Last Wednesday’s TCC meeting was the Suzy Batkovic show, up front and personal across an array of issues, particularly those close to the heart of ratepayers. Her magnificent haymaker to council legal waffler David Sewell right at the end of the meeting caught everyone by surprise, (curiously the Bulletin reporter showed little interest, he barely mentioned the tense exchange) and must have left Clr Greaney at the close wondering what the hell just happened. The Magpie offers his summary, analysis and a bit of crystal balling.
Jenny Hill’s fingerprints are all over the push to oust Jacob. But there’s evidence to ask if a vengeful Mullet’s is more to interested in getting Jacob out than installing anyone in particular.
But here’s a newsflash from late last night (Sat.): The Magpie has learnt councillors will have a private meeting behind closed doors BEFORE the public meeting. At the closed session, candidates will make their pitch, councillors will then debate candidates merits, take a vote and the matter will be decided prior to the special meeting on 17th. So we not only do NOT get a say in this major matter, but it will be presented as a fair accompli and we will, not even be allowed to hear candidates arguments as to why they should get the job. The councillors have been told – presumably by council babysitter John Oberhardt … they have to present a united front, to give false impression of unity to the public. A deeply disgusting arrangement for a council of supposed independents, and an arrogant finger to the ratepayers of Townsville. If this secret format goes ahead, then they are all spineless swill. Crisafulli should sack Thompson forthwith, as he promised by inference, and call a mayoral election where WE can have OUR say who best represents our city.
Other matters.
Shades of the Castle Hill tin shed scandal – but with a twist!!! The councillors aren’t the only problem down in Walker Street, and in a way, neither are the staff, who have to administer outlandishly stupid rules. If the $900,000 public dunny on Magnetic Island gave you pause, you will be shaking your head again on hearing the infuriating tale of a local community group which wanted to fund improvements to a Townsville park, but were told to bugger off … because they didn’t have enough money for the modest job. The amount the TCC required to approve the job is staggering.
Townsville apparently isn’t the only council all at sea handling tricky problems … Whitsunday Regional Council has been forced to back down on a threat that was nothing less than illegal bullying. But justice comes at a cost … a ratepayer had to shame them with an expensive newspaper ad to engineer a spectacular back flip.
Plus a few laughs, a few idle questions to dwell on, and the grim humour of the US cartoonists as the country faces up to the prospect of its first fascist Government. (Well first openly fascist government.)
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Now onward, into the murk …
Batkovic v The Boofheads
Clr Suzy B was on a mission last Wednesday, but it’s unclear at this stage.exactly what that mission was. Early in the meeting, she showed she was determined to inject herself into a number of issues, and lead the debate in three of the agenda items, all of which were close to the ratepayers’ heart. And from the get-go, she showed that the ratepayers came first, and she wasn’t going to be cowed into silence by possible angry, self-interested accusations of racism. First up was one such matter in the grants list.
In round figures, that’s $65,000 of ratepayers money for a series of ‘Survival Day’ events on Australia Day.
Clr Barkovic, who wasn’t fool enough to dive into a pointless argument of the divisive event itself, argued that the grant was yet another example of council largesse that could not be justified, and she put forward a motion to halve it. And signalled that all such grants should not only be drastically pared back, but that council should be given much more time to debate such requests. She said last minute debate so close to the event was not fair to councillors.
(In this matter, Clr Batkovic was channeling the late councillor Fran O’Callaghan, who had always argued that council should not award any such general grants over $5000. Fran always saw such hand-outs as blatant vote-buying by the previous Team Hill regime and was irresponsible fiscal behaviour. And it seemed that now, Clr Batkovic was free to agree with the late and much lamented councillor. )
CEO Joe McCool reasonably argued that cutting the funding at this late ’11th hour’ would be unfair, and could even lead to the cancellation of the entire event and the loss of funds already spent by the applicant. Several other councillors made some unhelpful comments, but eventually, perhaps as a clear signal of her future stand, Clr Batkovic put a motion to cut the funding back to $30,000 anyway. It was handily defeated, but she won a promise that grant deadlines would in future ensure ample time for debate.
But Suzy wasn’t resting on that small but important win.
She argued about the appointment of council executives receiving remuneration for being appointed to ‘overview’ position on the boards of council-involved companies NQ Spark and North Rail Yards. CEO McCabe, the designated executive for the NQ Spark board, said he wasn’t sure if there was remuneration involved but if so, he would forego his, or donate it back. But the appointment of Nyree Bolton, one of the few council executives with the accreditation to take board positions, that brought Clr Batkovic back into the fray. She argued the appropriateness of paying an already salaried staff member for a position on a board which at this stage is solely funded by the council. Clr Batkovic didn’t use the term, but it was clear she was suggesting it was double-dipping. (Which it certainly appears to be – it would be interesting to know what Ms Bolton thinks of this, but of course, she won’t want to or be allowed to comment.)
A Magpie aside: That these companies involving the council were set up without suitable overview arrangements beyond vague KPIs is another example of the previous regime’s slapdash approach to governance.
Clr Batkovic popped in a word or two here and there as matters moved on, before the meeting went into closed session for item 14 which involved three ‘human resources’ matters
| 14 CONFIDENTIAL – Human Resources Matter | ||
It is reasonable to assume that this was the discussion surrounding the disgraceful and unexplained termination bonus payments to three executives, including the arch boardroom bandicoot Prins Ralston. This is a matter which would not have come to the public’s attention but for a Audit Committee finding.
The new termination payout policy was sorted out in the closed session and voted on when the meeting was reopened,; this was the promised alteration to procedures in future to ensure there is more oversight and accountability for any such payments. The new policy was passed unanimously.
Clr Batkovic then asked if CEO McCabe said he would answer the five questions he had taken on notice (i.e. needed to find the answers) at the previous council meeting. Which he did, but it was the first one – “who signs off on a CEO separation deed” – that had Suzy ploughing in immediately and relentlessly. The fun starts at approx 3.43.00 of the meeting, click here for link.
She was clearly trying to get Thompson inthe cross hairs, because it wlould appear he signed off on the deals soon aftyer he was elected. (Although The ‘Pie still suspects it could be Jenny Hill, in a prearranged matter before the election.)
Batkovic: “I want to know who authorised the payment to Dr Prins Ralston, that cannot be confidential. For that reason, I require the signature page from the settlement page with Dr Prins Ralston, redacted only to the extent to remove confidential information from that page. I know that the name and qualification of the signatory cannot be confidential.”
At that juncture, legal officer David Sewell quickly jumped in and made the grave error of trying to do a snow job on Clr Batkovic with a legal waffle about the rules, but Batkovic is not the sort to be fobbed off by a second rate legal drone She was quick to let him know she knew what he was up to, cutting him off.
Batkovic: ” Sorry, I’m not asking about the details of the settlement, I’m asking who signed off on it , and that is not confidential on the advice I’ve been given and I’m happy continue to go for further external advice that that first page which has the signatories on it, is not confidential, I speaking (today) and asking council to provide that information to the councillors. I do not believe that should be confidential. I am not asking for details, I understand the response the CEO has given to me, that’s not what I’m asking for, what I’m asking is the first page whoi actually signed off on the previous settlement. That is not confidential. Would I be correct in saying that?
Sewell: No.
Batkovic: OK in that case, moving forward I would like to get external advice on whether that I can obtain that an dit not being confiential information on who the signatories are, not the details in the actual deed.
The CEO, who appeared uncertain about the whole thing and probably isn’t used to having a council’s legal executive being told he’s wrong, suggested Clr Batkovic send him a formal request and ‘it will be assessed in the appropriate manner.’ Whatever that means, it doesn’t sound like there has been any breakthrough in transparency by the Walker Street Hermit Kingdom. But by now, they might be getting the message, this lady is not for turning.
In The Magpie’s experience of council and legal matters, this is one of the unexpected and effective shirtfronts he has ever come across. There is little doubt that the executive will circle the wagons, there will be a paper blitz, but The ‘Pie is willing to bet that Clr Batkovic would not have insisted on her point if she hadn’t got strong advice on the matter – she is no Thompson=like liar about phantom external legal advice. And The ‘Pie would back external legal advice against a council hack any day of the week.
But The Episode Raises A Number Of Intriguing Questions.
The most basic one, is what was the real thrust behind Clr Batkovic digging her heels in so admirably?
While one would like to ascribe it to righteous indignation on our behlaf , it might be a little naive to think it was just that.
It is pretty certain she had ‘external’ help in her whole performance, and she is not short of Machiavellian mates. Like distant relative Margie Ryder and of course, Jenny Hill. And another name to throw in there in hubby Dan Ryder, who The ‘Pie is reliably told has some nascent political ambitions of his own, but their are said to be a bone of contention between him and Suzy. Dan would not have been short on advice about sticking it to TwoNames Thompson, they used to be best mates and school and beyond, and that’s a friendship now in smoking ruins. For whatever reason, no one knows exactly, but The ‘Pie has heard the friendship started to go sour when they were both involved in the what appears to an attempted rort involving a proposed pokies-based project by Community ASA (formerly the Aitkenvale Sporting association) in illich Park. However, The ‘Pie understands Dan has a bit of baggage of his own, but it does not involve his wife.
Whatever.
Haughty Couture
But Jenny Hill is still simmering, suffering salt on the electoral wound of losing to such a con man as Thompson. And the ‘Pie can say authoritatively, she has been super active behind the scenes in helping to bring Thompson down. The ‘Pie has spotted the fingerprints of her dead hand in her efforts to bring down Jacob, too, the only person to ever stand up to her (except Fran) and whom the Mullet considers a traitor to her cause. That hint comes in the matter of criticism of how Jacob for how he dresses (no tie, gasp!!). No one is disputing the Jacob dresses like a walking unmade bed, but to make that a reason to ditch him is a bit rich coming from this woman.
Prime Ministerial appropriate?
… and her famous Michelin Man doona look for the governor
… and of course, the famous purple doona that enjoyed over 100 outings during her terms.
And the idea of that line of attack is pretty obvious .. The Mullet has form in this matter.
Quote:
“There’s a place for jeans and runners at tree plantings, the V8s and some council clean-ups.
“I have pipped him before about official dress. He seems to be quite wilful in his actions and today I’d had enough. Cr Jacob is representing this community on official occasions. It’s not unreasonable for someone of his position to be dressed appropriately.”
But jeans are OK for the PM, eh, Jenny? Especially when you’re asking him for a spot on the Labor’s senate ticket, which she did at the jeans event. She didn’t get the nod.
Ma Greaney chimed in on the jacob fashion commentary, which is also a bit self-unaware from someone who regularly turns up at meetings looking like she’s just dropped in before heading off to a cocktail party.
Now it was widely believed that The Mullet has been hitting the phones in support of Ma Greaney and it was she who initiated and encouraged the challenge to Jacob. But is that belief correct?
Batkovic’s performance can’t be seen as anything else but a testing the waters for a shot at deputy mayor … and therefore Townsville acting mayor, automatically becoming our third putative mayor since the March election. Will the Mullet contemplate a late switch away from Greaney and try to persuade councillors to consider Batkovic? Of course, the gal herself has to nominate, but there’s plenty of time and Suzy is no eager beaver ego champing at the bit. There was a tiny giveaway in the meeting, when Suzy was making a point about board directors remuneration when Greaney interrupted and parroted something Batkovic had just said, to which Batkovic somewhat peevishly said ‘that is just what I have said’, generously declining to add ‘well, duh.’ Unusual for supposed colleges in arms. And Greaney was subdued throughout the meeting and had no useful contribution to make on any issue.
They Say Comparisons Are Odious, So Let’s Be Odious
Let’s say Jacob doesn’t have the numbers, which he doesn’t on the latest head count, so what might we look at following Batkovic chaos ball on Wednesday.
Clr Greaney is running the line that she is entitled to the job, with the thoughtlessly stupid line that she has 20 years experience to bring to the job.
What !?!
That has to be the dumbest self-testimonial imaginable. Ms Greaney, the first 10 years of that time you were a council employee doing events and Christmas parties, until you willingly became a complaisant Mullet pleaser in 2016 when you were elected as a member of one of the most destructive, regressive, irresponsibly managed council teams ever. One which has landed us in the unholy mess we are now in. You never raised objections to all the measures your personal Madam Lash proposed, and you were a leading bully of the ailing and honest Clr Fran O’Callaghan. Then on the new council, you argued fiercely for parking meters on the Strand, before the public corrected your tin ear for popular sentiment. If you ascend to the throne as another leader we don’t want, you will only be there because the voting public has had no say in it.
So what would Batkovic bring to the position? Well the only observable evidence is a bit thin, but convincing.
First, she would undoubtedly run well focussed meetings, and ensure ramblers were returned to the point pretty smartly. (Poor old Paul is all at sea in this respect.) But if Batkovic gets the brass ring, here are the positives for Townsville.
First , she brings a respected name to the top job, an achiever in the highest levels of the sporting field. One doesn’t reach those heights without understanding teamwork, strategy and integrity. In Townsville, she has suffered inevitably from front bar tall poppy syndrome, but shows she is mature enough to ignore such non-achievers.
The Magpie has no doubt she would be an effective negotiator in meetings a all levels of government, respect for her in place before she even arrives. Possibly, she may need a little coaching in diplomacy, so that her directness doesn’t spill over into confrontation. She will need to keep tight rein on a certain volatility that seems to simmer just below the surface.
Political influences? Everybody has them but Suzy Batkovic has shown last Wednesday, and in her sporting career, she is her own woman and won’t be browbeaten. And there’s also the fact that a stint at the top of the Walker Street mud pile, especially if she puts the city back on track, will be a major step towards what The ‘Pie is told is her ultimate ambition … a spot on a senate ticket.
