It seems those ‘workshops’ to clarify the list of powers delegated to the CEO and executive council staff were a carefully orchestrated snow job, with all but one councillor rolling over to the lying siren song of Joe McCabe and David Sewell. Put simply, they have given away most of the powers we voted them to have. And it’s not just here in Townsville, as The Magpie has discovered, this looks like it could be a statewide power grab to diminish the representative powers of Queensland councillors.
And in an unrelated matter, Paluma residents have been told to mind their own business about how repairs to the weather-damaged Mt Spec Road will be done. The TMR gets the Talk To The Hand Award of the Week.
On the national scene, footy player says faggot and the AFL gives him a 4-match suspension; a convicted criminal and homophobic misogynist rapper says faggot, and the AFL gives him a million dollar plus deal to sing at the AFL Grand Final. It’s time the AFL ‘s laughable ‘integrity unit’ had a score review of its own.
A new low for the Townsville Bulletin … it’s now unashamedly showing it has sold out completely on any sort of ethics.
And heading up our US gallery, The ‘Pie cannot resist one of the funniest foot-stamping, shirt ripping, raging descriptions of Donald Trump ever … sadly, it’s the only thing that laughable about the world’s greatest murderous arse clown this week.
Our usual reminder that this blog takes no advertising to allow it to remain a truly independent voice, trying to ‘keep the bastards honest’. However, it is a financially onerous task, too, and if you think the Nest is a worthwhile endeavour, you mind think of helping out with a donation. The link is at the bottom of the blog. And sincere thanks to those who have already shown invaluable support.
An Invitation To Corruption?
The word ‘brazen’ hardly covers it, nor does the words ‘ignorant cowardice’.
Just when we thought the controversial Delegation List , giving over various councillor powers to the CEO, had been seen off into the night, last Monday it was invited back in to sit by the fire, warm its hands and make itself at home.
And the Delegation List contains one truly alarming element, which the councillors bar one (Paul Jacob) waved through, either because of ignorance, laziness or allowing themselves to be hoodwinked by the smarmy honeyed deception of the highly sus chief legal doodah David Sewell.
Even more alarming is the question whether this is a coordinated attack on the Queensland public’s ability to have a say in their governance, because the exact same issue there is bringing people out on to the streets of the Gold Coast to protest the very thing our councillors voted for. More of on that shortly, but first to what happened on our turf. With the help of a trusted and skilled researcher, The Magpie offers this overview of the dangerous waters we are now sailing. It’s long but vitally important.
A few weeks ago The Nest carried the story of the courageous Andrew Robinson, the only Councillor to balk at
accepting the 457 page Delegation to CEO Document without question. This was to have transferred
exclusive powers to the CEO on some not insignificant matters. For example, the CEO could subdivide
and sell off public land without the approval, or even the knowledge, of our elected Councillors. But hidden
within that huge document was the harmless looking Annexure A, which contains another even more troubling proposal that would turn
Council planning approval on its head. It seemed reasonable at that time to suggest that Councillors had
not read Annexure A; were not even aware it existed.
At the last Council meeting on 20 August 2025, all such doubt evaporated. Our elected councillors voted
to surrender much the democratic right to representation they were elected to undertake.
Every development application Council receives is to be determined by Council employees under the delegation of the CEO.
Public servants will decide if something is of sufficient public interest to go on public exhibition;
Public servants will decide if a DA needs to go before Councillors;
And if a Councillor disagrees with that assessment they will have to find a second Councillor to back them up in a challenge.
This is a complete perversion of the governance of local councils, and an affront to the people of Townsville. The CEO is employed by
us purely to undertake administrative tasks, and rightly has only delegated powers to facilitate that role; he was not engaged to make planning decisions without our input via our elected Councillors.
It must be noted that Cr Paul Jacob spoke against the motion, and voted against it; a lone dissenter.
Among his reasons, he said that he believed previous CEOs may have abused their
delegated powers.
There can be no mistake that Councillors knew exactly what they were voting on. The CEO himself, Joe
McCabe, gave a slideshow presentation, including the following:
The most alarming thing here is that last line: the introduction of a call-in power for the CEO, a rarely-used and powerful law which hitherto has been the sole prerogative of the state planning minister to take over the entire decision-making role on a given issue. No CEO has ever been granted such sweeping ability. Until now apparently.
But this ‘rule by fiat’ proposal never appeared in Annexure A. And The ‘Pie is unsure that the new delegation powers enacted by the government recently includes any such a measure. But even if it does, some hard questions must be put to our Premier.
Neither the CEO or Chief Legal Officer, David Sewell, provided an explanation of what this power might involve or how it
would work. Mr McCabe appears to have rather lofty ambitions. While the State Planning Minister, an
elected member of parliament, is empowered to invoke call-in powers, public servants, including Chief Executive Officers, have no had such power.
If in. fact, new legislation does mandate such a power, why did Sewell, as the responsible legal officer, not explain this openly and frankly to the councillors, publicly or in close workshops?
Councillors would surely have known about this. So why did they agree to go along with it? On the face of it, is this is a legally challengeable overreach by McCabe and Sewell? Or even by Crisafulli and the cowardly LG Minister Fahey if such legislation exists?
Anyone who has been following local politics in Townsville would be aware that the current elected
Council exists on the edge of a precipice. Should it be placed under administration, Joe McCabe on his
obscene salary will not lose his job, but all the Councillors will. So could there have been an element of coercion in their vote last meeting?
By now, Mr McCabe will have familiarised himself with the dirty laundry legacy of Team Jenny Hill. Some of those complicit
Councillors still have a job, including Acting Mayor Anne-Maree Greaney.
The breadth of this blanket power grab can be gauged with one simple example.
Joe McCabe has an unprecedented 557 page delegation list, which covers just about everything. Contrast that with this Delegations to CEO 2016 document signed by Jenny Hill. All one and a quarter pages of it.
Under the Hill fiefdom, the CEO position was a revolving door of compliance with her commands, so no
need to bother with 500+ page prescriptive documents. In summary, she allowed the CEO to sign off on
anything at all. This is the sole basis of the Sewell and McCabe claiming that the new document represents a
reduction in delegated power. Which is clearly deceptive nonsense.
It was sad to see both the once brave Cr Robinson and the once true Cr Batkovic buy into this same fiction.
A colourful item the CEO has chosen to exclude from his newly acquired delegated power is this: “the
power to appoint a runner up to a Councillor position where the relevant Councillor’s position becomes
vacant”. Ergo, if Greaney gets hit by bus, Alan Sheret would automatically replace her. Like we don’t have enough problems.
So on 20 August 2025 the motion was put by Greaney, and seconded by Cr Mooney- no surprises there.
A couple of final comments:
Each and every delegated power in this expansive document is meticulously annotated with
relevant state planning law. All except Annexure A, which outlines Council’s grand new DA
planning initiatives. There is no referencing, BECAUSE, AS FAR AS CAN BE ASCERTAINED, THERE IS NOTHING UNDER STATE PLANNING OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT LAW THAT LEGITIMISES SUCH CONDUCT BY A COUNCIL. Could there be a question that councillors might be held accountable under councillor conduct and responsibility rules for passing this disgraceful measure?
But Bravo David Sewell For Some Accidental Honesty
Sewell has thoughtfully documented the origin of these new Planning Act Conditions. He
states that all of them, including the call-in power, “reflect current practice since May 2024″.
This is precisely when Joe McCabe took up his appointment as CEO. So for 15 months before the
Councillors’ assent on 20 August 2025, Mr McCabe has already been assuming the role of
director of planning, and at his discretion, without reference to councillors. Who knows what he applications he favoured, and which ones he didn’t.
But This Exactly The Power Grab That Has Outraged Citizens On The Gold Coast
Down on Joe McCabe’s old stamping ground, the far from pristine mayor Tom Tate has decided on exactly same call-in move , that is, that he, his deputy, CEO and a senior PS bum polisher would be making unilateral planning and development decisions without any councillor assistance. He hoped to put lip gloss on this pig by spruiking the move as Fast Tracking The Future’.
But on the Gold Coast, three things were different to here … the 14 councillors were awake to the move, they unanimously voted against it, and when it seems it will go ahead anyway, outraged community action groups have been moved to direct action.
A worthy closing sentiment. Will it be echoed here in Townsville?
Of course, Troy Thompson won’t oppose it … it is exactly the sort of power he was seeking before being turfed out.
Maybe Peter Newey? … nah, just kiddin’.
A Nice Line In Dismissive Government Agency Arrogance
The Talk To The Hand Award of the month goes to the PR incompetents in the TMR’s northern office.
The residents and businesses of Paluma still suffer the outcome of January’s damaging rains, but their situation isn’t helped by the shining insincerity of a clearly incompetent DTMR, who, believe it or not, have come up with most amazing excuse to keep the semi-isolated residents in the dark about repair work.
Only earlier this month – seven long months after the damage was done – did they call for tenders from companies that are ‘pre-qualified’ for this type of work, and have let slip that its likely to take two years for the road to be restored. Well, crikey, more than one person up in the mist wondered why things might take that long, so one bloke, David Roveda, requested a copy of the tender documents to see what was being asked. The refusal was swift, the patronising tone immediate from someone wisely only using her christian name Clare in the already discredited ‘Engagement Northern office of the TMR. And the lightly disguised insults to the intelligence of anyone over 12 weren’t long in coming either.
