UPDATE: The above headline was written early Saturday evening, but just after 10, the Bulletin has called it for Slick Nick as our new mayor. And why wouldn’t they.
So please read parts of this week’s Nest with the tricky timings involved, The ‘Pie is too buggered to tinker around after a day at the keyboard. Apologies.
But the voting process remains an issue in itself: wait is the operative word … probably about two weeks for an official full count verdict, because of the ECQ’s cheapskate model for this election. That the result appears overwhelming is irrelevant, which might not be the case if this is used as a precedent..
Anyway, not much left to do much have a laugh where we can. We take a look at the campaign for a guffaw or two through our tears.
It took a couple of weeks, but The Astonisher catches up with The Nest’s suggested solution to the CBD’s woes, then the gets it wrong when the paper’s famous lazy lack of curiosity strikes again …
That blasted rock holding up the Mt Spec Road repairs is now just that … blasted … and how. The ‘Pie pass on some great vision.
What Australia’s tobacco wars can teach Americans about tariffs
You can support the Nest financially with a much needed donation. The link is at the end of the blog.
An Unpopular Election In Every Sense, And It Ain’t Over Yet
It was foisted on us by a crook and conman, the political cowardice of Brisbane and a hapless and hopeless minister. But in another kick in the teeth, TCC CEO McCabe colluded with the ECQ, running the insincere line of ‘voter fatigue’ (like Joe would give a fuck) and cost (allowing the weak-kneed Thompson scam of full pay for a year sitting on his bronzer and jeering at us does not even hint at fiscal prudence) so we ended up with a cumbersome and questionable postal vote only (PVO). So whatever outcome we get, it will always be tainted by the suspicion that it had too many variables to be an honest count. Not that the end count will matter, with early figures suggesting Dametto will easily get a primary vote majority, making preferences superfluous. This was how the Bulletin reported it at 8 last night.
The figures show an almost certain victory for Slick Nick, because it’s unlike other elections where the Anthony Green wannabes examine booth returns tied to certain political demographics, to predict an outcome. These postal votes cannot be grouped in any particular way. If this trend above is reversed significantly, a whole new set of questions arise. But we’ll leave that for then.
Nevertheless, the less-than-surprising first returns still leave lots of questions about the process itself and cut-off. Nest reader ‘Maggie’ sent this in yesterday afternoon.
I spoke to the returning officer last week about the fact that the mail box in nth ward is only emptied Mon to Fri at 3pm. I pointed out that the closing date for ballots was a Saturday at 6pm. She stated that the electoral office took no notice of the po date stamp. Its actually up to people to sign their ballot and by signing it they state they have voted by 6pm on sat 15th. They also need a witness signature. Basically it relies on peoples honesty.
If that is correct, what’s the point of a supposed cut-off yesterday, with any signed ballot received by the 25th considered valid? Sir Humphrey would be proud.
However, we are never likely to hear of any difficulties or any admission that it was a misjudged call for PVO from the ECQ, they will tell only what we are entitled to know. That’s called the power of agency. And we’ll get even less believable tosh from that sock-puppet minister – that this woman got elected in the first place makes you wonder about her opponent and if he/she was caught out committing unnatural acts with small furry animals. The people of Warrego have a lot to answer for.
But At Least We Will Now Be Spared The Verbal Flatulence
It’s been a campaign worthy of Francois Rabelais and his ribald truism ‘A happy fart never came from a miserable arse’. The over-riding theme for the last three weeks has been unhappy back-biting of other candidates, attacking either their past or their policies, often both. All of which was neither entertaining or enlightening, with all serious candidates miserables arses every one. And as far as The ‘Pie can recall, not a single policy from anyone that caught the public imagination. By now, we just want the shredding of the city’s reputation to stop.
And it is old mate Frankie Rabelais who has a very apt aphorism for candidates Keune and Thompson.
Unless of course you’re a lawyer is sore need of a new spinnaker for the yacht.
Thompson no doubt has been and will continue to learn the truth of this bon mot, but Keune had a total bimbo moment when she foolishly challenged the election itself, a move which, justified or otherwise, is a always an unwise move for a candidate – as Donald Trump has discovered. She flew the matter up to the High Court, where it lasted less time than a fart in a fan factory. The speed of the ruling was embarrassing, our Joanne must know how Wily Coyote feels.
No, not the Mt Spec Rd.
This coming on top of her Chinese tourist debacle –
…recruiting a lost cruise passenger with no English to a hold placard for her in exchange for her later taking him back to he ship – seems to have put paid to her weird campaign. Such hospitality.
There was also not a shred of wit, no sly irony, not a hint of enough confidence to make a telling jab at an issue or an opponent. God knows, Townsville is a target-rich environment for a bit of good natured buffoonery. While the problems facing this city are deadly serious, a light moment or two is always a welcome winner with we swill. It was left to a couple of public commenters to offer some much needed satire. One, who commented on the quite startling transformation in The Kipper’s stature – outwards and not upwards – suggested David’s belt size was ‘equator’. And regular letter writer to the Astonisher, Barry Davies had a vey funny take on the ‘race’ in the weekend paper.
The ‘Pie has a theory as to why well informed and often funny Mr Davies isn’t a regular columnist for the Astonisher : it’s because they’d have to pay him. He’d be worth the money, Jill. (And no, The ‘Pie doesn’t know Mr Davies, never seen or spoken to him, just like the style. )
Dametto’s white bread, painting-by-numbers campaign has earned him the Nest nickname Slick Nick, a reference, as mentioned last week, to the old 17th century saying ‘he’s as slick as a trollop’s slot.’ Which may be an unfair comparison to the street walker’s … ummm … CBD, but there we have it.
And Foodtrucks Greaney continued to flounder to the last gasp, on Friday dishing up this prize bit of unawareness. In an unbelievably gauche and desperate search for something meaningful to say, Greaney offered this proof she had nothing to say.
Ann Maree Greaney (on the left) with a sufferer of voter fatigue.
Ms Greaney announced her liveable suburbs plan, and she said she been focusing on a number of issues that affect Townsville and the plan wraps it all up. She said that enhancements to parks, walking tracks, have been talked about, the plan would also include more bins, a greening strategy for the suburbs and a co-ordinated effort to tackle housing crisis. “Whilst these have been a number of policies, I think we need to tie it all together to actually deliver for the suburbs,” Ms Greaney said.
But isn’t that the bread and butter stuff of councils everywhere, including Townsville. Surely it is exactly what the council is already doing, or should be be if finances allow it, nothing new, no spark. And if finances don’t allow it, that’s what you should be concentrating on, madam. This inanely grinning drudge surely must know she’s now in a political twilight zone, comforted only by the fact she knows she has two more years on the public dollar before shuffling off back to putting up tents and setting out chairs for council events.
Anyway, The ‘Pie is done fretting about whole thing , with the realisation that it doesn’t really matter who gets the ridiculously outdated ratty scarlet robe, there isn’t a single one demonstrating any leadership skills (negotiation, persuasion, horse trading) that will give the city and it’s various discrete communities – business, sports, arts, – and ratepayers generally both confidence and fair consideration. So let’s leave it for now, with a final suitable Rabelaisian quote covering our next two years.
Well, Once Their 5-Week Smoko Was Over, They Didn’t Fuck Around
That Paluma road rock took ages (see what I’ve done there?) to move, but when it did … well, it sure fuckin’ did.
To increase your pleasurably adrenalin rush, before you watch the big bang, imagine that the all the mayoral candidates were making a close-up inspection in the hope of photo bombing.
Not sure the Paluma resident, seeing this, have any high hopes of things moving along at a good clip. One has suggested the WETMA nanny staters will be sending down a team of nurses, vets and a mobile frog and insect hospital to check the well being and hearing of endangered and vulnerable species caught out on their morning ramble looking for brekky.
On a more serious note, there are questions already being asked if the big bang may have damaged the ageing span of the historic (and Bulletin note correct usage) iconic Crystal Creek bridge. Don’t expect too much from DMR boffins, though, they are so shy of informing the public that they apparently refuse to allow their surnames to be revealed.
Funny and mildly insulting way to do PR.
This Would Be Hilarious If It Wasn’t So Pathetic
In the realms of the phantasmagorical bullshit this cowpat of a paper regularly serves up, this one should come with free splatter glasses for its dwindling readership.
Where to start? Well, first up, this is a word for word regurgitation of some hot steaming tripe, self-serving (and unproven) research from a lobby group for vested interests. Now the Property Council of Australia is a legitimate advocacy group and plays a valuable role representing the the interests of builders and developers around the country. But this is an ill-informed cherry-picked piece of unpleasant boosterism, which is basically saying the government has to give developers public funds for anything to happen in the CBD. OK, that’s an argument we should have, maybe, like the one The Magpie kicked off two weeks ago, when he theorised only large entities could do anything for our CBD. A block-size shopping mall with parking, a proper university campus maybe, or even a concert hall covering a city block.
We then were treated to this bit of patronising hucksterism from the head of the Queensland Property Council.
This is pretty close to meaningless in practical terms, and is nothing new at all. It’s a variation of the recently popularised and highly suspect mantra about getting rid of red tape. Basically, the message is that it’s been the council that’s been fucking up the CBD with approval requirements. That would state-mandated local government regulations governing approvals created by the state government. This idea that it is the council’s fault si reinforced in the next bit of this flummery.
Ms Caire is pushing a barrow full of her own bullshit, but there are a couple of more interesting things here.
An initial spark? Yeah well, that’s one answer, burn the whole fucking area down. It is at this point, The Magpie must point out that reporting on this CBD malaise for more than 15 years, there have been doleful and totally justifiable wails about the parlous state of the place, and yes, the council should do something. BUT IN ALL THAT TIME, NOT ONCE, HAS THE MAGPIE HEARD FROM THE UNHAPPY CHAMBER, CBD RETAILERS, THE COUNCIL OR THE BULLETIN ONE SINGLE SUGGESTED WORKABLE SOLUTION, TO ATTRACT PEOPLE BACK TO THE AREA, EVERYBODY HAS WANTED SOMEONE ELSE TO TO SORT OUT A PROBLEM. WHICH CANNOT BE SORTED OUT UNTIL ONE CRUCIAL ISSUE IS SOLVED.
That issue is parking.
But guess what? When The ‘Pie said this piece was ‘ill-informed’, he was referring to the fact that Ms Caire provided a silly wish list of five sites she said should be redeveloped (strangely didn’t get too specific about just sort of developments should created ).
Anything catch your eye? Anything stand out like Dolly Parton on a cold morning? Yup, four of the five are car parks. And they aren’t adequate to handle the current business load.
