basics of electoral security , get rid of them.
Back to business
The only way team hill might lose more than one chess piece in the next election is if hundreds of foot soldiers storm out of woodstock banging on doors , delivering leaflets and supplying money, men and machines to the cause. Its possible because they have something to lose personally – its amazing how passionate people get when they have some skin in the game.
The thing is still this, sure change out the council but what comes next, more fools telling people they will borrow hundreds of millions of dollars and generally not listening to any one except themselves????
The above comment is published for two reasons.
1. Not many will see it on a Saturday arvo when the cricket’s on.
2. As a public service warning that this is evidence they do walk among us. The ‘Pie will leave those who could be bothered to pick over the entrails of this meandering stuff, and The ‘Pie will just say that, Guy, it is good to know what stripe of person and the mental capacity thereof we are dealing with. You recommend that voting be voluntary, yet you actively discourage this by suggesting that private law-abiding citizens provide their fingerprints in order to vote and not just that, offer those fingerprints to a public servant operating a data bank that cannot in any way be regarded as secure and with information that other interested agencies (the communist and fascist parties would both be interested, let alone libs, labor, the greens and one notion) could easily accessed by any teenage hacker.
And another thing …. oh, forget, go and have a lie down in a darkened room with a damp cloth on your forehead.
Oltd,
The level of debt is just a number. It seems to be meaningless. Whilst TSV Council’s debt has risen from $100m to $500m, the Commonwealth Government debt has risen from about $100 billion to $657 billion. No one seems to care. How do we get an objective view of what ‘reasonable’ debt might be when the whole country seems to be up to its eyeballs?
The Irrelevance Fairy has touched you again, Dredgers. taxation is a vast behemoth that’s hard to identify with, but rates, ah that’s another thing. And the level of debt is just a number … remember that when talking to your bank or credit card folks.
That’s right. People don’t miss taxes if they don’t see them. But if they were forced to hand them over after they received their pay. They’d probably have a few words to say about the spending priorities of the government. The reason why there are fewer strikes than the 1980’s is because everyone is up their arse in debt.
So now it’s a three way race for the northern beaches. Sue Blom . was a hard working, unspectacular councillor – which is what we right now need more of.
Which appears to be more than we can expect from Blom’s new opponent, blow-in Nanette Radeck … let’s not stick by past principles, Nanny girl, eh? Let’s just erase them and start anew. loads of posts have been removed and almost every comment gone. And this unfortunately is the new Radeck reality.
Think you will find that “Madam Mayor” presented the 2018/2019 Annual Report and Financial Statements not the “2018/2019 budget and estimates” I think you will find that the budget and estimates were presented on the 26th June 2018.
I have heard of a day late and a dollar short but 533 days late. Or did Jenny just dictate this for you, and you haven’t even bothered to look at the full document?
Surely ratepayers expect a better level of understanding from those who seek to represent us?
Is it just me or are they both acting like they have already become local members by default? Lots more time before the election. And I see a former tsv first councillor is running again. Hope more come back Townsville needs them, but only the good ones. Vern please stay retired!!!!
I’m not a City Dweller, but I thought Vern was OK. I know from a previous life that he is a man of utmost honesty, to the chagrin of his then superiors. With out fear or favour he called it as he saw it. There has been fuck-all of that from any council or in the last 4 years. Townsville could do with more people like Vern Veitch. Thus ends the lesson.
Vern was The ‘Pie’s local division councillor, and the two occasions there was reason to call him, he attended to the both matters within a day, once visiting the site of the complaint same day. I didn’t win that one but Vern was honest, forthright but polite in pointing out the error of my judgement (to do with driveway responsibilities). He is also the bloke who coined an alternative nickname for phantom councillor Les Walker … The Ghost Who Talks. Gotta love him for that alone. His only blemish in my book was embracing the new stadium bullshit on the laughable ‘concrete cancer’ at (the then) Dairy Farmers Stadium, which was utter inflated tripe, which came packaged with Lancini’s claim that it would’ve been more expensive to fix up than build a new one. That outright lie has already been proved. Sadly.
Agreed. Vern may not have the same views as some of us, but he is as honest as the day is long and a very reasonable human being.
I apologise to you both if my comment about Vern made you think i disliked him. I do see it could come across as that. My dealings with him were ok at best but he was a bit of a greenie in the background. Nothing wrong with that. I meant it in a cynical way, one of his last ideas was to build a fish ladder at the weir where salt meets fresh water. I explained that baby sharks can jump too! They turn into big sharks. Wouldn’t want a bull floating around upstream. Have a look at how many crocs got flushed out lol. He as always agreed to disagree but hey at least the man had conviction to bring public, not like whats going on now. I do hope that other tsv first councillors decide to return.
No need to apologise, this blog is for reasonably stated opinions, The ‘Pie just thought he offer his. No reference to your opinion at all.
CD, Vern “A bit of a greenie”. You haven’ seen those Mopar vehicles he owns. (Valiants & Dodge for the uninitiated) They inject a fair bit of carbo monoxide into the atmosphere.
Suzy Batkovic will be hammered if she has decent opposition. She’s not as popular as Mullet may think. Let’s put it in perspective. The Fire didn’t sell out most games even with a small 1200 seat stadium. I’ll bet there’ll be a few of her past team mates that won’t even tick her name on the ballot paper. Suzy’s used to getting the big bucks on the basketball court and the smell of a decent pay check thanks to us ratepayers is too good for her to knock back. And I’ll bet it’s not her money behind her election campaign. More snouts in the trough.
Seems Nanny may have been keeping an eye on your blog, ‘Pie. She has amended her facebook post late today since you pointed out that she was 533 days late and listening to something which wasn’t presented at all.
Shame then that when she amended it she still managed to fuck it up. “ Madam Mayor presented the mid year review of the 2018/2019 budget”. She did no such thing … oops out by a year again. Go and stand in the corner.
Really really worried that someone like this will get elected.
Cairns council debt less than $200 mill in 2018.