So while it was only natural for Paluma’s community leaders to want to see the tender documents included, they were in for a rude … literally rude … shock. . It turns out the tender document, which by its nature reveals nothing but what tasks are to be undertaken, is TOP SECRET, its distribution restricted to those who are ‘pre-qualified’ to do the work.
So the affected residents are not allowed to see a document that does not threaten to reveal any confidential information but might allow them to make informed decision about their future. Making matters worse was the insult to the intelligence of the reason the TMR gives viz:
Allowing access to tender documents by parties who are not prequalified would compromise several key principles of the procurement process, including:
- Confidentiality – Protecting the integrity of the contract between the principal and suppliers
- Transparency and Ethics – Ensuring fair and unbiased decision-making
- Efficiency – Maintaining the timeframe allocated for the procurement process
For this doxie to be using words like ‘integrity’, ‘transparency & ethics and ‘unbiased’ to deny exactly all those attributes either makes her a fuckwit or an underling whose boss fobbed her off on to those pesky buggers up in whatjamacallit. This is emperors new clothes stuff is from a junior, surely.
Anyway, if you really want to see the arrogance associated with the power of agency (another term which means you can’t do anything about, so go fuck yourself) have a look at David’s email exchange … it’s excruciating to read, an intelligent person up against some bimbo who takes time off buffing her nails to write a languid buzz word email or two.
Paluma isn’t the only place in the mist.
The AFL Kicks Another Ethical Issue Out On The Full
The people in the game’s laughably ironic Integrity Unit really got their crotchless panties in a bunch over player Izak Rankine calling an opponent a ‘faggot’ during a match. It seems the ‘integrity unit’ then had a collective ‘involuntary incident’ when called out for double standards, given their million dollar deal with something called Snoop Dog. This unpleasant, unmusical convicted American felon who was once refused an Australian visa in 2007 on ‘bad character’ grounds ) and who will pick up a reputed million bucks or so for ‘singing’ at this years Grand Final, regularly features the word ‘faggot’ in his act, and other words considered far worse (he was once heard to say Trump but denies it).
BTW, ‘faggot’ The ‘Pie is told, apparently refers to what we may – ahem – term the ‘wide receiver’ in the game of gay relationships, one supposes to distinguish it from the obverse, like shirt lifter, freckle puncher and turd burglar, all abhorrent Australian colloquialism that The ‘Pie had to steel himself to write … one trusts Snoop Dog doesn’t read this and find new material.
Rankine was slapped with a four match suspension – harsher than it seems, given that he may miss the Grand Final if the Adelaide Crows fly that far – but probably fair enough on the Braying Jackass Scale. But the question here is hypocrisy.
The ‘Pie will forego his usual rant about the death of free speech on the altar of forced/coerced speech, but he will again raise the spectre of AFL trembling-lip hypocrisy e.g when they say Rankine used a highly offensive homophobic slur against a Collingwood opponent — language that demeans and denigrates people regardless of their sexuality”. Whereas the truth is that those who only heard about because the AFL decided to provide a megaphone, probably couldn’t give a rat’s glory hole about it. And the AFL is OK with someone being called mentally deficient and emotionally vulnerable (you’re a fuckwit, mate, a real limp dick) but not being told they belong to an admirable socio economic group we are so tediously told to love, accept and be polite to on Qantas flights (faggot).
The AFL says it sees the two matters as completely different … and The Magpie totally agrees … just not the way these morally muddled virtue signalling knob throttlers mean it.
“We have engaged Snoop Dogg in 2025 as the person he is today. He has spoken publicly about his past. He has changed,” Dillon said.
“But what I can say is that our pre-match entertainment on grand final day will be family-friendly and consistent with the audience.”
You bloody hope, mate. Clearly, Dillon hasn’t actually heard the rapper in action, because it is a world first to hear the words Snoop Dog and ‘family friendly’ in the one sentence.
Well, logically, that process of change can be equally applied to Rankine … he has apologised publicly, and privately to the opponent, admitted he was wrong and that he has changed his views. EXACTLY THE WAY YOU BASTARDS ACCEPT THAT SNOOP DOG HAS DONE.
Talk about hypocritical double standards. To top it off, Rankin has never been convicted of a crime, he is not a known social media or actual misogynist, no reported history of gay bashing or making disparaging statements about gay marriage. Or drugs.
A final thought: perhaps we have this arse about: given the woke afflictions of limited social awareness and real world sensibilities of this balmy integrity unit, would it not be far more demeaning to call a faggot an AFL executive?
The Astonisher Really Has Lost It’s Way
Like Trump-fatigue, what was once astonishing about the Daily Astonisher is now just tedious and sad. From the latest in the file.
You know the Bulletin truly rooted when somehow, this is not just a clickbait advertorial, but also appears on page 3. They wonder still why the paper is not taken seriously.
A further kick to the readers head comes on page 7, which tells of a possible solution to one of the major economic threats this city has ever faced.
But as disheartening as that is, editor Jill Poulson has underlined just how far the paper is under the thumb of the advertising manager when she desecrates the editorial space with a crass shameless plug for a boozarium.
But of course, there is the usual problem with translating from the Klingon of sports writers.
Exactly the opposite of what they wanted to say, with the stopry extolling the virtues of this footy player. The writer didn’t remotely undertstand what ‘off the boil’ means.
FYI sportsgoofs: “Off the boil” is a British and Australian idiom meaning to lose interest, become less intense or successful, or to cease to be active or urgent. It can refer to people losing motivation, a project losing momentum, or even a liquid cooling after being heated.
Was The ABC’s Alan Kohler Making A Bid To Be On The One Nation Senate Ticket?
Sounded like it for a moment last Monday.
One of the small joys of this glum world is the subversive wit of finance guru Alan Kohler, who regularly has his tongue firmly inserted in cheek during his ABC News stock market report.
There was a gem on Monday night, when Alan showed one of his famous graphs he uses to make sense of often obscure stats. This one was about the skyrocketing price of lamb, as Alan told us ‘it’s up 50% from the start of this year … which is un-Australian’. Regular viewers, including The Magpie, were surprised at this bald editorial comment, until we realised it was Alan’s little joke, referencing the now famous line by the front man of the lamb ads, Lambassador Sam Kekovich. But still sounded very Pauline.
Just as clever and even more subtle was reporter Sarah Gerathy, who one guesses is a James Bond fan
Reporting on a gangland shooting in Sydney that had pub patrons diving for cover, Ms Gerethy ended her report with Pub goers returned to the Harold as it opened its doors tonight, shaken but undeterred.
Buy that woman a martini.
Amerika
If you ever thought The Magpie was OTT with his views on Trump, get a load of this assessment posted on social media … the ‘Pie is but a babe lost in the forest of vitriol next to this bit of truth telling. (Go on, laugh, you’re allowed to.)
Err, yeah, right. Moving along, Trump is no nearer his coveted Peace Prize, but is frontrunner if they ever invent an Appease Prize.
Another Reason Why Humans Are Rooted As Species
The ‘Pie seriously believes there is a market niche for a gimmick-less car. Not quite as basic as a Moke, but one with way less number of things to go wrong and make the high lords of arcane mechanics rich, a car where you wind windows down, lift and close the boot or hatch lid, adjust your seat with a lever and know where you’re going before you leave. And turn your head and gain the spatial skill of reverse parking.
The ‘Pie Is Aware That Most Of His Readers Enjoy Language …
… so here’s a clever bit of doggerel for you folks.
And Facebook Reminded The ‘Pie About This …
…from six years ago.
Trust Scotty is doing well, wish he was still playing. As for the priests … go unfrock yourself
……
There ya go, that’s your lot for now. Comments have exploded over the past couple of weeks, join in the fray, pick a name and go for your life. A couple of hefty annual bills concerning necessary registrations landed in The Nest this week. Any assistance you can offer to see them off will be greatly appreciated, bit hard to handle on my own.. The link to make a donation is below.
Regarding the Astonisher’s move from editorial to advertising, could the paper now be charging advertising rates for stories? Perhaps the editor can clarify whether an advertiser can now buy exposure in the form of a news story. Back in day, every advertising story was clearly identified as ADVERTISING.
For some reason that doesn’t happen anymore.
The ‘some reason’ is to lose all ethics to gain as much money as possible.
Despicable.
Morningg Malcolm,
TCC has gone to some lenghts to trying to explain the ‘Delegation Register and Delegations Policy Review’ with not much avail, on Wednesday they released this media statement:
‘A statement regarding Delegation Register and Delegations Policy Review endorsement
To be attributed to acting Mayor Ann-Maree Greaney.
Today Council has taken an important step in strengthening governance and transparency by endorsing the updated Delegation Register and Delegations Policy. This review aligns with best practice standards recommended by the Local Government Association of Queensland and reflects the approach taken by councils across the state. It also formalises powers in relation to the Planning Act.
