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The Magpie

Saturday, January 18th, 2025   |   173 comments

Our ‘Ships Of Shame Week’ Starts Tomorrow. But The Outright ‘Emperor’s New Clothes’ Policy Persists.

The lies are the most galling aspect of our coming week’s of embarrassment.  Townsville Enterprise  and our fatty little fibber of an acting mayor ‘Foodtrucks’ Greaney expect us to join them in their fairyland as they drift further away from reality.

But it will take bold thinking to solve the CBD imbroglio … you want bold, then The Magpie will give you bold, offering a solution to revitalise the Flinders Street disaster.

Also, why long term Townsville residents should never visit the Louvre in Paris. They’re likely to end up in Le Clink.

Our city’s property market is in a spin … how hitting a high is really landing on an all-time low. But while both the Bulletin and the Oz covered the same story, The Oz had the far more interesting news for Townsville.

It wouldn’t be a week with a few foibles from the Daily Astonisher, including a jarring clanger in an in memoriam piece for a much loved local.

And if we’ve got our troubles, the whole world is about to get theirs … tomorrow, Donald Trump becomes the first convicted criminal to become President of the United States. And he promises a criminal agenda to match.

The Nest is back to up speed for ’25, and so are those pesky people who insist on getting paid for their services connected to the blog. As regulars know, the Nest has taken the term ‘non-profit’ to the ridiculous lengths (there is no profit because there’s no advertising, so we remain wholly independent) and hope readers will consider helping out with running costs through a donation. The required button to press is at the end of the blog. 

The Boat People Are Coming!!! But They Won’t be Trying To Stay … Or Come Back

Our blushes will not be spared.

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It would be spurious to make any comparison with this week’s small armada of four cruise ships heading for Townsville, and the Dunkirk  landing and evacuation, but there are superficial similarities. An eager army of 4000 over 4 days is about to to hit the beachhead and take over their destination for a few hours, only to retreat and hightail it in disappointment by day’s end.

(An aside: a leading legal luminary who sensibly wishes to remain nameless has suggested that perhaps Foodtrucks Greaney, along with Clrs Dirou and Batkovic could greet the liners from a small canoe and go diving for coins tossed by the passengers for the natives to chase. TEL will keepany of the coins Ms Brumme-Smith can collect, and her staff, male and female and all i sarongs could offer pineapples and mangos for the passengers to buy. Foodtrucks and Clr Dirou could further entertain passengers, inviting them to part with some folding stuff  for an impromptu bellyflop competition.)

There can be no doubt that gung-ho will quickly turn to ho-hum or worse,  as well heeled cruise ship passengers come ashore and suddenly find there is bugger all to splash out on.  Billabong Sanctuary will always be good value,  particularly for international travellers, but frankly, that’s about it. A view is a view (and courtesy of Jenny Hill, there’s nothing up on our premier lookout to spend money on, not even a cup of coffee) and The Strand is an excellent local amenity, not a destination for cruise passengers, hardly the clear water over white sand in the tropical brochures. It’s not just the dreary and embarrassing vista of the  tumbleweed-town CBD. It’s a dreary story of a wilful refusal to look at the problem in any realistic light, no one fo rone moment has really put themselves in the passengers’ shoes and thought outside their boxheads.

But at last the Bulletin has decided to hold the authorities feet to the fire over the CBD, with a front page attack  starting on Monday …

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… the plan is by the way, to talk some more about the terrible state of the CBD, but no hint of what to do.  If we';re lucky, we might get a concept of plan. The paper followed this up two days later with this,  leading with a typically meaningless headline pun. (Seriously ,this bloody paper ….)

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As usual … usual being for around 10 years now … not one single word about what could possibly be done to revitalise the city centre, not the hint of a single suggestion that could spark a hot debate,  or fire the imagination, or expand conventional thinking, no, just the interminable word fest that goes on. and on. This repetition is exemplified by the utter tripe parroted from a woman who could have been doing something about it  for the past two decades, first as a TCC employee and then a councillor.

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If that’s the truth Clr Greaney, you’ve done a bang-up job, lady.  The only activity The ‘Pie is aware of has been the egregious and lazy doubling of parking fees, with machines that won’t take cash or eftpos cards.

Then there was this Lighton Smith special about Wilmar moving offices from Denham Street in the CBD to Palmer Street across the creek in South Townsville (just why it’s a story at all is a matter for Mr Smith).

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“One of Townsville’s most prominent office buildings is about to welcome a new tenant after striking a sweet deal to give the city centre a sugar hit.

After 17 years in the Townsville CBD on Level 1/5-21 Denham St, Wilmar revealed that it was relocating its office to the River Quays building at 3-17 Tomlins Street, South Townsville – overlooking Ross Creek.”

And matters aren’t helped by oxymoronic nitwits like the oily director of leasing for the Sentinel Group, Neill Read, who made the bewildering statement: “Wilmar will join major tenants in the building including Commonwealth departments, New York Stock Exchange-listed AECOM and NASDAQ-listed Concentrix. The addition of another prominent tenant at River Quays will help boost activity in the city centre.”

OK, I’M SHOUTING NOW , YOU MUPPET …. WILMAR HAVE JUST MOVED OUT – BLOODY OUT – OF THE CITY CENTRE FURTHER AWAY FROM THE CITY CENTRE BUSINESSES, IN FAVOUR OF PALMER STREET.

Honestly Neill, do you need help get dressed in the morning? Are shoe laces a daily challenge?

There are nascent moves to get property owners, the Chamber and the council (and for some fucking unfathomable reason, TEL)  together to canvas possible solutions. The ‘Pie understands the first such meeting will be in a couple of weeks time. But history argues against any deus ex machina idea or figure emerging from these shouting matches which would require putting aside a certain amount of self-interest for cooperation.

Northtown is now a dosser’s paradise, and has at last look, only two or three occupied businesses at street level.

The health and vitality of this area is crucial to the city’s progress, especially in terms of both tourist and business visitation, so it effects all ratepayers no matter where they live.

But if The ‘Pie is going to castigate others for being frozen into inaction,  and is calling for bold thinking, perhaps he should make a contribution. So start gnashing your teeth on this one ….

Let’s Go Back To A Mall.

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Somehow we managed to lose this ….

A typical Townsville non-think came into operation that helped the push for the return of traffic through the mall area. Remember all those massive trees .. some still survive … which were the sunset home … regular as clockwork … to literally thousands of lorikeets or whatever species they were. They were a captivating sight, and enchanted some. But not others. Typically blind to possibilities, local businesses, upset that the birds were shitting everywhere, especially on outdoor furniture, some from business other owned by council, petitioned the council to get rid of the birds. FFS, it’s true … a unique experience that would in itself become a famous tourist attraction was not wanted, and indeed helped win the argument for the return of traffic. Instead of managing an asset, the city ditched it. (Same goes for the unforgivable vandalisation of those Beverly Hills style tall, slim, oh-so-elegant palms along the centre of Via Vomitorium aka Flinders Street East. They really were unique, but no, even then deputy mayor David Crisafulli championed hacking them down on spurious safety reasons.)

Times have moved on, although the birds could possibly be encouraged to return (the ‘Pie has no idea what might make his avian cousins do so, but they should be welcomed and their presence managed if they can be enticed back).

The ‘Pie will forego snide comments that it was a move back to cars was partly motivated by increasing parking meter revenue , but Mayor Les Tyrell and deputy David Crisafulli pushed the change though. The Magpie had the time was in full support, because there was no innovative thinking in moving a pedestrian mall into a useful role.

But all that has inevitably changed. For a start we now have a stadium right on the doorstep, and if this guff in today’s paper holds any credence, we’ll soon hAve an entertainment venue in the vicinity (the story has not a single mention of a possible site … and acting mayor Foodtrucks was notably missing from the line up in the paper, strange for a mayoral figure, no?)

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A mall should be complementary to both these endeavours. And there should be a suitable entertainment area, which doesn’t have to be as grand as the one Mooney installed and often out to good use.  And for the sake of sanity, whether we get to a new mall or not, get rid of that grub and vagrant magnet Big Screen, which NO ONE watches. Stupid idea in a stupid place. And vagrants would be easier to control if authorities are now fully forewarned of the problem … even if it takes The Kid top pas stronger move along laws.

Chew that over, but The ‘Pie is ready for the usual flood of negativity and reasons why it won’t work.

Hey, why not for a change, think positively and add things that would make it work?

Foodtrucks Greaney,   Fashion Guru

One of Greaney’s bitches about Paul Jacob was his dress style,  in fact she hated it so much, she stabbed the shit out of his coat back. But one can see what she meant when we see this eye-squinter.

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Christ, that tie!! So sure, he looked a bit like the president of the Scrubby Creek RSL.

But take heart, that’s all behind us,  we now have a trim, chic representative for the city. No longer do we have to grin and bear the (almost iconic) purple doona. We can now glory in all the style and pizzaz of Greaney the fashionista.  Although it does   seem to  tend towards the Army Surplus Blanket look.

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Today the Bulletin, tomorrow Vogue.

But size matters, and like the skipper in Jaws who needed a bigger boat, in Walker Street, they’re soon gunna need a bigger mayoral chair.

Of Course It’s A Serious Paper, Why Do You Ask?

Oh, no reason.

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‘The Magpie makes no apology for taking the Townsville Bulletin to task for its tawdry community values, too frequent one-sided piss poor reporting, lack of mentoring young talent and penny pinching lack of oversight on its publications. Even when they are trying to be respectful, they fuck it up by allowing unsupervised juniors to write disrespectful schoolboy howlers like this.

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Bryan, one of the nicest professional The ‘Pie ever worked with, also love the city before his death.