I will not be voting for Suzie in Annandale this election. My reasons are not based on personal issues with her, I believe she is a decent person. However, when you are a sporting identity in a small town you become in your own mind far bigger than what you are. Rising to a political office has never worked for the celebrity or sportsperson in my view. Glenn Lazarus comes to mind. I won’t be voting for her because I can see she is just a poster person in a team. The incumbent Verena Coombe I have never seen anywhere in 4yrs. Before this council, this electorate had many things built and maintained. Now grass grows out if control, when it was mowed it wasn’t by the TCC but rather contractor. During the floods I never saw our councillor or heard her speak in any form of social media. Apparently she was corporate governance chair. What qualifications does Suzie hold apart from being an MVP in a national basketball league? I understand people need to start somewhere but when the city is in this state of financial stress and we are looking for accountability can Suzie or anyone tell me she won’t be told what to do and say from a career politician in the mayor. After all her campaign will be funded by the unions, and I’m guessing so they don’t do things without an agreement for there services. Will Suzie stand up if elected and tell us that TCC did the right thing during the floods? If it turns out like Brisbane and it ends up in court, is she going to stand up for us residents who still don’t have a house to live in and say she can help? I see a lot of things said here about her but realistically, will she make a difference in our seat? Considering the last women had done nothing for 4yrs what hope of a change is there. And what are my options apart from Sam Cox with no team or anyone else putting there hand up and a donkey vote. I’ve tried to think of what I wanted to write Magpie because there is a lot if emotions connected to this post. I’m old fashioned in saying I can disagree with the candidate but as a person I would wish her good luck. I don’t see that as a contradiction just a form of old time respect. Your thoughts would be appreciated.
Well for a start, it’s guaranteed you’re not on your own asking these questions, but that is the basic scenario for all voters – who to believe. With Suzie, it is a question of that old theory The Fallacy of Transferred Authority … just because someone is good at one thing does not automatically make them good at another. Being a triple Olympian and so on is to be admired and applauded, as is being a nice person, but whether this mother of two very young kids can hack the hard yards, sometimes of unaccustomed unpopularity and criticism, and offer some much needed balance to an out of control council, is another big query. That’s why we’re all punters in the casino of the Townsville council … and sadly, we all know the house stacks the odds against punters.
And yes, The ‘Pie is a bit like you, Glendale, where one can dislike a person as a candidate but remain a friend personally BUT The ‘Pie can also be comfortable with the reverse … even if one personally loathes a competent person willing to make smart difficult decisions in the public arena, then that person would get my vote. It’s the same principle that a person’s opinion of me does not colour my opinion of them. Except for Barry Taylor … there, it’s completely mutual.
To be perfectly frank, I’m in two minds about The Mullet getting back in as our Mayor. I’ve become a little despondent as to how she has fuck our city.
If she doesn’t get back in there may be a chance for us and some other poor bastards are going to have to make the tough calls.
If she gets back in, her arrogance will have her merrily chugging along with business as usual, and a few true independents may pluck up the courage to call her out and if investigations on all the wrongdoings from the past come to the fore, we may then get to see her in her dressing gown claiming mental issues. Just like her old mate from Ipswich and Logan.
With any luck then, the council will be sacked and administrators put in to clear the decks and the mighty Mullet will do a prison term.
As priorities go, The ‘Pie just wants see the back of her, whether its through the electoral back door, a prison door or an aircraft door on the way to retirement in Malta.
Joseph Musprat, the Prime Minister of Malta, is resigning under a cloud of corruption and cover up. He announced he will resign in early January after the Maltese Labour Party (at least they spell it correctly) appoint a new leader.
So there might be an opening for our Jenny in the old country. She should fit right into their current political culture…..Labo(u)r Party connections and all……
The Magpie would be very careful if he were living in Malta and covered matters Mullet … they blow up journalists cars over there, with journalists in them. She might have to revert to her maiden name, which The ‘Pie has been very unreliably told was Azzopardi. (Possible though, every second person in Malta is called Azzopardi.)
We require URGENT ASSISTANCE from the people of Townsville. I am the Chairman of the Woodstock Action Group Inc, recently formed as a result of undated letters local residents received from the Townsville City council, advising of their intention to change Lansdown Station (Woodstock/Calcium) from Rural zoning (the lowest) to High Impact Industrial (the highest classification of dangerous/toxic industry, generally); for example the only current industry in the Townsville area in that classification is Yabulu QNI.
Our main concern, and the one that would impact all Townsville, is that Lansdown (Lansdown Creek), is in the head water of the Ross River Dam catchment, Townsville’s main water supply; overland flows from there also go into the wetlands of national interest, at Serpentine Lagoon, which flow into the Ross River catchment, once the wetlands are full. Contamination would be a disaster.
High Impact Industrial designation means the contaminants may not be contained on site, and require special controls. However, these controls are built to meet ‘normal’ weather, and their failure in unusual events is given an ‘out’ in legislation.
ANY contamination that impacts the main Townsville water supply (and the water supply into which the pumped water from the Burdekin scheme is also runs), impacts the population; it would either require higher costs to filter the water, or simply make the water unfit for human consumption.
Such a high risk, even with low probability (if you believe the Government promises), means that, should an incident occur in the future then Townsville may have to be abandoned as a functioning city, without adequate water. That will impact all of us.
Of course, from a local perspective, we see the placement on a high impact industrial site in the midst of a rural community, which relies on rainwater from rooves, and underground water from bores (the proposed site is extremely porous, on the sands of an old alluvial bed), as incompatible. The risks of the citing of this proposed zone are many.
There is also risk to the Great Barrier Reef, as the Southern end of the proposed site lies within the Haughton River catchment, which empties into the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon.
We have until the 20th of December to lodge objections to this proposed amendment to town planning. You can lodge your objection by emailing email hidden; JavaScript is required.
If you wish to help us fight this madness, you can email email hidden; JavaScript is required .
Thank you.