Delegated powers are essential for the efficient operation of any council especially for one the size of Townsville City Council. However, it is equally important these powers reflect the expectations of our community. This review ensures the balance of authority remains firmly with elected representatives, while refining the scope of powers previously delegated to the CEO. Previously all powers under all legislation had been delegated to the CEO with minimal conditions, the new delegation reduces the CEO powers to what would be expected of a local government CEO.
This is about ensuring that decision-making remains transparent, responsible, and in line with the values of our community.’
Also on Wednesday afternoon a video / reel appeared on their Facebook page featuring a gushing A/Mayor Greaney with 1.12minute rundown of the mornings council meeting.
It put many a folk off their evening meal, judging by the comments, the only people who seem to have the wool pulled over their eyes are the councillors.
https://www.facebook.com/reel/936030178723976/?s=single_unit
Interesting to see if council intends on producing a minute long video after every council meeting. They may look at this as communication with the great unwashed, rather than answering the phone.
MM
I don’t think the Councillors have had the wool pulled over their eyes. You don’t have to be a forensic psychologist to detect an undercurrent of fear and intimidation at that meeting.
There are only two relaxed individuals at Council’s meetings:
Liam, the anointed child of ex Mayor Tony Mooney; and CEO Joe McCabe who has perfected a look of boredom fit to face off with Derek Zoolander on the catwalk: CONTEMPT.
Everyone else is watching their backs. Polite nervous laughter and crawly reciprocal compliments.
This CEO has marched in and stolen the entire planning process from our Councillors, and Cr Robinson is publicly thanking him for the opportunity to have the workshops?
OK, fair enough but two poiunts.
Price was in his usual snoozing posture, and only moved to half raise a limp voting arm. In thge past half dozen council meetings, haven’t heard anything from him .. but that doesn’t mean he isn’t doing his job outside the chamber, seems fairly popular.
The other of note was Robinson made a point albeit in code when thanking Sewell for the workshops too, whe he said they’d had some robust exchanges .., which is polite pollyspeak for raging shits fights. But still, Robinson went along with this, for reason that are not clear. The ‘Pie can’t shake the feeling that there is something else simmering in the background. Could it be that all this is preparing ground for TwoNames to return, powerless because of the delegation but unable to screw the government for more money? And Brisbane won’t have the expense of either a by-election or administration. In both cases, the councillors keep their cushy sinecure. Is that why they voted as they did?
In a less somnolent town, there’d be riots if that happened.
Malcolm,
I was unable to watch last weeks meeting.
Out of curiosity was John Oberhardt present at the meeting?
Check it out on the council website. Didn’t notice him.
Agree. Something else must be simmering in the background. David Crisafulli is at risk of losing his job as Premier if he doesn’t deal with The Townsville Problem. As an ex deputy Mayor, he has always had a conflict of interest. The cracks are beginning to gape.
A bit muddled to suggest a conflict of interest, as the term is understood.
Big word of the week Magpie
somnolent
Very nice
You could have also used “disinterested”, or “self absorbed” and still described it accurately
“Disinterested” would have been a poor choice of words, given its positive connotations.
Agree. Think it was the old error of confusing ‘disinterested’ with ‘uninterested’, which are diametrically opposed.
Magpie I hope you’re up to date on your “OTT” views on JD Vance because its looking like the Tangerine Palpatine’s congestive heart failure is getting much worse.
You’re just trying to cheer us up. Old Couch Fucker wouldn’t last too long.
Tin Man Trump can’t have heart problems; coz just like Dorothy’s Tin Man he ain’t got one!
Trump doesn’t have a heart. There is just a dark void inside the narcissists chest. Nothing but a piece of shit.
I remember a time when Cairns and Mackay saw Townsville as the vibrant, prosperous community they wanted to be. Now they just laugh.
The city is in ruin, the leadership is a disgrace and we survive off government funding.
And our national cricket team has joined the general flyover, leaving Cairns for Mackay to play the next ODI.
If the money (saved) from the departed AFCM were to be redirected to stadium lights at the Tony Ireland stadium, or whatever it’s called now, Townsville might attract more quality National and international sports.
FFS, Mr. Pie, where does News Corpse find these “journalists?”
https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/news/man-hospitalised-after-hitting-pole-in-early-morning-townsville-crash/news-story/5f291a2e8090337c324050527b6b1ef2
Take this par from the above story.
“Emergency services transported one person to Townsville University Hospital in a critical condition after needing to be freed from their car following the collision.”
“After needing to be freed from THEIR car”
My primary school English teacher is turning in his grave!
Well, yes, but a general convention of English is the use of ‘their’ when the sex of the person isn’t known.
This has become much harder in recent years, as we learn that there are actually about 37 different sexes, so expect a lot more of ‘their’ in the future. Otherwise, if a journo takes a punt and picks the wrong Heinz variety, they will be sent to a re-education camp.
Add another excruciating embarrassment to Townsville for today, Sunday 24th. Went to the Port to have a look at the HMAS Townsville and wondered at all the people walking toward the CBD. Chatting to some of them, they are off the current Cruise ship visiting our City. The walkers, well, read in. Remember the much touted spiel about Townsville welcoming so many visiting cruise ships this year – welcoming info, transport to various spots in the vicinity to see the sights.
The reality – 2 buses only, dropping visitors in the CBD at $10/person. For our chatters, this also entailed a 30-60 minute wait in the sun. No special trips or any other facilities. Our chatters said they would catch a taxi back to the ship, didn’t have the heart to tell them of the dearth of taxis in the city.
Ms B-S of TEL and AM Ms Greaney, you have FAILED and presented another blow the Tourist Industry in this City. It’s time for TEL to be honest and admit you are only useful for adding g more hot air to the atmosphere.
Off point as far as your cmment goes(agreeb its disgraceful and TEL really has to be overhaukled).
But having lived around the world, The ‘Pie can only say this is about the city where I have never seen a taxi hailed off the street. Not a taxi user, so real question, can you hail down a taxi in Townsville?
Just been at the Strand and had two visitors off the cruise ship Norwegian Sun ask me what there was to see and do in Townsville and to be honest I couldn’t recommend anything, there’s no public transport to get anywhere on week days, let alone a Sunday.
They told me that they’d done a Google search and couldn’t find decent attractions and that Magnetic Island kept coming up but they weren’t interested in seeing another island after visiting Pacific Islands. One commented that they didn’t know why the Norwegian Sun berthed here as there wasn’t anything to do and wouldn’t be recommending Townsville to any of their friends.
But they did get a bit of entertainment from seeing a Toyota Hilux with raised suspension etc and fitted with the compulsory pig dog cage and with a couple of the finest Townsville Bogan class in the front, windows down and music blaring driving along the Strand.
Personally, The ‘Pie reckons you’ve just made all that up, but it probably could’ve taken place on the facts.
But hey, here’s a major question, and if someone has the research skills out there, tell the Nest this: is the TCC, through the egregious TEL, actually paying money to the cruise lines to stop in here? It stands to reason, because the the cruise lines keep a tight rein on customer sentiment and must know Townsville is currently a dead letter onthe east coast itinerary? Why else would more sign up to come next year? Then thgre’s the question of whether the government, through the Port of Townsville, help out by underwriting port docking fees.
Worth finding out.
Sounds very made up as most cruise ships have pre organised tours and provide passengers with information on what to do, and maps before disembarking in a port. Most when arriving in Townsville go to the island because they can see koalas
During her term of public office, Jenny Hill consistently behaved like the bitchiest of high school girls. If that is her adult signature on that document it dates the regression to pre-school.
Care for a bowl of milk, pussycat?
To be anthropomorphic it suits her personality to a tee, its like an angry spiders web.
Regardless of the colour of Trumps heart the egotistical prick is reading straight out of Putins playbook and old style communist rules. He gets himself elected with promises of ‘back to glory days’ for USA folk and then starts dismantling the country with only care for his own ego and bank balance.
Make no mistake, he’s made hundreds of millions for self and family with his domineering, fist shaking activities since moving into the Whitehouse and the only way to get rid of him will be next election (which he’ll claim as rigged when it goes against him) or another aggrieved party to take another potshot at him !
He and Putin are close buddies and the Ukraine peace talks meeting in the USA was a total sham !
Crackers – under the US constitution, a president can only serve two terms. Having said that, the Mango Mussolini does what he wants and dares others to stop him.
Trump has for some time now made hints that the will change that part of the constitution. Why not, he’s overridden every other decent provision in it.
Trump has just sent 4000 Marines and 3 guided missile destroyers to Venezuela. Venezuela has deployed 4.5M militia.
Also there are no elections if the country is at war.
Another good blog sir. Good to see the TCC power grab getting some attention even though it’s too late and votes have been cast. Joe McCabe learned some interesting, yet unsuccessful, tricks on the Gold Coast when it comes to sneaky sneaky tactics. Team Tom Taint didn’t allow the CEO to win absolute power. This time in Townsville McCabe has succeeded in gaining power. The cynical side of me says the councillors have been duped. However because the Kid and Oberhardt have recently been in Townsville, it is possible that the team have been coached into voting for the executive to be given additional powers, in preparation of the return of Twodicks. There could be some strategy here. Looks like we are going to be speculating for a while yet. Gut instinct still tells me Twodogs will get sacked, but hell, we are going to have some fun while waiting.