That is such an incomprehensibly juvenile error in itself, but is doubly regrettable given the subject was a good bloke who didn’t deserve such disrespect from the paper he so diligently and accurately served for so long.

FFS, Astonisher.

It’s All Just A Matter Of Perspective.

This headline is wrong in so many ways.

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For a start, the saint is not an icon by any stretch … it was and is criminal vandalisation of a beautiful natural edifice we are lucky enough to have grace our city. It is a form of unwelcome rock art that has no merit whatsoever. Without any disrespect to the late Dr Lyall Robert Ford … well, no more disrespect than he showed Townsville for the past five decades or more … the headline should have reflected the truth, something like ‘Reformed graffiti vandal who went on to live a useful and worthy life in the community (of Mackay) never apologised for his defacing Castle Hill’. Sound harsh? Not once did Ford suggest the Saint graffiti be removed and acknowledge his undergraduate antisocial stunt. And neither to The ‘Pie’s knowledge did his boofheads-in-arms.

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The Magpie very much doubts these ‘local heroes’  would appreciate being called vandals, but they’re not meant to appreciate it, what else were they?

Because longevity of something wrong does not mean legitimacy.

And just as culpable is the crotch-scratching, belching and farting blue-singlet front. bar mentality that has the whole community embracing a piece of disgraceful disfiguration of wonderful natural rock face …this is a sort of Rio Tinto in reverse, which has many visitors puzzled and disgusted.  The ‘Pie has never understood why the local indigenous mob hasn’t complained about the stick figure of a mythical Englishman has been allowed to remain in place.

All this is why quietly complicit Townsville citizens should never visit the Louvre in Paris … they might not be able to resist the urge to put a moustache on the Mona Lisa. ‘Where’s the problem, officer, I just wanted to make it an icon.’

As Always, The Devil Is In The Detail

This story by Courtney Snowden, which hardly heartening for the majority of Townsville residents, was in the Weekend Astonisher …

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Fastest growing in Australia for 2024 is not the sort of kudos we really need, it just makes us unattractive to buyers who would otherwise migrate here.  But The Weekend Australian’s McKenzie Scott also covered the same yarn.

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But McKenzie to someone with a different perspective to the Bulletin’s source, which was far more to the point about Townsville, particular our future in housing supply. Note the last line – there is a missing ‘all’  behind  the word ‘stuff’.

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Unfortunately, we can’t just hop on a ship and sail away.

Tomorrow, Donald Trump Will Swear To Take His Best Shot  As 47th President – Many Are Wishing Someone Else Would Take Their Best Shot, Too

In Washington in just a few hours, the America’s (and the world’s) fitful sleepwalk into disaster ends and the nightmare become reality.

But among the millions who will get some nasty surprises over the next four years will surely be the criminal  Trump himself.  And he will get one of the earliest surprises will be when and if (always a doubt from simplistic blowhard) his proposed tariffs regime is implemented. This summed it up on Twitter during the week.

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The man is surely clinically mad, but his mayhem will be ably aided and abetted by his chosen crew of knobgobblers, although some may have a tough time getting confirmed. This week’s gallery.

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..Screenshot 2025-01-17 at 10.56.13 am Screenshot 2025-01-17 at 10.54.51 amScreenshot 2025-01-15 at 9.33.18 am Screenshot 2025-01-15 at 9.35.31 am Screenshot 2025-01-15 at 9.34.37 am Screenshot 2025-01-15 at 9.34.20 am Screenshot 2025-01-14 at 11.50.05 am Screenshot 2025-01-14 at 11.50.18 am Screenshot 2025-01-14 at 11.50.52 am Screenshot 2025-01-14 at 11.48.37 am Screenshot 2025-01-14 at 11.48.50 am Screenshot 2025-01-14 at 11.49.17 am

We Lost Another Much-Admired Lynch This Week

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Directoractor and musician, David Lynch,  died last Wednesday  after being diagnosed with smoking-induced emphysema late last year. He was 78 (his 79th birthday would have been tomorrow,  Jan 20). His films included The Elephant Man,  Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive. But he will always be best remembered for the creation of the TV series Twin Peaks, with its ambiguous teaser left unanswered.  Not even a higher order may find the answer to the question he has left for the world pondering.

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Is This The Vogue Article The Ultimate Irony In A World Completely Unaware Of Itself?

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Vogue Magazine seems oblivious of the fact that its very existence depends entirely … ENTIRELY … on making people care about what other people think of them.

“Dahling, your wearing blue, how so 2024. Really!”

…..

That’s the week’s doin’s,  and comments are getting their snap and twang back, have your say, you might even find a pen pal to joust with. The donate button to support The Nest is below.

The Magpie's Nest is now more than five years old, and remains an independent alternative voice for Townsville. The weekly warble is a labour of love and takes a lot of time to put together. So if you like your weekly load of old cobblers, you can help keep it aloft with a donation, or even a regular voluntary subscription. Paypal is at the ready, it's as easy as ... well, easy as pie. Limited advertising space is also available.

173 Comments

  1. mike douglas says:

    Another great blog Pie with Foodtrucks , “Fresh new start / one voice” suffering further setbacks . Investors . developers are not bothering to meet Council / Acting Mayor on their proposed projects as its the same senior managers that bought you $250 mil Haughton blow up , Hilton fiasco , cbd , Dimmeys , Lansdown etc etc . Lets face it , the acting Mayor couldnt even organize Christmas decorations cbd / stalls and entertainment cruise ships . To claim that she is working with business is a lie like the newsletter she claimed she sends to her division . Councillors are learning about projects from the Townsville Bulletin . The investors / developers are meeting Phil Thompson and the 3 LNP local MP,s . The Comment last week that family “working bees ” is doing the maintenance at the Councils 7 childcare centres is pure folly . No electrical , plumbing , air conditioning , building work can be carried out unless correct accreditation / public liability is in place . Council should disclose revenue vs costs that the ratepayers are funding .

    • Kenny Kennett says:

      Wrong Mike, in most cases with community based organisations, Council own the land but the associations own the buildings, and have built them using their own funds raised by their own people; of course with the likes of grants etc. The lease on land is peppercorn for a long period of time. All maintenance work is done by members (volunteers, etc) but professional services like plumbing, electrical, etc comes out of a strictly audited budget that is overseen by committee members and annually audited by auditors. This of course, is if the members don’t donate professional services. The Council does not contribute anything except land. If you want to stop Council contributing then there’s a lot more than childcare centres that this will affect; and a lot more community members city wide. Try focusing on the likes of V8’s, Townsville Fire, Cowboys, and subsidized concerts before robbing from the poor and giving to the rich.

      • Critical says:

        Kenny, a lot of your post is incorrect and the maintenance of these buildings depends upon who owns the building and the terms and conditions of the lease agreement. As far as I know the child care centres are owned by council along with several other buildings such as the community centres in the Northern Beachs, various sport clubs etc. Council used to undertake yearly maintenance checks on these buildings and some maintenance was the responsibility of Council and other maintenance was the responsibility of the organisation. If an organisation wanted to do any changes to a building then prior approval must be obtained and most sporting organisations had to send such approval to grant organisations with the grant application.
        It’s my understanding that if an organisation folds then any buildings and improvements reverts to Council ownership.

        • Kenny Kennett says:

          Sorry Crits, you’re wrong in most cases. I’m happy to concede that this could be the case in some handful of areas but they would be in the minority and probably in recent years. The high majority of sporting, hobby and community child care centres are as I have already pointed out.

          • Mike Douglas says:

            Kenny Kennett , yes we are talking now when Council debt ( up until the borrowed another $100 mil June 2024 ) was costing $14 mil a year to service . Nothing against childcare centres but peppercorn rent and no rates or 50 % rates discount , valuation costs every few years . There are plenty of childcare owners who would buy the centres , pay full rates and Council could decrease debt . Councillors signed off on $60 mil further losses next 3 years so tough decisions are required or administration .

  2. Achilles says:

    The Mullet gave us a purple doona, now The temp Mayor graces us with the ladies boiler suit.

    On another subject why do news photographers always seem take pictures while kneeling looking up peoples nostrils?

    I wouldn’t have complained if this was back in the ’60’s when mini skirts were launched, but that’s a horse of a different colour indeed.

  3. Doug K says:

    Why did the Townsville Bulletin editor launch a scathing campaign about the CBD cesspit – only to drop it like a hot potato when swamped with negative comments about our temporary mayor’s years of inaction?
    Some stories on the paper’s website have a shelf life of months, but others strangely disappear within days.
    For example, how does Ms Garvey rate Mary Fowler and Nathan Cleary’s visit the Big Mango (published way back on 31 December) as of more interest to locals than our long-term Division 3 councilor’s failure to clean up the CBD?
    I hope the editor isn’t trying to silence the critics.
    On the subject of Cr Greaney’s inaction, a large section of footpath in Mitchell Street, adjacent to the North Ward shopping centre, (her division) has been a public safety risk for months.

    The council has long been aware of the problem because the scores of loose and uneven tiles have been marked with white dots.
    The tiles are so loose they make noises when you walk on them and kids have fun by tapping out a tune with their feet.
    Cr Greaney may care to explain why this dangerous mess in her council division has not been repaired, despite the tiles being marked for months.
    Questions also arise over who did such a shoddy job in the first place.
    One of the previous council’s “preferred suppliers”, no doubt.

  4. Prince Rollmop says:

    Great blog Pie. You are back with a vengeance and packing loads of relevant material in your blog. And it’s the stuff that we need to know, not the lightweight folly that Light-on Smith pens. He should hang his head in shame.

    Foodtrucks Greaney wearing her ‘Army surplus blanket’ – gold! Foodtrucks is a glory seeking lazy numpty. Her dress sense matches her work ethic – crap. Having her in the acting Mayoral role does nothing to alleviate the despair of local residents. Despair in our crumbling infrastructure, lack of business development, spiralling debt and dysfunctional leadership. We are aboard the S.S Townsville and we are listing badly.

