BLAM! … The Astonisher’s iditor scores another bullseye on her tootsie, while penning a paean of self-praise making the floods all about THEM, not YOU. For comic relief, it can’t be bettered.
What’s our deputy Doo Dah, Messagebank Walker not telling us? The’Pie hears he is so upset with some Facebook jibes, that he’s seeking legal advice.
Also, the (old) gang’s all here … Townsville gets another council CEO with a chequered history.
And THAT photograph of a female footy player …to revert to a dismissive saying of his youth, The Magpie asks – what’s the hairy deal?
And motor scooters don’t usually make us laugh, but this one does.
But first …
In these days of whine and posers, few things are hard to imagine as being impossible but The Magpie being genuinely indignant ON BEHALF of Pauline Hanson would be up there … until this week. This screechy harridan is truly an ill-educated, blinkered ignoramus, but the set piece public bullying ambush on national TV during the week successfully cast her as a victim deserving sympathy … and that’s a role she doesn’t really deserve. So David Koch and Derryn Hinch have more than their unprofessional behaviour to be ashamed of, but also the fact that it immediately gave Hanson the undeserved role of a victim of misogyny.
The is a deplorable trend in pop media to mistake shouty bullyboy ranting as a justified replacement for clever and reasoned questioning. The smug stand-over tactics of the hugely self-satisfied talent-cipher David Koch was reinforced by a swearing and blaspheming Hinch. Any moral point they were trying to make on Sunrise – i.e. that Hanson’s track record of anti-Islamic rhetoric played more than a totally speculative role in the Christchurch massacre – was completely lost by their behaviour.
Bentley was totally unimpressed.
These two dunderheads quickly learnt that their ranting was self-defeating, with viewers generally sympathetic to Hanson and making widespread calls for Koch to be sacked and Hinch … well, we’ll just have to wait on the ballot box for him to get his.
The ABC Tries Its Hand At Soft Porn
It was the week of THAT photograph of THAT kick. The image that dominated the public chatterati this week was this one AFL footballer Tayla Harris.
And the young lady can thank Channel 7 for the publicity she is now enjoying (well, she indicates she quite OK with the attention.) The pic was put up by 7 on their FB page earlier in the week, but when it attracted some totally predictable low comments from some pimply near-illiterate trolls, the station made the bizarre decision to remove the image instead of just the comments. This skewed logic suggested they agreed that the trolls had some sort of point with their totally unacceptable view of things. Cue predictable outcry over this sort of flinching management oafishness and back up it went … sans comments of course.
As is the world these days, this attracted a great deal of notoriety for the picture and for Ms Harris, and various members of the professional huff’n’puff brigade.
Now, you may find this hard to believe, but The ‘Pie has looked and looked and looked … examined this photograph at least a dozen if not 20 times, and was nonplussed as to what the whole thing was about. But then the awful truth dawned, courtesy of ABC TV news on Wednesday night.
It was what was NOT being said that was the problem.
The ABC’s lengthy tut-tutting report showed, for reasons known only to themselves, a series of stop-motion pics of the entire Harris kick. Not once, but TWICE (roll through to 16.38 and 17.39 if the link is still up). The relevance or necessity of the extra pics is not immediately apparent. This very un-ABCish display hit like a freight train to the senses – the lovingly slowed, later zoom, double dose started to take on the semblance of soft porn for the trolls … and talk about the Streisand Effect (decrying the publishing of something magnifies its exposure tenfold).
Because the one thing absolutely no one was saying was that the picture was undeniably sexy. And anyone who indignantly says otherwise is simply lying. Or dead. The athletic female form is every bit as sexy as that of a male … perhaps more so, but it seemed everyone was tip-toeing around this fact.
But The ‘Pie let it all pass … until the following night, when a further ABC TV report on the issue again featured the same series of photographs (scroll to 25.14), which started to look like an excuse to run the pics again and again.
This was now beyond ingenuous. And it was dishonest, close up zooms and the like also making it clearly prurient. Of course, the whole thing was clothed in a finger-wagging moral tale, with the photographer wittering on about ‘a beautiful, graceful, powerful image ‘- which it is – and some other thundering gorgon calling for detection and expulsion of the trolls if they were found to be –gasp – members of an AFL club.
Speaking your mind on social media nowadays requires awareness, common sense and an understanding that private thoughts and grubby unattainable ambitions should remain just that, private.