Fortunately, it is not too late, a combined vote by councillors could revisit the list and make some necessary changes … the best way to do this would be to draw their own Delegation List document, running perhaps to no more than five pages, bring it before council and vote on it. it would require political courage, moral steadfastness and unity of a majority.
Why does the famous line from The Castle come to mind?
Magpie
In your excellent dissection of the Delegation to CEO issue there is one link that hasn’t been made. The two councils identified as undertaking these brazen planning coups are linked through Joe McCabe. He came to the CEO position in Townsville directly from his 28 year appointment with the Gold Coast council.
As you would know, Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate is referred to the Office of the Independent Assessor(OIA) every year on multiple counts. Most of the complaints are substantiated, but there never seem to be any consequences. It’s the sort of lived experience that might embolden McCabe to run his own show. Is it possible the student has outshone the master? Gold Coast Council have only ANNOUNCED PLANS to introduce their system. McCabe actively and covertly implemented his own Townsville planning coup a full 15 months ago.
Well, your initial assertion isn’t quite correct.With no obvious reason, he left the Gold Coast position in 2022 to fill several ‘troubleshooting’ position in the NT, mostly filling in temporary spots in the Alice Springs Council, and one in Darwin. And then popped up here.
It is an unusual trajectory, in fact, inexplicable, and does raise questions as to why he ‘left’ the Goldie. Especially even being number three or four on the Goldie Council carries more prestige and prospects than top dog in Townsville. It was assuredly the money on offer here by our soft touch patsies.
Wonder what really went on?
With respect
It is only my second assertion that could be inaccurate. My first, that Joe Mc Cabe is a common denominator between the two Councils, is indisputable.
You made the suggestion in your outline that the Delegation to CEO process might be a state government initiative. You’re obviously a lateral thinker, since the systematic removal of Councillors from the planning process across the state might ultimately have the effect of making elected local government redundant.
At this stage, there would appear to no evidence that the coup extends beyond these two particular local Councils.
The law defines acts confined to public officers, such as misfeasance and malfeasance. Townsville Council’s planning coup is both a deliberate act and the unlawful use of power, more closely approximating malfeasance. But malfeasance is extremely difficult to progress in Australia, as it not only requires a deliberate action but the demonstration of loss; such as the economic loss to a developer denied development approval, perhaps? As a community, the best we could hope for from a CCC investigation might be misfeasance. And just how long might that take in the state of Queensland? Joe McCabe’s base salary is in the order of $750K per annum. Is the state government going to stand him down on full pay as it did with Troy Thompson?
My legal eagle friends continue to be equally fascinated and appalled by the city of Townsville.
Well, then, good to know you have some friends. We were getting worried.
Clarabelle, I believe McCabe was on around a $350k package on the Gold Coast, and yes he was there almost 3 decades. His reason for leaving was to pursue some quick coin for a few years prior to retirement. He has doubled his salary, almost tripled it if you include his director roles in town. That boosts his kitty significantly over a 3 to 4 year period. My guess is that he will do just one term as CEO at TCC and then retire. He is a smart man..
TT what you are describing sounds more a measure of greed than intelligence, but thanks for sharing.
Townsville will be appealing to Joe.
McCabe has family members who live here on Maggie, apart from the good income he can also be close to family.
OK. Is that a general observation, or are you making a point that we are missing?
Perhaps it introduces an option to resign to spend more time with his family?
I might be missing something, but where does it say in that slide that this “call-in power” is for the CEO? It seems to me from reading the first sub-point on that slide that it is a “call-in power” for councillors. Rather less dramatic if that is the case. Is that what McCabe said in the meeting?
Definition: “Call-in power” refers to the authority granted to a government minister or agency to take over or review a matter that was otherwise handled at a lower level, such as a local council or a lesser governmental body.
Hasn’t the council always had this power, although perhaps not by that name or process. If you’re suggesting they can reverse something the CEO has unilaterally decided and acted on, haven’t councillors always had that power, by simply putting a motion to council and it being voted upon?
It is the planning area that is the delegated problem here, not that Mr McCabe is likely to be naughty … a bloke at the stage of his career with a pile of retirement goodies already stashed away (and therefore vulnerable if he does something untoward) is unlikely to do anything outside the law, although it might be outside ethical considerations.
The point is why take the extraordinary step of delegating these powers to a CEO … not dangerous you think? Well, my innocents, cast your minds back to Ralston and before him, Young. And then use your imagination at who might be lying in wait for Joe to bow out … and who the mayor may be who will have a big say in the appointment at that time.
Maybe the Council have always had that power. The legal bloke did say that they’ve been following that whole procedure since May 2024.
Are you objecting to planning decisions being delegated generally? Surely the Councillors don’t need to decide on every new building or little subdivision. Would they be able to get anything else done?
Two things. Yes, Sewell did say, and it was confirmed that those powers had been in place since May 2024, virtually the same day that McCabe arrived at the TCC. BUT they been put in place unannounced and unrevealed, because up to then, as revealed nin a recent council meeting, councillors never vactually knew what powers had been delegated..
Second: You haven’t been paying attention in comments – The ‘Pie and various others have clearly stated on several occasions that certain powers have to be delegated to the CEO, or the whole place would grind to a standstill, but these mainly are in relation to day to day administrative (and all staff) matters. The Planning area is one of the main reason councillors are elected to take an overview, for the twin reasons of the effects of any development on the amenity of citizens (and citizens representatives who are allowed to voice any objections), and to avoid any perception of corruption that may arise should a single person (i.e. CEO) have the power to wave things through, deciding council doesn’t need to know.
OK?
The way Qld laws are to be interpreted is mostly dictated by the Qld Acts interpretation Act https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-1954-003# The performance of statutory functions is in s23 and the power of delegation is in s27A. The delegation must be lawful as must be the exercise of powers by the delegate.
Each act has its own interpretation provisions however, and these can be division by division.
The Qld local government act sets out regulation making powers by the minister and powers of councils, by-law making, resolutions and delegations here https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-2009-017 and the regulation here https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2012-0236
It sets out how resolutions are rescinded or amended. There are multitudes of cases in admin law regarding ULTRA VIRIES. Where regulations or resolutions are outside the powers of the acts that give them power, they and the actions taken under them are invalid. Then you have anything in CTH Env laws that overrides state law. This is all legal bread and butter stuff for those that challenge council stuff.
Saying by resolution that you don’t need to update anything if the law is changed is bullshit. Subject to the constitution ,the common law regarding implied , indirect, implicit and explicit amendment or repeal is adequately set out in the High Court Case of Kartinyeri here https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/cases/cth/HCA/1998/22.html
The Malaysia Solution case said that a provision of an act could be rendered invalid by another provision of the same act .
Then you got The Qld Planning Act https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-2016-025# and the Planning Regulation https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2017-0078 which presumes there are submitters for the purposes of call in powers . Its sets out powers of the planning court and development tribunal . s293(4)(b) of the act is interesting in that amendment of planning schemes must be published . So it cant be a secret. So delegation must be subject to the laws. The person who exercises the power must act according to law.
That’s just to say you cant presume to be above the law and for a resolution to survive an inconsistent amendment to the laws. It requires a deep look. That’s something the council should have done.
FCS, Pat! If you can stop being impressed with your research skills (not always matched by the analysis ycou reach with that information) could you do us a favour, and tell us if legislation has been amended to allow council CEOs in Qld to have call in powers in planning matters. Or any matters, in fact. A link would be good.
It’s not the legislation that changed, Pie. It is the state government that changed.
In introducing their voluminous Delegation to CEO document to Councillors, McCabe and Sewell gave the impression that this was some new initiative of the current state government. But as you’ve shown from Jenny Hill’s 2016 effort it is nothing new. Being the little self-starter that she was, she wouldn’t have troubled Councillors with a resolution, so none of them would have even heard of the Delegation to CEO register. And successive ALP governments have not troubled with compliance.
As we’ve already seen, the “ call-in” provision does not appear in Annexure A . That is, it does not appear in the final document to be submitted to the state government as TCC’s Delegation to CEO Register. The state could not approve it, because it is unlawful.
Then there’s the Judicial Review Act Qld https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-1991-100
The suggestion that cruise ships are being paid/given incentives to visit Townsville is worthy of investigation. TEL bases its “estimates” of the money the cruise ships contribute to the local economy on the assumption that all of the passengers get off the ship in Townsville. In reality, most stay on board where they have free food, alcohol packages, and entertainment. Just because a ship is in port doesn’t mean the on-board fun and games stop.
The NTH QLD Anglican Diocese went into liquidation because they couldn’t pay abuse claims. Are their schools bust too? Is lifeline bust too?
Helplines dealing with private health info must be government run and fully funded.
No more money for religions.
Ban all religions. They aren’t religious, they are profit making businesses that are exempt from tax and who foster pedophile cultures. The Catholic Church business is worth trillions. It’s a disgrace. No place for religion in our modern society. Ban it now!