And she wants them built on. Now maybe we should give Ms Caire a bit of a break here, and let’s turn to the iditor, goofy Jill Poulsen, who lowered herself to be a stenographer but put her name to a story which you can bet she did not write one single bloody. The fact that’s she has put her name to this suggests she is doing the GM’s bidding and keeping the Chamber and the business community on side. They will be upset enough that in the mayoral stakes, the business lobby’s man Candidate David Kippin is going to beaten worse than a rented mule.
Did it not occur to you, Jill, about the car parking issue, and that at the very and unlikely best, any developer would only replace the parking spots he builds on, while quadrupling the needed capacity?
And wouldn’t it be a journalistic nicety if you rounded out the ‘exclusive’ – FFS !!- yarn with some stats of the research that showed current projected ideas were ‘unviable’? Or what might be viable, and why.
Once again, Jill, you have irrefutably demonstrated that the paper under the stewardship of you and more pointedly the paper avaricious GM Suzanne Wilson, are a large part of the Townsville problem, not part of any solution.
Shame on you both.
What Americans Can Learn From Our Violent Tobacco Wars
It’s just occurred to The ‘Pie while reading about the illegal tobacco trade and associated violence that our dilemma could be instructive for Americans. What the US seems to need is a simple explanation for the simple-minded majority to understand how Trump is scamming them with his loopy tariff boasts. But what is a simple way to highlight how the Orange Abomination makes it sound like he’s punishing the foreign manufacturers when he is actually hitting Americans with a the double whammy of paying the higher prices caused by said tariffs, and limiting free market choice at the same time stifling competition, a move big corporations love.
So all the Dems, reporters and/or social media activists have to do is briefly explain – bullet points will do – what has happened with cigarettes and tobacco in Australia. In a nutshell, the government puts a tariff on cigarettes and tobacco, on an increasing scale to make smoking too expensive for the average person. But the government, unwilling to outlaw smoking entirely, has now managed to hike the price to the point where criminals have created a whole black market worth close to the fashionable drugs . When addiction involved, there’ll always be under-the-counter customers.
And now there is so much black market money involved, the crims are trying to stub each other out.
THAT is exactly how tariffs work , by any name you want to call the tax, and when the impost reaches a certain level, crime takes over.
So tariffs come with lots of accompanying ‘unintended consequences’, one of which is the original and still stated reason for the high fag tax is becoming questionable … saving the health costs of people with smoking related health issues. An outright ban would’ve had exactly the same criminal effect, but our government would not then be raking in their misery tax.The strain on policing, legitimate business and public safety must be getting close to negating the cost savings in the health care area. It won’t be long before American tariffs barriers create a thriving black market over there on any number of goods that cannot be domestically produced and have become too expensive to buy over the counter. Mobile phones, IPad and computers – anything that requires mainly Taiwanese chips, come to mind. Thefts of foreign cars will reach even higher levels in the states in coming years – we’ve got chop chop, they’ve got chop shops.
The grocery bill is just the start for American unaccustomed to staples moving toward luxury.
The Magpie, who had no hassle giving up the fags 45 years ago, has a firm view on this. Much of democratic Australian law accommodates the undemocratic notion of saving people from themselves, by taking away many personal choices which rightly should be theirs to police privately. Cigarettes should be brought back to high but affordable levels, with accompanying laws that make it clear that anyone presenting to health care bodies for damage caused by smoking has to pay their own costs of care. The now established rules regarding passive smoking remain, as does the growing stigma surrounding those who just are dying for a gasper. Which they probably will. But it’ll be up to the individual.
The Week In Amerika
The delusions from the White House continue to flow out regularly, with Trump now even more blatantly saying that black is white. But the Epstein matter and the rising price of household living is starting to close in. And the ruinous government shut-down has now ended, with neither side coming out with any honour. The week’s story in pictures.
Socking It To Apple
The ‘Pie initially thought this was an item for the growing ‘Why Humans Are Fucked As A Species’ file, but the hilarious widespread response gives one hope that there is still a glimmer of sanity in our collective conscious.
Apple is promoting its latest accessory as “a beautiful way to wear and carry an iPhone”. To the more cynical – and anyone over the age of 30 – it’s a very costly knitted sock that your nan could probably replicate for the price of a couple of balls of wool.
The iPhone Pocket, unveiled this week and available from Friday, is basically a limited-edition knitted sleeve available in an array of colours and designed to carry an iPhone or other small items.
This particular piece of ribbed cloth will set buyers back an eye-watering $US149.95 ($A228) for the short strap or $US229.95 ($A350) for the long strap.
This corporate over-reach from a company known for its lucrative sideline frippery was a welcome gift for those who love returning serve to moronic marketers. This was one of the best.
And A Few Final Thoughts
Lost in translation for sure, but The ‘Pie cannot even start to think what they meant to say.
On the other hand, this was refreshingly straightforward.
And IKEA’s always good for a laugh.
And a last cautionary warning.
………….
Phew, will The ‘Pie be able slow down and take it easy now the mayoral hoopla is over? Nope, now we’ve got bloody Hinchinbrook. Stayed tuned, and head to comments. . The link to offer some much needed assistance with Nest finances is below.
No surprises then.
Dametto will win ….shock, horror. quell surprise!
Let’s be honest. it was a shameful, irrelevant, non event campaign. A bit of stuff and nonsense. The State LNP wanted to secure the next corporate clown… and yes he’s the one that the people of Townsville deserve. We go from one act of stupidity to the next.
Yes, we are a working class, military town , but that doesn’t mean we have to act like lemmings and throw ourselves into the abyss.
Dametto will do absolutely nothing of worth for the people of our city. That is clear and obvious. His record, his values and his lack of principles are there for all to see.
I also have to say that In the absence of any local media analysis, we would have expected much more from the Magpie. So like the “ astonisher “ you have failed this city
You spent more time commenting on our local rag than addressing our mayoral candidates abilities.
We are where we are, it’s not a good place and the blame is widespread.
Society rewards mediocrity.
Fevered twaddle.
“You spent more time commenting on our local rag than addressing our mayoral candidates abilities”.
How about you run that by a few candidates and see how they feel about it. And the core reason for this blog is to keep the Astonisher to account for failing the community.
You clearly have not been reading this blog. You must be confusing it with something you saw on FB.
Aw fuck right off Albert Wank ! Clearly you’re an imbecile or should be Troy ? Start your own blog you clown ! Fucking loser !
Tut tut, Jatz, steady up, you’ll do yourself a mischief.
It was a very important event to remove someone not fit for the role. With a 42-point primary swing against him, the voters responded accordingly. With the majority of the electorate voting for Slick Nick, he will win on primary votes alone and no doubt the noisy greens will be cranky because they don’t like Slick.
What the electorate now needs to see is the CCC report, charges laid, a full costing that 17 names has cost the electorate with a view to recoup costs, his free legal bill curtailed, and legislation enacted to punish stolen valour with at least a criminal conviction but preferably incarceration.
Townsville deserved better than what we had.
Or we could just take the win and move on.
The crime we walk past is the crime we accept. Prosecute, prove a point, show cookers realism.
“These postal votes cannot be grouped in any particular way.”
Not quite, Mr Pie. They have broken them down into the ten divisions. Dametto getting 75% in the northern beaches and north shore!
MLB, have you got a link to “They have broken them down into the ten divisions.” Please.
https://results.elections.qld.gov.au/TCCMayor2025/072/preliminary?division=07210
Ah well Pie, When they build on all those car parks, there is always Buchanans Hotel site, the old Wintergarden site and the council can build a proper multi-storey at the Sturt St quarry site.
It just goes to show how fascist and redneck Townsville still is when Nick Dametto , a fella who saw no problem with hanging out with the NAZI NSN at the Anzac Park (Oh the irony) far right flag waving rally gets the majority of votes . But as of today its only about 27000 out of 100 000 . If he is declared the winner, anything he did as the KAP member for Hinchinbrook , including hanging out with the nazi criminal and terrorist organisation carries over to his new job for the purposes of the QLD CCC Act. Anyone who has a problem with what I say will have matters of credit put to them in court at their own expense https://results.elections.qld.gov.au/TCCMayor2025/072/preliminary
It now clearly shows that a significant portion of voters either overlook or minimize concerns about domestic violence and misogyny. This is troubling given our crime statistics in these areas. DV and sexual assault in Townsville are much higher than in the rest of the state, yet we voted in a candidate whose rhetoric and behavior may normalize the underlying causes of such violence.
This raises serious questions about our priorities and willingness to confront difficult ethical issues, even when reflected in measurable social problems. It also highlights Townsville’s racial double standard: there’s community outcry when a young Black person commits assault, but a white man can be elected to authority despite publicly minimizing equally horrific behavior.
Have we truly chosen to follow the same path as the USA?
Crikey!!! Look, I really don’t think you have the bandwidth to be diving into Nest comments.
A.F.,
Do you catastrophiz often?
Thanks for the link, Pat. Will be interesting to see how many of the 142,775 enrolled voters actually voted. And how many did not get a ballot paper in their mailbox but found that someone had voted for them? Voters mostly knew what they were doing with only 1.04% voting informal – although you’d have to wonder about the 400+ who gave their first preference to Sean Gleeson who had pulled out early on. Donkeys perhaps?
I couldn’t agree more.
Pat,
Maybe it is time for you to find another town in which to live. One where the locals are not hard-nosed, pragmatic realists, sick of others opinions being rammed down their throat while trying to quietly get on with life.
Nazis, Anzac Park, flag waving, eternal flame….
Hard nosed, pragmatic realists.
That hardly describes Townsville. You seem confused. Sounds like you’ve had a nasty bump to your head Ben. Perhaps a short stay in the hospital would help.
Well Bill Jones will be glad it is all over. He will have writer’s cramp after witnessing so many Voting Forms. He was too busy to witness mine so I had to get William Jones to do it. I then put a 9 (yes, eight candidates) into each box and sent it back. Not one of them is suitable to be Mayor or even on the Council for that matter. What fuckin’ hope is there.
I’m still waiting to see how many votes the donkey got.
Charlie, as you come from the suburb with the most to benefit from a bit of commonsense via the council engineering dept, I find it strange that a well structured letter to the Editor I finally managed to have printed attracted NO comment from the Poonami sufferers! Have you all given up hope? Also the proposed water park to be built on ground higher than the lower reaches of Wulguru spells more than a spot of bother for afore mentioned turd and shredded paper recipients! I had hoped to get any one of the hopefuls to say they would address this disaster but not a peep from them either!1 I said I’d vote for that person and I don’t live in Wulguru! I didn’t vote for slick Nick either, Wulguru needs help before the northern Beaches mob!