    As for those loose pavers and also all the other busted ass footpaths, curbs and floor tiles/pavers, send a list to Council and highlight that you have identified a safety risk and having brought it to councils attention, they now carry that risk. Keep records and share socially. When someone does fall over and injure themselves Council will definitely be held liable. Sadly though it will likely mean higher insurance costs and legally guided injury payouts,

    • The Magpie says:

      Good to see you’re still Nesting, too, Mopsy.

      The fotpath tiles pall into insignificance next to the ignored danger of a sheer drop of maybe 10 metres in the Leichhardt Street carpark up on the hillside of the street. An errant vehicle could easily end in a fatality, and this blog and in personal emails from me more than a year ago, Clr Greaney was warned of the council’s ex[osure in this matter. The ‘Pie suggested th aesthetically accepted boulder barriers used on parks around Townsville to stop hooning.

      Not a dickey bird, but when it happens, she and the council itself cannot argue ignorance. And if they try to say they don’t read this blog, they’re lying … big time.

  5. Ian M says:

    G’day Pie,
    Thank you for the edition. This may be the very definition of wokeness, but please stop the “fattie” comments when talking of “Foodtrucks”. I just feel this diminishes your critic when she freely provides plenty to be critical about. Being a bit new to Townsville I do not understand the meaning behind what “Foodtrucks” but I get that it is a dig at her past career with TCC and how this did not qualify her for mayor. Just as a professional career playing basketball does not qualify Councillor Basketball either but my experience is that she does listen to her constituents, which is a key part of local government.
    You are free to critic “Foodtrucks” fashion sense but when you are as wide as you are tall she needs to look to Maggie Tabberer for inspiration.
    Perhaps the new entertainment precinct could be near the cruise ship terminal to provide onshore infotainment for these short-term experiential visitors.

    • The Magpie says:

      Reasonable view, and The ‘Pie has generally, as regular Nesters know, has generally steered clear of physically lampooning people, but Clr Greaney not only made it personal in her critiques of Jacob in pursuit of her own undeserved goals, but I have personal knowledge of certain actions and words she used to egregiously undermine the late councillor Fran O’Callaghan. So just giving back a bit of what she gave, but it won’t be sustained (in fact, the comment before yours was deleted for a similar profiling of Clr Greaney, I don’t want this to be a universal trend on this blog.)

      ‘Foodtrucks’ comes from the fact that she was the councillors supposedly organising the spuriously stupid Townsville Eats promotion, where food trucks gathered in Flinders Street occasionally to attract people. An obviously stupid and regressive idea that did nothing to assist in the plight of the CBD businesses, but which the councillor promoted as her appearing to be doing something. And while The Magpie is known for coining nicknames that stick over the years, Foodtrucks seemed to be an organic name that came from several sources as accepted by a number of readers.

      • Rotten Luck Willie says:

        And the $3,000,000 postage stamp sized food truck parking place, with a shelter shed, atop Castle Hill, where there was no demonstrated need, and never used by a food truck.

        • IanM says:

          Thank you for the background. Sounds like she deserves the titles. As a newish resident of Townsville and then having to vote in a local election with no real critique of the 3 clearly underwhelming candidates. I did vote for the con. At least that has stirred the pot and eventually might the better person step forward.

      • Mad Jack says:

        https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-23/fitzroy-river-rockhampton-could-host-brisbane-olympics-rowing/104849962

        This is excellent! The standard has been set by the Frogs at the last Olympics. Sewage Swimming in the Seine. A Croc of Shit

        The Australian version, “Shit there are Crocs.” Olympic rowing on the croc infested Fitzroy River can only motivate the athletes and immeasurably improve the spectator experience.

        And it saves money.

  6. Miss Redmond says:

    Cr Greaney has been neglectful of her electorate for more than a decade, that is very true. Those in her inner circle know she is exactly where she wants to be, in charge, and with a long list of measures to ensure all the councillors stay in line with her instruction. Aside from Magnetic Island, the Strand, Palleranda, the CBD, and Palmer Street inactions, the councillor is now appointing people within the executive to handle her division, using the facade of acting mayor to make her look busier than she is.
    Truth be known, councillors are in the office at least 4 days a week, and the administration staff forward the emails to the departments on the councillors behalf, the role has very little work ethic, and is almost always covered by the staff. Council has certainly changed, gone are the days when councillors were in their divisions 90% of their time.

    • The Magpie says:

      Ummm, can she … or even a fully fledged legit mayor … ‘appoint’ anyone to anything? Particularly bolshie public servants. Don;’t think that is how it works, is it?

      • Alahazbin says:

        Pie, She is no different to ‘two names’ wanting all other councillors to fall in line with her agenda. But she had a ‘good’ teacher.

  7. Steve 88 says:

    Always enjoy the first half of this rags commentary dealing with local issues
    But the second half with Trump shows the leftists stupidity
    So many cartoons on DT yet still nothing for the worst President in American history
    And on tariffs, after recently returning from Germany and speaking with a German businessman on a train, this person mentioned most Germans wanted Harris to win
    When l enquired why he said because DT was going to close the nato bases there and move them to Poland
    So I replied if Germany paid there share in nato maybe he wouldn’t
    Well that was the end of the conversation
    So 60% of Americans and probably 60% of the world will celebrate come 3.30 am Tuesday morning here
    But coming back home
    It will be the same when our idiot pm finally calls the election
    The worst government in Australia’s history
    PD 60% same as the disgusting racist labor voice debacle
    Not to mention so many other incompetent decisions
    And to finally finish
    I can just see the magpie flying in a leftist circle shocking on a seed

    • The Magpie says:

      “Shocking on a seed’? Enlighten us.

    • ABS says:

      88 is a neo-Nazi code for HH, or Heil Hitler. H being the 8th letter of the alphabet. Best to just not publish Nazi comments IMO.

      • The Magpie says:

        The Magpie has long had questions with the banning of the Nazi salute in some states. What if it is used as a derogatory gesture towards some far right knuckle dragging fascist neanderthal, in a mocking way? This is why these sort of pointless wrong-headed populist gestures to vested interests always have unintended consequences. One wonders if this is just the crack in the dam wall of prohibited behaviour gone mad, because there are other gestures and physical behaviour that can be just as effective on the subject. . For instance, although he never uses the salute, will Basil Fawlty be hauled before a Victorian beak for this.

        https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1252360308504970

      • Mdog says:

        Or it could be something completely innocent?? Hear say and conjecture is just that. Formed in a warped mind and spat out on social media . Just a bullshit comment.

    • Not standing for (the recycled) Mayor says:

      Wow, someone left the lid off the fruitloop jar.

  8. Achilles says:

    How do we explain to the ABC that the A stands for Australian, NOT Aboriginal.

    They’ve now launched a program with an indigenous members only panel to “consider” the value of AUSTRALIA Day.

    Nothing like bad (or mischievous) timing right before an event that should be embracing the mutual benefits that we NOW share, maybe they could consider all of the direct improvements in the well-being of this mob.

    We can’t change the past nor have to relive it ad nauseam; the present is theirs and everyone else’s future so stop complaining and grasp the advantages of today.

    • Steve 88 says:

      Enjoyed the opening sentence and last paragraph
      With the incoming new government l can see massive reforms to our gaybc to better represent our 50+ cents per day and represent all of Australians
      Personally I feel this Australia Day is going to be the biggest Australia Day ever
      Thank you ablo
      The one and only thing we can thank him for in my opinion
      Happy Australia Day everyone

      • The Magpie says:

        The wonderful thing about Australia Day, if we generally and the media specially will allow it , is that it can whatever every individual wants it to be. Celebrate it or don’t, but stop telling others what they should think.

        • White Mouse says:

          Australia Day might be on the nose in some circles at home, but one of the hostels I recently visited in Peru had 3 days worth of Australia Day parties and activities planned. I don’t recall any sorry business/invasion day/ blame the whites for everything as part of the celebrations.

    • ABS says:

      As the Pie said – Australia Day can be whatever individuals want it to be, and the ABC has a mandate to represent all of Australia, not just you.

  9. Michael says:

    That patch of Townsville known as ‘The CBD’ is not a Central Business District anymore. It is the seat of local government, for sure. It is a dimly lit corner of subterfuge for the local legal eaglets and it’s somewhere for the two to meet over a coffee or something colder on a hot day. But apart from that – the place known as ‘The CBD’ is no more a central business district than the City Council are community leaders. I offer that the intersection of Nathan Street and Ross River Road forms the epicentre of a C. B. D. If there has to be one. Many shops, banks, and mixed businesses operate nearby. It is proximate to many medical and health providers and a couple of government services operate on Ross River Road with one or two politicians having pitched their standard in plain sight. Parking is readily available and reasonably uncontroversial.
    Readers from North Shore, Willows and perhaps Fairfield Waters may argue but that’s the point. People go where they want to go or have a need to go. They have no need to visit the Ergon office or the ATO. These institutions prefer email or to re-route you through an off-shore call-centre.
    Naming it the CBD and telling people to call it so does not make it true – a former TEL CEO learnt that the hard way.
    A stadium and a few scungy looking motels and Air BNBs along a creek lined with smelly pubs lost its appeal a long time ago, if it ever had any attraction.