Silly comment. Religion can be a form of therapy for some, which they should be allowed to freely choose for themselves. Banning one of the major coping mechanisms is hardly helpful in an age that where a temporary, peaceful, non-violent escape from certain realities is sorely needed. (Religions preaching violence and domination should be blanket declared terrorist organisations.
BUT the tax free status of religion in Australia should be revoked right now, it is a shameful scandal and always has been.
Taking the North Queensland Anglican diocese as an example, which part of their operation would you like to see “taxed”?
The parts that are not. Pay rates and property taxes like everyone else.
You think not>?
Do schools pay rates? Doubt it. Do either of the cathedrals pay rates? Doubt it. Does TEL pay rates? Doubt it. Should they?
To answer your questions in order:
No, no and you’re a fucking idiot.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-25/north-queensland-anglican-diocese-enters-receivership/105684732
In the news article it mentioned that CofE schools and age care are different legal entities and not caught up in this shitfight. Interestingly the diocese office and the bishop’s house have been sold to release funds.
It will be interesting to see if care and maintenance of Slim Jim’s can be maintained or any of their churches for that matter. I think there will be a lot of their smaller churches and hall put up for sale. A renovaters dream.
Ben, They sold off St Oswald’s In Wulguru some years ago. So there is St Peters in West End and St Marks in Belgian Gardens plus some others in regional centres. What a fire sale
A,
And that is just Townsville. The diocese extends from Mackay to TI, and west to the NT border. Lots to sell if there are buyers.
The Anglican Diocese in North Queensland has had financial issues since the 80s. The Bishop at the time, a John Lewis, was improvident.
The Diocese sold off large schools during the 90s such as The Cathedral School, which is now independent and significant land holdings.
Lifeline is one of the many government funded services of Uniting Care. Many people do not realise the number and reach of the tentacles of these so called charitable not-for-profit organisations.
https://www.unitingcareqld.com.au/about-us
I am glad they are having to sell assets to pay for their pedophile litigation claims. The offences against children are sickening. What the fuck is wrong with these grown men molesting little children. Cut off the perpetrators nuts and shove down their throats.
Was that comment your application to become The Nest’s wining and dining correspondent?
Pie, in his last sentence 666 forget to add ‘with a nice Chianti’ !
Whats Lifeline and Uniting Care got to do with the Anglican Church?
https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/news/townsville/adam-mark-parkinson-goes-naked-at-busy-townsville-shopping-centre-threatens-security-guards-with-bloodfilled-syringe/news-story/dc73613b7d5d319e80f09a59265fb261
The Bulletin, and, its so-called journalists and sub-editors, is descending to new lows everyday, Mr. Pie!
Take this latest opening par from the above story…
“A major CBD pest who’s go-to move when confronted is to take his pants off is now the prison’s problem after a dangerously escalating crime spree.”
This gobbledygook and grade three spelling speaks for itself!
Then there is this, which is very unfair to one of News Ltd Qld’s very best journalists.
Expecting a pun, there was no stake/steak reference, and to make things worse, as part of getting a free breakfast at C Bar, the story featured the C Bar’s Brekky Phil ordered. Not a bull’s bum whiff of steak in that offering.
Mike, mate, looks like you’ve been out in a good paddock.
Interesting to note. The coalition is backing Israeli war crimes and ethnic cleansing. He and Hastie have a lot to answer for in that regard.Consider Thompson’s previous statements regards the SAS war crimes, and Hasties crocodile tears over reporting one of them for chopping a hand off to get finger prints. That, and chopping heads off was allowed during the ‘Malayan Emergency ‘ to take back for ID. And it had to be passed down from relatives.
Crikey, mate, that;’s stretching things more than a Troy Thompson headband.
The severity of this man’s violent crimes and sexually threatening behaviour appeared to be lost on the reporter. “..bare-arsed crime spree” was the online headline that caught my eye..what a tinker hey. Never mind he was asssulting people, threatening shopping centre staff with blood filled syringes and masturbating in front of medical staff.
Continuing the thread of disappointing tourists: this morning I passed a punter who was attempting to manually progress the electric scooter he had hired on Marine Drive, Magnetic Island.
“These fucking things don’t work” he said. “ No, they don’t” I said.
Some months ago the popular two wheel orange scooters still seen on the mainland were removed when Council cancelled the contract. They were replaced with a three wheeler white version that have proved a dismal failure. Not only are they speed controlled to prevent that feeling of the wind in your hair, but they are so big they take up the entire footpath. The batteries must be abysmal, as the island is littered with these dumped white elephants.
Commonly left at their point of death in the middle of the footpath, prams and mobility scooters can’t pass. But even worse: we have many visitors from cities where they are not allowed to ride electric scooters on footpaths SO THEY RIDE THEM ON THE ROAD!
It’s only a matter of time before some poor bus driver collects one on a blind corner.
Better back that up with some pics of the scooters littering he place, or we might think that bis near-hysterical bullshit. And the orange scooters are still here, it’s just that there is a new company which has replaced the old Neuron Mobility scooters with the newer model Ario. They are subject to Qld road rules and any council restrictions placed on them.
It was the Beam green scooters that are no longer operated in Townsville when the council discontinued their contract late last year.
I don’t do hysterical, Pie. But I’m always happy to post pictures from paradise.
Only six abandoned scooters between Nelly Bay and Arcadia this morning, but then the day is still young.
The scooters are quite heavy with a wide base i.e they don’t fall over by themselves. When seen lying on their sides, it’s usually followed this sequence:
Flat battery
“Fuck you” (to the scooter). Angry push.
We should remember that not all island walks are shady by the water. If you get stranded and have to walk 3 km in the hot sun, you’re not going to be a repeat customer.
What utter contrived tripe.
And scooters are not abandoned, they end up where they are then geo-tracked, picked up by the company and returned for maintenance and back into the field.
Silly crap like his is unlike you, what happened? Long walk in the hot sun by the sounds of it.
Yes
You have described how the system is SUPPOSED to work.
So you think all those fuck yous are all in my head?
If there are no issues with the batteries of the Ario fleet on the mainland, the problem on the island would appear to be a maintenance issue. The good name of the product is unlikely to be restored until the local contractor lifts its game.
Perhaps my well intentioned contribution may, however, alert our local state MP to consider the safety issue. The only signage in relation to the scooters is a generic version provided by the Queensland State government. This appears to endorse riding on the road. Perhaps the solution is to install a sign at the bottom of Garbul way advising riders not to proceed on the roadway.
Clarabelle
The roadway is known as Marine Parade, not Drive.
The island has never had the orange scooters here, we did have the purple Beam scooters which were removed.
As for the white 3 wheeled scooters that are now here, haven’t heard of any near death experiences to date.
Thank you, IV
I stand sternly corrected.
Clarabelle
I could sternly correct you a number of comments you have made in the Nest regarding Island issues.
For example the mystery woman TEL parachutes into TOMBI to dismantle it, when it was the members who voted to wind the association up and rebrand as Tourism Magnetic Island.
You have stated you’re not a solicitor but on nearly every issue you have commented on you have stated ‘it is unlawful’?
Stating the dredge spoil is toxic when in fact it’s not. It could easily be taken by barge out to sea and dumped on the sea bed.
As my dear old dad told me ‘Son you visit those brothels too often – it will send you mad…’
Cute
Just askin’.
The editor of the Bulletin is a woman.
What do you think would happen if a male was the editor and wrote this in an editorial? The gals in the bib’n’brace overalls wouldn’t be amused … or cute.
A plague of Katters. Someone should talk to them about contraception
A house full of Kat ladies?
A litter of little Katters!
We’re in need of a Feral Katter Control Program
Perhaps mor a Feral Katter Voter Control Program.
You’d just have to go round up Ingham and the surrounding areas.
I don’t think anyone would have a problem with it, whoever wrote it.
You’re really not keeping up with things, are you, mate?
He couldnt find a stork as the KAP shot them all . So he crashed his plane on the runway instead to shake it loose.
What happens if they do have a son and later on he decides he wants to be a lesbian ?
A sort of Kat’s in the cradle in reverse.
But if any Katter kid decides to go trans, hope he/she/it is smart enough to break the news by phone, preferably calling from overseas.
Sloopy work from the Bulletin today , Fields for horse racing at Ballarat today 26/8 listed on both pages 33 and 34 . (usually they don’t cover the fields for country horse racing in Victoria at but you get the fields for Narnargoon.
They were sloopy, eh?
In today’s Townsville Bulletin editorial, the editor calls for American hip-hopper Jelly Roll to include Townsville in his Australian tour itinerary. No call for an investigation into our councilors handing over power to the TCC CEO; no campaign to fix the city’s potholed and patched up roads; no demand for council to resolve the on-going wage dispute with its garbologists; no call for a solution to the poonami problem. Apparently, a hip-hopper who appeals to only a small percentage of Townsville’s 200,000 population is more important.
Says it all really.
Very harsh, Ratepayer, you obviously have no sympathy or empathy for an editor who suddenly finds that there are no toddlers dying of an incurable disease or a new jellybean shop opening.
Have some understanding, for fuck’s sake.
https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/qld-politics/qld-premier-to-disclose-corporate-observer-program-details/news-story/8f802460e86e3facc5645c1d0d921c3c
“Premier David Crisafulli will reveal who paid almost $9000 for access to him and his ministers under the LNP’s cash-for-access program.”