The council is $500+ million in debt. It needs the cash that it would get from that hunk of otherwise useless land. See the latest post on the Sam Cox Facebook page.
https://m.facebook.com/samcoxtownsville/
That means the Mayor will get her way over your and others, dead bodies. Ably assisted by your councillor, Walker. This is Labor politics at its best. Almost unstoppable. Unless of course Sam gets the voter support he needs.
A few weeks ago I’d have told you that team hill were going to walk this election.
Not any more.
Hi Chris
So if expert hydraulicists say that your concern are unfounded, or that adequate conditions are imposed on the developers in the subject areas that contamination of Townsville’s water supply or environmental wetlands, will not occur in the worst conceivable weather conditions, then you would be all right then with the proposals.
I mean, don’t we need high impact industry to provide jobs, and keep our house prices up.
Or are you suggesting high impact industry should go somewhere else, other than Woodstock?
If so where?
Or are you against all new high impact industry in Townsville?
Right next door to sun metals that’s where. Or maybe your suburb wedgie. Bet you would be banging down the council chamber door then. Give up the labor defending.
Hang about, not in my backyard.
Don’t get me wrong, I support industry and the jobs it brings, but I’m sure I could come up with a hundred good reasons- environmental, equity, social, infrastructure, traffic etc etc why my suburb would be completely unsuitable.
And the good people of Woodstock would support me, I am sure.
Just like we would all support the residents of Cluden, Stuart etc if the development was proposed for the State Development area near them.
As an aside Mooney’s Council bought the Lansdowne Station for $1M twenty years ago to make land available for industrial development, and community consultation was done at that time. I suspect many residents bought their properties in the knowledge of the proposed developments.
Westie, it’s one thing to build a (apparently, maybe) no-emissions battery assembly line in a shed with nice landscaping and screening around it on the Flinders Highway frontage in the catchment of the Haughton River. It’s something else to build a smoking refinery with lined or unlined (who knows?) tailings dam/s on a larger adjacent site knowingly located in the catchment of the Ross River dam. I can’t find any reports by “expert hydraulicists” about that exact site – what are you talking about? Surely the residents of Woodstock and in fact the whole of Townsville should be made fully aware of the intended processes at this ‘refinery’ before we let ourselves be fooled in exactly the same way we were dudded by the Yabulu nickel plant.
And it would seem, for once, Dredger, you have hit the prover and spelt out the underlying problem. The idea that leadership means tough decisions that are sometimes unpopular, no question about that, but those decisions are made and acted on only AFTER community consultation, input from affected parties, debate and the airing of all up and downsides to any monolithic project. Jenny Hill’s highly suspicious behaviour in the Woodstock matter goes well beyond ego, and it raises serious questions she has so far refused to answer. The two main one’s that bother The ‘Pie are: why not the SDA on the salt pans near the port (if it’s a flood plain, why did the government designate it SDA? Anyway, it’s good enough for Sun Metals.) The second question we’d all like to know is that this whole unicorn idea was formulated in the Adele Young/Nous report/ Richard Beckett ‘deep Labor era, and suddenly we have a billion dollar business … the council … dealing with a highly dubious 11cents-a-share blue sky company, to which the ratepayers are going to give land for a share of …. what? Profits, liabilities, exposure to claims from industrial disasters? So who approached whom and why, what is the real history of the birth of this industrial bastard child?
And The Magpie was delighted to see that some of the all-too-rare green shoots of real journalism in the Bulletin yesterday, with John Andersen’s excellent article putting things in focus. But then The ‘Pie would expect nothing less from a good journo like Ando … between this sort of thing and Shari Tagliabue’s laser like nailing down of issues, there is some hope for our poor old rag yet.
Perhaps your back yard would be a good place Westie.
My understanding is the reports were done BEFORE the flood. And council has ignored any flood data which may alter the reports.
Council never impose or enforce adequate conditions on developers because they are too busy waiving fees and conditions. Seen it too many times. So don’t go believing that any ponds will be built to environmental standards or the waste will be treated appropriately.
Perhaps the Townsville State Development Area which is specifically designed, developed and approved for this type of industry?
It lies at the intersection of both road and rail networks, has abundant power (bulk electrical supply point and gas line), raw and processed water available, and has environmental protection in place.
The one thing it does not have in place is ownership by TCC so Jenny only gets rates income rather than JV fees.
Civil, I think you’ve hit the nail
on the head. I’d like to hear the reasoning behind why the State Development Area isn’t considered a suitable location for both the battery plant and the refinery. Aside from that which was already existing at the time it was declared, it appears to be a development area with a distinct lack of development!
The whole location issue is complicated by the fact that the Lansdown development is an integral part of the three government City Deal. So our state government which controls the SDA is quite OK (apparently) with the Lansdown thing happening where and as it does, or not.
Just checking through the various reports about the Imperium3 battery factory and the Pure Minerals battery metals refinery proposed next door, it does appear that the refinery can (will?) supply some of the components of the lithium-ion battery.
“Imperium3 Townsville has finalised the feasibility study for an 18 GWh
lithium-ion battery cell manufacturing facility in Townsville.
The total construction cost for the plant would be more than $3 billion, according to an independent review by Townsville-based quantity surveyors Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB).”
“Pure Minerals expects Lycopodium Minerals to complete the engineering study for its Townsville Energy Chemicals Hub (TECH) Project this month (October 2019). The work includes two major engineering plant design packages for the processing of laterite ore [from New Caledonia] to produce a mixed hydroxide precipitate (MHP) and refining of the MHP to produce battery-grade nickel and cobalt. TECH would have a throughput of about 600,000 wet tonnes of ore per annum to produce about 25,400 tonnes per annum of nickel sulphate and 3000 tonnes of cobalt sulphate.”
The Yabulu nickel plant used a different process and had a throughput of about 3.5 – 4 million tonnes per year. I gather that lithium-ion batteries also use graphite but not sure if that is also proposed to be ‘refined’ at Lansdown.