Of course, the Walker Street scene could be dramatically changed at the stroke of a pen, with Twonames sacked as he should have been and a new mayoral election called. Suzy B would be an interesting contender if she chooses to run.
But The ‘Pie understands she will put the interests of her two youngsters ahead of any other consideration, and won’t stand if she feels her role as a mother would be compromised by the extra official tasks.
What’s The Difference Between the Townsville Turf Club And The Townsville City Council?
Not much apparently.
And it’s more than the fact that both have got the fiscal wobbles. A Turf Club spokesman sounded eerily like he was describing the council dilemma when the paper reported:
Cluden Park’s chairman Geoff Weeks believes the issue has come about from “bad decision making” from the past committee rather than dodgy practice, revolving around outsourcing its work to contractors which ended up costing more than the staff it scaled back on.
Sound familiar? Let’s hope they don’t bring in Prins Ralston to sort them out – they did that at the council and we all know how that has left us.
Hope You’re Sitting Down When You Read About This
After the reader allegation last week that the TCC priced a public toilet block in Maggie Island at an unbelievable $900,000 (no one has contradicted that price, the cost of two or three 2-bedroom houses), some may have been in disbelief at the bureaucratic price escalations of councils. Well, see if you believe this tale, sent in my a reliable Nest reader`, whose information has always been on the money (pun intended, as you will see.)
Hi, Magpie.
The Park down at the Balgal Beach Landing area desperately requires more seating. The local Fishing Club and a Rollingstone Community group got together and decided to put in a few garden benches – at our own expense. The proponents expected and accepted that they would be supervised by Council because of WHS requirements, but that was not seen as a problem. Using the brains of retired tradesmen, businessmen, etc., we worked out we could provide this bench/garden-seating, installed, for about $800 each, maybe a bit more. Both Groups were happy with that figure and volunteer laboring requirements. So, we approached Council with our offer but after much toing-and-froing, they said “no” we couldn’t go ahead with that project, because that wasn’t how Council worked. But then, having rejected our offer of inexpensive community work, the groups were told they wouldn’t be getting the much needed seating from the council either – because the number required made the job too expensive at $15,000 per seat!!!!! Can you believe that?
The answer is – with difficulty and a dropped jaw.
For some context, and not suggesting this would be a wholly suitable solution, check this out.
So there’s another thing for which the council owes the public an itemised account. it would creative accounting at it’s very best.
These fuckers just do not live in the real world, it is a parallel universe.
If Suzy Batkovic Is Admired For Her Tenacity, She Could Still Learn A Thing Or Two From Phil Batty
Phil is a man who not only refuses to be bullied, but comes back fighting again and again. And bureaucratic bullshit drives him to greater determination to skilfully right official wrongs
The former unsuccessful mayoral candidate for the Whitsunday Regional Council, Phil has had running battles with both the council and the relevant controlling organisations in Brisbane. He has chalked up a significant win or two – his detailed and intelligent complaint earned the former WRC blowhard Mike Brunker an official rap over the knuckles for improper use of his council FB page. Brunker lied about it as well, and offered Phil a free character reading in a council meeting..
Some matters between Phil and the council are outstanding from times past, but Phil’s latest victory is a truly impressive slam dunk.
The back story: Phil has worked part time as an taxi driver contracted to a local company, which, among other things, has permits to serve the local airport. Phil noticed at one stage what he believed to be improper council garbage handling when at the airport – mixing recyclables with regular rubbish, and wrote about it on his private FB page. It is fair to assume the the council is frustrated by such an articulate and persistent critic, and it was presumably that frustration that drove it to an unforgivable decision … it wrote to the company Phil occasional worked for, threatening (without giving a specific reason) to suspend the operating permits at the airport. Phil knew immediately that this threatened attack on a third party was clearly the council’s frustrated effort to silence him.
Bad move, WRC, VERY bad move.
Phil was so enraged by this unjustifiable and illegal action, he decided to make his feelings known publicly.
He took out this full page ad in the Whitsunday Life.
Within ONE HOUR of the paper hitting the streets the threatened business got an email from the council lawyers, informing the business that a decision had been made not to suspend the operating permits. And Phil got a letter from the lawyers with what he said was a very different tone from the first threat to sue him. ‘It was still full of shit but different tone,’ he told The Magpie.
He let the ‘Pie sight the letter privately, and although they admitted nothing, and huffed and puffed as beaten lawyers do, Phil can chalk that one up for the goodies. And the speed with which both emails were sent after the ad appeared more or less confirmed that the council threat was illegal and could’ve become a massive issue for this idiot council.
Christ, how I wish Phil Batty still lived in Townsville.
In The States, The Three Ring White House Circus Acts Are Being Recruited.
The ‘Pie isn’t the only one wondering how long it will take before Americans who voted for Trump realise how they’ve been had. And what will happen if Trump is stupid enough to introduce his crazy tariff threats. Nothing will concentrate American minds more than when these collective idiots suddenly find inflation is through the roof. this will be partly because it is they, the MAGA knuckle draggers and droolers will be the ones ,actually be paying the tariffs. Or going without desired goods. It is no silly jibe to suggest that there is a dominate class of US citizens who are the dumbest fuckers on this planet. It’s a sort of intellectual and emotional COVID that has descended on the country. This is something the nation’s editorial cartoonists are pointing out with ever more urgency. (The last toon in this week’s gallery says it all … for the world.)
In Passing …
Now that’s a fan … and an idiot.
Anyway, his boyfriend will have something cool to slip into when he gets home.
Whatever You Do Don’t Call It A Ponzi Scheme
Here’s a question. If crypto is the next big thing and will eliminate the need for other currency … a claim consistently made for almost a decade now … why do folks keep cashing it in for … real money ? The crypto penny will probably drop sometime.
And another question. The Magpie always likes to help out our boys in blue, so happy to help the Victorian copper who gravely pondered on TV ‘ We don’t know what the motive was for this synagogue arson’ . If he’d care to ring The ‘Pie, happy to offer a clue for him. And no, it wasn’t part of the tobacco wars.
And Finally …
Try not to laugh at this, it is so pathetically true
……………………
Kerrr-iky, a week and a half and more to come. comments always reveal a lot before times, so hop in and have your say.
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Another great blog Pie . Has Food Trucks Greaney overplayed her hand possibly costing all Councillors their jobs ? . After Wednesdays Council meeting which showed Council can be dysfunctional without suspended Mayor Thompson . Channel 7 local interviews with Local Government Minister after wednesdays meeting with a coup on the agenda . Minister Leahy ” we have provided Townsville Council a circuit breaker and its time Councillors went to work ” . Premier Crisafulli couldnt have been clearer ” Townsville Council need to quickly get their act together ” . A sign of how inexperienced with the business world Councillors and Executives are the big reason for selecting the Council employee on the board of Nth railyards was because they had a directors i.d . Newsflash to Councillors and executives that most owners of a small business including a fish shop including family trusts based on their structure have a directors i.d. . Doesnt mean they can run a profitable buisness / trust .
Magpie
Thank you for the inclusion into the blog even though not a Townsville focus it is a council commonality. To provide the nesters with some background I have noticed for some time that the waste management practices at the airport are, in my opinion, below what the community would expect.
Bear in mind this is an airport owned and operated by Whitsunday Regional Council and the Waste Services are owned and operated by Whitsunday Regional Council.
Two years I spoke personally with the then mayor and executive in charge about this practice, nothing changed. This year I spoke personally with the airport manager, nothing changed. So I posted it to FB. I said that council were placing recycled bin contents into general waste bins going to landfill.
Council didnt like that at all so the expected legal threats followed, when i refused to back down the threats to my employer came next.
Now just for a little fun let me , in my words only and satirically here is a potential interview from “not the nine o clock news” for people old enough to remember them.
Int-“so what do you have to say about MR Batty’s claim you mix your waste?”
WRC-“We refute that, we absolutely do not do that, absolutely not…..in fact we actually have 2 different coloured bags to make sure we dont do that…so no we dont do that, absolutely not”
Int-“Would you mind looking a these two photographs showing the waste bin full of mixed bags clearly some recycled and some general waste, thank you for providing different coloured bags it make it so much easier to see them”
WRC-“Ahh well er yes well when I said we absolutely don’t do that what I meant to say is well..yes we do do that but not all the time and we only do it when the recycle bin is full then we do it but thats the only time.
Int-“But don’t you manage the waste collection as well as the airport but the recycle bin gets full…..never mind just a statement”
Int-“Would you have a look at these next two pictures clearly time stamped showing the recycling bin almost empty but the general waste bin appears to be full of mixed bags once again, can you explain that for me?
WRC-“ Have to go sorry been called to a commercial in confidence meeting to discuss something or other, bye”
Much more to come on this I am sure.
You nailed ‘em good and proper, Phil.
Well one, that man. Admirable.
Here is a link of an interview with Phil Batty
https://rumble.com/v5x3w8e-dirty-deeds-done-by-council.html?e9s=src_v1_ucp
And all the while the piss poor productivity at TCC goes unabated at all levels of administration and operations as it has done now for many years with costs being no less than 30% over and above value for money levels ..
The cost of doing the business of Local Government is exorbitant throughout Queensland and likely Australia largely due to inefficient operations in the main.
The State Govt must run a tough ruler over the LA’s as one of its priorities with white colour and blue colour operations put under the microscope
Locally Councillors are there to represent us .. and need to also take no prisoners . And ask the hard questions and not take any further bullshit from the CEO, Directors, senior management and Union affiliates
It is well past time that the Councillors get their game on ..
Nobody expects the slavic inquisition
Unsure what that means, but it sounds a tad racist. Care to explain a little further?
I think cobalos is making a Monty Python reference. Most fitting to be honest when referring to Council Matter nowadays to equate them to Monty Python sketches.
AI Overview
“Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!” is a quote from Monty Python’s Flying Circus and is often used to describe a situation where something unexpected happens. The full quote is:
Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition! Our chief weapon is surprise, surprise and fear, fear and surprise. Our two weapons are fear and surprise, and ruthless efficiency.
Oh. Didn’t make the connection. Thanks.
Withdraw any suggestion of racism on the grounds of excusing humourous allusion.
Monty Python clip.
https://youtu.be/D5Df191WJ3o?si=LI7hy3V2lx7vev0E
This is purely a note without comment on the specific project put forth for RADF funding that Suzy B opposed. It seems to pass without comment always with RADF that it is actually 50/50 co-funded with state, without exception. That’s money already in Council coffers, ready to spend. It’s not being diverted from roads, rubbish or anywhere else.
Pollies in Australia like to be seen to be tough on the arts, humanities, etc, but the reality is that arts funding is crumbs from the table. These kinds of oppositions tend to be more about optics than anything. And by the way, its hard to tell without seeing the actual proposal for the event itself, but it actually sounds like something that may not meet RADF (Regional Arts Development Fund, for the unfamiliar) criteria anyway, and could have probably been more effectively opposed in that way. Perhaps it would be more efficient to ensure that the RADF committee/working group/whatever are doing their due diligence at the earlier stage than letting Councillors block things for the sake of optics. These working groups usually include a Councillor or two, which by design should prevent the extra waste of time at ‘rubber stamp’ time in Council chambers.
If TCC seriously committed to finding efficiencies, particularly in their byzantine administrative practices, they’ll find a whole lot more savings than a measly (half) annual RADF budget.
Not sure we have the full picture in your well informed comment. So could you clear up a point or two.
If the monies are funded 50/50 between state and council, then there IS a council component in there that ‘already in the coffers’. What Suzy and others are opposing is that largesse that is the council’s share.
The fact of the 50/50 arrangement is that it was instigated by the government to greatly increase the political Christmas hold on local councils … RADF should make their application directly to the state committee, especially in this instance when ratepayers money would be spent on the highly unpopular and undemocratic sorry day embracing the core problem of encouraged victimhood. This is Brisbane and Canberra fobbing off such decision making to locals councillors, for state and fed representatives to avoid the inevitable public anger of this woke favouritism of the blended 3%, hoping in would remain as local bones of contention and not pointed at them.
And it is a bit presumptuous to say that such opposition as Clr Batkovic was for optics … as pointed out there was/is council money involved, and in these times, could be judged thoughtless and inappropriate when the cry across the community is for public belt-tightening. This goes for all council grants, but it is even more so when giving ratepayer funds to a group wishing is disparage our very right to exist here.
To be clear, I am not saying that all Councillor decisions and recommendations are made for the sake of optics, but what I will say is that generally when there is an objection to a funding proposal in the Chambers (rather than at the committee table) it tends to be about optics. That is not a criticism of Suzy B’s comments specifically, just an observation of the process more broadly. Generally speaking, most opposition to the arts tends to be about optics, though as I noted earlier, I wouldn’t have thought this project would even be eligible in the first place, being an arts fund rather than a cultural fund or events fund.
Regarding the way RADF funding is distributed, it certainly is a strange system that has more than a bit of double handling. Each regional Council must make its application to State (via Arts QLD) for RADF co-funds periodically, which is based on population benchmarks. Funds are then distributed to Council to then distribute themselves to their community via the appropriate committees/working group.
A useful view and helpful facts.
But your use of word ‘optics’ still suggests insincerity, i.e how a view of an issue is perceived by the public which might not be accurate or sincere. Remember, the public is not privy to machinations in committee meetings, and while Suzy’s slashed funding motion may have been shot down in committee, she made sure that her view and argument was in the public arena. That’s not optics, that’s honesty, and letting her constituents know she is doing her job.
And that is exactly what the ratepayer deserves. At the very least.