Chickenfeed Mr. Pie!
I believe Ms. Claudia Brumme-Smith, affectionately known in professional, marketing circles as Ms. Bullshit Baffles Brains, charges double that, plus flights, accommodation and meals, for 15 minutes of AI-generated brain-numbing cliches.
Advice on how to attract Pink! to your town or city is extra!
But then, you can get two hours with her right-hand marketing guru Lisa Woolfe for a Chicken Parmi and four pints of Great Northern Original….not Super Crisp!
What a bargain?
OK, EB, you’ve made the call on TEL, now prove it revealing the evidence. You don’t even hint where you got that’information’ from, if there is a document, please send it in. Because you cannot seriously suggest that Brumme-Smith … or anyone for that matter from Townsville … has any influence or power to shape anything for anybody that could even remotely be worth $18000 (except now, of course, the council CEO with his delegated planning powers). TEL is a canker on out social body, but making up bullshit damages any moves to make them more accountable and have them restructured.
Hmmm, hang on … wonder if Ms B-S could be a go-between between developer aspirants and the CEO. Plausible deniability, anyone?
My tongue was in my cheek, Mr. Pie.
Your tongue is usually in a Councillor’s ass cheek, Elective Butterscotch.
Which councillor would that be Rolly Polly?
Have you got a favourite?
That would explain why it was so full of shit!
Can’t help yourself can you, Butterflog. Always eagerly awaiting the opportunity to take a shot at the LNP. You will never change, you corrupt loser.
Oh Percy…what a wonderful contribution to the Nest.
Have you ever watched the movie The Adventures of Barry McKenzie?
If not, you should…you’re in it!
Percy… you poor fool. Even the Australian has been having a go at Crisafulli. He’s certainly pissed off the far right factions of the LNP with his inability to commit to their No Net Zero.
Ducks Scrotum, thank you for your input. If you knew Butterflog very well, you would know that our local businessman/councillor lapdog hates the LNP with a passion as he/his/her/it only posts anti LNP rhetoric and never criticises Labor. Perhaps you and Butterflog could meet up and share a herbal tea, discuss aging bladder control issues, have a scone and muse over the fact that you are both Virgo’s, love reading The Bulletin, and both support the hiring of Trans in the workplace!
Hey Percy.. ,get some professional help mate…
Poor Percy, clearly you have a long list of issues, which include believing you know Ellusive Butterfly personally and in real life. How sad for you.
Unfortunately, I can’t eat scones, I’m a coeliac, and I’m not a Virgo, I’ve never been a fan of the local rag, and you too will become incontinent when you get older. I do hope you have to wear adult daipers.
So the Nutjob who shot those two coppers dead down south is a sov cit. I’m sure all of the gunmans cooker pals will be cheering him on. Dangerous ideology.
Popping corks over at Chez TwoNames?
Two more grieving families. RIP
There are some matters that will disqualify someone from acquiring a firearms licence or have a licence cancelled, such as a DV order, some mental and physical health issues or a poor driving record, and rightly so.
In light of now two cases of police being ambushed and murdered by so-called sovereign citizens l believe that being known to be a sovereign citizen is grounds for a firearms licence disqualification or cancellation.
For the record, I am a licensed firearms owner.
Fair commen, but what has a poor driving record got to do with owning a weapon? Is the theory that people who constantly flout road rules are prone to violence? Genuine question.
Driving record was listed in the overview I saw last night. It is not specifically listed in the extract below.
Disqualification for a firearms licence in Queensland often involves being deemed not a “fit and proper person” to hold a licence, based on factors like medical conditions, domestic violence orders, criminal history (especially drug, violence, theft, or firearms offences), and broader concerns for public safety. Applicants are automatically disqualified for serious offences or providing false information, while other matters may require a “show cause” response to justify why the licence should not be refused or revoked.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-27/alleged-porepunkah-shooter-dezi-freeman-gun-licence/105704656
Freeman, not his birth name but his new sovereign citizen name, had both his firearms licence and his driver’s license cancelled. On cancellation of his firearms licence he should have had to surrender all firearms listed on his licence. Clearly he had acquired illegal firearms not listed. With out a firearms licence he could not purchase ammunition. Clearly a man of considerable criminal intent that has been turned into action. Seems he had been preparing for a long time.
So, how is the dangerous sovereign citizen delusion to be effectively managed and the community safe? I don’t know.
The ratepayers on the Gold Coast will be closely watching the outcome of Troy Thompson’s investigation by the CCC.
If he goes down, the Gold Coast Mayor (Tom Tate) will surely go next!
Tom Tate is a survivor. He has been investigated before and came up squeaky clean. Multi millionaire property developer with all the right connections. Much smarter than our dopey Twonames.
“Squeaky clean’ is a very flexible description of anyone or anything.
I don’t think Tom Tate will survive the latest allegations.
Buying a block of council owned land for approx $900,000 that had a valuation of $6 million
So what’s wrong with that, he’s a Sovereign Citizen and can do what he likes.
It’s Wednesday and still no Townsville media have reported that 600 people rallied on the Strand on Sunday afternoon calling for sanctions on Israel.
But we have got an article on where Australia’s criminals went to school. That should tell you everything you need to know about the Bulletin.
There are 60 or so cookers registered for the local March for Australia, bet they get a story.
Isn’t that about the same number of people that signed Thompson petition??
If there was no religion, would there be any wars?
Sadly, the bulk of humanity demands religion, and always will, although under different guises and titles … for many, it’s a coping mechanism, for others, an opportunity for exploitation.
Greed, power, religion, man’s downfall.
For some, religion is a way to give away all of your your money to religious corporations who like to profit from people’s misery. For others, religion is a way to get yourself molested by a homosexual priest. What more can I say!
Homosexual clergy are not the problem. Pedophiles are the problem.
Yes. It is a populist fallacy to conflate the two.
Religions are for people who need an excuse not to go to the rubber room for talking to themselves and immaculate conception an excuse for getting knocked up from adultery. Punishable by stoning to death. Apparently ,even the Chinese are buying into the reincarnation charade to their own ends. It proves how religions took hold for political purposes in the first place.
Every single belief humans hold is based on the underlying truth ‘we just don’t know’. So we make things up, and adopt unproven, unfounded scenarios, often promoted by the unscrupulous.
Pat, you seem to be fixated on the last couple of millenia and Christianity in particular. Belief in creation and an afterlife (i.e. religion) have been around since time immemorial.
Not everyone who believes in these things is necessarily a nutter as you and others seen to believe. Chill man.
Yup there has been a rainbow serpent in every Australian waterway for 20/40/60,000 years..
Yes.
I cannot provide a reference but I do know that chimpanzees in the wild have been observed to commit murder.
So
1. Chimpanzees are not particularly religious, and
2. We people are not all that different from chimpanzees.
Deep down we are hard wired for conflict. The answer is, yes.
RLW, you will therefore probably enjoy this story from the Guardian today:
“A group of chimpanzees in Zambia have been very busy putting grass in their ears and sticks up their bum for fashion purposes. Scientists studying the behaviour think that one influential chimp started the trend and, instead of the rest of the gang going, “mate, you look like an idiot”, they all just followed suit.
Clearly we haven’t evolved from apes that much because a similar phenomenon is at play with the billionaire and Make America Great Again (Maga) set, who are spending enormous sums of money acquiring identical plastic faces. The trend is so widespread that it’s even got a name: Mar-a-Lago face. Among women the look is characterised by huge lips that look as if they could suck up a small child whole, frozen facial expressions, and cheeks so bulbous you could hide a gerbil underneath them. Men also have the slick frozen faces, but instead of bigger lips they’re pairing them with bigger jaws. In recent years, surgeons have reported a large increase of male clients demanding stronger jawlines.”
Bob,
100 %, and all of this would have happened 50,000 earlier if the chimpanzees had a good make-up mirror or two.
Wars as opposed to terrorist acts, are all about territorial control, resources and regional dominance. Religion is a handy justification but without religion, there would definitely still be wars.
You forgot megalomania. And like the Falklands war and the adventures of Netanyahu , to draw attention from the troubles of the regime too.
Prime example is Trump making war like sounds around the globe, to distract from the Epstein Files, which may make the rumoured Rissiam pee-pee files look like a Wiggles pre-school ‘how to’ song by comparison.
In case you missed it, at the AGM of Magnis a couple of weeks ago the following resolution was passed:
“That for the purposes of Section 157(1) and 136(2) of the Corporations Act and for all otherpurposes, approval is given for the name of the Company to be changed from “Magnis EnergyTechnologies Ltd” to “Ryzon Materials Limited” and to replace all references to “Magnis EnergyTechnologies Ltd” in the Company’s constitution with references to “Ryzon Materials Limited“.
Nice heads up.
Good info, thanks.
Did the Bulletin just announce plans for Jenny Hill’s resurrection attempt?
Headline in this morning’s on-line edition concerning the Landsdown Eco-industrial precinct:
Weird headline, obviously done by one of the less informed kiddies on the digital desk who areallowed to practice unsupevised headline writing.