Well I had to rewind my Foxtel tonight on paul Murray after I heard former labor senator Steven Conroy refer to jenny hill as the former mayor of Townsville. The conversation was about labor supporting coal in Queensland after getting hammered. Being called the former mayor of Townsville was very funny but, he mentioned her name with other labor party members who attended the labor convention in Brisbane recently. Now I know I head her say many a time and even this week that she’s not labor but “independent” in the coming election. So what the fuck is she doing at a labor convention?? On national tv she’s been outed by the power brokers. Good luck mullet getting out of this. About 1hr 20min into a podcast if anyone can find that quote.
Well, it seems actually worse than you claim, as The ‘Pie’s understanding is that she claims she is ‘independent’ as far as council goes, but has insisted she remains a staunch Labor member. She has said this herself on more than one occasion. This woman believes we will believe anything. Unfortunately, many voters around here do.
‘Pie, on the maths, Hill is a Labor ‘independent’, Ms Radeck a Katter ‘independent’ and Sam Cox is a double (LNP/ON) ‘independent’. Let’s hope their party leaders stay out of it.
Did Suzy Babadook play on the left or right wing?
Pie, I believe she played in the centre and therefore pretty much played her own game, venturing left and right, backwards and forwards as necessary. Quite fleet of foot!
She says she is a staunch Labour supporter. However, I think she characterises better as a Dictator.
The Real Phillip Batty fact check please ! has T.C.C.,s debt increased 17% from 17/18 $459mil to 18/19 $537.1 mil ?. If so why isnt the Astonisher asking questions ?. How can the annual report be passed as good when our Council hasnt reduced debt for years and is one of the two highest debt (to revenue) Councils in Qld ? .
Why is it, when I listen to the NZ Police commander waffle on endlessly about “risk”. interpersed with meaningless weasel words, that I think “Lindt Cafe”??
Tend to agree, but sad to compare the NZ PM’s reaction and dignified leadership of her shocked nation with our own PM’s political point scoring and skewed priorities regarding our bushfires.
Yeah, she’s gotten pretty good at looking sad and hugging peole for photo ops, but ask your average Kiwi how he/she feels about her economic and social policies.
Have you? Or is that whining sound an axe grinding in the background?
Yes and yes
Full points for honesty.
What are you saying Dredger? Will we ratepayers never have to pay back close to $400 million in existing loans and will all the contractors the council owes millions to write off those debts?
Can you also please call Amex and let them know that I won’t be paying off my credit card debt – ever.
If Hill and her “team” get another 4 years we could be a billion dollars in debt before we get another chance to get rid of her. Pity the person who takes over when she finally gets what she deserves.
Ff, what I was asking is: how much debt is acceptable? Should we aim for zero? Looking around at government in Australia I see that increasing debt seems to be OK at every level – I gave the example of the current Commonwealth government. Just quoting numbers like $500 million sounds awesome but what does it mean?
The ‘Pie’s very rudimentary understanding of this situation is the simple old axiom … debt is OK, deficit is not, especially if that deficit is to pay of debt … in essence, borrowing to pay off borrowings.
Bloody hell, that female Gollum look alike, Greta Thunberg has been named Time Magazines person of the year. The lunatics now run the asylum.
All it takes these days is pigtails, a pout and a megaphone. A great sadness that we have descended this low.
Once upon a time people needed some runs on the board before making the cover – – yes, I know Hitler was one (with all the attendant baggage) but at least he had been a global force for change for a few years.
Hey Mostly, I s’pose you’d have preferred Climate Change Minister Angus Taylor got his mug on the front of Time magazine? Without even opening her mouth Greta Thunberg makes Angus Taylor look like a silver-tailed Rhodes scholar blundering idiot. He won’t be the last (by far) and she won’t want the credit. Who even subscribes to Time magazine?
She’s a great choice. She will be proved correct in her climate assumptions long after most Boomer and GenX bloggers on this site are dead and buried.
Cue the flat earth anti-climate change rage.
Couldn’t agree more. After all, Hitler, Stalin and Trump are previous choices. Very apt.
And of course Mahatma Ghandi, Pope John XXIII, Nelson Mandela, and The Endangered Earth in 1988.
Precisely. Person of the Year is about influence on world affairs for good or ill. The ‘Pie’s belief is that Ms Thunberg has done her and her manipulators cause more damage than good, and just ramped up particularly juvenile unjustified hysteria.
We will have to agree to disagree
She wont be proven right CiH, as these are not HER assumptions, she`s just the mouthpiece sticking to the script that has been prepared prior.
She is NOT leadership material, she`s a good drama student. She has become the focus, not the issues which she addresses, and the zombies all fall in line with the personality cult. Its history repeating itself, a good cause hi-jacked by an overheated ego.
DAY ONE COCK-UP.
ARE YOU LISTENING, CCC, ECQ?
Less than 48 hours into their wonderful new political adventure, newby Hill team members Suzy Batkovic and Nannette Radeck have unwittingly admitted that mayor Jenny Hill has involved them in an extremely serious breach of Local Government Law, and in a way that if proven correct, will have major repercussions. Particularly for the mayor.
Here’s how this debacle unfolded, in no small part due to the persistence and indignation of Phillip Batty.
The ‘Pie was immediately howled down at the merest suggestion that Susie Batkovic and Nanette Radeck would just be two more of Jenny’s yes voting aerobics class. No way, their supporters cried, this are tough minded independent women who will be their own people. Really? Then what a coincidence that both these newbies, all aflutter with giggly excitement, posted eerily similar FB posts about their day at Tuesday’s council meeting. And when an explanation was sought, in very polite terms, nothing accusatory, both appeared to panic and closed down comments on their sites for the time being. certainly from the questioner (Phillip Batty).
Here’s the thing. Note that both gushed and gurgled on about Jenny’s presentation of the Mid Year review of the 2019/2020 council budget (somehow – another coincidence – they both got that wrong; either that or the person Jenny directed to write the post for them made a major cock-up, incorretly referring to the 2018/2019 council budget). Now, my sweets, doesn’t that really look like you’ve been handed a script to disseminate as a campaign booster?