I hear what you’re saying, Magpie, but I think no matter the presentation of opinion in Chambers (honest or otherwise), all Councillors are in fact conscious of what they are saying, and have at least a cursory understanding of how what they say will be perceived by voters. Optics. I don’t imply insincerity or otherwise by saying this, simply that it is a part of it, and a part of any public figure’s considerations. I would venture that Suzy B, having no small amount of experience in the public eye even before her Council days, would have perhaps the most nuanced understanding of this of the lot of them.
I don’t think I would be overstating my point in saying that there are decisions and statements made by elected representatives at all levels that are made according to how those decisions or statements will look to the voting public. I am sure that this doesn’t factor into every decision or statement, merely that it happens.
What you have done there is interesting, you have basically said what The Magpie said, but dressed it up in different words. There is a ‘well, duh, that what I said’ element, a sort of disguised echolalia.
But at least we basically agree.
It certainly appears Suzy B has what it takes to be a great mayor, except for one thing… who’s pulling the strings, who’s putting the bullets in the gun. At the risk of repeating some of what you said Pie, both the things she dug her heels in on had Jenny’s targets in the cross hairs – Thompson and Jacobs. She has nibbled around the edges of some things, but the pit bull comes out for these specific issues.
For her to be mayor she needs to show us (well me anyway) that those strings are well and truly severed. We all think highly of Suzy, but as they say power corrupts. We thought highly of Jenny 10 or so years ago.
Maybe Suzy feels she owes Jenny, maybe Jenny feels Suzy owes her for the leg up into Council? Either way I personally am too concerned about the tenacity of ex mayor that I can’t support her unless I see clear evidence of the strings being cut.
Just my thoughts
OPK, fair comment, but does that mean you’d support Greaney (not that you or any of the rest of us great unwashed have any say in it)?
Here’s a thought … which The ‘Pie do next Sunday.
Why have we all unquestioningly accepted that there are only two .. and at The ‘Pie’s suggestion now three … in the mud wrestle? Fuck their insider club rules, it’s our money, and although it will be news to a few of them, it is our fucking city. How about we start rating all the others? There is one other councillor The ‘Pie would consider as viable, but let’s leave that until others have their say. Doesn’t matter if they political affiliations, it just matters if they could do the job representing our city.
BTW as a PS, it hardly matters how a mayor runs a council meeting, it’s a bit like a train, it’s path and destination are both set and inevitable, juast the huffing and puffing vary from person to person. It’s is the leadership and the representation to the outside world that is paramount.
You’re right, it’s a tough choice. I think I would support Paul Jacob, certainly over Greany.
And I would support Suzy over both of them… on the proviso above – IF she could get away from Jenny. However, as I said, I just can’t see that really happening
It is truly a shame that Fran isn’t still with us, she would have my vote over all of the current crop.
Yes. The meetings are pretty much just a process, and I don’t think Paul would use the mayoral position as a weapon as others have before him (and targeted at him in some cases). I wonder though if Suzy is still having her strings pulled, might she?
he pointn The ‘Pie was trying to make was whether that her sudden ‘Batkovic out of hell’ performance was an ambush or just a straightforward shirtfronting by a woman fed up with bureaucratic drones and third rate lawyering.
Yes, I got that… but I’m saying (just my thoughts) I think it’s more likely that she could get the brownie points while sticking the slipper into Jacobs and Thompson – double win. Do you know a political mind that might play that game… and may be coaching her?
Maybe there’s a precedent(s) and whoever did sign it off was just following it? Has she asked the same question about Chiodo or any of the other CEO’s that have gone through the turnstiles, or even Ray Burton…? did they get a golden handshake (particularly Chiodo)? Guess who would have signed off on those?
And more importantly, if there is something to see here, will she use the same gusto for those things that happened under the previous regime (ask to see who signed off on them), again maybe there’s a precedent and whoever signed this one was just following it.
Or am I off the mark?
In The ‘Pie never-humble opinion, you are off the mark in one regard, LN, and that is the matter of what should be prioritized while we’re trying to get the place back on track … a question of moving forward versus looking back. We can’t afford the luxury of as protracted navel gazing on past decisions, which many if not most are simply mistakes of judgement … Those loud voices bellowing for dismissal of everybody are based on absolutely no evidence of what exactly is the cause of current financial woes. One seriously doubt that councillors and even The Mullet actually were involved in any brown paper bag stuff beyond signing of some tasty deeds of separation and that should come to light if a forsesic study is to be undertaken. Why would they, they … and particularly The Mullet … were on sweet deals protem and promised the usual lucrative post-council payoffs of bullshit appointments. A la Mooney Snr. There is little doubt Jenny Hill would be on a couple Adani boards if things had gone tits up so badly in that area.
And a pragmatic ‘Pie believes that if any investigation is to be instigated, like the spiteful and vengeful Thompson wanted immediately for all the wrong reasons, is not really in the remit or immediate interests of a council seeking to progress the well being of Townsville. Informed complaints from anyone to southern authorities can instigate and proceed behind the scenes while the current mob get on with running the city ands initiating progressive reforms and projects. That is why The ‘Pie insists that this council isn’t dysfunctional except for the matter of the criminally deranged antics of one sociopath.
May be worth some digging. Word on the street is that there is no love lost between Hill and Suzy B.
She could be one of the very few councillors, hill or otherwise, that has not strings of concern.
Can you let uis all know where this street is? Sounds we could learn a lot there.
It’s a fairly safe bet that the Big Bird is getting her legal advice from her good mate local lawyer and Basketball Australia Director John Carey.
in that case, she could do worse. He’s no dill.
Let’s hope so!
I had a laugh at the fashion gallery this week..oh dear! Shes no Gok Wan. Seriously though, for $220k..put on a fucking tie!
On the subject of another Mayoral election, a chilling thought and hopefully one that can be put to rest by someone here. Is there a possibility that if sacked, Twonames can still run if a Mayoral election is called? If he is not criminally charged following the current investigation, could he be shit-canned anyway due to his numerous breaches of conduct? Would this then disqualfy him from running again? It seems such an obvious assumption that sacking will make him disappear, but his arrogance and delusion knows no bounds. For what other reason than campaigning, account for his sudden performative gestures of largesse and goodwill? Holding draws for fuel vouchers, running around town handing out cupcakes etc? Its quite sick-making that he is crowing about using his own money (ratepayers holiday fund) to pay for these selfless initiatives.
The sad truth is that even if TwoNames is dismissed, and a by-election called, he could well run again in that by-election. There are criteria that prevent a candidate from nominating (undischarged bankrupt, “some” criminal convictions especially whilst still under any sentence such as community service, certain misconduct offences, etc.). But even just a charged, but not convicted person can run. As seen earlier this year in the Gold Coast with the Councillor who was up on charges for allegedly murdering his step-father. Now he was able to nominate whilst awaiting trial. Fortunately, in that case, the electorate dispensed their own justice.
Should TwoNames nominate again, and win, then the people of Townsville have written their own epitaph and said volumes about the character of the town. Won’t happen of course …. oh, but wait … it’s Townsville, Jake.
Magpie, right at the last in yesterday’s comments, Prince Rollmop ranted:
“This ridiculous push to cut down on gas and coal and engage in the renewable fantasy is another thing that is forcing people into poverty, people who can’t run an air conditioner or are afraid to wash their clothes or cook a meal as that contributes to higher electricity costs per quarter. The rulers of our society have completely fucked up our way of life… off with their heads.”
I wonder if the man believes that a coal-fired power station is a perpetual motion machine? That they don’t wear out, that they live forever? The “push” he talks about must be something he heard or selectively read about because any school child could have informed him that every Queensland coal power machine has a use-by date. This is decided not by the manufacturer’s design rules but by the ability to compete. Some plants could still function into the 2040s and even 2050s but most would be so expensive to maintain by then that it would be madness to do it. The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) predicts that coal-fired generation in Queensland (and Victoria) will be gone by 2033/34. AEMO says that coal generators are becoming less reliable and more difficult to maintain, and are less able to compete with renewables.
So I ask the Prince, if coal-fired power stations can’t get it up any more, if they keep breaking down and actually causing system failures, what do you suggest? New ones are way more expensive and polluting than battery-supported renewables, nuclear is – well we’re about to find out from Dutton – and gas is a short-term stop gap. If you want to overrule the rulers of our society, how about entering into some informed conversation instead of blathering baseless drivel.
And a happy Sundaz morning to you, Jenny and your AI friend.
Actually, the google AI got it from Renew Economy who got it from AEMO a year ago:
“AEMO’s draft 2024 Integrated System Plan, the latest version of its 30-year planning blueprint AEMO’s draft 2024 Integrated System Plan, the latest version of its 30-year planning blueprint, suggests coal fired generation will be gone from Queensland and Victoria within a decade – by 2033/34 –, suggests coal fired generation will be gone from Queensland and Victoria within a decade – by 2033/34”
15/12/23
And the Prince?
What was I saying about good and original?
Oh Jenny, doing so well then every now and then you revert to the ridiculous. The smallest coal fired power station in the world will be more reliable, deliver more energy for longer, and have a longer life than the biggest battery. And will keep generating even when the sun don’t shine and the wind dont blow. Ask someone who lives In Broken Hill. When will the green fantasists realise that the technologies are complementary, not competing. Renewable is absolutely great when it’s available, coal/gas/nuclear is absolutely required when it’s not. There is simply no alternative for peaking, reliable, base load power. And don’t mention pumped hydro please, that simply a very short term battery and is possibly the most inefficient means to generate power yet though up by the ideologues. S’funny the less ability people have to absorb and pay increasing power bills the less in favour of Bowen’s renewable fantasy they are. It’s good to be green but you have to rich to do it.
Living in Broken Hill doesn’t make you an expert in electricity generation.
Yes, quite the opposite, it would seem.
But but Jenny, you haven’t thrown into your argument the Crisafulli government and how they are to blame for the energy and cost-of-living crisis? Surely you have dementia and are losing your marbles when you have a prime opportunity to mention and degrade Crisafulli, and you don’t! I’m worried about you.
Jenny, I think you are a bit off the mark with your “New ones are way more expensive and polluting than battery-supported renewables” when earth-to-earth aspects are taken into consideration, and futher m’dear you don’t have to replace the whole power station if a bit breaks.
We all know “renewables with firming” will work long term (with gas or diesel included in the firming like in all current off-grid installations). The issue right now is that it’s not commercially viable, and our Government is not seeing the woods for the trees in their headlong rush, handing out grants head-over-fist to proponents. Until ‘Renewables with firming” is as reliable and plentiful as base-load power we need to move slowly, not turn things off with no reliable alternative in place.
And “demand management” is also not the answer in a first world country.
Lurker, Prince and Russell. So when coal can no longer compete what are you suggesting? Build new coal? Get a quote. New coal simply cannot compete unless taxpayers subsidise far more than renewables.
I’m that case gas and/or nuclear are the only viable alternatives. Unfortunately we don’t have the topography for hydro, pumped hydro is incredibly expensive and inefficient once you figure in the capital costs, and there isn’t battery in the world that can last longer than a couple of hours under full load.
There are simply no other alternatives. You may be fortunate enough to indulge your ideology and can afford the over $1,000/year increase in power prices caused by Bowen’s insane policies but dear Jenny, many, many families can’t. Ultimately you and your cohort are ideologically driven and incredibly selfish. You’re quite happy to sacrifice someone elses standard of living to satisfy your own desires regardless of the cost.
“Australia has extraordinarily good long-duration pumped hydro energy storage sites. It has approximately 5000 good PHES sites and only needs about a dozen (depending on size); energy planners can afford to be very choosy. Storage volume in Australian sites ranges up to 5000 GWh – equivalent to 5000 big batteries (one GWh each) or 50-100 million EV batteries.“
https://createdigital.org.au/pumped-hydro-power-australia/amp/
LL, you say there is no alternative but to go for gas and nuclear. Have you actually checked that claim?
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12-09/nuclear-power-plant-twice-as-costly-as-renewables/104691114?utm_campaign=abc_news_web&utm_content=mail&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_source=abc_news_web
Jenny the CSIRO report is seriously flawed. It does not take into account the full life span of nuclear stations (60-80 years) or the added cost for the Xtra transmission lines for renewables. In any case you wilfully miss the point. Nothing, nothing is more likely to keep the lights on than coal/gas/nuclear/hydro. In each of these the operator controls the output at will with virtually no limitations. The key point being the generators can be ramped up and down at will with no outside variables. With batteries and pumped hydro you need wind and solar to ‘recharge’ them when they run out. In other words they are weather dependant which as far as I can tell is still not possible. The biggest battery lasts about 4 hours whereas we can have cloud cover for days. I’m all for using as much renewable energy as can be viably generated, but I also want to know that I don’t need to worry everytime a cloud goes over.
Cr Greaney also criticised Jacob for making a poor speech. She must have missed Jenny Hill’s rant on national tv in which our former mayor, while standing alongside the Prime Minister, used the words “friggin” and “arse”.
If Text The Editor comments are any guide, Greaney is well and truly on the nose. Methinks councilors who vote to appoint her Deputy Mayor and therefore Acting Mayor might pay a high price at the next election.
And if they go ahead with their secret vote they will all be suspects.
On the subject of elections, when Crisafulli finally gets around to sacking Thompson, there will be at least one highly qualified and well regarded candidate with no connection to Hill or the Labor Party.
And before you ask who, I’m sworn to secrecy.
Re your secret ‘highly qualified and well regarded’ candidate Doug … about fuckin’ time.
My guess … Chris Condon? Why not, he gets things done.
Yeah Na!
Vic (we won’t drill for gas) and SA (blowing in the wind) will happily rely on NSW and QLD for the foreseeable future. That future is the period until the next election. Govts don’t think beyond that.