Pretty sure I heard the water park developer (at the TCC meeting) say that their sewerage line would be completely separate from the Wulguru one – in fact I think one of the councillors asked a specific question about that.
And you believed him?
Thanks for the support but we are drip fed information and so we have adopted a yes/no/maybe attitude. It has only been over 30 years after all. At least it came up during the election.
The 10 council division polling vote breakdown on the Queensland electoral site is interesting.
Sitting councillor Jacob’s is being thrashed in his own division, only a few votes above Patel.
In division 3 everyone gets a share against the sitting councillor and soon to be ex acting mayor Greaney.
Maybe the lesson is to look after your local area before grander visions are reached for!
Precisely.
Link, please. I’d like to have a look at it without spending hours trying to find it. Many thanks…………….
Doxie, click on the link provided by Pat Coleman. Search around on that page, up and down. It’s all there.
https://results.elections.qld.gov.au/TCCMayor2025/072/preliminary
This should take you to the e-card page and where it says breakdown options you can get each division count
IT’S ALL OVER NOW, AND THE MAGPIE SENDS HIS HEARTY CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEW MAYOR FOR HIS SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN.
CONGRATULATIONS, DAVID.
Yes. Well done David.
Early bets are also with David winning Hinchinbrook using his other sockpuppet Slimey Chisea.
More debt
More taxation
More spending
More development with money going into the right pockets.
No accountability or questioning over where billions of dollars have disappeared in the townsville council books.
The new mayor will continue with
Its happening across the world,.
America under the trump revolution is heading towards 38 trillion debt, spending on a 250 million ballroom whilst getting involved if not starting new wars across the world – the attack on Venezuela might be a bay of pigs 2.0 , not to mention unfettered money and weapons to ukraine and israel.
Our problem is a stupid voter base voting in problem that hate them.
And so it ever was
Who did you vote for, Guy?
Oh, please, Kenny have some pity … for your fellow readers.
Give me your banking PIN code and i’ll let you know
“ stupid voter base voting in problem that hate them.”
Sounds like unelectable you also hates the voter base
I heard NOTHING from the three top candidates by vote ANYTHING about stopping further loans or revealing the true debt.
I heard NOTHING from the top three candidates about doing an AUDIT to discover what has happened to BILLIONS of dollars that have been spent.
I heard NOTHING from the top three candidates when strand parking was being installed – if they said NOTHING they were part of the problem.
Guy, it is tedious reading your constant complaints about the lack of reporting of TCC’s financial situation. Now you are whinging because the mayoral candidates didn’t announce their policies about the financial situation – even though you apparently know nothing about it and have nothing to compare any statement against. So why don’t you examine a published document which will give you a starting point? In the Agenda for tomorrow’s TCC meeting, at Item 7, Treasury Report, October 2025, the Debt is clearly stated as $420.5m. If you think that is a lie or somehow bodgy then say so.
Good point, but geez Bob, be thankful you ain’t The ‘Pie, who yet again chopped out two thirds of that Guy comment, and his pointless hyperventilating about how voters don’t care. Well, at least they cared enough to vote for him back in the day.
But yes, agree, tedious.
Premier, Member for Runaway Bay, Mayor of Townsville, Member for Hinchinbrook, Minister for Veterans, and then there is his 3 puppets in Townsville, all playing the same cue cards, dare I say 1 term! Dametto gone in 2028, Stewart becomes Mayor in 2028.
Scomo must be jealous of The Kid (‘how the hell did he pull that off when I couldn’t?’)
And we Nesters now have to make up our minds as whether you, Steve, just like a merry jape or are in need of an intervention. If you think Stewart will ever be anything else again in this town, best you consider as the head of TEL, taking over from his squee …. errr … close pal, Claudia.
Well well, it’s over. Sort of. Although the result is a given, Demented has won, we will have to wait for the full result to see the true figures. Either way, a democratic process has taken place and a grifting, lying, mentally deficient narcissist has been put to pasture. Well at least for another 2 years. The past 18 months, post Jenny Hill, has been abysmal. Let’s hope some sense and order is restored.
More games to come yet, choosing the deputy possum fur wearer, fulfilling promises, Twonames sniping from the sidelines and writing letters of complaint to anybody who listens. But it’s all part of the game.
Dametto is probably the best of a bad bunch. Better him than Headknocks. It’s a relief that this chapter of Twonames has been put to bed. Sure, he will hang around like the smell of a Wulguru sewerage overflow, but his trip into oblivion has at least commenced. Like a fart in a fan, he will fade away quickly. His cooker mates will crying themselves to sleep in their tinfoil hats.
It would be churlish not to congratulate Mr Dametto on his win.
Oh, and who’s the short-arse, now?
That comment doesn’t appear to be in reply to anyone particular, so what’s that last bit about?
Was the writer of this headline having a stroke? Reads like it.
Went for a drive up to Paluma on the weekend.
Applied for a permit at the start of last week with DTMR office, which took a few days to be approved. There is security on the bottom to check the permit details, and also at the top to check you off once you make it. Strict instructions do not allow you to stop on the way apart from at the traffic lights, which there is 8 sets of them. So Little Crystal is out, and the car park is closed.
The town is dead. They have killed it. Noone is coming or going, it is really quite sad how a government department can inflict so much pain on a community.
We saw Rifle birds, Cat birds and Crimson Rosella’s in town, that we have never seen on previous trips.
The process is designed to keep people out.
Next order of TCC business: get rid of Foodtrucks Greaney as Deputy Mayor. She is as big a stain as Threenames and needs to get back to supporting her constituents in the next two years!
Robinson has proved himself at the Disaster Management level, he should be the Deputy Mayor, and he will get the numbers. (Dametto, Ellis, Rehbein, Dirou, Price, Phillips, and Jacobs)
But will there be a fresh election for the deputy doo dah? On the face of it, and just talking procedural here and not worth, Greaney stepped up and did the acting job for no extra pay (she tells us, and The ‘Pie believes her), so now, what regulation says the chamber has choose a deputy? It is a bullshit position used only to fill in as figurehead in the absence of the real empty head.
In fact, it would not be a good idea to have another vote on deputy, it would offer the chance for another round of back stabbing and ill-will. For better or worse, Greaney knows the acting role ropes, and could step in when Slick Nick is away, ‘roo shooting, pig sticking or gin jockeying.
Agree that Robbo would be a good choice, or Batkovic for that matter (who wouldn’t want it anyway), but greater things lie ahead for both of them. And Robbo would NOT get Price’s vote if Greaney is on a ballot, she will be holding his hand under the table, using her secret code of squeezes to instruct him when to raise his hand.
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer?
Yup, and to that end, I have written to Julia Roberts advising I am happy to be her enemy. Still waiting for the pay off.
But ya gotta love the Daily Astonisher, wringing the last drop of vengeful blood out of battles fought and won … today, two for the price of one … TwoNames and The Mullet each get a serve … the Mullet’s totally irrelevant to the current situation, but Jill P must’ve had a panty tingle when she came up with this front page.
BTW ‘Over The Hill’ was used more than once in The Nest during the campaign, but first appeared when Magpie mate, Phil Batty, then living in Townsville, was thinking about running for mayor back then (a decade ago) and the ‘Pie suggested T-shirts that said ‘I’m Over The Hill And Going Batty’.
Phil, by a landslide if he hadn’t moved away.
If a developer is looking for a good start there is an old Heritage School and a Multi-story building not doing very much of all in West End. The Developer could pick it up for a song maybe. T
Need a good CEO, though.Think one has just become available.
good?
You don’t mean you, do you?
Holes in the head have more attraction.
In the aftermath of Twonames reign of terror let’s hope that Slick Nick gets stuck into core business. He has 2 years in which to push for council changes. A restructure of TEL is a good starting point. A clean start with the removal of Gill and Claudia Bumme’no more Smith and some proper advocacy for the region that excludes ChatGPT reports and glossy brochures. Time for the business of council to be just that – business. Attract small and large businesses to the region by supporting them with appropriate incentives, reducing red tape and clearing obstacles.
Townsville has a hell of a lot to offer by way of business opportunities, we just need a council that is focused on delivering outcomes rather than kowtowing to one supreme leader. Slick Nick will be controlling and domineering so it’s up to the other councillors to keep him on a leash. We need collaboration and cooperation, not dick measuring and finger pointing.
It wouldn’t surprise if Chrisafulli sends Nanny McPhee Oberhardt back to strong arm councillors into letting Slick Nick have his way. Trouble there is any riding orders from Brisbane most likely will favour more power for the bureaucrats. Batwoman and Robbo are going to have their work cut out for them.
You are correct, I shared a flight with Mr Oberhardt yesterday, hes up for a short visit to get the swearing in done, ensure Nick is trained in local governmental policy, which means a quick visit to LGAQ headquarters, the Premiers office, then back to get things ticking along. Sounds like Nick has the connection, the funding, and if he plays nice with others, Townsville gets moving.
What is needed right now is a pause, let the dust settle, knee jerk and short term proposals will just extend the going nowhere.
Pretend the “crowning” ceremonies et-al are the reason for no actual obvious activity, while in the background positive, professional and dynamic activity will produce a realistic program of futuristic and dynamic proposals to reverse the Dragon’s Hill breath of the past.
Magpie I have heard two separate people say the reason the West End hospital near the old school can not be approved is the lifts were made to hotel size doors and space and not hospital size, which are larger to fit beds and equipment etc.
Can anybody confirm this? If true the whole lift shafts are unusable and hence no approval can go ahead.
Re use it as something else or knock it down but it won’t be a hospital.
So get some smaller beds and stop delaying over semantics, just DO IT. I know that sounds terrible to the gov types, but they forget their roll is to deliver, not procrastinate for eternity.
Roo, you are big on action but your thoughts relate to totally unfounded gossip. Of course, Dazza could help by quizzing his sources on exactly who provided the info about the lift sizes. It might be just plain wrong. That hospital is a private venture, not one developed by “gov types”. There will be banks and lawyers involved. Best let them sort it at their own (considerable) expense.
Story has it … heard several times years ago … that. when the hospital moved from North Ward to Douglas, under the direction nof Mike Capt Snooze Reynolds, there was one ward that was about to be built to the plan that had no doors.
RdR
Have you ever been wheeled, in your operating bed, from the operating theatre to intensive care? Silly me, if you had you would be still under the anaesthetic and know nothing of it.
Better still have you ever accompanied a love one from the operating theatre to intensive care? Probably not, for if you had you would not have made those fucking ignorant remarks about hospital door widths. Schmuck!