But guess what? Either you or your scriptwriter has made a colossal blunder which will end in tears all round. Because let’s look at what you say in the posts, – first nanny Radeck : ‘Madam Mayor presented the mid-year review of the 2018/2019 budget (sic). ‘Mayor Jenny Hill presented the mid year review of the 2018/19 (sic). It’s fantastic news that Team Jenny Hill has secured $195million in funding for stage 2 of the Haughton Pipeline project and have encouraged local contractors to tender.’ And from The Babdook: “Mayor Jenny Hill presented the mid year review of the 2018/19 (sic) City Council budget including $195million in funding for Stage 2 of the Haughton Pipeline. This is a fantastic investment to help alleviate water concerns as well as provide opportunities for local contractors.’
Here’s the question: how did you know the pipeline detail, and were you in that meeting? Because that mid year review was in closed session according to the council agenda (and Local Government regulations state budgets are matters to be done behind closed doors), but you clearly indicate that you were both in that meeting, and even gushed some details of the mayor’s incorrect boastful claim to have secured the extra money. (The Feds came to the party after talks with Qld govt … thank you, Mr Thompson.)
The council meeting was at 1pm … the timing of your FB posts would indicate you wasted little time in getting out the good news out, probably still in the council chamber, so it surely wasn’t an aerobics class media release (which itself would raise questions.) And Phillip Batty confirms the matter was in closed session, because he watched the live stream and the security device of a blue screen was activated just before the matter was discussed.
So two unelected campaigning Team Hill candidates attend a meeting at which they were illegally present. Gals, if you think that is a piffling trifling little matter being beaten up by a sensationalist member of the media, ask Jenny if she thinks so. Other council candidates most surely will (wanting to know if your presence was legal, why weren’t they invited as campaigning candidates as well) as will Sam Cox, one presumes.
The Magpie can hardly wait for the Jennysplaining.
Wait until the new Centrals clubhouse using ratepayers money comes into play. All the other clubs around town will have a field day.
The CCC and ECQ are probably not listening so you will have to send them each a copy, followed by a confirmatory phone call.
Mr batty may well do that, he’s that kind of fellow. The ‘Pie is too occupied handling you lot … and writing a blog.
Gees this bloke Batty is bloody good. What a “ball terrier”, not much chance of Jenny growing a couple while this bloke is around. Wish he would throw his hat in the ring. Well done Pie as well.
80% Phil’s work on this one, an d he is a great example of what The ‘Pie is hoping the blog will become – a true forum for well-researched investigative information with links and solid information that poses questions that the Bulletin won’t. The Magpie can’t do it all on his own.
They’re trying to get a young fellow by the name of Julian Assange back to Townsville. He would make a great Magpie investigative journalist?
I see Ms Radeck is telling us on FB (where I am now apparently persona non gratia) it was open information she quoted.
Don’t ask me why but I just listened/watched the whole video of the meeting yesterday to see if the Mayor made ANY comment in the open meeting about the $195 mill funding from the government.
https://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/about-council/council-meetings/live-stream-of-meetings/video-archive
Don’t (unless you don’t have a life) look at it all but skip forward to 2:01 to see the , I think , intentional faux pas on the annual report.
Unless I missed (which is possible) it at any stage of the 2 and a half hours I did not here the Mayor make any reference to the $195mill at all.
Ms Radeck, could you assist in pin-pointing the exact time where this was mentioned, as it may well have been, but I couldn’t find it?
Neither does it make any reference to it in the published media release and document uploaded to the council website following the meeting.
https://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/about-council/news-and-publications/media-releases/2019/december/mid-year-review-points-to-budget-surplus
“Down, down, deeper and down”. Nannete (& Susie), jump ship now before the coverup becomes the greater sin. It’s obvious the mullet is a fish out of water with the ball terrier on the loose and it’s best to cut your losses early.
Mooney the Younger seems to have kept well away from this debacle. All his FB posts after the obligatory one with the Mullet, seem to have been of community events and wholesome family photos.
The other two remind me of the new kids in class. They don’t know anyone else, so they are going to be instant besties.
Young Kyle has a master strategist in his corner, so it would be surprising if he waded in to this sort of muddled stuff. besides, his dad loathes Jenny Hill, and Tony is well known for playing the long game – as he probably did in negotiations with his old uni chum Nancy Radeck.
Just for the record, an d we need not go on and on about it, but the Queensland bid for the Olympics is a disastrous move, a money sinkhole WE DO NOT NEED NOW OR THEN… especially in the regions, where funds for everyday projects and initiatives we have a RIGHT to will completely disappear. cf Brisbane Commonwealth Games. The history of the aftermath of the Games at Olympic venues in recent decades does not bode well for Queensland, especially north of the hipster proof fence surrounding Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
This is just more of the taxpayer funded good life for the self-seeking elite and bread and circuses for the masses – without the bread.
Ah but ‘Pie, we’ll have a stadium!
maybe … a brave prediction in cyclone country.
If I remember correctly there was a protracted pilots strike at about the time, which, for the region’s further exacerbate the negative effect of the Com Games.
Dave, the pilots’ strike was at the end of 1989, long after the Commonwealth Games.
Memory not so good. Thank-you. These days, so intimated by the Pie I am now looking up the spelling of simple words, and the meaning of complex words. This goes to show that grade 3 in Qld State School in the early 1960s did not impart much knowledge.
And before you jump in, dear Pie, I went on to become bloody brilliant, and retire early to spend my time hourly combing your blog. And eating cheese and drinking wine, and playing the fiddle, but not in that order. With such a lifestyle it is bloody hard to maintain the youthful good looks, but so far I am succeeding.
Now, what were you saying about this blog being serious and credible?
Oh, forgot to add … humorous.