  10. Just an Observer says:

    Every week there is a major discussion with comments regarding the dead CBD. I agree the CBD of Townsville is a hole and have not changed much in the 3 and a half years I have been living here. I agree the City Council should prioritise development in the CBD but I would also blame the property owners in the CBD. Their buildings look degraded, filthy and close to being condemned. If they were better maintained and cheaper to rent shop owners might be more willing to open their stores there. Secondly of the people who comment on the degrading of the CBD. What solutions do you have to revive the spaces? Will you go and shop in the stores that open there? Will you go for a coffee on a Thursday afternoon if a cafe should be open? Do you support Umbrella, the bookstore, the clothing stores regularly? Pop into the travel agent? Unfortunately Townsville CBD is a destination due to the layout of the city especially if you live past postcode 4810, Or maybe it’s time to accept that the centre of Townsville due to urban sprawl is actually Stockland and the CBD should be moved there.

    • The Magpie says:

      You don’t just ‘move’ a CBD.

      CBD is just an initialism and the current area is designated as such for historical reasons. The real CBD will be self-nominating if such area is to exist again in Townsville, but modern technology has perhaps made the very concept redundant. That is why radical re-thinking for the uses and purposes of this important ‘gateway’ area for tourists and business visitors is vital. Yes, it CBD is a destination nowadays, and people desperately need a reason to go there … that is why the council’s parking meter regime needs to be rethought … wasting time denying the fact that this sprawling and growing. community is centred on personal vehicle travel simply blocks serious thinking about solutions.

      Nobody in Townsville is going to (try to) catch a bus to go anywhere unless they have no other alternative. And then good luck, too.

      • Chunky says:

        One suggestion to address being unable to ‘move’ a CBD is to rebeand it as “Old Townsville”, like they have in Prague, then label another areas as the effective CBD. Only issue is we’ll need to wait a long time before that happens. It might take around 500 years. Give or take 300.

        • Guy says:

          You could probably build a pond in Ye Olde Townsville Town and bring bring back witch dunking.

          • Way Out West says:

            Guy, if you’re referring to Ma Geaney for the dunking, we could set it up as a tourist attraction – The Witch Wave Pool.

          • White Mouse says:

            WOW – a dunking machine could be set up outside Council chambers, with councilors on a roster for dunking. It could be a great money spinner as people hand over $1 for a chance to take a shot.

    • Ratepayer says:

      If the council should prioritise business development in the CBD as you say, it has to either spend ratepayers money like it did years ago in Flinders Street East and the pedestrian Mall or provide incentives like lower rates and charges and subsidies for renovations or rentals on CBD businesses – either way more of our rates are either spent or not collected in order to prop up CBD businesses. If paid parking is stopped at a cost of $1m pa in lost revenue but ‘regulated parking’ is maintained with parking inspectors so that there is ‘turnover’ to specifically benefit CBD businesses, then more ratepayers money is spent or not collected. Since business doesn’t get a vote in council elections the relationship with human ratepayers is purely political. In my opinion, the Chamber of Commerce, TEL and others are freeloaders and non-performers in this political relationship and it is up to them to put up and step up if they want their CBD to look more attractive.

      • The Magpie says:

        Very unfair lumping the Chamber in the TEL basket(case). The Chamber, like all others across Australia, operates within a clearly defined mandate and can speak out boldly when an issue is clearly identified and a specific course of action is justified … such as President Miranda Mears scorching and effective blast about parking meters on the Strand. The CBD does not present a black-and-white course of action, and has myriad interests at work in a free market economy. So the Chamber must tread carefully in balancing the fair interests of its members and those of the community.

        TEL on the other hand has such a broad accountability dodging mandate as to be anything it wants to call itself, and take credit for anything others achieve. They clearly have nothing of substance or intlelligence to offer for the rehabilitation of the CBD.

        BUT HERE’S AN INTERESTING FACT THAT THE ‘PIE HAS JUST REALISED AFTER A DILIGENT SEARCH.

        When there was Chamber outrage echoing community fury over the proposal to install Strand parking meters, Townsville Enterprise, a supposed strong representative of local member businesses, said not a single word that The ‘Pie can find either for or against the proposal. Nouse trying to claim it’s outside their terms of reference, it is rioght in the middle of it, given the tourist element of the Strand and the effect on member businesses.Not a bloody dickey bird. Please double check the old bird in case he missed something.

        https://www.townsvilleenterprise.com.au/news-media/news-centre/


        Strange for an organisation which hides behind the trope ‘we’re a private, member-based organisation which doesn’t require public accountability‘ The truth is, bugger the members interests when it comes to TEL disagreeing with the council, because it might put in jeopardy the $750,000 annual stipend of ratepayers money is gifted by out-of-touch councillors. Jelly-backed, grifting cowards.

        And now we have the ‘events contract’ handed to a clearly incompetent organisation that cannot point to one single solid achievement in which it was pivotal.

        How long are ratepayers going to put up with this disgraceful charade, which is actively supported and shielded by Clr Ann-Maree Greaney.

        • Ratepayer says:

          Fair enough. Leave TEL and the Strand out of it and stick to improving the attractiveness of the CBD. There does not appear to be any political relationship between the Chamber of Commerce and the broader community. The Chamber appears to deal directly with council from its ratepayer subsidised council-owned premises. If the Chamber feels that it has to tread carefully as you say, that does not mean it has to stay quiet and out of sight.

          • The Magpie says:

            The Chamber represents its business members, not ratepayers per se. SAll councils recognise the traditional role and legitimate functions of Chambers of Commerce.

          • Ratepayer says:

            So when can we expect the Chamber to speak out boldly on the clearly identified CBD attractiveness issue and spell out a specific course of action to council so that ratepayers can understand the business viewpoint? For example, what exactly is the position of the Chamber on regulation of parking in the CBD? Are they for it or agin it? If regulation is designed to benefit business by stopping employees from hogging on-street parking spaces all day, is it OK for council, on behalf of ratepayers, charging, through paid parking, for the provision of that service to business? Not necessarily for profit but to, say, break even? It has something to do with social licence. We are not seeing that communication play out in Townsville.

  11. Interested observer says:

    If Steve88 thinks Trump is so great and about to “make America great again” why isn’t he moving to the USA?

  12. The Magpie says:

    Councils liquidity . 6 weeks operating funds . Its available in the Council meeting docs 22/1.

    If this, from a trusted number cruncher and Nest regular, is true, we really are on a knife edge. The last time, late last year, we reported on this, there was three months liquidity admitted by council boffins in open council meeting.

    • Guy says:

      Most likely , given the existing trajectory, spending on many things will need to be cut, along with management wages/ positions. In any business its the wages bill that consumes a king size portion of a budget. Shut down the pipeline dreams – state and federal funding only OR crazy thought good old fashioned WATER RECYCLING, yes , done properly its safe.

      As I’ve said many times here ( and since 2010) which provokes a hysterical knee jerk response – the damage was done 2008 – 2011 by the tyrell council taking massive that couldn’t be paid off and was never paid off, the council owes the same or more than it did in 2010.

      My theory at the time was that the council was deliberately being dug into a hole principally so the water system could be sold off to a private PROFIT making entity. I realised this when I became involved with the water tax problem.

      The only way out now might be the council going into administration temporarily so ALL the books on council finances are opened and examined without fear or favour. Maybe in two years or so you have another full council election. The new council might sit for a year, so people can decide if they are suitable for the role – then have ANOTHER election to line up with the electoral cycle.

      The advantage of a double election is so you can weed out the non performers.

      I can hear the screeching and howls of the gremlins already.

    • Toy Thompstain says:

      6 weeks operational money? Shit-a-brick. That is very worrying, and very serious. The Council is fucked. Maybe Thompstain will get his wish and the Administrators will roll in to take charge? Imagine a multi-million dollar private business with $1b in assets, down to just 6 weeks worth of operational money? Not good, really bad.

    • Airline says:

      Re Report Information Comment December There is minus $21.5 Difference November to December in unrestricted cash and working facility . WHERE HAS IT GONE & FOR WHAT PURPOSE ???

    • Manic Mike says:

      Thank you for sharing Mr Pie. I am at a complete loss as to why the Bully refuse to report on these important matters.

      • Manic Mike says:

        Why did you take out the last part of my post?

        • The Magpie says:

          Why would you suggest in The Magpie’s Nest that readers look at a FB page from which the Magpie is blocked.

          Thompson enablers are no longer welcome here, he never had and still does not have any merit, the man is a criminal.

          • Manic Mike says:

            Yet you continue to share information that he has posted? That is laughable that you are blocked from his page. I read somewhere that he is blocked from the bulletin, and you seemingly don’t post every comment and or edit comments to suite your opinion. Apparently this is very common.
            You mentioned some long story about DV. I have a question for you. Do you believe that bullying and verbal abuse is classified as domestic violence?

          • The Magpie says:

            Apart from the last line, do you reckon you could try again in English … your thought processes in linking ideas is alarming in their disconnects. I have no idea what your trying to say.

            As to the last one, of course bullying and verbal abuse in a domestic setting between adult or juvenile family members is domestic violence. Don’t you think so? Or are you, in your sadly amusing way, trying to argue that saying nasty things about your favourite knobgobble Thompson is somehow domestic violence?

          • Manic Mike says:

            Hmmm a very interesting response. That is very strange that you acknowledge that bullying and verbal abuse IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE (within a domestic setting). That stands to reason that you would believe bullying and verbal abuse towards ANYONE is a violent act!

            You continue to write horrible and hateful comments and “blogs” that insight abuse. Now I absolutely do not like Ann Maree Greaney due to my personal experience with her within het division. HOWEVER what you continue to write about her weight and appearance is utterly disgusting. If you don’t like her work performance that is fair, however you are being a hypocrite and engaging in bullying by posting about her weight.

            Additionally, you continue to highlight Mayor Troy Thompson as a domestic violence offender. He was NEVER convicted of any offense.

            I am sure you will not post this comment, or edit it to suit your narrative, however you my friend are a violent offender which is within every upload and hate you share.