Get smaller beds!
WTF sounds like you need to go to Spec Savers and get your eyes tested so you can see the size of Townsville people. If anything you need larger lifts etc
Breaking news story from the Townsville Bulletin website this morning:
“North Ward’s Tide Cafe will be shaking things up in the coming months, with its owner teasing potential menu changes he’s sure locals will love.”
FFS, when did cafe menu changes become news?
The admission that they’re only “potential” changes raises the question:
Do businesses pay for these ads thinly disguised as news stories, and if so, how much?
Hi Pie,
I’m interested to know specifically what you perceive is the problem with parking.
Is it the overall provision? My experience walking around the city is there are usually there are plenty of free spaces, but maybe a block or two from where most people are going. Maybe if it was more comfortable to walk these would get used more. Anyway, that’s just what I’ve seen.
Is it the paid aspect, that you don’t think it should be or it should be less? Or perhaps the timed aspect that they don’t allow people to stay long enough? Or do you think a combination of all?
Whatever the solution is to the parking problem will come at a cost to Council, so a cost to ratepayers, the most expensive of which would be a multistorey carpark. It would probably be good if they know EXACTLY what the problem is before trying to solve it.
The problem is that there is fuck all to see in the CBD. The shops of yesteryear have followed the path of hand-me-downs or close-me-downs. Any renovations are cheap and nasty and the only tenants are those that can’t afford to trade elsewhere. And the major works over the years of street to mall to street etc is just wasted money. TCC can’t afford the money that it takes to build a decent construction.
No one ANYWHERE is suggesting the council make further forays into the minefield of development, and build anything, but it can make developers’ pathway easier with the (fabled) cutting of some re tape … not much because safety regs cannot be eased. Not in this litigious world, and neither should they be. The council could also offer a rates deal, like they have with North Rail Yards. But there is very little in reality that the TCC can actually do, except insist on major parking space.
The model is perhaps the excellent example (in microcosm) of the car park under the old IGA building in Ogden Street years ago (maybe its still there, The ‘Pie doesn’t park anuywhere in the CBD, like all pensioners, he can’t risk $100 fine.
I have an idea, how about the council puts a priority on pushing to get a functional public transport system so that people can travel to work cheaply and efficiently without using cars. A city the size of ours needs to be less car dependent. Buses would be fine, people in Cairns use them. They would also be great for tourists. All the people who work in the city may then be encouraged to utilise the city after work, perhaps they may have a drink with colleagues, rather than having to dash to their car to avoid traffic. Public transport if orgainised well coild mean some families in the suburbs may only need one car, think about how much money coild be saved. Tourists would be able to get around the city easily, perhaps scooters may not be such a problem. Car parking may not be such a big issue
A nice touch of social engineering there, Maggie. But a silly impossibility. Just how do you suggest you persuade that the populace across this sprawling city to give up the comfort and amenity of diving and instead use public transport, a concept that usually requires a population much larger than Townsville (and then runs at an annual loss anyway in most places)? And what value is there in the scenario where workers can stay on in the CBD to get shit-faced before they go home to bed into Mum? The CBD is awash with drinking holes that are doing fine, thank you, when’s the last time you heard of a well managed boozarium going broke?
Tourists using random buses is a bit fanciful, too.
Put simply, Townsville does not have a public transport mindset and is not likely to any time soon.
Sure, Townsville does not have the mindset now – its another chicken and egg problem?
Something to ease into it could be useful Park and Ride project, 4-5 satellite carparks with high frequency services at peak times. North and South could hook into the rail line, east would need some working – trackless trams (that old chestnut), or heaven forbid some investment in tram tracks down RRR, Daly Rd, Thuringowa Dr.
Start off cheap with the northern and sourthern ends and give that a go for some years to build some of that mindset. Saves on fixing the stupid North Shore intersection (which is an abomination), and likely avoids similar bottlenecks with Rocky or Elliot Springs becoming more popular.
If the service works well, and is affordable (50cent fares?!) who knows?
As for tourists….. what tourists.
When I arrived here in ’92, I was told that one of the oddities here, was the lack of public transport, and what there was, shut down at 5:00pm. This is why there is a car culture in this town.
The smartypants Magpie admits he has been dying to drop this in somewhere, so mate, that is a classic case of “cum hoc ergo propter hoc” fallacy sort of in reverse. This is the logical error of assuming that because two things happen at the same time, or one after the other, one must have caused the other. A cock crows then the sun comes up, therefore the sun came up because the cock crowed (crew?).This fallacy, which translates to “with this, therefore because of this,” applies here because it would seem that the car culture that always existed and still does, is the cause of our pissweak public transport system.
Magpie, I disagree with you. Firstly many people drive here, because they have no viable option presented to them. The traffic in the suburbs is really bad, and I am not convinced that the people stuck in traffic heading to bushland beach in peak hour drive because they love it. The fact is their is absolutely no way you could live in many places in Townsville without access to a car. The bus service is simply disgraceful. Cairns a city, similar to Townsville has an extremely good bus service. It runs 7 days a week to most suburbs, is efficient, and it runs till midnight. The locals use it to get around the city. It also means that tourists have a way to travel around the City. Townsville city residents are missing out on getting very cheap fares, because the council and the state government will not entertain the idea of spending money on giving the city a sensible, efficient, workable and decent bus service. In fact when we lost the Chamber Music Festival to Cairns, there were 3 things that contributed to this. No Concert Hall, No international flights and No decent Public Transport system.
Maybe. But those stuck in cars have air conditioning and whatever entertainment they choose to have in their own private space. Not being surrounded by randoms, some with dubious motives … and odours. It’s a mindset we’re talking about here, something people in big cities have become accustomed to, but unlikely we ever will. .
But on the subject of the northern suburbs and the congestion there, The ‘Pie has for years been advocating the relatively inexpensive re-introduction of motor rail, as successfully existed in the 90s.
Inexpensive for the simple reason no special lines have to be laid, often across expensively acquired land, modern rolling stock rail motors can be installed to fit existing gauge lines. Stations to serve these rail motors are also another cost saving, since rail motor passenger can enter and exit at ground level (or optionally at an existing platform), obviating any need to build expensive old style platform station whose usage could not justify the costs. And the modern units, appropriately dubbed EMUS (Electrical Multiple Units) will exactly lower the amount of co2 equal to the number of cars it takes off the roads. (Multiple because extra units can be added). So they are also environmentally friendly.
A small efficient network could radiate out from Townsville north, west, and south, and with modern rolling stock, could even promote the idea of dormitory suburbs all along the strip from Ingham to Ayr. If you look at the explosive urban growth, much of it where it shouldn’t be on flood plains, don’t laugh when I suggest to you this rail motor initiative could see, say, Mingela become a thriving little commuter community. And in that instance, that line could also service Woodstock and Lansdown, if anything like the thousands of jobs we’ve been repeatedly promised ever happens at the latter.
It is not fanciful for the introduction of this service to also play a major role in easing the land/housing costs spiral.
And if there was an extended service daily, say, as far north as Cardwell, (using existing lines) as well as through the wetlands on the way to Ayr, these services could indeed be a tourist attraction , for TEL to fuck up the promotion of.
Such services would of course have to be underwritten, but taking cars off roads is a major saving in itself, with all the attend safety benefits.
These motors could also have a bar service for homeward bound workers and tourists which might make a bob or two heh heh heh.
And no, I haven’t costed it out, and you can bet opponents of such an obviously good idea at least worth exploring, will do a financial hatchet job on the idea. And that will prove old Oscar right, we are ever at the mercy of people who the price of everything but the value of nothing.
The ‘Pie can sense the pile on about to start.
Point of note Magpie.
Buses these days have that new fangled air-conditioning just like cars. They also have seats.
So if you take a bus, you’ll still get air-conditioning. And if you take a car, you may still be subjected to dubious odours.
Speak for yourself, Quacker.
The biggest proponent of public transport are those that DON’T use it and never will.
Fancy dragging your shopping back from the shops from a bus stop in the rain/ ferocious heat in full sun? be my guest.
Public transport only works in larger cities where cars have been made deliberately onerous to use by dysfunctional traffic systems and humans have been packed into “lifestyle” apartments( adding hundreds of traffic lights to create unnecessary congestion). Then who pays for this transport infrastructure that no one really wants to use ? Even housing estates with tiny plots dont work with public transport. Public transport in major cities is the reservoir of infection, every surface covered in a dozen different flus/ colds and unknown extraction
Buy a car, van or electric scooter/ bike.
One of the few excellent bus routes in Townsville that I use is direct to the Hospital and University along the main road/s. But even that is under-utilised with mostly just half a dozen or less passengers even with 50 cent fares. The 203 service takes nearly an hour to get to the Willows at Thuringowa, wandering around dutifully through suburban streets picking up virtually no one. Bus services should be free for school kids to teach them how to get around town before they get near driving a car.
The only real way for public transport in / around the city is a “bulla” bus approach such as in Fiji, open air facing in with a shelter above the passenger area. You jump on and off with care.
Back in the 70s in London I remember doing that very thing as a kid with the route masters – no problem. If you fell over and injured yourself that was your own stupid fault and no judge would enter the notion that you weren’t responsible for your own injury.
For safety the driver could pull a lever blocking the entrance / exit at the front. The bus would carry no more than 10 people. Cash only, no cards, no change 1 dollar for adults , children ride free.
Yup just what we need … especially in the rainy season. But first we shoot all those bloody litigious lawyers looking for a quick compoensation buck when someone breaks their neck.
The point of cash only means NO electronics, no firmware updates, no passwords , no malfunctions, no maintenance of the money collection for the bus.
The front of the bus says
1 DOLLAR COIN ONLY
NO CHANGE
KIDS RIDE FOR FREE
We have been inundated with unworkable computerised / electronic systems that dont work.
If someone wants to get on they stand at the bustop or hail the bus like a taxi ( pretty simple when you think about it. The passenger gets on gives the driver some actual money and the driver throws it into a padlocked steel box.
The great thing about the bulla bus is you aren’t cooped up with sick people, if you are coughing you go to a section of the bus reserved for coughing / sick people, maybe some fans blast them with air so air moves away from everyone else. If you are coughing or showing signs of sickness the driver tells you where to sit. “You’re sick , back of the bus mate. ” maybe you have some fans that blast everyone. No air con.
The cash box gets swapped out air the end of the trip?? No one bothers robbing the bus because the driver can’t access the cash box. The driver has mace on hand and sprays the face of anyone causing trouble/ physical violence ???
The buses travel around the strand / CBD and other useful routes ?