3-7 years ago, TCC spent thousands of dollars training staff across council in the Internation Association of Public Participation (IAP2) metholodgy of community consultation and engagement. This form of community is used by a number of government agencies. The Woodstock and other farces clearly demonstrate that IAP2 training was a waste of ratepayers money and that this Council has no intention of undertaking meaningful consultation and engagement with the community.
With high staff turn over and 600 sacked or otherwise removed, there probably aren’t any participants in house anymore.
Information source tells me that there are a number of participants still in Council departments including Community Development, Planning and Future Cities.
Crits,
Usually when that sort of thing happens (redundancies), the dead wood floats to the top
Critical… You will notice on the IAP2 spectrum that “inform” is an option for public participation. This is TCCs preferred mode of engagement. Why ask the people when TCC (political TCC) already knows what it is going to do.
Geez, our mayor must have spent a squillion on advertising with Ch7, including a promise of the lion’s share of her election cash.
Last night on Ch7’s The Jenny Hill Show (aka not-so-local news) she appeared in no less than 6 stories, all of them positive.
Like the Astonisher, Ch7 didn’t dare mention the blowout in city debt to more than $500 million.
It will be interesting to keep a count on how many Team Hill stories they run from now until the election compared to Cox and other candidates.
Hit the submit button before I added this link.
Have a look at the IAP2 Public Participation Spectrum which can be downloaded as a PDF and I’m certain that if TCC followed the principles in the spectrum, then TCC wouldn’t be in therefore situation in Woodstock and with projects.
https://www.iap2.org.au/resources/iap2-published-resources/
Total Tools misses out!!
The new stadium is to be called the Queensland Country Bank Stadium … but the manner in which this was announced today showed that the government is shitting themselves about the survival chances of their three blind mice.
Today marks what is probably a first for any government – a State Labor Minister issuing press releases which don’t even mention the minister that issued the release, or give the minister any quotes – just the three local members:
The Government isn’t even pretending that these are ministerial media releases – they are just backbench releases, using ministerial resources to issue them. In other words, using public funds to campaign for individual seats. Cute.
http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2019/12/12/new-home-of-north-queensland-marquee-events-christened
I see there is no mention of the upcoming Elton John concert.
It’s been almost a month since the Astonisher ran a short piece on release of the tickets being delayed as “Being the first show in a brand new venue, additional measures need to be taken” and that a meeting between the promoter, Ticketmaster, and NQ Stadium would be held in the next day or so to sort the ‘additional measures’ out.
For the last three weeks or so NQ Stadium have responded to any enquiries with the stock answer of “We will have information regarding ticket release very soon!”…..except for the last few days when it has changed to “As soon as any information is available to share you will be contacted through Ticketmaster and social media platforms will also display an update.”
Hope you receive your tix soon Wulguru, or a full refund.
I supposed Qld Country Union stadium was not considered after what happened to that Country member of parliament.
“I am a country member” was a retort when we were talking about membership of the Turf Club.
To which one of the group came back with.
“Yeah, we remember”.
The ‘Pie first heard that around 1958 concerning a heckler during a speech by the local state member Bill Chaffey. Oldy but goody.
Ms Radeck and Ms Batkovic, PLEASE unhook your wagon from the one they call Mayor Mullet – you seem like reasonable people who do not need to get tangled up in the secrecy and contempt for our community which seems to have been a feature of the last 4 years.
Better still, withdraw completely and don’t run at all. If there is a change of Mayor at the next election, from what I am reading, things are going to get very hot in Walker St.
You’re call, of course.
They can’t pull out now, Mullet has given them a t-shirt wth the team name on it.
You really don’t want us to take you seriously, do you, Daily Astonisher?
A polite question about this …
The question is: who gives a fuck? That is, outside the wild excitement and flowing elderberry wine down in the Greenie Tree-House Club at Pallarenda?
Or more to the point, who do YOU think gives a fuck, Jenna, when we have a council that has just released a budget report that says the city is in debt to the tune of $500million++++ … among many other sins and sloppy if not just downright mysterious accounting.
This sort of irrelevance is worth a mention on maybe page 6, but in case you haven’t noticed, there are actual STORIES galore out there that would take precedence over this Greenie-tingler.
If you had some balance and intrepid reporters (as you falsely claim to have) even that CBD incentive plan that you banish to a strap bottom head would be of far more interest that – for christ’s sake, a fucking bush track.
You lot really have lost it.
My last post infuriated someone. Therefore I think it’s worth doing again.
The statue in the water off the Strand is just plain stupid. Like a giant thermometer sticking out of the ocean.
Perhaps it’s PWCs measure of political will in this town?
Thought it was meant to be revealed by the receding tide, and somehow change colour with temperature (maybe it does). But this piece’s plinth appears to be well above high tide, if it was ever submerged, so would all of North Ward. Or is this just forward thinking by Mayor Mullet regarding climate change.
Front page of the Astonisher, asking for suggestions for a nickname for the new stadium!
Get ready for a flood of suggestions, Pie.
For a starter how about Clayton’s Stadium?
Sorry, it’s a closed shop on this blog … it will forever be Total Tools Stadium.
Evidently some incorrect information around about disabily access to the Stadium. Map at link below shows a disability drop-off and pick-up zone and a nearby lift. Pointed out to me though that if a person needs to be accompanied by a support worker/carer who is also the driver, then it might be a long wait for them to park their vehicle and get back to the person that they dropped off. Also pointed out that the Stadium managers have made an assumption that all people who have disability need a support worker / carer to accompany them to the event and that they have forgotten people with a disability who can independently access the community i.e. people who fold their wheel chair up and place it inside their vehicle or hoist it onto the roof of the vehicle. Where are they going to park as most would not be able to independently wheel themselves from Reid Park or the CBD to the Stadium.
https://queenslandcountrybankstadium.com.au/the-venue/stadium-map.aspx
Straight from the 2019/20 Mid Year Budget review
“3 year consecutive balance budget and reducing debt”
Does no one ever challenge statements like this?
2017/18 total liabilities $469 mill
2018/19 total liabilities $537 mill
Would this just make it a lie?