And we sit on some of the world’s biggest untouched uranium deposits because of the shadow flinchers.
it’s not just used for bombs, you know, it is used in medicine, industry, space research and exploration (“Eeeek, oh no, now you want to pollute other planets!”) and yes, power generation.
???? And to make the numerals on my pocket watch glow green in the dark.
NSW is a net importer of electricity and Victoria a net exporter, so who is relying on who?
Victoria produces most of its power by burning brown coal which is about the same effect as burning peat or logs. Its not much to be proud of compared to the world class black coal Queensland is sitting on.
Re Picnic Bay Toilet Block Cost
The council’s $900,000 budget to rebuild public toilets may be better spent towards purchasing a beachfront property on the mall down the road and solve a long running dispute between the locals, adjacent restaurants, the council and the property owners about vehicle access. For an additional $300,000 to $400,000 they could purchase this property which I am told has an existing commercial building with toilets.
This property is the only one along the mall that requires vehicle access, which is the reason for the angst amongst the community.
I have heard the old couple who purchased the property some time ago say they have the legal right to access the road reserve and believes the the council is at fault and the cause of the situation.
I do however respect their view. Whether their version of the situation is correct or not, this matter needs to be resolved before someone is injured.
If the council was to purchase the property, they could utilise the existing toilets and use the commercial space as a permanent library saving the cost of the mobile library.
This is just one suggestion, but I am sure they could explore other opportunities.
I believe this would be a positive investment for ratepayers, resolving the cost of building toilets and the vehicle access problem.
In summary the locals aren’t happy and this just may be a way to resolve two issues at once.
Big Big flaw in your thinking, there, Bob.
Your suggestion is way, way too innovative, sensible and easily achievable to meet with any approval in Walker Street. Thinking outside the box is anathema in the Walker Street Hermit Kingdom.
Here’s an honest question to the many Nest readers who work at the council (no idle line, proof aplenty that many do). When you read Bob’s suggestion … be honest now … The Magpie will bet 100 to 1 that you immediately, without thinking and by reflex only, started running through of ways that the idea WOULDN’T be allowed. And another 100 to 1 bet, not one of you actually thought, ‘Good idea, let’s see if we can make it work’. (Of course, The ‘Pie does Mastt ‘The Major’ Richardson a disservice, he is known for his innovative, socially aware thinking on comunity matter.)
This negativity-by-rote also applies to the pessimistic regulars outside the council but inside the Nest.
Everything is always too fucking hard, some officious little Mr or Ms Pooter isn’t willing to look for how something could work (cf free park benches at Balgal Beach), but straight away believe it is their job to knock back such impertinent possibilities from those of us who don’t know their beloved rules.
Bob’s idea, and the Balgal Beach benches are just two of many ideas that it is the councillors job to put forward, workshop and assist as a liaison between bureaucracy and the community. Not heinous lazy ideas like parking meters on the Strand. Many proffered ideas will be obvious non-starters, but the dismissal mindset is will also consign good, workable ideas to the too hard basket without any examination at all.
These things don’t need to be discussed start to finish in council … just at the finish when a way forward has been hammered out … but there is little evidence this mob of lazy tit suckers are really earning their money in these ways that they should.
Harumph!!!
And again Pie, you’ve highlighted a problem that runs right through the Walker Street councillors tribe. They just don’t get off their oversized arses and take a regular wander around the very area and rate payers that they represent.
The key word here is ‘regular’ !!!
All of this bullshit with Twonames/who’s in charge/who’s fucking who over up in Walker Street occupies the minds of the councillors instead of getting on with their job. Ok, TCC meetings have to happen but seriously what the fuck do councillors do for the other 40 hours a week ?
Good ideas, problem solving, doing things better comes from getting out at the coalface and observing the problem and set about getting it solved.
Put the dunnies job on Maggie out to a wider tender audience and see what happens…same with the park bench issue.
You ask a very good question about what councillors do for the rest of 80 hours between meetings. Yes, there are committees to attend and (don’t laugh, this is serious) reply to constituents emails , letters and phone calls. Every fortnight, that would leave – let’s be generous here – 60 paid hours unaccounted for.
We all had a chortle back when TwoNames used to list his daily round (‘out of bed 6am, coffee to 6.30, feed goldfish 7.00, read a few more pages of The Art of the Deal 8.00, leave home to see if they’ll let me into the office, 9am ….)
.
One wonders if any councillor would care to regale us with something similar but more realistic … a typical day/week of their activities that merit their salary?
If you remember back to the days of people like Ray Gartrell people like him were always out in the community being seen and talking to people. The Hill years broke that connection with ratepayers.
Tend to agree with that, Ray (Haystack as he was known in the Magpie’s Bulletin column because of his ‘finger-in-a-live-socket’ hairstyle) was possibly the most personally popular councillor in the past 20 years.
And yes, you’re right about the connection being broken, which was caused one of the most insidious of the Hill leadershipstyle … councillors quickly learnt if they sympathised with and took constituents concerns to Jenny, they more often than not came away without even an excuse beyond ‘It doesn’t fit with Team Hill’s agenda’. So they went into their shells and started avoiding any real contact.
At least with this current council, that has changed with several but not all councillors.
Jatz, there is one conspicuous exception to your claim about councillors isolation from their constituents. It’s a good while since I attended one of those MIRRA meetings on Maggie Island but I know for a fact that Jenny Hill and/or Ann-Maree Greaney fronted up there month after month for years and copped whatever was thrown at them. Council staff too (and state and federal pollies from time to time). I hear that Greaney was given a right old workout last Saturday so no one can claim she’s ducked for cover in the midst of this bunfight over Deputy Mayor, or Picnic Bay toilets. If people think being a councillor in Townsville is a cakewalk for easy money why aren’t they nominating? Not enough time in their busy day I suppose?
There would need to be all sorts of inspections and certifications regarding asbestos and other nasties, then it would need to comply with the DDA requirements, since it will be a public building, then there will be QFDA requirements as it transitions to a public building.
there is no end to the Bureaucracy
Which department in the council do you work in Asbestos?
I had a friend who looked at purchasing that building for a backpackers when it was for sale. He couldn’t get bridging finance at the time.
The building is made from besser blocks and the only asbestos was on the eaves which wasn’t a big deal to remove.
In any case it wouldn’t be the only public building containing asbestos as you know, including the Magnetic Island Emergency Clinic which is owned by the state government.
Your exactly the type of person referred to by magpie when he responded to this idea.
Last week Twonames V TCC and others was due for mention in the Industrial Court.
Is there any news of the outcome, and where does one look to follow this matter if it proceeds?
Suggest you ring the award winning Bulletin, they’ll be on top of it. Eventually.
You people wanted twonames gone so it happen now you got a guy that was team Hill. That is labor now in charge of the city. Thanks to the wombat troy thompson.jacob got to go and I dont care who runs it. I just looked up the register of interest on the ecq website. It tells you their who is with who. May pay to check it out.
Merry Christmas all.
Sounds like you’ve already started on the egg nog, Donny.
Saying Jacob was on team Hill misses the point that he went against the team, was ostracized for it and ran against them in this year’s election.
Labor isn’t running the council (don’t have the numbers) and is not a monolith (Liam Mooney is on team Greaney and doesn’t really count as Labor, he’s not a true believer despite his lineage).
The Maghpie bags first dibs on claiming a new coinage … LINO!!! Labor In Name Only.
‘Yes, yes, pinched from the MAGAcrowd who called any Republicans’ who differed from their fascist line as RINOs … Republicans in name only.
Sorry, I have such a dislike for Trump and MAGAnauts that I cannot possibly allow you to credit even a small piece of wit and humour to them:
Origin of “RINO”
The phrase became first popularized during the Theodore Roosevelt presidency, as he was often labeled a “Republican in name only” by both critics and proponents, as his trust-busting policies were at odds with long-standing Republican Party ideologies.
It’s not a surprise Roosevelt would later start the Progressive Party and run for president under its banner in 1912.
The term became more popular in the 1990s and has been employed to target those seen as compromising too easily with Democrats or supporting policies that are at odds with conservative orthodoxy.
Source: https://politicaldictionary.com/words/rino/
No to Cr Batkovic, simply a Jenny Hill puppet, the questions come from inside the labor faction. The last thing we need is the basketballer on the bench, no thank you. Greaney needs to zip it until April 12, let Jacob’s do his 12 months, and council to stabilise, or they’ll all be gone.
Food trucks refused to be filmed at the MIRRA where 70 of us attended, we issued a vote of no confidence on her, and she could not answer our questions, we were treated as second class citizens. The meeting was adjourned as our chair Cameron was stuck defending Greaney the whole time. It was recorded, and will get a play leading up to the vote on the 17th.
The confidential session was around the org structure by Joe, Van from communities may be gone, and Matt’s jobs up for grabs, let’s hope that ego maniac doesn’t get voted in,
No to Cr Batkovic, No to Cr Greaney, No to Matt Richardson, 3 strikes… Mr Crisafulli will be stepping up this week, council may be put in to stare appointed administration, a Christmas miracle.
The ‘Pie finds it interesting that you use ‘basketballer’ as a veiled insult and suggestion of unsuitability.
You appparently have not caught with theb fact that sport nowadays is big business, and the elite levels are awash with exetrnal training in everything from psychology, leadership and team work. The only thing Greaney could claim is maybe a teenage soccer goalie role, where she had a 100% record … nothing could get passed her.
Batkovic is a Hill puppet, nothing more Pie. She’s rude, obnoxious, so many people I know don’t like her, she’s labor and team Hill through and through. She should take the basketball Australia role she has been offered, the shoe fits.
I can tell you Thompson signed off on Prins, with legal advice externally and Sewell & Bligh, it’ll stay quiet. But it may of been the lesser of 2 evils, the debts from his leadership are spiralling.
The ‘Pie’s take on Clr Batkovic are based solely on her performance in council, I’ve never met her or hand much discussion about her.
The deleted section of your comment has been filed for future reference. The Magpie has been looking into that aspect of things for other reasons.
Hey Les Walker, how many voting members at the Maggie meeting and how many cookers raised their hands in the vote of no confidence?
1 last thought do you think the LNP could be behind the spill in council. Just a thought I see the premier name being thrown around here.. im.sure he don’t want a Labor person running the city.
(Sigh) So why then would he engineer a spill, even if he could? You’re looking. at the wrong party. And whatever you’re looking at, you’re probably seeing double, lay of that bloody egg nog, mate.
L
Great blog ‘Pie. Great observation re Ma Greaney and her use of a thesaurus. If you pay attention to Greaney’s contributions in council meetings, that is all she ever does, she finds a line she understands in a report and synonymizes the line in the form of a question to a staff member. The answer is always a yes with a chuffed laugh from Greaney that she understands something she has to vote on, and she generally does this as the last thing spoken on the agenda item as if to have the last word on the matter. That is unless the agenda item has dollar figures in it, then she knows to keep quiet, else she will have removed all doubt of the fool she is.
Greaney is a complete poser and so much wants to be more relevant despite missing the skills necessary for higher office. Yes, that higher office includes deputy mayor.
As for Suzy Bat, it’s a shame she treated the late Fran so poorly, otherwise I’d support her more. But she proved to be a bully then, and someone like that does not deserve higher office either.
Batkovic is a bully.
Greaney got another vote of no confidence, the second time around on the island. And with the meters, she’s hit a wall, it’s all ego now.
It would be better to let Jacob see out this period, Robinson is looking at putting his hand up in April. Greaney wants to get in earlier.
Christ, Robinson! We want stability not to get bored to death.
Boring in as much as a couple of hours every fortnight is fine by The ‘Pie if he could get the job done. Whether that’s possible is difficult to judge.
But who knows ….
If there is a new mayoral election I hope Harry Patel stands again!
Voted for him last time to get his deposit back, this time I will because he doesn’t have a made up profile or is a stalking horse for some behind the scenes mover!
And alas in Townsville when I say this I’m not joking (sigh)
Dazza if Harry Patel is the best option we have next time around we are truly fucked. Harry may not have a made up profile, but he has been persistently flogging the same dead horse for many years.
Dazza, what ever you’re smoking…STOP IT !
Boris used them, Morrison used them, Crisafulli used them, now Dutton is using them. They specialise in “emotionally charged messaging aimed at unlocking voters’ “arousal emotions”, such as anger, excitement, pride and fear.” Be careful believing what you see and hear.
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2024/12/07/exclusive-dutton-hires-morrisons-disinformation-team
Except in the Nest, you forgot to add.
I’ve read some questionable assertions in the Nest.
Yes, comments from you are a worry aren’t they?
Magpie. I applaud your reply to Bob’s comments regarding the toilet block and the mall situation at Picnic Bay.
I don’t think anyone could have articulated the councils reaction to Bob’s suggestion any better.
His idea is certainly worth pursuing and would certainly be a win for the community and tourism. A grant may also be possible given the benefits.
Except that the Picnic Bay toilets are costing ratepayers nothing. The State is putting up the $900,000.
That would be those ratepayers who don’t pay tax who not being charged anything?
OMG So the TCC can’t even fund a toilet block. Ha ha ha ha
Jenny. Your statement doesn’t add up.
I believe Greaney stated that the council has put aside money in the budget to fund the toilets.
If your comments are correct, then you have just exposed another lie.
I think it was reported here in the ‘Nest before that funding for the new toilets was set aside in a previous TCC budget but then siphoned off to some other (more politically pressing?) project. Then the State came to Council’s rescue. No idea how or when the $900,000 figure came about. Guess they just put it out to tender and that’s what they got back. What is a councillor supposed to do when their own administration creates these numbers and asks them to approve that expenditure – as happened with those council property leases and community grants discussed at the last meeting.