Put as simply as possible, Guy, you are stark-staring raving mad, and seriously need help.
The bloody parking meters don’t accept cash.
Use the app for fucks sake.
Yer, sure. Arrive in the CBD, park, get out your ‘smart’ phone.
Up comes THE APP IS NOT RESPONDING. WAIT OR CLOSE APP?
What then Bobby?
Cash never fails!
The app has never failed for me and cash meters regularly fail, what are you talking about. Go back to MyPlace.
Bob,
Why would I want to go to your place. I am happy here at my home.
Or crazy idea
YOU GET RID OF ALL PARKING METERS
What app?
There’s an official Townsville City Council parking app called Townsville Parking.
Yup, we pensioners love it.
Pensioners aren’t stupid, they’re quite capable of using apps.
Errr … hmmm, The ‘Pie will not comment on this one. The ‘Pie’s daughter might weigh in with an disagreement.
Talk with Wilson Parking or other, provide them with the courthouse lease, or the TCC lease, this will give them income to offset development, and Townsville makes revenue based off a good investment, it is rare the two car parks are empty.
Plenty of variety to entertain most ratepayers with Wednesday’s TCC ordinary meeting – agenda up online for those interested. Probably chaired by Greaney since the by-election result won’t be declared for a few days yet. And look what’s in there – the 24/25 financial statement. For all those conspiracy freaks who want an INDEPENDENT audit of Council’s books, wade into the pages and pages of the official thing and see what you want to see. Take note of the INDEPENDENT audit by the Queensland Audit Office for a small fee of $304,785.
And some special (confidential) treatment for the North Rail Yards. As you will recall TCC formed a wholly owned Special Purpose Vehicle called North Rail Yards Development P/L (NYRD) which got into bed with private proponent Flinders Street Rail P/L to progress the multi-function residential project – and as you drive past you can see that it is really happening in there. But things have to evolve with the funding model and “Queensland Treasury has now indicated that it will only provide financial assistance if Council deregisters NRYD and progresses the development itself.” Ooo ahh! Better get Robbo onto that. Someone has to exercise a “put and call option”, whatever that is? Maybe get Suzie to oversee it. So, when the conspiracy theorists have done with Council’s budget and financial quagmire would someone like to try to explain what is actually going on in the North Rail Yards? Nick maybe? David? Actually David’s got accounting experience so maybe next time he’s on the line to the ‘Nest he could drop a few hints.
Worth flagging that one of the more substantial responses to the postal-only by-election has come not from a candidate, but from a voter: Pat Coleman. He has posted a detailed two-part brief in the comments under Joanne Keune’s Facebook post here:
https://www.facebook.com/share/1DAcdGfyJh/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Whatever people think of Joanne or the result, Pat’s contribution is aimed squarely at the process. He pulls together case law and past electoral failures to argue that the Townsville mayoral by-election is at least contestable, and that the rules around postal voting and timeframes are not fit for purpose. His argument is not perfect in every respect, but it is structured, serious and clearly driven by a concern for democratic integrity. It deserves to be read as a call for tighter legislative and procedural safeguards, not just dismissed as another Facebook rant.
Slick Nick has at least 5 times the votes of anyone else. He will win on primary votes. Even if they lost 10 000 votes, he would still win on primary votes. A recount is a waste of time and money, and we have all suffered long enough, unless of course you are Troy or Troyanne, then sure why not waste some more ratepayers’ money to keep your ego afloat.
However, a review of the postal election process could be considered, including when and where a postal only vote is used.
Now that the Ingham boy is Mayor, it will be interesting to see if Wade Jizz’free wins Hinchinbrook. He too has an Ingham mafia background as a butchers son and farming background. He is just like Crisafooli and Nick the dick and he does have the blessing of grand master Crisafooli to continue with LNP domination.
Well at least if he wins, he won’t be as jaded as Troy.
I thought Dametto was a long-term Townsville resident? We are in his previous electorate (Northern Beaches). I found him to be very responsive the two times I contacted his office about local issues. over the years. Called me back himself, got in his car and sorted things out. Im not a fan of some of his personal values, but voted for him after some internal debate because as a local leader he was very quick to respond and act. I see it as a positive he has friends in high places…not the friends I would choose but friends who hold the purse strings.
Absolutely correct Headmistress, there are two politicians in Townsville , Phillip Thompson and Nick Dametto who will make personal contact and try to assist to the limits of their powers, not to say they are the only ones who will, but they are stand-outs in the local sphere. I’m still waiting for a call back from Les Walker about an unused building in a South Townsville park, ooh, most of ten or twelve years ago, my memory’s not that good for things that don’t get a reply!
(By email)
Well, we will have to see how the future plays out, but at least we can finally say we fixed one problem. We will just have to wait and see if it’s created another one.
But after reading the coverage in the Bulletin this morning, one tiny detail caught my attention in the “Text the Editor” section on page 18 of the print edition, that I thought sums it all up from a media perspective.
So today’s “Text the Editor” is begging the Townsville Bulletin to proofread their articles because of “so many spelling and punctuation errors each day.”
The editor’s reply underneath?
“Eds note: Yes!”
They’ve managed to prove the reader’s point in their reply.
If it’s a note from the editor, it should be “Editor’s note” (or at least the standard “Ed. note”). “Eds note” just looks like a random plural with no possessive and no proper abbreviation.
The Bulletin, asked to fix basic grammar… immediately responds with a basic grammar mistake.
The ‘Pie will leave this for others to comment on. Might seem a bit doubled standard otherwise.
Although he has pointed it out himself, the old bird is well aware of far too many fat finger clangers in the Nest, but happy to report that very few are caused by grammatical ignorance. And rarely repeated, given the gleeful alacrity his devoted readers take in pointing them out.
Goes way back to what was always called a “printers PIE”!!!
Magpie, can we find out the truth around the Flinders Street Wharfs boardwalk? I was told by a planning person at TCC that the council pay a fee for it, as it is on private land, and there are 3 such areas in that area that warrant a council fee to the private owner. Surely our town planning saw this and nipped it in the butt!
Yes we can. Pl,ease let us know what you discover.
The ‘Pie hasn’t a clue what you’re talking about.
I spoke to the GM of Planning this morning, he suggested it is confidential information, and something he would not be prepared to comment on. It is not a NO, and as the conversation went on, it seemed to be something that is ‘common’ in councils around the state. That tells me we are paying for that 50m stretch of boardwalk behind the Flinders Street Wharves, I will now write to the CEO and ask, I’m certain he too will be dismissive.
submit a right to information request. They might redact a bit, but also might give you enough answers for your question.
Steve, why don’t you go back to your TCC “planning person” and ask them which bits of the boardwalk are on “private land”? It may be that the (disability) ramps giving access from Flinders Street are indeed across such land. The boardwalk itself appears to be perched over the water, but whose water is it?
The n’Pie understands that the creek water is the Port’s province – hence state government. But don’t understand how or if a council can pay a fee to a private entity on some sort of permanent basis.
Mind you, given the ABC revelation today about financial incompetence at the TCC, anything is possible.
Spoke to a councillor he confirmed it, the TCC are paying overs on the board walk, it is privately owned, not owned by the port as suggested, so as Blue Bells has suggested I am putting in an RFI. The last one I did they dd not reply, but we will keep engaging.
What is privately owned …as far as can been seen, it is over water, so what is being paid to whom and why?
Not sure you know what you’re talking about … a fuller explanation of the situation would be appreciated. And which councillor did you speak to, whjy have you declined to name them? All a bit sus, mate.
Steve, what (I think) we know is that Wagners built the boardwalk with money supplied by the state government not TCC. It seemed such a simple straightforward arrangement but it’s nothing of the sort. Just because it’s built in the air above port water, attached to the concrete retaining wall of what was once commercial and might still become commercial land does not mean it belongs to any of those parties. I suppose Division 3 councillor Greaney would have a pretty good idea what is what. It’s in her bailiwick.
Malcolm,
of interest TCC are now asking residents to take a survey regarding the maintenace dredging of Nelly Bay go to https://haveyoursay.townsville.qld.gov.au/nelly-bay-harbour?fbclid=IwY2xjawOIi81leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFGQTRNYlpBa0doaERSSnhMc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MghjYWxsc2l0ZQEyAAEe8sZLZMRCTdQFtFgPCQF5gL2Y2AHWtsV_PKyQ1x3W1pzFCaDf1cj7yJUaD6Q_aem_QzclJYXVDXEzyAJ4ADK7tQ
Well, well, well.
The Council seems to be suggesting that if they use the sea dumping option they will take up to 15,000 tonnes of spoil out to the Cleveland Bay dump site, whereas if they use the Kelly Street, Nelly Bay land-based stockpile and remediation site they will only do about 10,000 tonnes. The Port dumps about 400,000 tonnes of maintenance dredge spoil in Cleveland Bay each year, expected to increase now that the port and channel expansion has been completed.
Lots of questions before this is over, including a public consultation, when an unrigged outcome is obvious.
One obvious question is why is Council (ie. Townsville ratepayers) responsible for maintenance of infrastructure designed, approved, built, paid for and continuously used by the state as a harbour and ferry terminal? Ratepayers had no say on the inclusion or exclusion of Gustav Creek from flowing inside the Nelly Bay harbour – that was a state government decision overseen and approved by GBRMPA and the federal government. I’m told that officially, constitutionally, the breakwater around the harbour, separated from mainland Magnetic Island by a bridge, is technically an island in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park – which is continuous inside the harbour itself – hence the need for GBRMPA dredging permits. Beach sand which migrates under that bridge into the harbour and canal estate is expected to be dredged out of there at ratepayers’ expense in order to maintain the real, but ridiculous, constitutional fiction. The ‘harbour’ at Nelly Bay is under the jurisdiction of the Townsville Harbourmaster, a state functionary. This whole dredging fiasco belongs in the state government’s court and the state member and now new mayor should be rattling the cage of the Premier and minister to leave ratepayers out of it. But what are we hearing? Silence.
Shame TwoNames didn’t get back in as mayor … he wooda fixed ‘em, the varmits.
Magpie, Do you think it might be time to give the Magnetic Island shit a miss for an extended period of time as it has become a real bore. It’s gone on for nearly twelve months and I really don’t think anyone much would give a fuck about Nelly Bay and the like. Only a handfull of people live on the Island and most of them are Mexicans and I think you would find that the average Townsvillian wouldn’t give a fuck if Nelly Bay and the rest of the Island sank to the bottom of the ocean. Tell Bob and his mob if they don,t like it to fuck off back to where they came from. By the way the First Test of the Ashes series starts on Friday.