Creative accounting ? Or as they say. You can roll some f the people some f the time. Just not all the people all f the time. The rusted on comrades wont see any issue with these figures and vote as they always do. In fact to them that’s a balanced budged. You earn a dollar and spend a dollar 20. On the never never repayment plan
No issue hey Bing? Well if these rust-buckets do see it that way, they’re as dumb as a bag of hammers and as sharp as a plucking bowling ball!
Ummm no. It’s easy to balance the cash flow budget and put the “infrastructure” out on the credit card. There is a press release on Sam cox site explaining this somewhat. You should read it. It happens at all levels of government. Voters fall for this all the time. The problem with this sort of debt at local govt level is there is no way out apart from lots of growth (good luck with that one Hill), slashing services or boosting rate revenue. Feds can print money and/or manipulate exchange rates or sell Telstra (2020=NBN). State can sell stuff like ports and roads.
And I don’t get your kerfuffle about the Annual Accounts. They were always going to be released. Hill’s last sale doco before the election. And there were invitees to the meeting on Tuesday. We’re you just pissed because your invite was lost in the mail?
Cappuccino in hand, not sure that all you have in your hand but lets focus on “bigger” things.
First of all my comment on the mid year review with the statement “3 year consecutive balance budget and reducing debt” is not about the level of debt or whether the budget is balanced its about the blatantly false statement when the annual reports (and Sam Cox’s press release, and I will get to that) show that debt has grown every year over the last three years which makes you wonder what else in all these documents you can rely on. Or are people just allowed to lie whenever they want and still keep their jobs?
Now to Sam’s “Press Release” as you call it. Firstly Sam has the shits with me for pointing out that his chart on his facebook page has 2 columns with 2020 on them and increasing debt, his minder David tried to tell me this was deliberate and one 2020 was pre election and one was post election. When I told him to just admit it was a mistake and fix it he removed all his comments, Sam removed some too at this point. But back to the press release.
Sam wanted to get this chart in there to show the best possible trend line so what do you do? simple you use one figure at the start and a different figure from that point onwards. In other words you lie, or at best you manipulate. If you look back at the comments in this blog alone “One legged tap dancer” asked the question what debt was at the end of 2016 which I answered with the number $469 mill straight from the annual report which is the same line item where the $537 mill comes from on last years annual report. So what does same do? He uses $329 mill as the 2016 number but still uses the 537 number for last year saying and increase of “65%” shock horror ohh my god the end is near…..really the number is 15% ish, not the grandstand number Sam wanted but the truth according to the figures given. Personally I don’t believe many of those either. My point is about everyone, media, locals and blog readers alike simply accepting the bullshit we are fed. Frankly I wouldn’t vote for a single one of them and I think Townsville deserves much better and should demand much better. Bring these people to task.
All fair and well researched comment BUT, old mate, which blog comments have you been reading? ‘… blog readers alike simply accepting the bullshit we are fed.’? One of the reasons this blog is so unpopular with certain sections of the community is because that is EXACTLY what The ‘Pie and his readers … including especially yourself – DO NOT DO. We’re not always right, but we reveal aspects of matters – inconvenient truths, let say – that other bum, kissing, appendage-nibbling media won’t.
Point take Pie it was a generalised statement which should say SOME readers of the blog accept certainly not all
65% increase in debt in the 3 years of annual reports published by team Hill. Her figures, not invented by Cox. What bit of this is a mystery to you?
And I saw the comment you posted in the Cox FB page and I thought you were either drunk or joking. So bloody childish if you were neither. And certainly not helpful if you really do want to get rid of Hill in the next 3 short months. Or maybe you want her to get another 4 years so you can continue to rant and rage in a vacuum.
It’s disappointing. For a while there I thought you were going to be helpful for all of us trying to get rid of the incumbent Mayor.
The figure you need to be looking for in the council annual report is the Total Liabilities in the Statement of Financial Position.
At the end of 2019 $567M
At the end of 2018 $469M
At the end of 2017 $481M
At the end of 2016 $459M
From 2016 to 2019 an increase in total liabilities of $108M, 23.53% increase.
Bugger typo. Not $567M but $537.
Which makes it a $78M increase, 16.99%
So two blondes were invited to the meeting behind closed doors?? Is there a way to prove? Unelected members of the public in commercial in confidence meetings, does this mean the double blondes know exactly everything about the 18.5 million for ADANI now??
While there is some doubt about their initial claim to have been privy to a closed session harangue by Mayor Mullet – they back-tracked to ‘correct’ what must have then been a very poor choice of language – it is still not clear where they both were somehow prompted to gush about the mayor securing extra money for the second pipeline (she didn’t have much to do with it, actually). The quoted excerpt from both FB posts by the gals hasn’t pinpointed exactly where that claim was uttered in the open session, and requests the time on the meeting recording hasn’t been found or provided. And no, CD, the Adani matter is in a different closed session -QCAT – at the moment.
Pie, this is why neither of them will be any good at all for our community. They already appear to be being led down the garden path and then ‘assisted’ with a mop up when an error of judgement had been made!
300 comments! I just had to.
Interesting conversation today with someone who was adamant that Peter Wheeler will be announcing his challenge for the mayoralty very soon. They claimed that the power brokers behind the tilt have put together a team of independent candidates and that they’re in negotiations with Sam Cox to step back to run as a Councillor. Anyone else heard any noises? Could certainly explain the increase in his voice being heard around citywide pieces in his bullshiten column and rapid rise up the most influential list…. Tony what do you know?? We know you read this blog.
The ‘Pie has ‘conversations with people who are adamant’ about something or someone every day, and the old has a devil of a job sorting fact from fiction. Not heard a word about one of the town’s busiest real estate agents running for mayor, which, given the hagiography in the Bulletin of recent times, would make Mr Wheeler’s absence from the chamber due to conflict of interest seem almost like a permanent paid holiday on the ratepayer’s dime, as the saying goes. The ‘Pie has turned up what he believes is an ideal candidate, one who can’t be intimidated by Jenny Hill’s famous and ferocious get-square vindictiveness towards those who challenge her. The Magpie will name his choice in the blog later tonight.