Just thinking about that issue.
The ‘Pie is more and more of the mind that this is either an error (one nought too many) or someone being mischievous. Put simply, The ‘Pie cannot conceive of even a far fetched argument that could go close to justifying that figure.
Anyone got a copy of any council document that names this figure, or, if one commenter is correct and this super-dunny is being fundednot by the TCC but by the state, anything from that quarter to show the figure is genuine.
I know a good lawyer that Suzie can use if ever she requires legal advice. He is an articulate, clever, and very Townsville experienced person. I’m sure Suzie has this persons contact details. He is an Elder in local industry.
Ch 7 6pm news out of Brisbane just ran a story claiming to show where the highest youth offending was occuring in Qld.
At each pointer around the state , which they vaguely referred to, they gave a total number of offences with the number of repeat offenders under that.
As they referred to an area , boxes appeared on the right with writing so small and smudged you would need an electron microscope to read it as it flashed past. I think they listed and obscured the type of crimes to fit the youth crime story line.
They did show white people who may or may not have been under 18 in the clips.
Pretty shoddy.
Electron just as shoddy as yesterday’s Queensland government’s media release on which suburbs these entitled untouchables are hitting. Only problem is, media release heading says suburbs but no suburbs are mentioned in the body of the media release. To make it worse, there’s no link to where these suburb statistics can be found. What are they hiding.
https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/101697
C,
What are they hiding?
Their competence.
Oh stop it… the government aren’t hiding anything. The word is obfuscation.
Yes without knowing exactly what crimes they’re counting it’s hard to make anything from this reporting.
Also, as always, the rate is more important than the basic number.
A mate of mine is the GM at a coal fired power station. He reckons that due to the push for renewables and the phasing out of coal and gas, our electricity bills are going to continue rising up. The logistics of building more transmission towers, adapting infrastructure to accomodate hydrogen, solar, and wind technology is going to cost us hundreds of billions over the next 10 years. He said the ‘cheaper electricity’ spiel from Blackout Bowen and Co is the largest pile of horse shit known to man. He said we are well and truly fucked.
Well, yes, he may have a point but we need to remember he has a personal interest in his views.
On the other hand Pie, he is actually in the game, knows the rules and understands how everything fits together.
In the long run, I believe we’re better off with solar energy and batteries. Here’s why: Fossil fuels, for example, generate more heat than usable energy—around 70% of the energy from fuels like petrol is lost as heat. Solar power, on the other hand, captures heat and directly converts it into electricity, which seems far more efficient. The same logic applies to electric vehicles (EVs)—they use about 90% of their energy for propulsion, whereas petrol cars waste around 70% as heat. Another factor to consider is the number of moving parts. A petrol vehicle has around 30,000 moving parts, while an electric vehicle only has about 3,000. The same principle applies to power stations versus solar farms—fewer moving parts mean fewer things that can break down. As the saying goes, “The best part to not fail is the one that isn’t there.” Fewer components lead to greater reliability and less maintenance.
I know we’re still in the early stages of renewable energy, but looking ahead, I think they are a better option for the country. We could continue selling coal to other countries, while shifting towards cleaner, more efficient energy sources at home.
The above is a perfect example of the naive, simplistic, ignorant thought processes employed by the radical greens. Or its just shit stirring. I thought even TC would be smart enough to realise that if this was actually true we would be 100% solar already. If wishes were horses, beggars would ride
The only other alternative to renewables is nuclear energy, which I wholeheartedly support. But I don’t believe the LNP will have the necessary skills to bring that to fruition. More than likely a Labor government down the road will succeed with implementing nuclear.
Fuck off, Not Jenny.
Jenny, youv’e gotta be joking. The Labour party couldn’t run a Piss-up in a Brewery !!!
Wollo, that is a very old and lame analogy. Try something more modern, or something mildly humorous.
And may The ‘Pie suggest you take your own advice, Jenny.
Labor Party. We are not in England.
Jenny, how about a “shit fight in a piggery” which is probably more appropriate.
It would be a fair bet that if nuclear power is to be a starter, it will be federally manadated and the states will be sidelined. Which is probably the best and only way to have a coherent power policy.
I am not against Nuclear it just seems a stupid option for Australia. Like Hydrogen cars, I can not see any point. The only purpose can be to create an industry that charges people by the $$$$ instead of a one off purchase of solar or batteries.
Tropical Cyclone , two of the biggest car companies BMW + Toyota have been working collaboratively on hydrogen cars and have cars on the road being tested as we message .
Correct Mike … but that is far from making them viable. There are big question marks over the financial viability of the entire hydrogen industry, are there not?
whilst at the same times working on EV’s and claiming not to be. “Even as we make a variety of investments, we’ll work to improve our technological capabilities and lower costs,” president Koji Sato said. Toyota is currently building up production of EVs and batteries, mainly in Japan and the US, as well as plug-in hybrids.
He’s obviously talking his own book!
Mitch’s suggestion that suspended Mayor may have signed off on Prin’s overpayment on the advice of the chief legal officer and the former In House counsel is interesting. If this is correct, then it explains the council’s reason for concealing the information.
I am however puzzled why Mr Bligh never got the golden handshake after many years service for the TCC.
Who said he didn’t?
If the Mullet signed off on Prins’ golden handshake benefit fund, wouldn’t Batfink leave it alone instead of pushing it further and further? Or has Mr Stinky let it out to Mullet that TwoNames signed off on it?
Not sure why you narrowed down possible sources of that information … Walker Street has more leaks that the stadium at half time in a Cowboys match.
The democratic mayor is at it again, posting on Facebook and trying to get people involved in supporting his move to have an administrator brought in and the Counsellors removed. He also rambles on about team Hill blah blah blah. Nutjob taking daily potshots from the sideline. Troy, just go away ya knob.
Councillors.
Counsellors are most definitely required. More likely psychiatrists.
Ball bag ‘ya knob’ ??? That’s a bit close to home isn’t it ?
All you sooks moaning about team Hill and Labor – whinge whinge whinge. Well you’ve got the LNP in power now, your wish has been granted, and already the razor gang is trimming everything it can get its hands on. Forget the remnants of team Hill, your current crew of incompetents and fruitcake Mayor Thompson are a greater concern. Under Hill you didn’t have calls for administrators to be brought in and neither was there a need for a state Nanny to be brought in.
Under Hill, you didn’t have calls for anything that Jenny didn’t want called. And no wonder.
The council couldn’t organise a root in a brothel. Perhaps they could get Paul Pisasale up here for that. He would certainly get on with the Ipswich developers who followed the donations corruption up here .
I really don’t understand why everyone is fixated on the Picnic Bay Mall. I have fond memories of it, but it’s over, just like the old Flinders St Mall.
There is one commercial building at one end, a pub at the other end and nothing in between. Hardly justification for a mall.
They should change the name to the ‘Ghost Mall’ The place is a disgrace! Most of the street lights don’t work, and in fact a rusted one fell on the the middle of the road last week which could have easily killed someone. These are council street lights and Ergon was called to disconnect it because no one from council was available.
There is not enough return for commercial property on the mall, and the reason why a developer built 4 units on the corner and that shop where that old couple live is vacant.
Anymore shops along the mall would dilute the profits of existing ones.
The TCC has watched businesses leave Picnic Bay or go broke since the ferry left and has done absolutely nothing.
This includes Mrs Greaney who allows food vans everywhere around the island that don’t have to pay rent or rates and get away with the need for expensive grease traps.
Magnetic Island anyway does not have the population or visitors to support more shops and businesses. When someone starts up another one closes.
The ferry doesn’t however go to Horseshoe Bay but it remains busy. Why is that?
The answer is simple and history is proof. The reason for the demise of the Picnic Bay Mall and associated shops is because the council left the ‘ NO ENTRY’ signs up at either end of the street when the ferry moved.
Horeshoe Bay is best suited to a Mall, but I would bet my life savings that businesses there would not agree because of the consequences.
Re the old couple using the mall for access.
They drive past one restaurant and one block of units to the nearest street. 40 metres! Does the self interest of one commercial property override a persons right to drive into their residence like every other citizen in Australia.? I believe the section of the community and the councils’s hardline approach to these people is disgraceful,
Nelly, your heart is certainly in the right place, but perhaps your head – as in reasoning – isn’t.
You say: ‘I really don’t understand why everyone is fixated on the Picnic Bay Mall.’
And then you go on to detail to list the EXACT reasons why the Picnic Bay Mall should be a top topic on this blog, on the island and for councillors’ inboxes.
The ‘Pie too remembers the popular, much-loved waterfront mall with magnificent trees just metres from the beach and the busy little tourist hub of shops, the pub and eateries. It was callous but typical council/government decision to move ALL the ferry services along the coast and kill a thriving small centre stone dead – instead of protecting decades-old businesses by making at least three of the daily ferry trips continue via Picnic (do not believe the hokum that the jetty was or is about to fall down of its own volition). Picnic Bay could have remained the boutique village with a golf course and scenic access that it once was.
And it still could be.
Instead of spending speculative tens – nay hundreds – of millions on things like proposed distant airfields, a highly tenuous eco hub-in-the-scrub or four million dollar tin sheds on Castle Hill (which earns absolutely fuck all back … it’s not even rateable and is a disgraceful standing joke against bureaucracy and Jenny Hill), a fraction of that money could have fixed up the PB jetty, repaired neglected infrastructure and attracted new (very rateable) businesses. It could gradually return to what Flinders Mall should be, a thriving buzzy magnet. All without damaging but rather enhancing the other island hubs.
Magnetic Island is nationally more instantly recognisable and certainly more desirable than Townsville as a tourist destination, and Picnic Bay has the added value being able to revive its historic reputation as the favourite weekend getaway from Townsville residents.
This is the sort of thinking that is now needed on an independent council which has been in the thrall of uninspired, self interested politics and the grey grim-faced army of box ticking, uninvolved time serving public servants that enable them. And Picnic Bay and Magnetic Island certainly needs a champion to push its claim to reclaim some glory.
This is another sad story of this city, its council and state government knowing the price of everything and the value of nothing. (And their not to hot on knowing the price of everything either.)
The first person to suggest they already have a champion in TEL will be banned from the Nest on grounds of mental instability.
Pie good comment about Picnic Bay and the thriving Mall that used to be there. When I lived in Mt Isa I used to Regularly stay at Picnic Bay at Dunoon resort and I would get up at daylight and walk down to the Mall and have a swim and wait for the first Ferry to come in with the Bulletin and sit on the seats, read the paper and relax.The Mall had several shops a Post Office a fantastic Chinese take-away and another restuarant down the end. With the Pub there what more would you want? Then they took away the ferry and that was it . What a shame, but don’t worry when the council builds the $900,00 shithouse that will bring the tourists back in droves for sure.!
Back in ye olden days, a couple of the ferry runs included a stop at Arcadia. It was very handy when there was a good Sunday session happening at the pub and you only had to stagger over the road to jump on board.
Nowadays, thdre be about 35 diffderent nanny states rules that wouldn’t allow such dangerous irresponsible fun.
Magpie, elsewhere you asked about the Council notice for the Picnic Bay toilets. It was a November update:
“Picnic Bay Public Amenities Renewal $900,000
As part of this renewal, Council will demolish and construct new amenities, including:
• one accessible facility
• two ambulant facilities
• two standard toilets.
We will share information regarding the timeframes, scheduling, traffic management, demolition, and construction activities closer to project commencement. Weather permitting, we expect work to commence in April 2025 and be completed by June 2025.
This project is proudly funded by the Queensland Government’s Works for Queensland program.”
There is no itemising so it is not possible to know how much the “demolition” will cost (unknown ground contamination, asbestos, all material returned to mainland?), is the cost of removal of the nearby ‘temporary buildings’ (to Townsville?) included, are sewerage system upgrades required, will there be ‘traffic management’ every day for two months? So many questions.
And even if all those questions are answered,Jenny, there is no way that the cost will add up to $900k. That amount is openly ridiculous, tenders should be put out again with a warning for rorters and bureaucratic box-ticking pen pushers to stay away.
And while we’re here, there is another question you didn’t include, Jen … what in this supposedly transparent council universe in
• one accessible facility
• two ambulant facilities
• two standard toilets.
These arsesoles deliberately write this way to make elements of a modest structure sound important and beyond the reach of those with a clever-dick engineering degree.
AT $900,000, IT HAD FUCKING BETTER BE ACCESSIBLE.
Here’s a leaked photo of the public servant media experts meeting to discuss the wording for the Picnic Bay bog holes press release.
And The Magpie has been leaked a portion of the discussion on the matter. Tarquin (top right in photo) and Jacinta (middle left) were leading the discussion before breaking for a two hour lunch.
Tarquin:“I think we should include the fact that we have duly considered the use of autoclaved aerated concerte, as was demonstrated to us on our three month study tour of Finland, Sweden and Norway, but while initially included in possibilities, was precluded on consideration of the variant temperature between Scandinavia and Yunbenun Island (as Magnetic Island will shortly designated). So the structure has now been conceived to be constructed from oblong rectangles of cement, sand, fly ash, gravel, and/or lava rock if available, but the inclusion of recycled post-consumer glass, shredded plastic granules and similar materials as requested by the Greens may not be possible. Appropriately certified operatives will stack this as directed by the firm of architects on site, after licensed Bobcat drivers and plumbers have completed their site preparation. This will only be done after Parks and Wildlife officers have ascertained the absence of the Tinkling Fluffy-Backed Tit-Babbler (last sighted somewhere close as recently as 1932), and local aboriginal elders have completed their examination of the site for sacred relics and spare change, which they agreed to do for $10,000 fee. The debris will be removed to the mainland for examination for asbestos, contaminants and/or traces of the remains of Juanita Nielsen.