            Another question. Is it true that you previously worked for Townsville Enterprise?

          • The Magpie says:

            You’re leading with your chin is getting tedious, but let’s go one last round, ignoring the fact that someone like you using a a phrase ‘It stands to reason’ is akin to say Jenny Hill being appointed to the chair of Humanities at JCU.

            Of course, bullying and verbal abuse in a personal matter is now classed as a violent act in our new world of encouraging people to be super sensitive. Fair enough. But your mental disconnect kicks in by equating DV and personal confrontation for personal reasons, with democratically protected right to robustly criticise people in public office who have an unfair balance of power over the general public (think Jenny Hill and her vicious retributions). Comments about public figures are a different matter altogether, and modern technology has now evened up what was once a very uneven power play (the Bulletin and various other MSM mastheads have never got over losing their gatekeeper status on information).

            Ann-Maree Greaney chose to attack first Fran O’Callaghan in spiteful back-stabbing corridor attacks – out of order at any time but continued even after Fran was diagnosed with series cancer issues – and then decided run for her present position, citing inter alia Paul Jacob’s dress sense as a reason. I have twice made glancing reference to her physical appearance and dress sense, and allowed one or two commenters into that area as well (you will just have to take The ‘Pie’s word for it that he has declined to publish literally hundreds of pointless fat and physical shaming comments over the years about various public figures, including a dozen or more regarding Clr Greaney.) And everyone but two people joined in the light-hearted fun of lampooning our former civic leader’s now famous purple doona, an il-fitting, ill-considered and unattractive piece of equipage for our city’s leader to parade in while representing us, week in, week out. You were presumably one of those two people. Politicians are noted for two things: they are the most ready to take offence at any criticism, and they are the ones that make the defamation laws that allow them to cow their critics into silence.

            Troy Thompson outed himself as a domestic violence offender by agreeing to an Apprehended Violence Order (a ‘stay away’) which required him to report to police regularly on the Gold Coast. You don’t have to be formally convicted of anything to get an AVO, stemming from DV.

            And no, The Magpie has never worked for Townsville Enterprise (in recent years, it would appear no one has, if results are anything to go by). No idea what twisted motivation is behind that dribble, and not really interested.

    • Hee Haw says:

      There is a couple of things to keep in mind when looking at the pretty charts and tables.
      The two main charts have different timelines, one being actual and one forecasting to the end of the 25 financial year.
      The second and one to question is , given TCC have a break even at best budget how can the cash go from bugger all in January to $40 million at the end of June? Even taking the year as a whole cash is going from $20mill to $40 mill over the financial year. On a break even budget or maybe a loss, remember we had to have strand parking fees to rescue the budget, where and how is someone forecasting this increase in cash ?

      Be an interesting answer from someone dont you think

  13. Achilles says:

    Great pics of the US Capitol building readying for Trump, with the Stars and Stripes hung vertically from the windows.

    Looks just like prison window bars; very apt.

    https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/news-photo/flags-are-displayed-on-the-west-front-of-the-us-capitol-news-photo/2193799839

  14. Beaker says:

    Magpie, I’m here for your sharp takes, not cheap shots. Keep the critiques coming but leave the body shaming to reality TV.

    • The Magpie says:

      Sometimes cheap shits deserve cheap shots. Skip over them and enjoy the soaring intellectual discourse.

    • Bipartisan Bob says:

      Beaker, are you serious? The Magpie owns the blog and is the producer, author, editor and moderator. I think he can do or say whatever he is comfortable with. Piss off Beaker.

  15. Interested observer says:

    Guy, I enjoy your comments. They give us all a laugh. Have you ever tried stand-up comedy?

  16. Miss Redmond says:

    Townsville City Council has $5.5M in the bank, and only $71.5M in reserves with 6 weeks until the rates come in, that’s frightening for us all. If what I’ve seen is true, that there is $1B in outstanding capital works projects, some 2094 not listed in reports, but pushed to the side, we are in real trouble.

    If the Premier appointed an independent administrator, wiped the slate clean, removed our troublesome mayor and councillors and the many executives, will he put the cash up, will he fund the council for the next 2 years. Rates will most definitely rise, and community grants may dry up, investigations will be extensive. Just maybe Ms Hill, Mr Raulston, Ms Hilder, and the team may be very nervous. My suspicions are the Premier won’t go down this path, as it’ll go back to time served by Mr Crisafulli, Ms Marr, Mr Last, Mr Mooney Snr etc, and that will not be allowed. So it’ll be a very strict dictatorship from state that’ll be the only option used to get Townsville back, slow, small steps.

    Townsville will have to go through much worse, and more expense to come out the other side, the Hill, Mooney eras will effect us for close to another decade, but we must go down this dark path.

    • Circus fan says:

      Great comment Miss R.
      The $71.5 mil is not in reserve. It’s a 4.86% interest working capital facility.

      The councils been in the financial doldrums and possibly insolvent for quite a while now and the state government has decided to do 2 things, both costing the ratepayer more. They’ve suspended the lying mayor TT on full pay and appointed an advisor which is probably at the cost of the council. The state government department don’t appear to have a clue of what to do with the Townsville circus.

      • Miss Redmond says:

        Mr Oberhardt is being paid by the Council as instructed by the State Government minister, that includes, flights, accommodation, expenses, meals etc. it’s at the rate of the directors, a twitch over $480k. I mean he was a CEO.

        • The Magpie says:

          And of course, we have to pay that (lower end) salary to attract the best and brightest eh? Adele Young, Prins Ralston????

        • Circus fan says:

          Thank you for that info Miss R.
          Confirms the state governments solutions to the councils financial woes is to increase their operating expenses, suspend the mayor on full pay, and appoint an advisor whose job was to assist with the relationship between the lying mayor TT and the CEO, and the lying mayor and the councillors.
          now that TT is suspended, why does council need the advisor?

  17. J jones says:

    I have some cruise visitor ideas

    1 experience the thrill a joy ride in a stolen car through the streets of town. No drivers licence required

    2 go fishing for trolleys in Ross creek

    3 have lunch with Townsville’s holidaying mayor while he has nothing better to do. Ear muffs required

    4 take a day trip to scenic Palm Island

  18. Mike Douglas says:

    Newsflash for Mad Hatter Councillors who approved $350,000 for Wedgwood Collection coming to Perc Tucker Gallery . There is a roll back of DEI ” diversity equity inclusion ” with Trump leading the charge Worldwide . Councillors last month dishing out $50k to a pty Ltd company that failed previous application resubmitted with CEO stating it didn’t meet with Council guidelines . Councillor Mooney was worried about the optics so it was approved . Qld local Government Minister should urgently request a list of critical projects Council arnt doing . Any businesses that Council havnt paid or stopped supply because of payment issues ? .

    • Ducks Nuts says:

      Mike…. Trump is 78. He’s the oldest president in history. He’ll be dead soon, probably a heat attack on a golf course. And then the USA will have JD Vance. A man who wears eye-liner. How’s that gonna go down with DEI? Or is man makeup ok?

      • The Magpie says:

        Well, certainly no problem with the new president, who just before the inauguration was enthusiastically dancing to YMCA. But that only happened because Trumpp must’ve misheard and thought it a suitable campaign song sung by the Pillage People, the theme of the next four years.

  19. Circus fan says:

    If the crooked Council executives telling acting mayor they need to increase rates mid-year because there is no money, you can bet she will be blindly agreeing to causing more pain to Townsville ratepayers. And when ratepayers are asking for more bread to show for their higher rates, you can bet Anne Maree Antoinette will be telling us all to eat cake.

  20. Prince Rollmop says:

    Article below posted on ABC news. Looks like Joe McCool is losing his cool with the democratically elected fuckwit, Twonames. Everyone is getting sick of Twonames calling for TCC Councillors and executive management to be sacked and for Council to be placed into administration.

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-21/suspended-mayor-troy-thompson-online-attacks-townsville-council/104814706

    • The Magpie says:

      Two points.

      The ABC story does once mention WHY this fraudster is suspended.

      And here is a prize quote for all time ffrom Thom,pson:
      “I’m neither a councillor or mayor, I’m suspended in my role, I’m a citizen of Townsville like anyone else,” he said.

      Of course you, just a bloke enjoying his thieving $250k salary like everyone else is.

      • The Magpie says:

        And unusually given the subject matter, not a word anywhere on any Bully site.

      • Headmistress says:

        If they sack the whole council, wouldnt he also be included in a clean sweep? I wonder how he sees this playing out?

        • The Magpie says:

          It is this that exposes Thompson’s spite which goes beyond sulking about being caught out as a public liar unfit for office. A classic ‘if I can’t have it, neither can you’. This can be the only explanation, because this criminal can hardly expect to be re-elected in fresh elections. yjat is even if he can run, he may subsequently be disqualified from nominating by Rip Van CCC.

          • Headmistress says:

            Hes been given over $4k per week to do nothing and keep his mouth shut and he cant even manage that. The very definition of cutting off his nose to spite his face.

          • Miss Redmond says:

            While I agree with much of what is said, until there is an actual outcome, I cannot commit to the inuendo of guilt. I have seen all the paperwork put to the public on this page and everywhere else, but like any person, we all have the right to a fair trial, and this case has been influenced by too many in my view. I think Mr. Thompson will be compensated and sacked, never to appear in politics again, but his community group is rising up and growing, I did see / hear he has organised a meeting, by invite only to tackle the impending administration argument, and he has met with a writer, it could be true, a book deal, who knows. Either way, this has to end, and there is only one way, if he is sacked, it’ll come at a cost, and then all the laundry will be released, god help Townsville.

          • The Magpie says:

            Innuendo of guilt? Of what might he be innocent? And what trial?