But the media’s prissy denial of the reality in this instance, pretending that an obviously sexy image should not be seen as such, just aggravates the situation instead of taking a sober look at the issue. And an image like this can bring out the wrong reaction in the emotionally immature. Sport has always been inextricably linked with sex, indeed, born of it, the first instances of ancient games were devised to advertise the best genes available for breeding purposes … and that’s not a million miles away from the way sports like tennis, swimming, gymnastics and athletics are subliminally marketed today. And, like the seasoned exponents of other, established sports, Ms Harris and the other women who play AFL will soon get comfortable with the new reality and no doubt flaunt their new image for fun and profit. (As an AFL die hard, The ‘Pie might be unkind enough to suggest the photograph was the only thing worth watching of the new womens league.)
But even after rocking that vision back and forward a score of times, The Magpie admits he is stumped … try as he might, he just can’t see it what all the fuzz is about.
The Bulletin’s New Slogan … It’s All About Us
Well, that’s what they meant, and at least that’s a refreshing burst of honesty … and hilarity.
In what in The Magpie’s experience is an unfortunate first, Bulletin iditor Jenna Cairney has used a prominent two page spread (about $10,000’s worth to punters) to tell us how wonderful she and her team have been … for doing their jobs. Like hundreds of others, continuing to do their jobs despite suffering flood damage to property … . And what tough times she and her battling journos had of it. Suddenly it was We’re For Us ,and not We’re For You.
Self praise is never any recommendation.
But in this virtue-signally fest, a desperate bid to establish that the turnstile staff door at the Astonisher doesn’t exist and everybody is here forever, Jenna comes spectacularly undone.
First, there’s this laugh-your-arse-off clanger…
Despite in itself the highly questionable claim of who does what and where, (certainly much of the advertising layout is done in The Phillippines) the boast doesn’t say much about the paper’s writing or subbing – or local knowledge – when it is featured above a picture carrying an incorrect caption. There is no intersection or corner of Norris Street and Queens Road, these streets run parallel and don’t intersect, they are two blocks apart. The initial error could be forgiven, formed under trying circumstances … but that was back then, now is now, where any sub with local knowledge would’ve picked it up, or at least checked. And real papers keep the archives updated.
But that’s not the only dubious claim when we read on.
Just love that line ‘much of what they say will be true; much will be their version of the truth, and let’s be blunt, some may be downright lies.’ That would make a much more accurate description of the Townsville Bulletin instead ofnthe mimsy We’re For You, which by the way, is a News Corpse company-wide slogan for all mastheads across the country.
So we are to trust you when you tell us ‘77% of locals read our content’.
As the Hotels Combined bear keeps saying ‘Really?’ Let’s see, total population of the immediate Townsville ‘local area’ i.e. possible circulation, is, in round figures, about 250,000, 77% of which is 179,000. Yet the latest Roy Morgan readership figures show that on an average weekday, 43,000 see a Bulletin and on the weekends, 52,000 … and almost all these readers are the same repeat readers, the Bulletin is not a destination for casual browsing.
Nice try at creative accounting, Jenna, hope you don’t do your books with this method. And your risible claim that we can trust the Townsville Bulletin is as believable as this little bit self-praise bollocks.
Pure and utter tosh, and the city knows it. But good job on youth crime, though, mate, herograms all round to your tough journalists. And boy, is your closing going to come back and bite you on the bum sometime soon.
Like they say in Hollywood, Jenna, when you can fake sincerity, you’ve got it made. It seems appropriate to follow those sentiments with this …
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL WITH JENNY AND JENNA
Make no mistake folks, we’re on the campaign trail, and its the Jenny and Jenna show from now until next March. Get used to it.The blizzard of bent bullshit is gathering force down at the Astonisher. We could have been excused for alarm and panic when we read the suggestion that our new council Chief Excecutive Officer is – yikes!! – Mayor Mullet herself!! Isn’t that how anyone would see this at a glance?
But hang on, that’s obviously an error in putting the story together, so let’s ignore the click bait come on, and click through to the real story as it appears in the online Bulletin.
Nope, still looks like Mayor Mullet. But then we get to the story – which is by established practice, usually summarised in photograph and headline – and we find that the familiar-sounding Mike Chiodo has been bumped up from acting CEO to the full time gig. So let’s look down through the story, see what this Chiodo bloke looks like. No luck! Seems the Bulletin hasn’t got a pic of him to inform us what our new CEO looks like.