That should keep the public dorks busy working that out, eh?
Jacinta: Bit long, isn’t it? Why don’t we just say it will be two toilets in a breeze block dunny.
Tarquin: You’re new to this aren’t you, Jacinta?
The reason this is $900,000 is that the previous State Government provided the funding. In their la la land $900k for a crapper is fine along with $800k for a footpath, $2.8m for a fishing platform, they plucked the figures out of the air to make sure that their union mates and camp dogs like Wagners got their fist-fulls.
It’s nearly lunchtime and I don’t want to miss Tarquin and Jacinta (I’m picking them up off the ferry at the Breakwater) but if you think ” . . . there is no way that the cost will add up to $900k”, I need to introduce you to the people writing the invoices for the Haughton2 pipeline. They would have graduated around the time Julia Gillard was building school halls and they haven’t looked back.
Get what you’re saying, and yes, The ‘Pie would have better expressed by saying ‘justify the cost’.
Not Standing for Mayor, I know this is extending the topic a bit but imagine if the Crisafulli government decided, against the odds, to re-open the debate about a concert hall for Townsville. Imagine they got everyone to agree with the Magpie and others and put the thing in the best possible location with all the right seat numbers and parking and design parameters and proximity to this hotel, that bridge and the other whatever. And they put it out to consultants Peter, Paul and Mary for a price, knowing that the Feds would put up (say) $100m and TCC would provide the land. What do you reckon the 2025 price tag should be? Liberal, Labor or Dingbats – how do you rate a quotation? And what percentage would you expect to add for ‘contingencies’ given what we know already about price overruns on big government construction projects? I don’t think “Labor” has a monopoly on budget fuckups.
Hi magpie just heads up Phil batty aka mark batty from myplace and he runs that stupid network nq freedom network.
And advice about heads for you, “Don Lane’ …. take your own out of your arse.
The sensationalist dimwit who spruiks mostly nonsense on the misnamed Freedom Network is Mark Batts, who has the understandable nickname Batty. He is the one who fed Thomson leading a questions that unintentionally led to the public lies about his military career.
Phil Batty is a retired international business executive, well educated, literate and with wide understanding of the real world. And politics. Phil takes wrong-doing by public officials and elected representatives very seriously, and provides proof of his claims, rather than theories and confabulation. Phil was interviewed by Batts about his (now partially successful) running dispute with the Whitsunday council, but that is the only connection that The ‘Pie is aware of. (The technically poor interview was run after The Magpie had run the same reports.)
Batts was clearly all at sea with Phil’s forensic dissection of wrongdoings that had occurred in the WRC.
This blog has many smart readers with insightful information, mostly well researched and accurate his now .
You, “Don Lane aka ???? …. are not one of them.
The pickled walnut has failed in his attempt to have Lachlan declared as the only Don for the Murdoch mafia empire. Boohoo how sad.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12-10/rupert-murdoch-fails-in-bid-to-change-family-trust/104705816
There should be a special exemption for the title of that entity … it should surely be the Murdoch Distrust.
Given the tragic state of the Astonisher, this is sort of, (I said sort of) a local issue. ‘Pie, what long term changes to ethics and journalism in Murdoch papers after the old prune is gone?
Absolutely nothing, unless the current editorial policy is costing them money and readers. That could result in a sell-off … one hopes there is a consortium in the wings to grab the Astonisher if that happens.
But there might be a major change if James ever gets to be in charge … he’s the white sheep in the black Murdoch flock.
TCC Media Release 10th Dec
Townsville Enterprise to lead the future of major events attraction
Townsville Enterprise is set to take on major events for the city in a new partnership with Townsville City Council that will bolster Townsville’s reputation as the major events capital of northern Australia.
The decision comes off the back of Council approving the Townsville Events Strategy 2024-27 late last year.
Acting Mayor Paul Jacob said the partnership would position Townsville as the home of major events and involve Townsville Enterprise setting up a dedicated events advisory panel.
“In years gone by Council and Townsville Enterprise have worked hand-in-hand to secure major events like Pink, Multisport World Championships, Matildas, International Rugby, State of Origin and recently the Killers, for Townsville,” Cr Jacob said.
“This new formalised partnership will see Council hand over the reins when it comes to attracting and managing future major events so Council can focus on delivering services to our community.
“We know major events connect communities, grows community pride and showcases North Queensland on a national stage with a global spotlight, so by getting everyone in the same room with a vested interest in bringing world-class events to Townsville, I know we’re going to see some spectacular events on the horizon.
“Townsville Enterprise already does a terrific job at marketing and advocating for our region, so it just makes sense they can grow as an organisation and widen their scope when it comes to bringing events to our city.
“While Townsville Enterprise will handle bidding for and managing major event contracts, Council will still play a vital role in providing funding for beloved community events across the region.”
Townsville Enterprise Chief Executive Claudia Brumme-Smith said events attraction work will have a few key steps in the transition including establishing an events advisory panel, the creation of a competitive bid fund, management of a coordinated events calendar and promoting and leveraging the events opportunities.
“Events are a critical investment not only into attracting tourists to our beautiful city, but they also play a critical role in attracting and retaining our workforce,” Ms Brumme-Smith said.
“We saw with P!nk, and the Killers that events have an unparalleled ability help boost our shoulder and low tourism seasons, they are a billboard for promotion of our city and they drive strong community pride.”
Ms Brumme-Smith said the partnership with Council and the establishment of a events advisory panel would ensure Townsville is put on the national map when it comes to having the ability to entice, bid for, create and deliver major events to the city.
“With the advisory panel made up of industry experts we will be able to streamline and fast-track the way we put ourselves forward to prospective events. Additionally, we can bring the best creative minds together to ensure we are creating home-grown events that showcase this region and deliver long-term economic outcomes,” Ms Brumme-Smith said.
“Enticing and bidding for events is extremely competitive, and when we’re up against capital cities from around Australia and the world, we must put our best foot forward and act with agility – giving us a competitive advantage nationally.
“The intention is that in years to come we will be able to grow our bid-fund and bring some truly spectacular events to Townsville, so I’m really looking forward to seeing Townsville Enterprise take on this important role.“
Townsville Enterprise is set to take over Major Events from January 1, 2025.
Is that approved Events Strategy available to the public?
This is another disaster looming unless some real professionals step in.
Who would you consider professionals on this field?
wrong question … who should consider NOT professional in this field.
First cab of the rank is Lisa Woolfe.
Pie, Ma Greaney could be on that committee. After all she’s had 20 years experience. 10 years with Dolan in events. But seriously Jamie Fitzpatrick would be useful on that board.
And there she was, front & centre making the big announcement. You betcha that she wants a spot on that board.
Mr. Magpie,
FYI
https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/os-data-2/townsvilleenterprise-com-au/documents/townsville_events_strategy_blueprint_final.pdf
Thanks.
Magpie
Have a look here but have a stiff drink before reading it
https://townsville.civicclerk.com.au/web/UserControls/pdf/web/DocPDFWrapper.aspx?ad=6950&token=5aea5c2c-9e79-469a-8ee0-f467faa60dd2
I read it, all 12 pages unless you take out the cover and back pages, then all the half page pretty pictures then the pages with hardly anything on them it was an enthralling read.
Signed off in November 23 with a mandate or KPI of 20-25 “Major” events per year.
Had a look on the TEL events calendar…..nothing, had a look on other Townsville event calendars..nothing…..not a single major event in the foreseeable future.
20-25 Major events per year with “significant” investment per event.
This will not be fun to watch.
Not.
This document is so staggeringly juvenile, a buzz word gallimaufry of ‘aspirational’ meaningless twaddle. This is not a serious document produced by serious people, and it must be called out if this council is to have any credibility at all.
Here page 2 setting the agenda (‘mission’), chock full of WTF phrases like ‘significant scale and awareness’, ‘widespread community pride’ ‘meet community expectations’
Worst of all, it is not clear to whom this meaningless vague garbage is aimed, but the sad alarming suspicion is that it is meant for the Townsville public – which means it really has no purpose at all other than give the appearance of doing something. And the other thing: this wording just drips with proof that is a hangover remnant of the Jenny Hill era, formulated in the arrogant belief of re-election and continuing incompetent rorts.
This decision should set off every alarm bell in Townsville. Attracting major events is the domain of a particular skill set, not sure who in TEL has these skills or who on the advisory board (yet to be named) would have them either.
The biggest fear and biggest hurdle by a country mile is who signs off on the incentive payments to secure these events?
Does each one go to council (COC of course lol) to be voted upon?
Surely TEL cannot allocate and spend possibly millions of ratepayers dollars?
What dollars have been budgeted and allocated to this strategy? Has that gone through council? What proposal led to the sign off, if indeed there has been one?
I could go on and on but you get the drift. BEWARE
good points
the board members will be very interesting. Actually the most interesting part of the announcement.
If you go to the funding page it states for community events..$5,000- $50,000 which already applies and then under major events it says ” undefined . I don’t think that is a good idea for a Council rolling in debt to be getting into the events promotor business.They should leave it up to professionals to carry the risk and not the ratepayers.
Sweet Baby Jeezus what a clusterfuck in the making. Moving events from the mildly incompetent council team to the screamingly incompetent Dudleys is a recipe for disaster.
Chief shit stirrer and serial pest Thompson has posted on Facebook again. This time he is pushing the topic of council whistleblowers. He manages to throw Prins under the bus and then he again highlights how he (Thompson) has been bullied and is seeking mental health care. This bloke never gives up does he.
SPRUNG … too clever by half you dildo. hahahahaha … what a fuckwit. You can’t even remember what name you used three hours ago.
dissociative identity disorder?
A sort of DID I or DIDn’t I question, really.
Does a name really matter? Elusive Butterfly changes names every few months. It’s the content that counts. Lots of posters around here have various user handles old boy.
That’s all well known but they’re not dense enough to post the same comment under different names, tends to suggest a level of intelligence not to be trusted, wouldn’t you agree?
Maybe I consumed too many ales and got confused? Or perhaps I have been knocked in the head many times like Twonames? Or is it just good ol Alzheimer’s?
On past performances, all of the above.
Another nail in the coffin for hydrogen! Kawasaki Heavy Industries have just backed down from a scheme to produce Hydrogen from Yarra Valley Vic. brown coal.They were gonna pump it 150 klms. to port and then load it on their specially designed ship bound for Japan.This hair-brained scheme was funded by $50million from both the Federal and Victorian Government and $2.35 from the Japanese Government.They came to the conclusion that they could not do it by the 2030 deadline and packed their bento boxes and got on their ship and went home.Another waste of money on a green dream..Twiggy Forrest coudn’t make it work either. Did anybody mention Hydrogen and Landsdown ???
Haven’t had time to look for the relevant link, butv a previous commenter has pointed out that hydrogen is on the ropes because it costs $1.50 – half a much again – to produce a dollar’s worth of hydrogen.
Wollo. There is no coal in the Yarra Valley. You must be thinking of somewhere else.
N A W, You might be right but I was only quoting the story from A.B.C. news website. If you are right then that explains why the stupid Japs couldn’t produce any hydrogen. I bet the Samuri Swords will out for them when they get back home with ann empty ship.
Wollo, they probably meant LaTrobe Valley
Yep, The ‘Pie hasn’t detected any coal dust in the back palate in the Yarra Burn NV bubbly rose.
Back in the good old days the Townsville Bulletin partnered with Maggie Island residents to save the Picnic Bay jetty.
The Labor council wanted to demolish it, but we organised a protest on the jetty and not only did most of the island residents turn up, boats (yachts and tinnies) surrounded the jetty. The protest was covered by national and local news and the council quickly decided to repair the jetty rather than demolish it.
Yes, the council wasn’t consulting with local residents even back then.
I still get a warm and fuzzy feeling when I go to Picnic Bay and see families fishing, and kids jumping, from the jetty.
As for the Picnic Bay Mall, it’s been neglected for years. Cr Greaney obviously doesn’t think it is important, but surely one day she and TEL will realise that Maggie Island is Townsville’s premier tourist attraction – by a country mile.
With the honorable exception of the excellent Billabong Sanctuary, it is about the city’s ONLY tourist attraction.
I’ve been following the debate for a while, and I feel the need to respond. It seems like you’re steering this conversation based on ideology, while I’m coming at it from a perspective grounded in physics, chemistry, geography, and mechanics. The logic of solar energy in Queensland is simply a fact—there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, but the arguments in favor of solar here are solid. There are certainly valid points to consider when it comes to power generation mix, but you haven’t put any of them forward. Instead, it’s just the same philosophical rhetoric without addressing the practical aspects.Right -left or left -right you are all the same pigs eating from different troughs.
Care to tell us who that was meant to reply to. Doesn’t have any context as a stand-alone waffle.
Long time lurker
TC not sure how you translated my musings as being idealogical? I’m energy agnostic. I don’t really give a toss either way whether the electrons delivered when I flick the switch are derived from wind, solar, nuclear, gas or penguin farts. What I do care about is 1. that when I flick said switch they come bounding joyously out to do their stuff, regardless of time of day 2. that they are there in sufficient quantity to meet my needs from boiling and egg to running numerous aircons, 3. I get to choose which appliance I turn on, not the power company, 4. My aged granny doesn’t have to choose between eating and heating/cooling because she can’t afford both anymore, 5. there is sufficient generation available to meet peak demand all day, every day, everywhere and 6. there is enough redundancy in the system to cope with planned and unplanned outages. If you had properly read my previous posts you would have understood I advocate a mix of technologies; in particular solar/wind generation to be utilised when conditions suit. BUT this has to be backed up by a stable, controllable, predictable means to generate base load or peaking
power (such as coal/gas/nuclear) when they don’t. To pretend I argued anything else you are either a fool or a charlatan.
anyone advocating nuclear in Australia is just pushing an idealistic agenda. thats you longtime lurker
hahahaha … ands The Greens aren’t?