            It is an empirical fact from his own mouth on video that he lied during his campaign in a way to enhance his campaign, and he lied about to the council about claimed legal advice challenging that of the council. Where’s the innuendo?

            And The ‘Pie would be most interested to se what publisher would be willing to put out his one sided version of events before the matter is resolved .. his (your) waffle about a book is a threatened tactic in a campaign that has now swerved from reinstatement (surely an impossible dream) to openly seeking massive compensation.

          • Alahazbin says:

            And the astonisher take the bait every time, giving him more exposure for the cookers in this town. They could at least stop putting his photo with the article.

  21. Biame says:

    Good morning Magpie, very good articles as always. I am going to propose something that will get people upset, but DV is an insidious problem.
    That lady who was set on fire needs her perpetrator served the same treatment. The old ‘eye for an eye’ punishment. Her life is ruined and he will get away with a slap on the wrist. Such a terrible crime.

    • Ducks Nuts says:

      Unfortunately women in DV situations are caught between a rock and a hard place. Police don’t attend call outs as they are under resourced. The example in Logan is appalling, but its nationwide issue.
      And women can’t leave as there’s not enough emergency housing or affordable housing and they will be left homeless.

      As a society we need to teach our men to be better humans.

      • The Magpie says:

        Although your underlying concern is something all sane people share, your first and last lines are somewhat dopey.

        ‘…between a rock and a hard place’ could be misconstrued (especially on this blog) as a bad taste joke.

        And you last line repeats a trope that is just plain impossible nonsense. For a start, it presupposes that all men are stamped from the same template, whereas in fact, every individual is shaped by a myriad varying factors, childhood experience, school experience, religion, mental health et al, while the one single trait shared by all men is superior physical strength, often seen nowadays as a desirable marker of superiority over others.

        As far as The Magpie can see, we already as a society do what we can to let people know that DV … indeed any mindless violence … is not on, and is just an outlet for the frustration of weak cowardly people – (of both genders). Laws have already been changed, and there have been continual media campaigns highlighting how wrong such behaviour is (criminal in most cases).

        Sadly, out-dated simmering resentment in some bitter and disappointed sectors of society prefer to continue tropes like the one you have repeated to continue idiotic man bashing. Which is not helpful to solve the problem for their sisters.

        • Ducks Nuts says:

          Unfortunately Magpie, while it’s not all men, until all men declare it to be reprehensible, call out their mates, and colleagues, and stand up and teach boys a better way, it’s going to continue. Because when 1 in 4 women and 1 in 14 men have experienced domestic violence, everyone knows an abuser and everyone knows someone being abused.

          • The Magpie says:

            And what makes you think that’s not already widely happening? Do you fret that a group of rowdy front bar blokes are patting Boof The Beast on the back and saying things like ‘Yeah, give the bitch one from me next time, mate, here, let me shout you a beer’. Your virtue signalling prissiness ignores the fact that the process has been underway for more than a decade now in schools and other youth groups, repudiating DV and sexual violence as a cowardly inadequacy of the perpetrator. The message is everywhere, and The ‘Pie repeats that attacks still happen because of the diverse and individual backgrounds of each and every one of us. Your view that every last male must understand this behaviour is not acceptable still reeks of man bashing in the gender image area and is in fact an impossibly in any society. Everyone knows murder is wrong, but it still happens regularly.

            Tired old tropes like yours are well meaning but they aren’t helpful, and are very insulting to the vast majority of men who do actively call these bastards, so give us a blokes a fucking break, give it a fucking rest, you’re achieving nothing, so give it a fucking rest will ya?

            Otherwise The ‘Pie might have come around and bash the shit out of you.

          • Ducks Nuts says:

            If this was already happening, the DV callouts wouldn’t be rising to a point where police can no longer handle them.

          • The Magpie says:

            That doesn’t stand up to analysis, and remember, not all DV issues involve violence. Laws have changed to include controlling and coercive behaviour, but it is the physical ones that get the headlines.

          • Ducks Nuts says:

            How does it not stand up to analysis?
            Police predominantly get called out to cases of physical violence and threats of physical violence. Coercive-control isn’t a criminal offence until May.

          • The Magpie says:

            Look, you’re attempts at rational debate are unsupportable and tiresome, but here’s the thing.

            You’re argument is that men should police other men’s behaviour, by rejection of first their ideas and statements (about women generally and spouses specifically), then any friendship with them, unless they welcome and embrace their mates’ enlightenment. And only then will domestic violence stop. So until it does, according to your unexamined parroting, it will forever be the fault of men generally that domestic violence exists. In other words, the majority of men may not commit DV, but they tacitly approve of it by not actively getting involved.

            You completely deny that each case of DV, and each man, had a unique background that by-passes social repugnance, and therefore, for a wide variety of reasons, one of which no longer is tacit approval by their peers, will continue … as it has from the year dot (helped along by a religious patriarchy across all faiths).

            Despite this obvious truism, you believe every grub involved in DV can be subject to some magic formulae of rejection by their mates if they don’t stop bashing the missus. And if they persist in that behaviour, it is the fault of others

            And by the way, some blokes do not have to have, or want to have a dog in this fight, and are happy to mind their own business, a right in a democratic society but not in yours.

            You’re a fucking idiot, keep your antisocial guilt trip to yourself, or your trendy dinner parties.

            End of thread.

  22. Dorfus says:

    Jonesy, a fifth.

    Explore the various ruined battlements in this garrison city (three sectors: stone, rock and boulder).

  23. Achilles says:

    ]
    Now Trump claims he was “sent by god to save America”, I never knew that big G had a sense of humour!

    OK! So who sent Magpie to save Townsville? Whoever ’twas, Cheers.

  24. The drunk parrot says:

    I’m thrilled that Trump is back in. 4 years of laughable shenanigans. I hope he causes as much chaos as possible. America is a sewerage and they deserve all they get it. Maybe they will now but out of other nations business, stop creating wars across the globe, and stop thinking that their shit doesn’t stink. Trump will have a ball!!

  25. Lonnie Sanders III says:

    Great insights on the importance of effective revenue cycle management! It’s clear that optimizing processes and improving efficiency not only boosts financial performance but also enhances the overall patient experience. The tips provided are practical and actionable, and it’s encouraging to see the growing focus on streamlining operations in healthcare. Looking forward to seeing how these strategies continue to evolve and make a difference in the industry!

    Welcome to Revive Revenue Services. We know you’re committed to taking excellent care of your patients, but when was the last time you took a close look at your business? We’re part of the nation’s largest network of Medical Revenue Management offices, and we specialize in practice management, revenue cycle optimization, and private practice business support.

  26. Interested observer says:

    For a bloke who claims he loves Townsville, Crisafulli has a strange way of showing it. Not only have we been saddled with a suspended mayor on full pay, but we’ve also ended up with an acting mayor who has a history littered with expensive failures and seems to think her job is just to turn up at media events and food troughs. Perhaps The Kid can redeem himself by launching an investigation into Townsville City Council’s financial situation, including where the millions of dollars have gone. From what I’ve heard that would give him the ammunition he needs to dismiss the council and appoint an administrator.

  27. Toy Thompstain says:

    Ha ha ha old mate Twonames got fired up by today’s ABC news article about him. In response he has posted some diatribe about the article and CEO McCabe on his latest Facebook missive. I say well done to the ABC for getting under Twonames skin. Twonames has some very obvious mental health issues and he needs urgent help.

  28. Prickster says:

    Calling bullshit on the wonderful things the sport is doing to do to help the city – it is all spin.

    The Queen Elizabeth is a small ship https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/MS_Queen_Elizabeth the beam (width) is only 32m and draft is 8m.

    This ship could easily go down the old channel, how about the Port do something like redevelopment the old Port office site, fix the breakwater boat ramp facility and the picnic bay jetty rather than pushing out spin.

    • The Magpie says:

      While acceting your technical points, The ‘Pie has always thought it amusing that TEL (and the silence of the Port itself on the point) to suggest the years of channel dredging had anything to do with cruise ships. It was all about sensible business and commerce. Crusise ships were a by-product bonus, the Port itself is going to make peanuts out of cruise ships fees.

      • Business schmizmess says:

        When the Port first proposed its taxpayer funded expansion about 2011 it talked about the terrific growth expected from mining and refining interests like QNI, Mount Isa and others – all of which, every single one listed in their documents at the time, failed to produce the goods. After a second shot for approvals a few years later, QNI collapsed and Port throughput dropped by about 30% overnight. Third time round they didn’t bother with a business case at all but still landed the money. Now that Mount Isa and the copper refinery are finished and Palmer’s bloated carcass is blocking half the Port frontage, the best we can hope for is a government funded thermal coal stockpile and loader on the new reclaim to service Labor’s Guildford coal tenements out at Pentland – although they are still hamstrung by lack of a dedicated rail bypass into the port. No worries though, taxpayers will eventually lubricate the business and commerce angle and the US will send in a really big ship occasionally to make it look hunky dory. It’s about as kosher as a pork chop.

        • Critical says:

          Thermal coal stock pile dream on it won’t happen because of environmental and health issues and the coal dust problem that will impact on South Townsville, North Ward, Castle Hill and the City. Go and have a look at the coal dust problem at Hay Point where sprinklers are constantly keeping the piles of coal damp and yet residential areas some kilometres away still have coal dust problems.

          • Business schmizmess says:

            Environmental, health and dust problems have plagued the Port for a hundred years and as you well know, have made zero impact on political decision makers. Quite the opposite in fact. Deny, obfuscate and deny again. Ten years ago it was lead-in-dust coming directly from port operations around mining giants Glencore Mount Isa and BHP Cannington. The government’s own dust measuring station next to the breakwater boat ramp recorded all the sordid details, in particular the several year demolition and reconstruction of the MIM lead/zinc concentrate shed which poured “black dust” over Melton Hill and North Ward, even Yarrawonga. If the miners want to stockpile and load coal out of Townsville all levels of government will bend over backwards to make it happen, fast and cheap. Fuck the residents of Townsville, fuck the taxpayers and fuck the Great Barrier Reef.