The ‘Pie imagines quite a few people – and not all from Maggie – wouldn’t give a fuck if the grimy industrial, jail hosting Wulguru sank to the bottom of its ever accessible cess pit.
As reader, mate, you should ditch the impudent notion that you can act as censor on Nest subject matter, you don’t get to pick and choose what is written about here, BUT you do get to choose what you read here.
And FYI, ‘test starting’, big deal, nothing new there – the test starts for the Magpie every single day he fires up the computer and gets pointless comment like this one.
Pondering the Wulguru sewerage issue I asked AI:
“The main sewerage problem in Wulguru is raw sewage flooding homes and businesses during heavy rain due to an undersized and overloaded system. This “poonami” crisis, caused by stormwater entering the sewer system, has been ongoing for years, with residents experiencing raw sewage backing up into their homes, creating unlivable conditions and significant property damage. The council is working on a long-term fix, but residents are frustrated with the delays and call for immediate action.”
” . . . an undersized and overloaded system”. Hmm. This suggests the designers, engineers and infrastructure experts have brought this problem on the residents, not the elected councillors, “but residents are frustrated with the delays”. I would like to point out to Charlie Wulguru that the ONLY way to get the Council into action is to make a fuss and keep it up. That’s why I’m on the case of the design failure of the Nelly Bay harbour which is not the fault of Townsville ratepayers. I failed to get anywhere with the Townsville Bulletin but I might get somewhere thanks to the Magpie’s Nest.
They all read it, Bob, and are very occasionally shamed into action, or mortified at some revelations, especially when the paper finally picks up the story broken here by citizen journalists.
It’s a wonderful day. The air is warm and Townsville continues to bounce back from Troy Thompsons campaign and reign of terror. The democratically unelected Mayor continues to fade into thin air as a breath of change embraces our city. I mean sure, Troy keeps his MYR047 number plates and he attempts to rent out his newly built ‘studio’ unsuccessfully, but he is rapidly being dismissed and forgotten. A new day has dawned and Townsville can now get back to its former self. Goodbye Troy.
And at 3.56pm, 59.99% of the 142,775 enrolled voters have had their vote counted – wonder how many envelopes are yet to be received and counted? Informal votes are down to 0.94% and Sean Gleeson has just reached 950 votes (1.12%).
Bob – that in itself is a handy measure of how many donkey votes there were. Or how dumb some of us really are.
Uh oh.
Here’s one to get your teeth into Nesters, but make it relevant. The interesting thing is Thompson may find it advisable to keep his trap shut … if that is possible … since the one single significant thing he did in his 15 minutes of mayoral fame, was to sign off on that thieving Ralston departure rort. And he certainly knew what he was doing.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11-18/townsville-council-tender-contract-audit/106010876?utm_source=abc_news_app&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_app&utm_content=other
Yes indeed Magpie, the incompetent Thompson did sign off on Ralston’s big payout. An incompetent decision and a no care attitude towards ratepayers money. The reason Twonames so desperately wanted the Prince gone, hence the huge payout figure, was because Twonames had naively thought that he could slot a mate/cooker/supporter into the CEO role. An attempted stacking of the numbers. However, as with all sneaky and deceitful things that Twonames does, it backfired on him in spectacular fashion as Joe McCabe was appointed at a time that Twonames was in the sin bin. Ha ha the dumbfuck. The rest as they say is history, and so is Twonames.
This was a staff member signing off on a contract issue. Only senior staff could have done that, like a Director. So we could play a fun game of who dun it? My money is on some enormously arrogant asshole from infrastructure.
Correct The Magpie if he is wrong (rare but occasionally happens) but it is now close to 10 hours since this major story bringing further shame to this city’s council administration (not councillors) broke, and there is not one single fucking word from our community paper that is all for us. The ‘Pie is subscriber and has accessed all their platforms.
Tell The ‘Pie is wrong. Please.
Sorry, but you are mistaken, ‘Pie. On the front page of today’s paper it says, “We’re for Australia”.
Christ, as if we didn’t have enough trouble.
It’s what the Phillipines might have a little revolution about soon over flood mitigation project phantoms and tenders by pollies.
No sleep for Townsville tonight, then.
WTF?
Jeanine from the Reckoning Room is alleging that the same business interests who backed the Mullet, also backed Dametto. She’s saying it will be back to the same old, same old, days. No indication of a source.
She’s just pissed off that her frootloop didn’t get up and looks to be getting about as many votes as Barry.
Re TCC tendering process.
The TCC broke the Local Government Regulation
What’s the big deal?
This coming just before the Crisafulli Government introduces new LG rules where councillors can’t be reported for breaches of the legal LG code.
Of course, like the TCC goof whose maths qualify him for a job at the Bulletin, errant councillors will talked to. Very sternly.
FFS.
Thought it was senior staff that broke the rules. And they are off for some reprogramming. Not that that’ll help.
So forgive my simple thinking, but with TwoNames found to be unfit to rule Walker Street, can’t a correct calculation of what Ralston should have received be done and an official demand to Ralston for the overpayment money back please ?
Or perhaps put that on two names as misappropriation of public funds.
Bummer, The con is over 4% and will get to claim expenses.
Anybody else having trouble getting the council meeting on line?
The ‘Pie’s screen just keeps buffering.
Just spoke to the administration, they said there are too many people trying to log in, and because Robbo and a few others are dialling in, they have maxed out the system, just as well the approved major upgrades for tech in the chamber.
My screen is also buffering
Same here.
Same here. A rotating white semi-circle on a black background.
Magpie, I wonder if any IT-savvy ‘Nesters can explain or account for this annoying shortcoming of the TCC livestreaming service? Is the problem at the Council end (and they don’t care about it), is it in the ether (and the service providers don’t care about it) or is it at our end where there are, say, capacity constraints in our own equipment or download contracts? There’s no point Council acquiring the infrastructure and offering the service if it simply doesn’t work. Is everyone failing to receive this live stream or just a few ‘special’ people or special areas of the town?
So, did it not work for you, too?
As I wrote back at 9.57am, yes it did not work for me too.
There are 2 possible reasons for the buffering in my opinion.
In uploading their video stream to their website, they do not have enough Upload bandwidth (Mbps) which is usually considerably less than their Download capacity. Generally, video streaming requires a minimum of 3.6 > 7.2 Mbps, but it looks like they are combining 5 video feeds in the upload, so the requirement may be higher
If you are on an internet plan with an ISP, you should be able to see the difference between the two on your account.
I think it is more likely that the number of incoming requests to view the video stream was higher, either in number of requests or bandwidth requirements, than the website host had available. This is not the first time that this has happened.
Been a fair while since working in IT, but I don’t think in this regard it has changed that much.
The ‘Pie’s opinion is that the nipple nodes were not tri-looped back to the frapple hose, overheating the glammis spectrum. Thus the buffering – which excited David Kippin, he thought he heard ‘buffet’and had his napkin and fork at the ready.
I am remembering lyrics from the classic “Newcastle song” by Bob Hudson from the mid 70’s – FJ Holdens with chrome plated grease nipples and double reverse overhead twin cam door handles, with twin overhead foxtails. Bit of paraphrasing there.
Check out the following guff posted on fb
Former Mayor Troy Thompson
Has decided it is time for some serious REST & RELAXATION, but what will his “R” mean.
He is certainly no quitter and whilst he wont get the accolades he truly deserves, he has changed the face of Townville in more ways than many are prepared to admit.
There was a lot more of that deluded self congratulatory jizz which was edited out, partly out of a distaste to highlight the mental spiral that is accelerating to a nose dive.
What Thompson thinks or says is totally without merit. The ‘Pie and his informed readers have done the job to help Townsville be rid of this thieving pestilence, and unless there is some actual news regarding this galah, he will not be appearing here from now on.
A final point, though, Troy. Boasting that you’ve change the face of Townsville in more ways than many are prepared to admit is like Martin Bryant boasting how he made Australia change its gun laws. The question to both of you is: at what cost?
Magpie, the person using the name ‘itchy balls’ can’t be Troy as he doesn’t have any balls that require the need of a good scratch. Troy would use the name ‘itchy anus’ or something similar.
Hence forth, The Galah with No Name.
CLASSIC The Bulletin’s masterclass in how to play catch-up from behind.
Let’s set the scene.
Yesterday, (Tuesday) the ABC broke this story.
And the Bulletin was completely wrong footed by it, and made a decision to ignore it, with nary a single word was published on any of papers various platforms … not a single word. A nice little fuck you to the community.
So The Astonisher looked pretty silly – SNAFU – and they just hoped the story would die a quiet death.
But then, gawd bless ‘er, Clr Suzy Batkovic in council today offered the paper a brilliant way to look like they’re leading the issue when she decided to give the ABC one in the ribs.
But being the Bulletin, they managed a neat little lie in the headline. Nowhere in their story did Batwoman use the word untrue, which is in quotation marks in the headline, meaning she said the actual word. And this is important, because Batkovic’s criticism was more an accusation of omission, lack of balance (telling only half the story she said) and in her opinion, wrong emphasis. Which is as it may be, but that is a long way from the most serious allegation that can be. laid against a media organisation, that of lying. If in fact Batwoman did use that word, why wasn’t it in the story?
However,this follow-up put the reporter in a tricky position. With the editor still smarting from being scooped yet again by the ABC, the reporter had to explain the ABC story in detail so readers could understand what Batkovic was complaining about. Using the name and fact that the ABC had reported this issue, and by implication, the paper hadn’t.
Thus magnifying their arrogant pique at being scooped, and deciding not to mention the matter 24 hours earlier.
They must be rolling around on the newsroom carpet tiles in Wickham Terrace.
Did Councillor Batkovik happen to tell us all what the whole story was?
Yes, she did, and was very articulate about her perception if how the story should have been reported (a highly debatable perception), the reporter quoted her concisely – unlike the headline. It’s all in the Bulletin story, but The ‘Pie’s focus was on the Astonihser’s embarrassment, not what Clr Batkovic sees as proper reporting by the national broadcaster.
It was also amusing to see how the Bulletin had to walk a very fine line, not wishing to endorse Batkovic’s statement although fully repprting it, and not offending the ABC… the latter highly unusual in any outfit owned by Murdoch.
Last night the ECQ announced that Dametto had won the mayoral by-election. The flow of mail-in ballots must have slowed to a trickle. Looks like the turnout will barely pass 60% which must surely be some sort of record?
If that turns out to be the case, POV has turned into a measurable political weapon.
Surprisingly, it may not turn out to be the case. Overnight the turnout has passed 70% putting it in line to equal the turnout for the formal full polling station 2024 local government election which was 74%.