Susie B and Foodtruck Greaney are conceited bullies. They were/are Hilll acolytes and they follow the Labor mantra. I rate neither of them. Get rid of this council and appoint an administrator. Start fresh. Get rid of the legacy dross and the new incompetents that make up the current council and lets start back at the beginning. This council is truly fucked. It’s a joke. We are a laughing stock and we are busted ass broke. Ratepayers deserve better. John Oberhardt, do your fucking job mate.
First, it is not up to Nanny McPhee to sack anyone, let alone a duly elected council.
Then there is the issue of personality, which is secondary to getting the job done, and the town’s reputation back on track. Who you rate is a conceit in thinking swe care or give it any weight … because you have no influence and do not give any real evidentiary reason why there should be a wholesale sacking … that can only follow, not precede, proof.
But the most important thing that shoots that suggestion down is just who will, put their hands up to replace the current crop, and more importantly, are they electable.
(The Magpie has a new policy. All comments from or supporting Troy Thompson will be named as coming from him.)
John Oberhardt would be aware of what’s going on and he won’t be treading water, all councillors are on notice, as is the executive. I have noticed Joe goes to him often to ask about process. Maybe it’d be better to keep John for oversight and appoint an administrator externally, removing the executive and councillors completely. Time to stop anything that is council norm.
Chief shit stirrer and serial pest Twonames Thompson has posted on Facebook again. This time he is pushing the topic of council whistleblowers. He manages to throw Prins under the bus and then he again highlights how he (Thompson) has been bullied and is seeking mental health care. This bloke never gives up does he.
Did he mention that opr if as mayor at the time of Prins departure, he signed off on the thieving extra payout?
Perhaps someone with a Facebook account (I don’t) put the question to him on his public Facebook page.
Terrific to;
A. See his answer, or
B. See how long the question stays up.
He alludes to this in a post yesterday. Scoffs at all the “carry-on over overpayment of executive staff under deeds of separation” and claims the fuss raised over the payments is all a Labor/Jenny Hill diversion conspiracy. I thought he’d been uncharacteristically silent on the matter but being the big mouthed blow-hard he is… pretty much confirmed that it was him. Just can’t help himself.
(The Magpie has a new policy. All comments from or supporting Troy Thompson will be named as coming from him.)
I/he did. The CEO stated in the last meeting the mayor signs off. And given it had legal counsel internally and externally, it won’t be made completely public for the reason the lawyers will be implicated. I do think it’s a nothing story though, if the Haughton blowout is $300M+, the payout means little, good to see the back of Prins. Now there’s proper policy, it can’t happen again. Do you think if the council is investigated, that the exCEO may have to pay back monies if he’s misappropriated public funds.
Oh you naughty boy Twonames, posting dribble on the Magpie’s Nest. You are trying minimise your role in signing off on Ralston’s generous payout and additional money. You like deflections don’t you? Obviously you were very keen to see the back of the Prince and you hoped to appoint a mate to the CEO role who would support you 100%, hence the payout. He he he instead you got Joe McCabe. Things haven’t quite gone to plan have they Troy? You’re an arseclown.
Thompson had a schoolboy’s understanding o how the council hierarchy worked. Still does, despite taking on a steep learning curve.
How many Troys can we cope with?
He’s just the one using multiple names, but The ‘Pie is helping out for context.
He would love to think there actually are individuals out there who support him, poor mutt.
Mental health intervention (yes, again) cannot be too far away.
Helen of Troy was hot, and had a great horse. Just saying.
It’s beyond me why anyone, apart from his most devout disciples, would bother going anywhere near the demented clown’s FB sites.
Well, you don’t have to … while The ‘Pie declines to give him any oxygen for his sociopathic campaign, you can still get to hear what he says through the false names he uses here. The Maghpie lets a few through so Troy thinks he’s suckered the old bird.
So many people against nuclear energy. Anyway we look at it, humans are slowly destroying the Planet. Hopefully we are slowly reversing that trend but I’m not sure. I don’t see nuclear energy as being evil, I see a place for it in Australia. Here in the North Solar is very successful because we have a lot of sunshine especially in Townsville. Down South hydro is very successful, like in many parts of a Tasmania where I spend a fair bit of time. I see the responsible use of nuclear as complimenting what we are already doing as we slowly phase out coal.
Nailed it.
In other news, NAFA is being spun out of TCC to be an independent entity. I’m going to assume that TCC will still be doing some sort of in kind funding. If Big Eye can get over $45k for a couple of hours of wailing and gnashing of teeth, what is 10 days of entertainment worth? (QSO was a highlight last year)
RE PICNIC BAY MALL
I thought it best to share some facts.
Google/ Townsville City Plan
Click on Townsville City Plan
Scroll down to Current City Plan
Go to Part I (About the Planning Scheme)
Scroll down to Section 1.7.1 (Declared Mall)
There is only one Mall within the Townsville City Council’s jurisdiction and that is in Stokes Street.
The Picnic Bay Mall, like the Flinders Street Mall no longer exists and probably one of the reason the owner of the property who uses The Esplanade for access is in dispute with the Council.
This is what happens when there is a lack of transparency.
It would have been far more polite to include the link for readers’ convenience, old fella, now you can bet more than half of them won’t bother to follow up on your argument.
I see iditor Cas Garvey is not allowing comments on the latest Bully story about the TCC circus. Got me thinking why. Could it be that Crafty Cas is protecting Foodtrucks Greaney from criticism to help in her run for the acting mayor job, and thus winning back the lucrative council ads that thankfully disappeared along with Jenny Hill? And is Garvey’s habit of denying readers the chance to comment on certain stories a form of censorship? Just askin.
Silly comment, which tries to perpetuate the myth that the mayor (or acting) has complete control over council advertising, some of which is mandatory under law. And The ‘Pie hasn’t actually notice much change in the volume we are subjected to on the breads and circuses side of the equation.
The decision to restrict comment on the occasional story where it is blocked is probably more for time/cost/legal liability than anything else, and the paper probably (and correctly) rekons comment on matters like this should be left to sensible well written letters to the ed, or to the jackanapes of Text The Iditor.
And The ‘Pie, who spends more times than it sometimes seems worth, gathering background info and fielding and checking leaks, has been, in his opinion, reliably informed that there has been little contact between Greaney and Hill since the election, with the suggestion of what there has been hasn’t always been cordial. And the source close to the action suggest The Mullet is more sideline amused at the mayhem rather than being an active player in the Walker Street follies.
Silly stuff like our fevered musings aren’t helpful, CT, unless backed up with some sort of evidence.
Twonames has posted on his Facebook page details of a public petition that seeks to have food trucks Greaney removed as Councillor. A good old vote of no confidence. Old mate sure is trying to take revenge on those who have stood up against him. Vindictive cunt isn’t he? This pain in the ass is going to continue to stir up trouble and inflict pain on Townsville for as long as is humanly possible. What a moron.
Right and wrong, Seepage … he is all those things but is rapidly becoming irrelevant, and you can’t stir up trouble when people are yawning.
His petition is a joke.
Can we just not talk about him anymore? He is an irrelevant cum stain on our city.
There are more important issues like:
WTF is going on with Robinson? Why does he think he should run for Mayor? This bloke has delusions on grandeur and his idol is Che Guevara.
What the hell is going on with the Crisafulli government? Not talking about abortion is not a solution. And have they realised they are no longer the opposition? All media releases still sound like they think they are.
Assad, Putin has lost significant ground in the middle east.
Murica, I imagine health insurance CEOs have suddenly re-evaluated priorities.
It seems that the old truism still reigns in the US, the bigger the crime cloaked in corporate obfuscation, the more chance you have of getting away with it. Offing CEO’s in the street is not an ideal solution, but it has in part been the actions and greed of these CEOs that has made themselves a target. It is hard to believe that the Pickled Walnut wouldn’t be the top of many a wannabees list. Just behind the Commode In Chief.
Public sentiment is with the shooter, not the the CEO. Perhaps a refresher on the French Revolution is due
When people lose everything and have nothing left to lose, they lose it. It would appear that is what has happened with the shooter of the UnitedHealth CEO. People are at breaking point. Grubby corporations engage in practises that deny you what you are legally and/or morally entitled to, just so that the shareholders reap a benefit and the executives get their bonuses. One of the largest causes of bankruptcy in the USA is for health/medical reasons. It’s happening more and more as corporate greed becomes a pandemic. The system is fucked and it’s designed to only support the 1%. People are becoming more disenfranchised with greedy corporations and politicians. Killing of CEO’s just took on a whole new meaning. Accountability has to be taken somehow. Welcome to the new world, it’s a scary place.
Wanted posters are now popping up with faces of health insurance CEOs
https://fortune.com/2024/12/11/wanted-posters-ceo-hit-list-nyc-unitedhealthcare-shooting-luigi-mangione-brian-thompson/
Not a great idea from a social viewpoint, but why restrict it to healthcare.
Honestly Im in two minds about whether it’s a good idea.
Corporate Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility appear to be failed concepts. Ambitious, idealistic, and yet unenforceable in a world motivated by greed. So what else pulls these people up?
And yet morally and ethicaly this is wrong. Anonymous requests from the public for a hit on members of community because we don’t like who they are, means anyone is fair game.
I do wonder who will be next, and if it will branch into politics and the judiciary.
And ….YIKES!!!! …. bloggers!?!?
I hope Andrew Robinson wins the shit fight. He’s the only one with the leadership skills to lead Council.
It really matters not who gets the nod, as Thompson’s time in the chair proved, the mayor is pretty irrelevant when you actually have genuine independent councillors. The truth there is that ONLY Clr Dirou could be counted as truly Labor influenced -and quite honourably so, she doesn’t try to hide it nor does she flaunt it, her rare voice is generally sensible in question and comment. Would make a hopeless chair, though.
Tropical Cyclone, ahh… so it’s the first. Never mind, I’m sure your useful for something.
The Magpie December 11, 2024 at 5:19 pm
hahahaha … ands The Greens aren’t? I dont know im not the greens. I only think Nuclear for Australia or more specific, NQ is a no. Coal on the other hand is a possibility. So as you can see not a greeny. Not pushing an agenda just looking into what i think is best, If i can see through all the bullshit. So much bullshit from both sides its almost impossible to see the truth.
You seem to be under the impression that pointing out the irony of your statement is somehow an accusation of your political affiliations. Whereas it was actually a nudge about being your selective debating style. But whatever.
My style is to be informed and I hope Impartial.
Admirable. Good luck.
Oh my goodness, the debacle over Gladstone Ports Corporation continues! Perhaps Prins left at the right time. The CEO was walked out the door a few months ago, and has still not been replaced. Then the CFO left. Now the COO is leaving. The new board chair is a Labor stooge and it is likely that the LNP will walk him too, plus the staff are going through their EBA negation and with the CFMEU’s push they have warned of protected action. The Union wants to send a message to the LNP. An absolute fucking mess and as usual it’s a problem that 9 years of Labor inaction has caused. It’s all come to a head. Is Townsville Ports next on the list of industrial action and mass change? Townsville ports are watching closely my source tells me. Stay tuned.
Isn’t the Townsville port covered by the mua, just a question??
Hey Tugger, where do you get the information that the Union wants to send a message to the LNP? Is this something about the composition of the board – which will have various government-appointed members with various use-by dates? Isn’t this just business as usual?
Jenny, my source is completely solid and has dealings with the union and the Port. A person on the ground and in the middle of the action.
Albo is boasting about a deal with PNG for an eye-watering $600Mil to play rugby, looks like the Chinese have got him scared, with their shenanigans.
What is the benefit to Oz? surely the Rugby bods should be stumping this up.
Maybe someone should tell PNG to sell off all those loaned Maserati’s that have mysteriously disappeared, I wouldn’t want to drive one on PNG roads anyway.
Ever thought of a job in the diplomatic corp, or maybe in strategic relations?
hmm! interesting thought but that would put me within spitting distance of Kevin 07.
Maybe I will apply……. nah! common sense or a knowledge of economics is not a pre-requisite, just an enormous..ego!
$600mil for some goodwill in PNG is a lot cheaper than the cost of increased surveillance Chinese in PNG would cause.
Why bother? The CCP has already secured those ingrates in the Solomon Islands. Honiara, and the proposed naval base in Tulagi, is only 120 km or so further away from Lavarack Barracks than PoM. A mere minute or two flight time by a Long Sword missile travelling at max speed of Mach 5.
Geography not a strong point is it Grumpy.
What on earth are you talking about? Am I mistaken? If so, please let me and the others know where.
BT is a wanker – Glad to see I caused you delight by thinking you got one over me, Ducky. Of course, you are correct – I confused miles and kilometres. Half again as long to Guadalcanal – but still a mere blink of an eye to a cruise missile. The point being is that we dropped the ball with the SI years ago. Unless the Malaita Eagles step up, nothing is going to change.
FFS, the benefit is that China doesn’t get a security deal with PNG, our closest neighbour!
Awww … The ‘Pie was hoping he’d work that out for himself … eventually.
Pfft… you didn’t use enough dots
Having a PNG team in the Australian NRL will neuter Chinese meddling and infiltration into PNG society, economy, and defence posture.
Proof of this tactic is that the inclusion of an NZ team in the Australian NRL has kept Chinese infiltration out of NZ society, economy, and defence posture for years.