    • Mdog says:

      Boat ramp at breakwater has nothing to do with port authority. The dredging was facilitated for bulk carriers, and product that comes over. These were actual projections from back in the nineties. Our shipping lane, will require dredging forever, because of silting up, and bigger vessels.

  29. Maggie May says:

    Is the Chief Legal Officer on holidays?

  30. Johno says:

    I’ve been reading the comments on here from Ducks Nuts. Fuck me, is the Duck ok? I think he has some serious mental health and cognitive issues.

  31. The Magpie says:

    Your council at work today.

    Priorities. It would be interesting to see just what this $20k is going to be used for. We know where the other amounts are going and the causes they support, but ….

    • Prince Rollmop says:

      If Council are busted ass broke, why are they giving away grant money? It’s a serious question, not a piss-take. If they are borrowing money to cover operational costs, which is unnerving, why the fuck are they giving money away?

      • Ms Scarlet says:

        When new TCC CEO started last May he declared TCC finances ‘the worst he’s ever seen’ in a local government. How the current state of TCC finances is a ‘shock’ to anyone sitting around that Council table, at the front or on the sidelines of Chambers is simply farcical. The folk who made a career of hiding true numbers are gone and so the light will shine brightly on the ugly & dire accounts, especially the underperforming major projects portfolio … boardwalk to nowhere anyone ?

        • The Magpie says:

          That is almost certainly a Troy Thompson manufactured lie, as an experienced bureaucrat, Joe McCabe would make no such statement. The ‘Pie challenges you to provide a link or just a specific source. But you can’t because it is a white anting lie.

          The finances might not be good but a man of Joe McCool’s experience would never ever make such a statement.

          Been in the Thompson camp long, Ms Scarlet? Or is that you yourself Troy, dressing up in Mich’s party frock.

          • Ms Scarlet says:

            Happy to reveal my source – do you check your email?

          • The Magpie says:

            Yes, The ‘Pie constantly checks his email alerts, but unless you are someone who wants me to claim a package I never ordered, sell me a spinning top for my desk(???) or have an unhealthy curiosity by my now mostly academic erectile ability, I haven’t heard from you.

          • The Magpie says:

            Still nothing forecoming, so we are entitled to assume you are bullshitting.

      • Alahazbin says:

        PR, Wait til they approve their wage rise.

    • Achilles says:

      Come on! its “secret men’s business” as in none of our bloody business. P’raps Alf Lacey may know!!

    • Hee Haw says:

      Tiny minor detail (“aupicing” could mean AU Pissing) which is important to some not because of the severity/simple typo of the mistake but the fact that this document has gone through many hands, very well paid hands, before getting into the public domain and on the agenda for our councillors to vote on.

      Simple mistakes make me nervous about big mistakes

      • The Magpie says:

        For 20 years, The Magpie has been trying to get that message through to the now completely credibility-barren Bulletin.

    • Miss Redmond says:

      It is disappointing to see money being squandered to organisations when we do not have the cash in the bank any longer, remember the $5.5M was for December, we are getting to the end of January, and not one councillor asked what the current cash balance was. Cr. Robinson, while painful to listen too at times, made an excellent point, we are too close to the wind, and there will be solvency problems. Your faith in Mr McCabe is admirable, but I suspect there is part truth in the suggestion he said, its the worst he has seen, because the department of Local Government and the local state MPs are in the office weekly, to try and understand what is really going on.
      The 40-years of backlog has proven to be true, and Mr Thompson, or who ever let that cat out of the bag, could have an issue, but it will be a poignant moment in the city’s future, we are closer to doors closing and administration, than finding a way out. It is terrible, and something that will be very public, due to a mayor who wants to tell all.

      • The Magpie says:

        You believe there is ‘part truth’ that McCabe said the council finances were the worst he had seen? Then you too, like Ms Scarlet, need to provide proof of that.

        Let’s be crystal clear about this – the point here is honesty in reporting actual statements, not the actual fact of the admitted parlous state of the coffers. The Magpie is convinced that a PS of McCool’s experience would never make such a blunt statement like that, and to claim he did is to feed into the conman mayor’s personal vendetta against the CEO.

        The ‘Pie has no particular ‘faith’ in Joe McCabe, but he sure as hell has more faith in him than in commenters with thinly disguised agendas of furthering the destructive narrative from the criminal Troy Thompson.

    • Non Aligned Worker says:

      Magpie,
      From Council Agenda on the net:
      Uncle Alfred ThulguRrie Healing
      (Auspiced by the Townsville
      Community Justice Group
      Aboriginal & Torres Strait
      Islander Corporation)
      FUSION turning beat into breath
      Various locations (Currajong,
      Garbutt, Rasmussen, Vincent)
      27 May 2025 to 7June 2025

      FUSION by Cypress Fyre: is an
      outreach program using the groups
      experience as world class
      performers with their educational
      backgrounds. To help guide youth
      and young adults towards
      identifying their own personal
      values, they use Beat Boxing as the
      connection. Interactive workshops
      focus on building self-confidence,
      establishing community and
      choosing positive outlets for
      creative energies. At the end of the
      3 workshop sessions, family
      friendly concert will take place.”
      To Fund:
      Cypress Fyre’s fees and sound equipment.
      Rationale/Need:
      “Rasmussen 8.3% population between the ages of 10-14 years old Currajong 6.9% Garbutt 4.8% Vincent 8.6% Rasmussen, Vincent,
      Currajong, Garbutt approx. 25% are unemployed, 10% suffer from mental health issues, and 20%-32% are one parent families. Need. Target
      Group: 10-14 year-olds. Encourage the target group to make healthy choices that is fun, with little cost. FUSION will encourage this target
      group to form beatboxing bands which may lead to the BEATBOX Battle in October and provide the schools involved a cost affective activity.
      It will lead to a connection between a successful beatboxing/vocal band from the USA to be a part of the Townsville education system. This
      will encourage international musicians to perform in Townsville and encourage students with talent and hard work what can be achieved
      FUSION provides an opportunity for these students to be mentored by 3 International Performers in dealing with eg: performance anxiety,
      lack of confidence, healthy life choices. Provides positive role models to influence the 10-14 years old to encourage positive choices. At each
      concert venue a donation tin will be made available – opportunity for the school to raise money for their chosen charity.”
      Partner contributions: $1,500
      73%
      $20,535 Cash
      ($20,000 for
      Cypress Fyre
      group and $535
      for equipment
      hire – sound)
      Historic funding:
      N/A

      Targeting total activity
      attendance of 292 including
      80 participants and 200
      attendees

      • The Magpie says:

        Money well spent, eh?

        • Critical says:

          I wonder what the budget breakdown for this project looks like and what the audited budget statement will look like after the project is finalised.

          Talking of grant funds, I haven’t seen anything presented to Council that provides information that what $$$ ratepayers are giving to organisations such as Cowboys, TEL, PB Bullriding etc.

          This is a hidden slush fund and organisations do not have to publicly bid for $$$

        • Non Aligned Worker says:

          Well it is certainally spent!!

  32. Doug K says:

    I heard the shipping channel was dredged to cater for all the ships carrying batteries from the Landsdown Battery Factory. ????

  33. Mike Douglas says:

    The Magpie went first followed by 6 + full pages Townsville Bully highlighting hapless Council / Acting Mayor forcing Council to do something on cbd / cruise ship activation . Council meeting yesterday where head of finance admitted previous CEO had written off $174,000 owed to Council by a joint Council entity NQ Spark . Spending on capital projects is down $48 mil , Lansdown expenditure moved into 2025/26 guessing the project hasn’t attracted a confirmed tenant . As one Councillor who questioned whether Council is solvent also said ” we can’t keep kicking the debt can down the road . . Acting Mayor Greaney acknowledged ” unpalatable decisions need to be made ” . Even though Townsville is a much bigger area than other Councils involved in NQ ROC we only get the same vote so $14 mil was split evenly on flood support so Townsville got the same as Burdekin , Charters Towers .

  34. Doug K says:

    Townsville tennis player JP Smith and rising Aussie star Kim Birrell have won their way into the final of the Australian Open mixed doubles, but not a word in the Townsville Bulletin.
    The editor apparently thinks a story about the meaning behind tattoos sported by some of the AO stars is of more interest and importance than a local bloke on the verge of winning a Grand Slam title.
    Pathetic.

  35. Achilles says:

    Looks like Ruppy is sucking up to the “Royals”, Prince Harry Mellors in particular for a knighthood or even a peerage.

    This exaggerated grovelling is so out of character, maybe the DOB factor is creeping in?

    https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/prince-harry-settles-lawsuit-against-murdochs-uk-tabloids/news-story/8cfc196997ed54e664e466fa62105c68

  36. Achilles says:

    If Djokovic’s injury is really in his testicles, then he’ll need a medical support now his name can change to Jocstrapovich.

    OK! I’ll see myself out.

  37. Toy Thompstain says:

    In Twonames latest post today, he takes aim at Sewell and McCabe and several external legal firms. His daily unloading on Council is becoming quite serious while yet somewhat amusing. Mr Crisafulli has a real problem on his hands and he really needs to ramp up action against Twonames as you can’t have another 10 months of this shit. Twonames is batshit crazy. The powers that be really need to bury this guy once and for all and shut him up. He is causing ongoing pain for our community.