So let The ‘Pie help out here … this is our man an why his bname souns familiar … AS REPORTED IN THE MAGPIE JULY 15, 2017 EDITION.
New TCC CEO MIke Chiodo
Back in 2017, that same article included this ….
The mystery resignation was never publicly cleared up, but – again, in July 2017, – The ‘Pie reported this interesting tidbit about Adele The Impaler Young’s NT chum and now successor.
Seems Mr Chiodo has hit on another sweet little earner in yet another city he is passing through.
Look, he may be a fine administrator – Christ knows, anybody will do after Adele Young – but a bit more transparency at how the choice was made, and what other interest was shown in the position would have been well in order. But of course, Mayor Mullet is like Jenna, and just wants us to trust her.
OK, Big Mama, we trust you … yeah, right.
A Little Messagebank Mystery
Deputy Doo Dah Les Messagebank Walker
This floated into The Nest during the week from a Magpie contact (trust The ‘Pie, please …).
I read with interest an article you put together some while ago with respect to Wellard’s possible involvement with certain councillors and some unusual behaviour with feed lots and land.
Step forward to our dispute in relation to the Cattle holding yards near Oak Valley. Plenty of opposition from the locals, and for good reason, the submission by the developer (Gary Dixon & Co aka Ronmar Rural Pty Ltd) was an absolute shambles. I suspect they have been trying to strong-arm the planners at the TCC to get their way. Regardless, I thought that you may find it interesting that Les Walker excused himself from chairing the Planning Committee meeting that heard the case. He alleges that posts on social media (I presume the private Oak Valley Facebook page) indicate that he has a relationship with the developer. There certainly have been some comments, but none that anyone who has a thick skin but is innocent wouldn’t deflect with a chuckle.
Therefore, quite curious behavior from our deputy mayor who he is apparently seeking legal advice on the matter.
That’s now on The Magpie watch list.
An Historical Bit Of Doggerel For Our Coming Federal Election Season.
Some observations defy time and changing fashion, never to lose their core truth. This from Jonathan Swift 250 years ago.
Let them, when they once get in,
Sell the nation for a pin;
While they sit a-picking straws,
Let them rave at making laws;
While they never hold their tongue,
Let them dabble in their dung …
We may, while they strain their throats
Wipe our arses with their votes.”
And Another Timely Reminder Of These Political Times
It applies just about everywhere.
This Is Just Fall-About Funny
Motorbike fanciers, can’t yet afford that souped-up, scream machine you’ve always dreamed of? Here’s your answer in the meantime.
This Week In Trumpistan
Just when you think America’s Chump In Chief can’t sink any lower in his increasingly demented ramblings, this week was dominated by his attack on much-loved war hero Senator John McCain. While a young Donald dodged Vietnam because of alleged ‘bone spurs’ made him unsuitable for the armed forces, pilot McCain was captured by the Viet Cong but remained loyal and unbreakable through years of imprisonment, deprivation and torture. Of course, McCain couldn’t reply to Trump’s barbs, he’s been dead some months now. Trump denigrated McCain viciously, and for no real apparent reason except McCain wouldn’t go along with his loopy policies … the response to the attack came from across America and was instantaneous, as reflected by cartoonists on all side of the political divide.
……………………
Another ridiculous week has gone by, and somehow, we’re still here. Hit the comments page with your thoughts or just for silly fun. And sincere thanks to those who have supported this blog with a donation, times are a bit skinny at the moment, funds are always needed to defray costs; if you can help out, the how to donate button is below, it will be greatly appreciated..
Our city is in election mode and we got to see the quality of our member for Herbert Cathy Otoole who provided her vague response in support for Adani when challenged on Q+A about her election signs around Townsville jobs, jobs, jobs . Then she had to be corrected on her claim about business support packages and this week Cathy announced if Labor were elected they would set up a “ safer communities fund” to assist with mental health after disasters only to be advised there was a fund set up 2 years ago by the coalition . Now that T.C.C have supposedly sorted out their communication issues to ratepayers I am hoping new CEO Mike Chiodo can explain if rates payments have been extended again until 3 rd June how is our Council $370 mil in debt funding cashflow ?. I also note the screaming midget Stephen Beckett previous GM communications still lists GM Community Engagement and cultural services at T.C.C . as his employment on his social media . Is he still on T.C.C payroll ? Consultant ? Advisor ?.