Hey Still, was that Fish, who ’announced’ on here quite a few weeks back about a business-type candidate?
It was me. But there is some ‘politics’ being played and I can’t say more.
That’d be interesting considering Mr Wheeler manages real estate for council
Cox would have to step back. Too many mayoral candidates just creates a ‘vote splitting’ situation. This would almost guarantee the Mullet a victory due to the power of name association combined with compulsory voting by masses of people who don’t know why they even cast a vote.
as said before, can you imagine one of the most active property wheelers and dealers being mayor … he’d be out in the back car park having a smoke almost permanent because of conflict of interest banishment. Silly idea, but if he’s in the Mullet’s pocket, might run as a spoiler candidate, along the lines you mention.
It’s incredible how Townsville has been on the cusp of a boom for at least 5 years now. Wake me up when we get there.
Certainly not mullets.
Well whoever lays claim to it, it is just plain, well AWFUL looking. But, if it does the job………well…
…and you think the real thing looks just great? Have a chat some of the gals, and see what they have to say. Answer is likely to be ‘no bollocks?’
I heard that beavers love eating these types of fish because of the protein levels. It sustains them through the winter. Just sayn!
And hopefully the Mullet will be exposed in the same way after a storm of public protest sweeps away the layers of bluster, arrogance, ineptitude & cover up of the last four years.
Hahahahahah gasp wheeze …., we wait and wait to learn who the Astonisher thinks is the number one influencer in Townsville, AND THEY GET THAT WRONG TOO. Is The Townsville Bulletin the only paper anywhere who can print utter bullshit … AND GET THAT WRONG, TOO? Who is going to break the news to Jeff Reibel, who is under the impression he was recently appointed Cowboys CEO, an office to the best of The ‘Pie’s limited knowledge, Lancini has never held.
This paper doesn’t even believe its own reporting.
Best chuckle I’ve had with the morning brekky for a while. No 1 is leaving town. No 2 will just do as she is told. No 3 has wrecked the city. And No 12 can’t even pay his fucking rates and the only thing they got right was the 3 blind mice, they never got a look in. Anybody who can get the BFD Stg 2 done should be Number 1.
Well, Ala, always hate to disagree – you know The ‘Pie, anything for a quiet life – but think you’re wrong about the three blind mice. If the Bulletin’s annual bullshit list of mainly advertisers they want to brownnose lived up to what the actual English of the article’s title – ‘influencer’ – should most certainly included Stewart, Harpic and O’Rort, their self-centred non-actions for their constituents have certainly influenced the state of the city. cetainly they should be in the top ten … and not feature next year because they will be out of office.
My chuckle on this list this morning, was a vision of those over at TRRA doing the detective thing with photos and string on a wall and going into a total mental meltdown…. I mean if no. 37 is a CCP stooge puppeteering No3 in development deals,….. strring…. she also a Director influencing No.s 44, 43, 34, 23, 20, 10, 8 and 3, …strrrring….. and tells CEO No.2, what to do…. strinnng…….she also the right hand of “god” No.1 as his known 20+yr development legal gun, so she tells him what to do…..sttrriinggg…. No.1 well known to 47,46,36, 33,3231, 25,24,23,22, 20, 17, 14,13,12,6,5, who are all in or related to his game or his politics… string……ha ha ha….
Frankly, I suspect all on the list don’t give a rats about the list. But as long as they keep doing, managing, trying and more importantly employing numbers of people in this town, they are influencing lives positively and getting food on some families tables, so we should at least recognise them for that, and many others who do the same. TRRA night see red all the time, but this list each year also seems to make others see green…
I thought for a while about if I should respond to Cappuccino in Hand but he/she seems to be missing the point here (and a pseudonym to do so but I get that) so here are the FACTS and these are straight copy and pastes from the Townsville City Council Annual Reports
2015/16
Total liabilities 459,588
2016/17
Total liabilities 481,781
2017/18
Total liabilities 469,537
2018/19
Total liabilities 537,104
Now to do the math on this 537,104 minus 459,588 equals 77,516 increase which as a % equals 16.86% NOT 65% (77,516 divided by 459,588)
Now I am not saying I trust these numbers to be correct but they are what has been signed off by the Auditor General and published so there is no dispute about the number.
As for my poke at the council, in their Mid Year Budget Review 2019/20 they state and I quote “3rd year CONSECUTIVE
BALANCED BUDGET &
REDUCING DEBT
Through ‘smarter, faster, better’
initiatives.
Given the data above how can this be correct. Is it a mistake or is it an attempt to bullshit to the media and the ratepayers?
Now for Sam
The numbers in his chart for 2017 are correct, the numbers for 2018 are correct, the number for 2019 are correct BUT the number for 2016 is NOT correct which is why this is bullshit too.
All I am asking for is the truth and information to make decisions on the future leadership. So far I have not seen anything to even tempt me to back them.
I look forward to your response Cappucino.
Because Phil they are looking at the operating budget. Shifting stuff off it to the balance sheet to make sure they meet their operations targets. This is accounting sleight of hand 101.
Technically the Mullet isn’t lying. But she’s not telling you the whole truth either. You need to ask specific financial questions. Not ones that enable her to wiggle and squirm and provide misleading answers.
105
How does that make the statement about “3rd year Consecutive balanced budget and reducing debt.”?
As you have said and I know the debt has risen every year
Council have balanced their operating budget. No quibbles there.
And although actual debt has increased (minor issue if you’re Mullet) the actual debt is less than the forecast debt in 16-17 budget (But more than the 15-16 forecasted debt) the forecast debt.
Which is easy if the state give you a big chunk of money and you spend it on maintenance and you don’t have to spend the forecasted money on maintenance. See all those maroon signs around town at park redevelopment and roads upgrades, indicating state funded projects. It’s also possible forecasted numbers have been overinflated.