79.21% in 2024.
73.91% in 2020, which isn’t really a good comparison year.
https://results.elections.qld.gov.au/2024QLGE/072/primary
No, just about any stats from the covid time are bound to be wonky.
And then in amongst all the negative reporting and commentary that permeates our world there was , locally, the truly positive and joyous Pimlico High 2025 graduation ceremony last night
The staff and the 200 graduates should be so proud of what was truly a well organised, practiced and delivered Formal.
A true happy moment where my wife and i sat with our son and his wife to witness our granddaughter as but one of the 200 that presented
Well done Pimlico, well done kids .. a great example of positivity, aspiration and faith for the future
Led to believe Pimlico is one of the rated high schools in the state.
Now that ECQ has officially declared our new Mayor is Slick Nick, the swearing in date can’t be too far away.
Only time will tell if the Mayor and all the councillors will work together for the betterment of the good people of Townsville?
Surely after this humiliating defeat Foodtrucks Greaney will have time to reflect where it all went so wrong.
A good place to start would be her own constituents in Division 3, where she polled just 14% of the vote.
If she manages to stay in council till the next election- she will be gone.
Annie maybe Its time to plan another holiday in Japan and an early retirement?
It’s an interesting perception many have of how the council might function – or malfunction.
If we look back at past years, there seemed to be very little ‘knives out’ mucking about among councillors, they all seemed to be on the same wavelength, with a couple of major exceptions. And they all seemed united on fending off what they saw as encroachment on their powers and responsibilities by the council executive. Slick Nick does not come in with a mandate to point to the polls to get his way on several of his wild electioneering promises, he, too, will quickly tailor his agenda to financial reality and the need for persuasion rather than overbearing boastfulness. His budget will be a corker of a read – and just might show us how strong his bromance with Crisafulli really is.
And just to re-track: those two exceptions where any councillor was seriously out of step with the others were the Strand parking meters, and the delegation of executive powers to the CEO. In both instances, Ann Maree Greaney either enthusiastically endorsed or failed o speak against the proposals, including the toe-curling, cringeworthy statement about thanking ‘our wonderful CEO’. She changed her voting tune when she saw she was pretty much alone in what amounted to two attempted sell-outs of public interest.
A tin ear from a tinpot operator.
Mr Magpie,
The voters in Div 3 let it be known loud and clear, they did not believe Foodtrucks was competent to become our next Mayor.
Voters don’t like being treated as mugs. They haven’t forgotten the email(s) they sent to their councillor that were not even acknowledged, let alone addressed.
They haven’t forgotten attending resident meetings with questions and be told “I’ll get back to you”, never hearing a word back.
Or attending meetings and being deliberately lied to.
Foodtrucks has 2 years to try to earn the respect of her constituents, I don’t believe she can, it’s a case of too little too late…
I really hope at the next election someone with knowledge and integrity steps up to be our next Division Councillor.
Since we’ve been told that its possible to see how various various areas voted, any figures for the island?
Not vsure how they do this but its said they can.
Mr Magpie
Contacted the returning officer at Reid Park , they are still counting.
Asked if I could find out how the island voted? The answer was we are doing divisions only and not going any further.
Well, yes, guess they hardly go booth by booth … since there were no booths.:)
I couldn’t agree more. We live in Division 3 on the mainland and this has been our experience of her also. She will definitely be gone athe next election
Annie, she (Greaney) won’t be ‘definitely gone’ unless, as Island Voice puts it, ” . . . someone with knowledge and integrity steps up to be our next Division Councillor.” At the 2024 election Greaney attracted 47% of the vote despite, or because of, her known alliance with Mayor Jenny Hill. I remember the TCC reports of record spending on Island roads, stormwater and infrastructure upgrades in the previous few years. It can’t have gone unnoticed by Island locals although mainland Division 3 locals may not have cared. If the other two candidates in Division 3 were the next best available talent and especially if they run again in 2028, you might find yourself lumbered with the same councillor, especially after a couple of years experience as faithful and submissive deputy to new mayor Dametto.
Need bit of upside down logic there, Bobby … much of the 2024 advantage of ‘alliance with Jenny Hill’ was voters wanting to be on the right side of a vindictive dictatorial mayor, who at that stage was still expected to win. You can bet that 47% also voted for Hill. And remember, Thompson’s victory was no landslide.
No such advantage exists now, and the increasing feeling of disappointed voter vengeance next time around is repeated continually here in comments and in the public voices in the Bulletin. And is repeated by many if not all in The Magpie’s (admittedly limited) social circle.
I am hoping for the mostly stable functioning council that we have seen recently. Any rocking of the TCC boat would be Slick Nick trying to ram through an unpopular agenda. The councillors can maintain stability by keeping SN on a very short lead as did the councillors in the first Hill council.
THE VERY WORST THING FOR TOWNSVILLE would be, at the next TCC election, the emergence of TEAM DAMETTO.
Team Big D
Is Team Demented too obvious? The City Slickers?
Have patience Magpie. I could speculate on where I think this is headed, but that would ruin the fun.
The one positive regarding Slick Nick becoming Mayor is that the region will now be looked after by the LNP. Townsville, being traditionally ALP, will now receive a lot of love by the LNP as it tries to build support for the party locally. Therefore I have no doubt that some money will flow in for some projects etc. Crisafulli has to undo 9 years of an ALP stronghold in Queensland and he will need to that one region at a time. Moving Nick into an influential position is all part of Crisafulli’s long term strategy.
You may be right but you against conventional wisdom … with three sitting members keeping their noses as clean as possible and now The Kid’s kid in the mayor’s office, nothing too substantive is likely to come our way if a cash splash is needed somewhere else to destabilise growing opposition. Local Labor seems in a bit of disarray, so Townsville won’t be seen as urgent. The ‘Pie’s guess is we’ll get some dough to sort out that northern beaches road problem And maybe a sop or two for something on opening the dam to the public. Maybe one or two other things, but it’d be a brave man who would chuck money at an unnecessary Strand do-over while basic services , maintenance and staff levels need urgent – and expensive – attention. And Crisfulli’s own halo could be tarnished on several matters, especially kiddy crime … crime in general, actually … and the growing revelations of past naughtiness involving him and his Hinchinbrook captain’s choice.
Chiesa and Crisafulli have worked together a few times now, and he was in Brisbane with Crisafulli before the election was called, a bit of prep work. Now the locals are upset because the LNP did not consult its own members in the electorate, a bad mistake. With the Bulletin and LNP now aiming up to KAP / ALP Mark, it may fall to Maurie Soars. Maurie is well liked, has done a lot in the northern suburbs through sports, parks and actually lives in the Hinchinbrook. I think he may be a dark horse in all of this, nice bloke, well received, and the local division 1 & 2 hold plenty of the votes. He is very close to Jenny too, so there is some momentum. What a mess, vote for one of the 3, or go for the next, One Nation Candidate, interesting times for the Hinchinbrook. I just wonder what it would be like if Soars gets in, and Dametto is the mayor, perhaps not how Crisafulli thought, then again, Townsville will be spoilt for investment, and poor Ramon Jayo will be cap in hand again.
Steve, the 2024 state election result for Hinchinbrook was ALP 14%, LNP 28%, KAP 46% and all the rest. Without Dametto the KAP vote will go down but it’s a pretty tall order for the ALP vote to double or triple. Should be a fine tussle though with interesting preference flows.
Complicated by a rather arrogant Crisafulli making his last minute captain’s choice of candidate, which now embroils him in a murky backstory that he has been dodging and weaving about for years. The local LNP faithful are mightily pissed off, and entitled to be, lame excuses of last minute speed was needed are absolute crap in this electronic age … an email to the LNP members – at the very least advising them of the choice so they didn’t have to learn of it through the media – would have been a no-brainer, you’d think.
Be interesting to see where the small proportion of disaffected LNP votes go.
No sooner did I say Maurie, and he had a brain fart, lost his temper. From what I am hearing, the North Shore polling booth is a hot bed of nastiness waiting to happen, these LNP blow ins have caused major issues, and are pushing in front of all.
It has to be time to have a better system, no one wants to run the gauntlet at election time. Why not have a supply of each party’s papers, tents further away from the door, so people are not attacked in the carpark or the way into the booth, if people want to talk to the candidate or their representatives, let the people chose. We need to move away from these antiquated ways. Give people the option, vote through their MyGov access, go to booths, or get postal voting papers. I think more that 50% would immediately go to the online version, so much more conveniant in this day and age.
Thought I would just say that now that Threenames has been smashed in the democratic Mayoral election, this town has a buzz about it. Threenames has shut down his Facebook account (most people were blocked anyway)
I love this city. And since Thompson has become even more irrelevant, you can’t but help be positive about our future. Things are up and up. Thompson has now failed in politics on 3 occasions, that really tells a story about what a useless muppet he is. At least he has his hastily built studio at mummy’s house to rent out. Will he change his number plates? Farewell Troy you gravel faced imbecile and may you continue to fade into existence. And Troy, don’t bang the door on your way out!
I wonder if ThreeNames got Council approval to build his studio? Surely he would follow the law and do it properly?!
What a wonderful DIVERSION from many of the other clowns we have [ and are still ] stuck with in council. Cannot blame it ALL on two names.
Hello Troy/Michelle/Mum. Good to see team Twonames still using social media.
Whilst I like your enthusiasm, Thompson is still in several matters in court and industrial relations, I think we are a long way off before we see the back of him. They’ll be another story on Thompson tomorrow, the continuing saga by the Bulletin, seems they cannot let him go either. I’d rather we forgot him, moved on, no one needs to hear from him again. Dametto is the new mayor, I wonder if Robbo will give up his seat at the disaster management for Nick, I think he would be wise to keep Robbo on side, maybe make him deputy at the LGDM, and deputy on council, certainly could do much worse. Like Greaney did to Jacob, use the last ordinary meeting to vote on a new deputy, and acting mayor. Certainly, are some interesting times ahead, but first we must move on from the Thompson period, forget him, time to look forward.
You have a basic ignorance of English, Steve, in not knowing or understanding the difference between ‘forgetting’ and ‘moving on’.
The first means erasing a whole episode from the public consciousness, forgiving a massive rort on the public, and accepting the current laws that rewarded rather punished the offender.
‘Moving on’ means putting back immediate community matters to top of mind, progressing the well being of the city (well, that’s supposed to be the idea) and reintroducing probity to the local political process. BUT at all times being aware of the responsibilities that the past lays on us all, and that we don’t just forget – i.e forgive – the transgressions of a self-centred, lying con man that has cost us so dearly in several ways. Think how your ‘forget it and move on’ mantra would be received if you applied to cold case detective work … where justice is sought to be entered into the history books.