The story in a nutshell is that the company concerned has been given $4.7m for … wait for it … a feasibility study. In other words, to see if it is viable. In fairness, it’s unlikely reporter/stenographer Lighton Smith was responsible for the headline, but he seems to have done his usual tip-toe around what is really going on, with very selective quoting of the company’s boss. The ‘Pie is beaking around further, to see if this is the Astonisher, yet again, peddling false hope with a half told story.
Did you find out anything, Pie? Is Mullet really on the comeback trail?
No.Have you?
I’ve enjoyed baiting Elusive Butterflog and Ducks Ballbag. A little bit of Magpies Nest halfway entertainment. A bit of a break from the constant drone about Magnetic Island.
I see that overnight another sick fuck has gone on a shooting rampage in the USA. The bloke was transgender and used to go to the same school as the Catholic Church where he opened fire. And Americans really believe they have the best country on earth, really?
That’s a whole orchestral symphony of dog whistling, Percy. Thank providence we are a law abiding nation that doesn’t have random cop shootings by deranged nutters … oh wait …
It has been confirmed that Jelly Roll will be visiting the Ville in November. Do we have TEL to thank for this?
‘Thank’ is an usual choice of word, but ndevertheless, if Tel did or did not facilitate this swirl down the sinkhole, they will say they did.
Can’t wait to see the big fella, great music, and using our stadium for more than just football. Attracting an entertainer like jelly roll will hopefully attract other big names here. It will also be great to forget about the misery of the world for a couple of hours.
Having an unsavoury-looking and overhyped tattooed fatso moaning about being lied to, being lonely (no surprise, that) and generally being one of life’s losers, yeah, great way to forget about the misery of the world for a coupler of hours (like you think of it all, mdog). Each to his own, though, and if it is a bit of balm for local losers, fine, but two things before you part with your cash: the bloke cannot sing, has a voice like a strangled cat with none of the idiosyncratic engagement of a Willy Nelson, AND he and his charmless music are definitely NOT country music or any variant of it.
Yep, you are correct. You also seem to know a bit about his music and history, bit of a closet fan that just won’t take that step. I’m also a big fan of hard rock, metal, country, classical, whatever, it’s music mate , nothing more, and yep, you’re also right, it’s my money. I don’t know, if you like entertainment, don’t sound like it, and if you do, maybe enjoy it a bit more. It may help you, cheers
Oh yeah, also forgot, big willie Nelson fan, Johnny cash, tom t hall, dolly, hank, Waylon, reg lindsey, slim dusty, col joy, little patty, j okeefe, could keep going with country, the list is endless. Why is it such an issue, for certain individuals, to patronise, put down, and discredit people that don’t fit their narrative. Bit like the rest of the shit going on locally, nationally, and globally. Oh, that’s right, all the answers are here?????????????
Music is always a matter of preference … and taste. No argument there … and does The ‘Pie like entertainment? Why the fuck do you think he lets commenters like you into the Nest?
No wonder Big W profits are declining.
Went to Big W at Castletown this morning and waited for 8- 10 minutes for a staff member to appear in the checkout area. We were told that we’d have to use the self service checkouts which are difficultto use for peoplein wheelchairs or on mobility scooters. The reason – staff rang in sick late and we have no relief staff.
I just about put my Big W shopping down left the store.
Is having no relief staff pool a particular Townsville thing.
“Mr Katter claimed he had not seen a migrant in his community for 20 years and he would only welcome migrants to his community depending on “where they are coming from”.”
Proving Bob Katter is blind, as well as incredibly stupid.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-28/bob-katter-threatens-journalist-lebanese-heritage/105706854?
Lucky for Old Katteronic that he doesn’t demand that all Australians have a reasonable command and understanding of the English language, otherwise he’d have to deport himself. He’s now gone from a joke that can be tolerated to an intolerable and dangerous racist.
He always was an intolerable and dangerous racist. But now it’s blatantly obvious. Except of course to the intolerable and dangerous racists who think he’s a bloody good bloke.
Yes, his previous amusement value has taken a truly dark turn.
D.N.,
While not a fan one way or the other Katter, while not being a force in the parliament he is highly respected in his electorate, year in, year out.
Now, you can slag off as much as you want at Bob, and belittle those Australian rourial business people who return him to parliament, but it demonstrates how out of touch and irrelevant you are with the aspirations of people in that part of Australia.
D.N. you truly are, to use an Arab insult, a little man.
It’s ok to be out of touch with people who vote for Katter,.
Today, the PM said that Katter should take a good look at himself. Katter won’t be surprised to note his camel-faced look, which is in keeping with his camel-like rants.
But to be fair, his latest rant is only to be expected given the journalist’s lame attempt to play the racist card.
‘… lame attempt to play the racist card’?
A pathetically weak-minded suggestion, Dorfus.
When a dingbat is foaming on about indiscriminately banning immigrants, it is surely reasonable to ask about the ranter’s own immigrant antecedents, antecedents of which Katter’s own mother spoke so proudly on TV. In essence, what this old fool has done is add rapidly approaching senility to outright crass stupidity by dishonouring his own ancestors.
And remember, unless your a full blood aboriginal, we are all immigrants to Australia.
Motorist, even David Littleproud, a man who could qualify for the Guinness Book of Records for walking without a spine, has told Katter his behaviour was unbecoming.
Oh, if only Robert James H was still with us, there’d be none of the quivering of the proud little pricks of today. Hawkie wouldn’t be arsing around with words like ‘unbecoming’ … he’d give this rapidly fading lunatic a good old Hawkie character reading, expletives and all. To the delight of just about everybody.
Hawke went to Oxford, what are you talking about?
“ So Mr Howard can abandon his principles, will not have any, the deregulator can be seen in this extraordinarily UNBECOMING exercise he’s having with the National Party in regard to issues of the deregulation of the wheat industry”
https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-7557
Katter is also homophobic and has an unnatural love of firearms. He is just an angry old racist and homophobic redneck.
It was another spectacular Katter crash landing.
And has achieved exactly nothing for his constituents.
His outburst today has raised again questions about his stability, his rant didn’t even make sense and in no way appeared to disparage anyone in his family.
Questions must now be seriously raised regarding Katter’s mental health. His bullying and physically threatening abuse of the journalist in question was a disgraceful display from an unhinged lunatic. The least he can do is apologise. The best he can do is resign and retire. He is an absolute embarrassment.
He can’t resign or retire, he’s the only thing holding the Katter Party together. His son doesn’t have the juice. Bob has to think of his family’s fortunes.
As soon as Bob dies Nick Dametto will probably split off even if Robbie manages to make the jump to Kennedy.
And Robbie at least is slightly respectable. Dametto is just fucking crazy.
As The ‘Pie has always said, Robbie has been the keeper of the Katter family marbles for some time now (lack of piloting skills aside), and he will shortly have to be his own man without the burden of a father who is becoming more and more adjacent as the years pass.
Who else but a spittle-flecked Katter in full flight would claim ‘My family has been here since the dawn of time‘(an actual quote). Which will probably come as a bit of a surprise to some of his duskier constituents.
Especially considering “The Dawn of Time” is also “My family have been here for 140 years”
Considering your “Non de plumb” your point is?????
He’s the one who claimed that! He tried to grab my camera when I asked him what ‘The Australian race of people ‘ means https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10159254136138447&id=546653446
Google Bob Katter united patriots front
Google Bob Katter military history
Qld Criminal Code definition of assault s245-246, breach of the peace s260, threats s415 https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-1899-009
When that fella got done for Abbott it was because he was a public officer. S142.2 of The CTH Criminal Code is abuse of power by public officers here https://www.legislation.gov.au/C2004A04868/latest/text
And here https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/legis/cth/consol_act/cca1995115/
Go nuclear on the cunt
Bob Katter is so dull he couldn’t even think of an original name for his son. Twisted and retarded fool.
Glorious Makepeace nation of Deep north Katterland. 1000%
You are obviously a graduate of the Katter Skool of Publick Spruiking.
Why does the Townsville Bulletin fall for these announcements about projects that haven’t even completed a feasibility study?
Surely any announcement should be made AFTER it has been proven to be feasible.
Doug,
They have been doing it for decades. Do you remember the announcement in the 1980s that Townsville was to become an aviation maintenance hub servicing SE Asia, or, at about the same time the Army’s School of Artillery was to relocate to the High Range Training Area.
The Army Officers’ Mess at North Head was the best lunch venue in Australia.
Without a doubt.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-29/sovereign-citizen-growing-movement-regional-australia/105702148
This article is a detailed and considered examination of the sovereign citizen problem, and the threat it poses. It is a bit long but worth it given they walk amongst us here in Townsville.
Because he’s a fed anyone can report him to the NACC https://www.nacc.gov.au/reporting-and-investigating-corruption/how-to-make-report
Honestly, reading all these constant rants about every politician is exhausting. People can go on about how they break legislation, the Local Government Act, the Public Service Act, RA RA RA RA RA
Here’s the thing: this kind of stuff happens all the time. It’s not new. Maybe it’s time to stop obsessing over it and enjoy life.