    • Maggie May says:

      One has to question why item 10 (Legal Assistance Policy) on yesterdays council meeting was withdrawn at the last minute.
      This policy was about the TCC engaging outside legal assistance for councillor,’s or TCC employees if they are defamed.
      Got it, but why withdraw it at the last moment. Personally I think the policy should also allow for legal assistance for members of the public who could be defamed by councillors or council employees also. And please don’t say that would never happen for FS!

  38. Prince Rollmop says:

    The democratically elected sociopath and vindictive Mayor is entitled to a pay rise.

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-23/troy-thompson-entitled-to-pay-rise/104849202

    • The Magpie says:

      This farce is blundering further into Yes Minister territory, but there’s nothing funny about this legalised thievery by a fraudulent conman. An extra $5625 p.a or an extra $108 a week of ratepayers money, to buy more ice cream, giveaway vouchers, feed his face and the fund the cost of his FB page where he persistently tries to bring down the council with outright lies for his own vindictive reasons. Sure, the council is in financial strife, but Thompson trying to virtue signal some sort of credit on himself is shameful, destructive behaviour.

      And the shine is coming off Crisafulli in this town, if for no other reason, he and/or his local members, who promised such a renewal of faith in local candidates, have not given a plain language reason for what it increasingly appearing to be wilfully enabling a cruel deception on the people of Townsville.

      • The Magpie says:

        But two critiucal points arise from this rise, which is not aimed at Townsville and is the usual economic rational of the PS roundelay of periodic bumps in pay.

        The first is, if can the councillors block the mayoral rise, does this mean they too will have to forego their 2.5%, or can they selectively exclude the mayor? And if so, will they?

        AND HERE’S THE OTHER THING THE ‘PIE WOULD (ALMOST) PUT MONEY ON.

        As part of his sneaky, sleazy campaign to recruit the gullible (which is about at its limit by now) The ‘Pie reckons Thompson will grandstand this, and heroically decline the increase in pay. Or at least say so to try and gain credit, all the time knowing that unless council takes some action, a councillor or a mayor CANNOT decline a pay rise or return the moneyunder the LG Act. (cf Paul Jacob and his issue with this in the past.)

        • Kenny Kennett says:

          Whilst we’re talking about pay rises, let’s talk about KPI’s and also annual leave entitlements for Councillors. Given that they have not even been in their positions for 12 months, how many days off have they had? Are they allowed to take time off for personal interests? Do they have to document time elsewhere? Like Councillor Batkovich attending the ‘Suzy Batkovich Challenge’ held in NSW last Friday and Saturday for Basketball NSW. The way I look at it, a job earning $135k plus a year should be full time with no more than 4 weeks leave plus have KPI’s attached.

          • Mdog says:

            I don’t think councillors are being influenced by kpi’s. If they were, none of them would have a job. Clueless, narcissistic, borderline delusional psychopaths, that only care for themselves. I believe, they would have a hard time, understanding a spread sheet.

          • Airline says:

            Would they not not get an Z-Day , ,Rostered day off every 28 days . Most Federal Government Departments do . i would presume the same applies to State Government Employees ?

          • Kenny Kennett says:

            Perhaps the State Govt minister for local government needs to set the KPI’s across the board on an annual basis and then continue to monitor and scrutinize those who are not reaching the expected standards. The current system appears to be loose and flexible beyond where it should be.

  39. Maggie May says:

    I watched a council meeting for the last time. Couldn’t believe it when the councillors voted the treasury report through, then started asking what certain finance terms meant.
    Townsville is run by a bunch of rubber stamping imbeciles who love the sound of their own voices.

  40. Andrew P says:

    I’m waiting for Thompson to extend his scope of personal attacks and for him to take aim at Crisafulli and Oberhardt. Surely he will run out of ammunition being used against the councillors and executive managers and then turn his attention onto the Premier and council advisor. I reckon it’s only a matter of time.

    And for the record, there are many good people working for TCC. Thompson’s continuous attacks on on them verges upon bullying, intimidation, and harassment. I hope some of these people are considering taking legal action against the sidelined mayor.

  41. Observant says:

    Anybody else notice that Miss Redmond’s post of 20 January and Thompson’s Facebook post today both contain precisely the same incorrect spelling for the name of the ex-CEO of the council?

    • Junior says:

      Ha ha ha, has Thompson been outed? What a complete loser if it is him lurking amongst the Nest. Fuckwit of epic proportions.

      • The Magpie says:

        Don’t get too excited, there’s a whole list of nom de plume’s Thompson and/or his rabid supporters try to infest The Nest. The ‘Pie publishes a few for your amusement … the old bird loves the linguistic contortions which they think they can hide behind.

        And as a rule, The ‘Pie doesn’t promote the conman’s posts or quotes him unless to point out the depth of this arsesole’s grossly insulting perfidy. Like this prize piece of slimy hissssing in today’s Astonisher about the LG pay rise for councillors.

        This from a criminally dishonest schemer who is already taking $225k p.a of rate and taxpayer dollars. That hypocrisy with a capital T.

        And he well knows its an empty gesture … since he’s suspended, he doesn’t get a vote on it, and anyway, even this boofhead knows it is certain to be rejected by those cats on a hot tin roof we call our councillors. More grandstanding on the latest bandwagon.

  42. HiBeam says:

    I see that the Bloodnut has bloodied the Walnuts nose.

  43. Interested observer says:

    Curious about the Legal Assistance Policy regarding the TCC engaging outside legal assistance for councillors and/or TCC employees if they are defamed. Got me thinking this could be a cunning way of silencing critics. Eg, if Foodtrucks Greaney wants to shut down any of her many critics she can sue for defamation knowing her legal costs will be paid by council, while the defendant has to foot their own bill. Can one of the councillors clear this up by explaining the need for legal assistance for defamation.

    • The Magpie says:

      There a million unanswered questions in this one, but The ‘Pie will float on theory as to why this was brought forward and then withdrawn: maybe the idea originated with the previous council, led by a woman who has been constantly dogged by accusations that she deliberately and negligently flooded areas of Townsville during the monsoon. And many other matters over the years, so shde would be happy to test the waters using ratepayers money to bully and intimidate those voicing concerns.

      Perhaps it was Jenny’s baby that went out with the bathwater on this one.

  44. Elusive Butterfly says:

    Mr. Pie, why has this CBD rubbish surfaced, once again, because of a few cruise ship passengers, who spend about six hours in our city?
    The CBD fiasco has been going on for 20 years, or more.
    Claudia “Bullshit Baffles Brains” is licking her lips.
    “Got nothin to do with me, or my team of highly paid professionals”
    Townsville needs to be totally re-branded to attract the southern, tourist population…seriously re-branded!
    Unfortunately, Claudia and TEL couldn’t re-brand a can of soup!
    She, and her band of non-achievers, have to go!

    • Mike Douglas says:

      Elusive Butterfly there are a number of reasons the cbd has resurfaced firstly . Woke Qld govt being voted out with cupcake , Harpic , messagebank running a protection racket Labor Team Hill . Cupcake came out before the Council election true thoughts cbd mismanaged and the city dirty . Its not just property spruiking by real estate agents but office leasing the last year higher than last years driven by Copperstring / Jet Zero and other projects . Return to office by companies and its estimate 11,000 workers cbd , fringe daily taking into account fifo . Cbd business owners with 30-40 staff are sick of fights antisocial behaviour with some having to accompany their staff to cars . Add inaction by a Council who will spend $350,000 Wedgwood display yet can’t clean the cbd or put up a few Christmas decorations . Member for Townsville is not a Minister so has more time and all 3 lnp successful MP.s worked hard attending many cbd functions and listening to stakeholders .

    • Mdog says:

      Any suggestions?? Southern visitors are seeing the same shit, as everyone else. The town has gone to shit, because of poor service from our civic leaders, inept vision of the future, and egos that only cater to themselves, and the other highly paid representatives that fill their pockets with rate payers and taxpayers money. There is nothing in this city that is an attractive holiday destination, other than a stopover, to the surrounding areas. That’s if your not robbed, or your car stolen.

      • Future Predictions says:

        Who’s running the sweepstakes on how long it will be until the enterprising criminal youth of Townsville steal a cruise ship for a joy ride and leave it burnt out on Cape Cleveland?

    • Kenny Kennett says:

      The Townsville tourist market has, and always will be, VFR’s (visiting friends and relatives) until there is a proper infrastructure. The idea is to attract repeat business, not scare them off (never to return) after a six hour visit. Accommodation, Attractions, A reason to return. Magnetic Island is the biggest attraction we have and Food Trucks is doing her best to piss those residents right off. Meanwhile TEL are using all available funds to buy a new Turd Polishing machine coz their’s keeps breaking down.

  45. Achilles says:

    The ABC true to form has launched this new all Aborigine program “Hear Me Out” just before Oz Day for ALL inhabitants of this land.

    The panel consists of alleged Aborigines only.

    Ha!! not a black fella amongst them, I tried to watch a bit of it so as to keep an open mind. Didn’t take long to change the channel.

    It’s the same old same old, whinging and whining about the past. Not a good word about free housing, free hospitals et al.

    A smart bloke said 2000 years ago “let the dead bury the dead” meaning its time to move on to better times.

    Maybe we should adopt the USA’s criteria regarding ancestral identity of people claiming hand outs if they are of original American Indian heritage.

    Or just modernise it with a DNA quota of true native heritage.

  46. Elusive Butterfly says:

    Castle Hill cable car anyone??

  47. Junior says:

    Love him or hate him, Trump is getting rid of the woke/diversity/green bollocks that has been plaguing western nations for the past few years and is only getting worse. Ditching the Paris accord and pulling out of the WHO is just the beginning. He has also canceled paying for the security details for Fauci and Bolton. I love it! Let’s see our pissweak pollies follow suit and start putting our own country first for a change.

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