The Bulletin is quite right to stay on Thompson’s case, and even justified, given this muppet’s hot air threats and slurs towards them, to rub in as much salt to the wound of electoral loss as they feel like.
How true the saying Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.
Also, Steve, the mayor, newly elected or not, cannot make anyone his new deputy. That is the prerogative of the councillors. Greaney remains the Deputy Mayor unless the other councillors call a spill and elect a new one from amongst their number.
Precisely. And that would seem unlikely, what’s the advantage of more disunity? It’s a bullshit title rarely needed to be exercised.
The ECQs maths are up to shit.
https://www.ecq.qld.gov.au/media/2025-media-statements
The enrolment for the by election is said by them to be 142 775 . If you halve that , Nazi loving Dametto can’t have 62.7% of the first preference votes when 50% would be 71 338 and he is said as of today 61 080 with the official results page saying 61.52 %
https://results.elections.qld.gov.au/TCCMayor2025/072/primary which is different from the release.
Last day for ballots is Tuesday. In 2013 the loss of 1370 votes from the entire WA senate electorate in an admittedly close result caused it to be held again .
Whilst this sociological and criminological survey of Townsville’s Nazi/fascist and clan like attitudes isn’t as close as that , the reason for not holding a normal election was spun to be the cost. But this showed no evidence they took into account the purposes of the LG Electoral Act here https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-2011-027#sec.3 or of the Qld Electoral Act here and to consider all matters appropriately here https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-1992-028#sec.7
In considering a justification that might be connected to the purpose of LGEA all they said was cost. Nothing about it being more democratic or enhancing integrity etc. An action is also judged like a bad law. And postal voting limited small money candidates access to voters at the booth . Like for Hinchinbrook.
The decision attempted to benifet well known and cashed up candidates. The High court said in McCloy v NSW that a law (action in this case) that enhances freedom will be favoured over one that doesn’t.
And look how the issue of identifying the purpose and justification was looked at in Unions NSW v NSW no1 here https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/cases/cth/HCA/2013/58.html and NO2 here https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/cases/cth/HCA/2019/1.html
And the test as stated in Club v Edwards here
at pars 5-7 https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/cases/cth/HCA/2019/11.html
There was no compelling justification and necessity to depart from the purpose of the LGEA and a normal election. Or that they took into the state of the postal system or the rolls. Only now are ozpost putting on more staff for Xmas presents. The test in clubb says it will be unconstitutional to interfere with the rights of voters (see also unions NSW no1 at 39-41) if there is a less bad option available. There was a tried and true method available.
If the missing votes from a single town is greater than the entire WA electorate (2013) , and they dismiss it as not relevant to the result, and not affecting the result without saying how shameful it is that they allowed it to happen , it sets the state back on a openly corrupt course.
Negligence is also named as conduct amounting to misconduct in the Qld Electoral Act s180 CCC Act S14 and 15 too. Especially neglect , failure and inaction leading to a loss of public confidence in a unit of public administration.
Pat, love your work but you have made a fundamental error. On the ECQ figures, Dametto has scored 62.7% of the votes RECEIVED not 62.7% of the TOTAL ENROLMENT.
Missing? Not delivered to the current registered address? or just not returned?
They stopped counting because an overwhelming majority voted for Slick Nick. He was beating the second place by more than 5 times. The other contenders also conceded.
From the AEC “The poll may be declared, notwithstanding that all ballot papers have not been received or inquiries completed, if the Returning Officer is satisfied that the votes recorded on the ballot papers concerned could not possibly affect the result.”
Oh, FFS, BB, please don’t talk such bloody rot, it’s demeaning to you and insulting to us.
At no stage anywhere in Australia do electoral officers ‘stop counting’ votes, every last valid vote is required to be counted and exact proportions recorded by law. That there are enough to declare a result well before counting is over is completely different to counting being abandoned.
I’ll add to this next week
Can’t wait.
BB,
The ECQ haven’t stopped counting, in the mayoral by-election
Check their website counting is happening, you can see they are still in the 70s% counted.
I spoke with the returning officer yesterday.
With 56,000+ people not voting, it must be said that there is a serious problem. There are records of complaints, double votes to one-person, missing ballots etc, there would be grounds for these candidates, more likely, Keune to contest under law., but is it worth it? I think the Minister must do her job and call for an inquiry into the postal voting, as the numbers are not stacking up.
All reasonable comment, Steve, but there is also a reasonable case for both a no and a yes answer to your question ‘is it worth it’.
YES, in terms of the overall ECQ process concerning postal votes, where any shortcomings in Townsville can be overcome for the good of the state – and possibly the sensible conclusion that POV’s be abandoned.
NO, in terms directly related to the outcome of this election, with an investigation putting on hold confirmation of, or even casting doubt on, Slick Nick’s mammoth victory. Whatever shenanigans went on – there is no evidence of widespread deliberately-organised fraud that could affect the outcome – a weary Townsville is happy(ish) to accept and support for the next two years what we have earned – the least worst mayor from a dreary line-up.
Two reasons The Magpie draws the NO opinion. If there were to be any fraud of the nature suggested, it would come from the capering jesters of the fancy dress fringe, like Thompson’s MyPlace mates and the Sov Citizen pathetics. And on the other side of that coin, why would the government need to risk a catastrophic consequence of exposure of electoral fraud in a race that was won long before the polls closed?
The ‘Pie will take no convincing that this is a matter that lies wholly and solely with the ECQ and its processes, and consequently, the stupid minister in charge of them.
Now up to 100,282 formal and informal votes and still counting. ThreeNames running fifth behind Slick Nick, Food Trucks, Kippin, and Keune. Well down the ladder for Troyboy who still hasn’t got enough votes to get his nomination fee returned. Fifth out of eight in a horse race (plus the one who fell at the first hurdle) is not one that the previously democratically elected Mayor should include on his resume (next to his uni degrees and Defence force credentials).
…or his DV record.
Kenny, according to the ECQ a few minutes ago, Thompson had 4.9% of the votes. Isn’t the cutoff for return of the nomination fee 4%?
Yes.
I thought it was 5%
Contest as much as you want Steve, the system looks after its own.
Its the first election ive ever seen where theres been little to no preparation time for prospective voters
Given the billions of money shaken into the toilet, cover-ups and corruption I’d expect nothing less
Expect more of the same and a beautiful rates bill at the end of next June, more fees, registrations, licences and debt.
‘I’ll take you out Soars’, is about as useful as shit on my shoes; Malachino about as useful as a pile in the ring; and Cheesehead for the LNP is about as popular as a bad fart in a lift!
What a choice we have for our next ‘member’!!!
Colourful.
Our democratic Westminster system is deeply flawed. The game is rigged. This dates back to the 16th century with the rule of Rothschilds which has corrupted the entire world. We are all pawns in a big chess game.
Oh no not Ducky. Ducky appreciates Westminster because its not the system in use in the USA. And Ducky isnt a conspiracy theorist
Ducky: Your claim for the Rothschilds (red shield) in the 16th century is a tad flawed; their banking empire only began in 18th century with Mayer Amschel Rothschild.
Oi vay indeed.
This comment was not written by me. Someone is using my name. I do not hold these views and do not endorse the antisemetic conspiracy theories around the Rothschild’s. I understand the Westminster system has issues but the two are not related.
Fixed. Have to admit, it didn’t sound like you.
Nice fix. Appreciated
Fixed.
The idea of oligarchs such as the Rothchilds is not a new one, indeed the word comes from ancient Greece. Rule by the few.
Greece had its oligarchs
Rome had its oligarchs
I’d bet EVERY society has its oligarchs, in modern times a corporation is an oligarch ( did you know that by law that a corporation is legally seen as a person ?)
And we had Mayor Mullet and her team. Maybe more a kakocracy.
Bro, what on earth are you smoking? I want some.
Maurie’s Sores won’t win Hinchinbrook. He is a weakling. Crisafooli has his man picked with Wade Greasely.
He’s not supposed to win. He’s running to put the Katters in.
Bob,
In your gushing review of Foodtrucks performance in DIv 3 notably Maggie Island. You forgot to couple of important details the record spending on island roads – the funding for this came from disaster recovery monies from the state government.
As for the record spending on strorm water and infrastructure came from the Works for Queensland funding a Qld Govt programme. Not from Council coffers.
This was not Greaney’s doing it was Scott Stewart and look what happened to him.
Another important fact is in the past 2 council elections there has not been any strong candidates to take Foodtrucks on.
You obviously don’t even live on the island although you have plenty to say about almost everything with plenty of free time.
Perhaps you are a work from home public servant???
Oh, so now it really matters which pile of government money pays for which council project? I thought one part of the council’s task was to find those piles and pull them in our direction? We won’t get a concert hall, a stadium or even the V8s without a handout or up from government. The mayor that can con the money gets the rewards.
What an evening. Election done and dusted and now we have the test match series to replace the mad ramblings of the former mayor Thompson. Good stuff.
Hmmm …. not so good stuff on the first day in Perth. For either side, really.
Pie…You told me you couldn’t give a fuck about the Test match and that you were more interested in what ever was going on at Nelly Bay.
So?
Very true, but better than watching Troy Thompson social media videos. Smith and Usman need to be retired, getting too old for the game. Australia has plenty of talented younger blood.
Suppose so. At least if the Aussie team lose, they won’t whine endlessly how they were unfairly targeted and announce they’re going to sue Cricket Australia for issuing the wrong sunscreen.
Smith should not be playing anyway
Smith should never have been allowed to play let alone be Captain, after his disgraceful, shameful ball tampering episode.
The Magpie has been of that mind from the very first moment. Cricket Australia sold out pride, integrity and honour for a handful of silver. Same goes for the other two.
And they win! Amazing how a bit of Head can fix all your problems. Well done Aussies.
I have a clear memory of an incident that happened on this day many, many years ago, as a fourteen year old boy just beginning to take notice of events happening around the world. It wasn’t Cassius Clay knocking out Sonny Liston. It was what happened in Dallas, Texas. I think of it on this day every year.
November 22 1963. Every single person knows where they were when they heard the news. The shock was as much or greater for my generation than 9/11 was for a later cohort.
As bad as this may sound right now, a L. H. Oswald would stop Putin putting his hands further down Trumps pants.
The ‘Pie certainly doesn’t promote that idea, but in truth, he has wondered why it hasn’t happened already. It zeems that along with maths and geography, Americans score poorly on the target range.
Yep! the devil cares for his own indeed! Not God’s own country eh?