I was working for a small firm in Townsville when the last local government elections were on and happened to mention at lunch that Jenny Hill lost. There were were seven people in the room and no one knew who she was. Ha Ha Ha
You have, albeit inadvertently, spelt out a major social problem in this city … an electorate so beaten down by bad governance, self-preening greed and straight-out ‘legal’ corruption (executive salaries and so on) that they have just decided to give up, opt out and just stay in their mental lunch room. That is, until something affects them directly, then the Great Disengaged are the first to moan about the rotten ol’ council/government/insurance companies/lawless youth and that Coles do not sell jellybeans (true, check it out.).
They also don’t sell low gi sugar.
Magpie, “bad governance” seems to be the order of the day. A couple of weeks ago the Premier and Treasurer settled a secret deal with Bravus (Adani) about the continuation of a royalty holiday the coal miner will enjoy at the expense of Queensland taxpayers. Together, the two politicians piled bullshit on fantasy:
“It is clear Bravus will repay every dollar to the Queensland people with interest. That is locked in”.
“We have now come to an agreement where there will be no additional deferred royalties.” [Nothing “additional”, just the usual, ongoing, never ending deferral].
Mr Janetzki would not say how much interest would be charged or when the deferred royalties would be paid. He claimed this was due to commercial in confidence arrangements agreed to under the Labor government’s deal.”
The Premier should now be known as Kid Crisadani.
Its why I say we need to stop compulsory voting – it keeps idiots away from the ballot box.
Idiots presumably being inter alia those who don’t vote for you?
Idiot comes from idiotes and ancient Greece, it means private citizen eg someone who can’t bothered safe guarding the civilisation they live in.
Ergo, voting for you is safeguarding the civilisation we live in?
But Guy aren’t you tied up with MyPlace? They ARE a bunch of idiots and therefore not safeguarding the civilisation we live in.
The Ancient Greek use of idiot was non- derogatory you idiot.
Guy,
You say you are a candidate for the next election. Let your campaign begin now. How about your photograph, campaign office address, your manifesto, and electoral jingo tune.
Or are you a hollow man with no defence against those of sound mind who might come gunning for you, in an electoral sense, that is.
Guy, do you often go to the theatre? Just asking.
To be honest I’m looking forward to the next council election so I can unload a big steaming shit sandwich of a lecture about the voters in townsville; let’s put it this way for 250 dollars everyone can hear my opinion – legally. I think you need to get 5% of the vote to get your money back ( unlikely next time), either way it will be cathartic. Let’s face it 80- 90% walking in to vote wouldn’t be arsed unless they were threatened with a fine.
That’s $250 I won’t be spending. Guy, save your time and your own money, you won’t win a mayoral vote. Hate to be the one to tell you. Kopittke has a better chance than you old mate.
Michael K definitively ruled out a run for mayor or even council when The’Pie asked him last year. he wasquite insistent, so not sure anything has happened to change his mind.
A bit of speculation about a possible field would seem to be timely about now. Molachino would definitely be a starter, David Kippin may make the error of having a go, at the urging of wannabe backroom shogun Max Tomlinson, doubt Suzy would put her hand up because of her young family, to which she is understandably putting ahead of any bid for a more intrusive public office. The interesting entrant if he decides to take a shot is Andrew Robinson, he’s put a few shekels in the electoral piggy bank with his articulate leadership on a number of issues, and his Disaster Management position.
And The ‘Pie fully expects Ann-Maree Greaney will decline to run, explaining she is so devoted to looking after her divisional constituents with parking meters on the Strand and inappropriate sludge dumps on Maggie Island, where she has gained the status of folk hero. ‘It would be a shame to be distracted by the wider responsibilities of the mayoral office,’ she may be planning to say.
Let the ball roll
Dear ‘Pie, you forgot about Harry Patel.
Not really, saying old Harry would be a candidate would be like revealing that the sun comes up in the morning.
On the couple of times I had cause to correspond with Frothy Molachino he responded promptly and addressed the issue. No matter, I could never vote for him as he stinks of fish. Mullet to be precise!
Has Brumbies just been bought out? MK was a major franchise owner from memory. If so, perhaps he is looking for something new?
Another person looking for a job is outgoing Cowboy’s CEO Jeff Reibel. Likable fella and very experienced business person who knows Townsville. Good leader, understands numbers and people and unlike TwoNames, has proper University qualifications. How about throwing your Cowboy hat in the ring, Jeff?
GReece, and just how do you plan on ‘unloading’ without spending money to ‘unload’ with. Just remember, you have to give your address when nominating; so the more shit you unload about your constituents, they’ll literally give it back tenfold. Save your $250 and spend it wisely like a night’s accommodation in the hospital psych ward.
So the Feds take offence over Bob’s (you know who) comments but stay silent over the Orange idiots statements. Albo needs to grow a pair.
LOL, no best to keep doing what he is doing and not poke the bear. Australians would have a very low tolerance for economic misery inflicted as revenge for a prime ministerial rebuke.
On the latest Katter controversy. From what I saw of the heavily edited footage, the old ratbag was objecting to immigrants/refugees coming to our country, getting our highly sought after citizenship and then renouncing the Australian values they had sworn to uphold.
And then along comes Bavas, who, not wanting to elicit information for dissemination to the public, decided to goad the old fool on something he knew would get a reaction.
Bob, with his well-known lack of restraint, reacted as expected and hiho, we have a news story that deflects attention away from minor matters on our shores, such as more coppers being shot down (serves them right for being coppers who enjoy booking innocent motorists, while letting crims go free????) and active agents working in immigrant communities to undermine our way of life.
This was clearly a gutter journalist trying to create news, rather than trying elicit worthwhile information for dissemination to the public. I noticed Bravas continued steadily held his phone recording Katter’s reaction.
Our political history has recorded our robust politicians who were ever ready to get into a brawl in support of their beliefs. Sadly, unlike the mincing politicians, we now have, unable to make a statement without aeeking directions from their party masters.
I am neither for or against Bob Katter. My personal opinion (worth nothing) is that it is just a prop for Labor. When the old bloke kicks the bucket, his party will probably disintegrate and the elected members will seek admission to the Labor Party they have always supported.
Goad him, he didn’t get to finish the question?!
And regardless of the question, that “well known lack of restraint” is the problem.
I took the pledge, some years ago when I became a citizen. I pledged to respect the laws of the land, democratic principles and respect others…that was basically it. We sung the anthem, got a certificate and went on with our lives. Nothing uniquely “Australian” at all. Universal principles, which upon last reading the news, clearly seem to elude many born here.
These sacred “Australian values” and “way of life” are just a construct not based in law or constitution and have become something of a dog whistle open to interpretation.
Being granted Australian citizenship is not “uniquely Australian”? And isn’t the part about certain New Australians not obeying the laws of the land or respecting democratic principles and others the whole basis of the current brouhah and fuelling the hate?
Seems ironic when the people organising the rally believe they don’t have to respect the laws of the country because they are neo Nazis, and sovereign citizens,
Ducky, do you have to keep affirming the widely held belief that you are a total moron? Don’t even hint that I support those nasty nutjobs marching tomorrow.
It’s a secret Headjob. A secret handshake known only to us true bluers. When you come in as a spare, you don’t get the full story. You have to earn it. Bloody whinging poms.
Uhmmm, what type of head job are yiu referring to.
Just repeating the terms of the agreement.
Jeff, Condon……. You say “deflects attention away from minor matters” like him having such a dickhead son who landed a plane while the undercarriage was still retracted, for the second fucking time for Christ’s sake.
CW, Duhhh, that’s not what happened on the landing. Read it again, sloowwwlllly and move your lips if it aids your comprehension. And he’s not the first to do a wheels up.
One thing I noticed that is unusual in a politician, Robbie admitted fault.
Well, what a surprise!!!!
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/breaking-news/dan-andrews-bob-carr-invited-to-chinese-military-parade/news-story/aee7152cbfd8013f49392828c072175f
Back in their comfort zone! err talking of backs,,,, Albo you’d best be en guard!
In relation to Troy Thomson, the minister of Local Government has declared in Parliament that they promised to deliver to Townsville a fresh start and they have achieved that with the suspension of the Mayor. She has also said that his suspension has enabled the councils to deliver for their communities and reiterated that the Premier has said his position is untenable.
She did not however say what the future holds for the Mayoral position if the investigation has not finalised by the end of November.
Well, at least that confirms this cancerous social growth won’t be back to further trash the city.
He’s probably building a bunker in the bush somewhere with all the building materials he bought from Bunnings. It’ll be interesting to see if he marches with the other protesters tomorrow
My bet is that once Twonames is gone for good, and an election held, Frothy will not only throw his hand in the ring, he will win. People like Kippin and Reece are toxic and don’t have what is needed. Dont get me wrong, I’m not a fan of Frothy as he was part of Jenny Hills gang, but he is already publicly greasing the wheels and he does have the ability to be liked by people.
I like him.
The National Socialist Network will be marching at Townsville’s March for Australia tomorrow. Shame on anyone marching alongside Nazis in Anzac fucking park.
https://bsky.app/profile/exposingnv.bsky.social/post/3lxliwomuvc2i