Given Chinese intrusion into Antarctic matters, and the failure of the established nations to tell them to fuck off, is it reasonable for Antarctica to join the Australian NRL for the same reasons? We should not under estimate the power of the penguin.
I can see it now. The NQ Cowboys Vs The Penguin Power at the Penguin’s home stadium Latitude 89.
TEL would be there in support selling Cowboys branded, sarongs, zink cream, flop flops, and frost bite treatment.
Qld Police Commissioner on the news saluting like an American at the memorial today. Shame fella.
The Commissioner is nothing short of a political footstool. His job is to lick the Premier and Police Ministers boots and ass, a yes man (or woman at times). Follow the masters commands and parrot whatever they are saying. The last 4 that we have had have been spineless jellyback’s more concerned with budgets and spreadsheets rather than police numbers and crime.
You say ‘Ass’ like an American
Team Hill does live on with the financial disasters of Foodtrucks Greaney and Mooney . The other two ex have at least stepped up on accountability / transparency . Has there ever been a petition ” no confidence ” in a Councillor ? . Flinders lane , cbd , paid parking fiasco now Foodtrucks fronts the media outsourcing Councils events with no mention of savings to ratepayers . Councillor Mooney’s $339,346 Wedgwood display and voting in Council meetings to give Council $ away even though the applicants don’t meet Council guidelines .
Mike,
I attended the Ratepayers meeting on the Island last Saturday.
3 residents spoke to No Confidence motions on Cr. Greaney as our Div 3 Councillor.
Cr. Greaney was blatently caught out for lying ( all meetings are recorded), no apology or mention that she now suffers from amnesia.
Of great concern was; Cr. Greaney informed the meeting ‘Council only wants to deal with one person from the island’.
They were told at a meeting in April that would not happen.
Since when does TCC dictate who they will deal with?
Have North Ward residents been told TCC only wants to deal with one person from their suburb?
What of the City Traders – have they been told of the one spokesperson policy.
Has this occurred in any other Divisions?
This is pure arrogance from our out of touch councillor, and an out of touch council.
Residents on the island are fed up and rightly so.
TCC still has not made the petition against Greaney live?? I am told there are more in the pipeline.
So our ‘Kiddie councillors’ have been told to shut up and appear to be united – but we know it is far from the truth.
They will NOT be able to silence us – the ratepayers.
The astonisher is reporting the councillors aren’t saying anything to the media about their private workshop discussions. My money is on the advisor advice to keep quiet on the matter because it will all be public next Wednesday.
It looks like Greaney may have the numbers 5-4 as that white windsock Rehbein is taking leave. Surely if he was worth his salary, he could pause his leave for an hour for this meeting to decide the city’s leadership.
The meeting is on Tuesday, 17th.
The Agenda for Tuesday’s Special Meeting is now up on the TCC site:
Apologies and Leave of Absence
Disclosure of Interests and Confidentiality – Statement by In-House Counsel
Disclosure of Interests
Motions
1. Declaration of the office of Deputy Mayor vacant
2. Council appoint another Deputy Mayor from its Councillors
Close meeting
And the next Ordinary Meeting of TCC will not be until Wednesday, 29 January 2025.
From The ‘Pie’s mpoint of view, he will enjoy the break. And if they are not meeting, they can’t do much damage.
Item 2 suggests, or the Grey Eminence Oberhardt wants us to think, that thdere will polite and reasoned discussion on the matter,
The closed meetings this week suggest we will just be told a name and told to suck it up. No reasons, but if the destructive self-entitled Greaney gets the nod, sucking it up is going to be a tough ask. There is a loudly ringing alarm bell if the selection is a woman who boasts the last 10 years of not having a single thought of her own and being complicit is greatly fucking up this city at least doesn’t just qualify her but entitles here to get the deputy mayoralty (ergo be the ersatz mayor.) If the councillors have opted for the Meter Maid, they have sunk to a new low.
And here’s the biggest question: will the meeting be engineered in such a way that it will be a previously negotiated unanimous decision and we will, not have any idea of who argued what, or even who else stood.
Oberhardt’s idiotic and tone-deaf suggestion that would calm the populace and make us believe the council is united is deeply insulting from a time serving blow-in quoter of regulations.
Jenny, You would think if there are absences at a meeting of this importance, that the vote should be delayed until all are present. What a cunning bitch.
Cf, didn’t someone (Ducks Nuts?) say that Cr. Robinson was lining up for Dep. Mayor? If so, where does he fit in your vote calculation?
Don’t know about CF, but The ‘Pie is starting to think he might be the best compromise candidate, for a short term stint at steadying the ship.
If all we have is bags of poo then I’ll take the least smelly bag of poo. That isn’t Robinson.
Like the rest of us, Ducky, you’ll take what you’re given and you’ll like it.
Now eat your vegetables and go to bed – and your hands better be above the blankets when Auntie Edna comes to give you a sloppoy tongue kiss goodnight.
As a matter of interest, what happens if there are three candidates?
One of them wins.
FFS, have you met Robinson? . Not a brain or a conscience to be found. He might be a place marker in the same way that a plank of wood is a place marker. For all his faults and failings Jacob was elected for 12 months so why is one woman’s ego changing that? If we want unity someone should bin Foodtrucks.
That chharactercreading isn’t supported by the evidence The ‘Pie has seen inn council meetings. If anything, too much brain and no enough hewart is the ‘Pie’s last impression.
And a question, have you actually met him?
Repeatedly met him my fevered feathered friend.
Having had interactions with Robinson, How dare you insult the plank of wood!
Jenny i was sharing the summary of the astonisher article. I didn’t do any analysis because I can’t see how any of them can have confidence in ma Greaney but some are still going to vote for her.
Robinson said in his comments to the astonisher he thinks Jacob should keep the acting mayor role. Robinson said he’d only run if Jacob didn’t want to contest.
Tuesday will be the show.
Still can’t believe rehbein incapable of phoning in for the meeting. Very weak.
On the point about Rehbein should have been contacted by Oberhardt and had his say and vote ( The ‘Pie buses tghe past tense because unblss there is a major meltdown, the whole thing is decided and we just have to wait for it like we used to wait for the next episode of Deadwood.
Now One wonders why The ‘Pie would pick that show for a comment about the current issue.
” . . . . unless there is a major meltdown, the whole thing is decided . . . ‘.
Remember there are two motions. The first is to decide whether to have a spill in the first place. If the ‘whole thing is decided’, the first vote will be unanimous – which I doubt, given Jacob’s Mayoral Minute at the last meeting. And if there is a division, presumably those who intend to vote against the first motion will have an opportunity to explain themselves. That’s when we will discover who’s who in the zoo.
OK but could it go like this:
Motion for spill carried …. noms called, only one, the candidate having previously been selected in secret session as per Nanny McPhee’s directive, council votes unanimously, then off to the C Bar for a self-congratulatory lunch for showing a united front.
It Had better not, there will be a city full of unhappy campers.
Presumably, Jacob will vote against the first motion, based on (this part of) his Mayoral Minute:
“I am the fairest and most authentic leader to facilitate this Council. I will sincerely support each of you in your endeavours for the suburbs you represent. Together we will make major budget decisions and listen to the ratepayers who pay our salaries and each other’s perspectives, you must adhere to and listen to. A new era of empowered leadership is about to begin. Finally, Councillors – the primary purpose for the Code of Conduct that we have pledged to is to, and I quote – it is to increase the public confidence in local government and their decisions. So, I ask you today to consider during our meeting your primary purpose – to increase the public confidence in this local government and our decisions. Let’s today please move forward as a strong and united Council and instil confidence in our ratepayers.”
If the first motion gets up, I presume Jacob will nominate for Deputy Mayor. Whether he gets a seconder is another matter. If he doesn’t nominate and allows another to take his place uncontested, then he might as well join the Sus Mayor on the sideline.
Yes, well, maybe.
But … and this is only from a personal tactical viewpoint … was it (remember it’s ‘was’ – this has already been decided, if they’ve been good little councillors and done as Nanny says) better to gracefully accept he doesn’t have the numbers and at least appear to those who haven’t been paying attention of stepping aside in the name of unity (HA!)? Or go down in a public vote?
What? No Zoom?
It did say the leave was for family reasons so it may be something too serious to zoom in from. Or it could just be a holiday who knows?
You pose a good question, and for an elected person on his sort of money, we should know, we deserve at least a basic explanation. If it is a personal emergency, our sympathy and understanding, if otherwise, our justified rage.
A margin of one swinging councillor is not a recipe for stability.
What rot. It’s a single vote that will decide a single issue, and here’s the thing : even if outrage and disappointment follow the fact that we even had to have an unnecessary spill because of one single thrusting ego, it matters not a whit for the stability of the council whoever is elected.
We will get on with the mundane day-to-day business of council until a mayoral election is called … we should enjoy the respite of a few months from the grandiose hidden-agenda plans of wonderful things for Townsville.
Why can’t Cr Rehbein attend the meeting via video link? Is he in the deep Amazon jungle.?
All of these so-called councilors are giving Townsville residents the rude finger.
Time for Crisafulli to come out of hiding and sort this mess out.
And where are our 3 new State members? On Christmas leave already? They haven’t been there long enough to have earned annual leave.
The ‘Pie has a theory that The Kid has lately concentrated on the new little snots legislation, and may now be holding out for another week or so for the silly season news cycle, where awareness is well down, to sack our mentally ill suspended mayor and make a mayoral election inevitable.
Pie,
Do you mean The Kid playing Santa bring Townsville presents.
To help the Christmas spirit an appropriate Christmas Carroll.
Barry the Elf
https://youtu.be/3f9RLZM7i1I?si=0FRPlkvdtrnnbP1m
Unbelievable!
Labor unanimously voted in support of the making Queensland safe legislation. If that is their position now, when the hell did it change from “bugger the victims, it’s all for the nocturnal cherubs”
If Labor can vote now to make Queensland safer, why didn’t they make Queensland safer years ago and avoid the pain and suffering caused by the nocturnal cherubs?
To me this is Labor again devoid of ethics, once only listening to the bleeding hearts, and now after the election thumping, swing 180° to curry favor, all too late, with the electorate.
Long will Townsville remember Aaron Harpic’s words, “You’re all a bunch of LNP rent-a-crowd.”
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12-12/youth-justice-laws-pass-queensland-parliament/104716652
Back at the $900,000 Picnic Bay toilets for a moment, BKeane in Crikey has gone ballistic today about the mainstream media and Dutton’s nuclear costings:
“The single greatest absurdity of all this is the bizarre doublethink in the media about building infrastructure in Australia. The Panglossian assumption behind Dutton’s nuclear policy is that the whole thing can be stood up in a couple of decades, with the first reactor kicking off in less than a decade — and journalists take that seriously. But read media coverage of virtually any major infrastructure project in the country and you’ll find headlines about delays running into years, workforce shortages and massive cost blowouts.
Do the journalists covering Dutton’s nuclear policy ever read anything about the myriad of troubled infrastructure projects reported by their colleagues? Do they have no understanding that infrastructure in Australia is marked by hopelessly politicised project selection, poor business case development, wildly optimistic costing forecasts and the grim reality that the bigger the project, the greater the proportional blowout in its costs? Do they not remember how the NBN — initial estimate for the Coalition version, $29.5 billion; final cost, $54.5 billion — blew out?”
The Magpie did you see the Oxford Union debate this week? Very interesting
Poor dear, too worn out to supply are link, are we?
WHERE THE PLUCK are the three ‘new’ state members? WTF are they up to? Haven’t heard a squeak from them since elected, about ANYTHING substantial! Have we been dudded AGAIN???
I’ll be plucked do you live in a chicken coop because all media including online reported ” adult time adult crime ” was introduced to Parliament and passed .by LNP with Labors support this week . You do realise MP,s have to be in Parliament to vote so there’s a clue where the 3 new MP,s have been . The Premier was in Townsville yesterday on Palm island talking home ownership with Adam Baillee for the residents . The 3 local MP,s including the Premier met police and victims of crime . One is on the crime and justice committee and the other two attending functions in their electorate . If you really need to know what their doing follow them on social media .
Ibp,
The Qld Parliament has been sitting this week and last week, I think, busy passing legislation we have all been waiting for.
Give them a little time to settle in and then hold their feet to the fire, but only if necessary.
In Parliament trying to correct Labor’s fuckups.
Calm down Ducky, all is good. Give them a month or two to put the jigsaw pieces together, work out who is who in the zoo, look at their list of priorities and then hit the ground running. Surely they can’t or won’t be as bad as the previous three wankers!
Let’s hope so, Dead Ringer, but it’s amusing how you think they will be deciding anything independently … their list of priorities will be handed to them by the LNP backroom boys.
They have all been attending meetings where they’ve been issued the LNP Manifesto and having singing lessons.
And Labor didn’t?
Your good old mate phil battyb magpie is doing a pod cast with nq freedom network. My apologies for thinking phil was the nut bag batty.
Oh Dear!!! When will people learn that if you want to be taken seriously, the last place you should make your case is with the My Place Mouthpiece Mark “Batty”-shit Crazy. Sponsored by and endorsed by My Place, and leading Cookers like Jeannie Z, this is a place you should never go unless you are courting the Cooker crowd. Let’s be honest, how many of us had ever even heard of that little hell-hole of the internet before TwoNames went on claiming his SAS credentials.
SC, just to be clear I had never heard of Mark Batt or Batty as he seems to be known, I was asked if i wanted to be part of an interview and I agreed. I had an agenda which was to expose this council to as bigger audience as I could, I took a full page ad in the local paper, I hit 50,000 facebook pages, I sent Magpie the details and I did this interview. End of story, magpie will attest to where my integrity lies and where my expectations form councils of all persuasions