I really enjoyed knocking back the couple of beers and Sav Blanc start you gave me while watching the Doggies v Swans last night……although I thought I’d knocked the bottle over during the last quarter!
Who won Wulguru?
The Woofers….
Please note the dignified silence.
Messagebank Walker is on the nose big time at the moment. He represents the main affected flood area and many are asking what the fuck he and the brainless fuckwits around him at the council are going to to do to reduce the risk of this happening again. Whilst Council is not responsible for some of the areas around the river it certainly has a role to play working with the state govt on clearing up the river and the creeks and stormwater drains around it.
There is already talk of council sewer lines in Hermit Park being cross connected into rainwater drains and that many places in the area flooded from inside with backed up sewer lines and how the removal of the sewerage pump station at the Townsville Golf club effected the efficiency’s of the system. Many of the creeks that flow into the river are an overgrown neglected mess.
On the Southside of the river many are asking why large mounds of developers dirt, many metres higher than the surrounding houses were allowed to build up over many years in drainage areas that blocked the flow of water across to the east of the rail line, and why suddenly backhoes and excavators have been cutting trenches through these mounds over the last couple of weeks, just a coincidence I guess that this has occurred only a couple of weeks after a flood, despite nothing been attended to on these areas for years.
If the people don’t start asking questions and re elect the useless wanker then we seriously deserve everything we get.
Hi Pie, I have to disagree with you this week … twofold, what’s more!
I think the reality in our household (the same repeat readers) is that the Bulletin IS a destination for casual browsing. That is all it is useful for … no in depth articles to be found! Thank goodness they improved the puzzle page.
And some of their articles probably did reach almost saturation coverage of the region, but only because they were shared extensively on social media and reached far beyond their usual readership. No paywall = broad coverage = grateful me and others = outrageous claims by Bully. Bugger, they found a way to spoil my gratitude!
Of course you’re right about sport being inextricably linked to sex. Look at the Pole Vault for example. This activity clearly has its origin in the need for a rapid escape over the garden wall when Daddy arrived home unexpectedly during a bit of illicit pole dancing between his darling daughter & the escapee.
Stunning win … congratulations to the re-elected Premier of NSW, ALAN JONES
… and his executive assistant Gladys Berejiklian
This article should be in a joke book.
Cowboys facing financial ruin… desperately need another government handout to the tune of $30 million (in addition to the $200 million they got for the Stadium!)
Don’t worry about spending $30 million to get Townsville some industry or long term job security, spend it all on football. What a fecking joke.
This is the biggest and most transparent con job of all time, in a city that has allowed vermin to thrive on pious but spurious calls on the public purse. It really is a social crime, all this twaddle, and it is reasonable to believe that Lancini is blatantly lying out self interest. Thisn is a typically thinly disguised News Corpse campaign of lies and alarm – and it is worth noting where the original ‘research’ came from … not the Courier but the Sunday Mail, a totally discredited and dying publication run by the dead hand of Peter Typo Gleeson. When Lancini says jump, people like Gleeson ask ‘when can I come down?’
BUT LIFT UP YOUR HEARTS, HELP IS AT HAND.
Astonisher iditor Jenna Cairney has told us this very weekend that she and her journos aren’t frightened to question the powerful, and ask the questions we want answered. Praise God for you, Jenna, our love and light … because we know you will ask Mr Lancini how getting a taxpayer hand-out to build a training field, a gym and offices will contribute to the financial health of a club obviously in such dire straits. The $30m is to build a non-paying facility, Mr Lancini, which in fact, if the club is so badly mismanaged (again … Hi, Rabeah), will not improve but rather exacerbate whatever financial shit you claim it to be in. Especially when the Leagues Club is making squillions out of the pokies and your property portfolio is set to greatly enriched because of much of it is set to benefit from the stadium. Jenna, feel free to add any questions of your own.
M’dear, The ‘Pie has been a bit nasty to you over the time, but now, he is shamed faced about much of what he has said, because by your own promise that You Are For Us, you will break the mould of your predecessors in the editorial chair, and refuse to become just the latest low, News Corpse lickspittle of the great and powerful that are conning our city. You go, girl.
If the Feds were going to dish out another $30 million to the Stadium precinct, I’m pretty sure the ratepayers would benefit a lot more from an entertainment centre or other community asset! Cowboys – surely you thought of needing a new facility with less than 12 months to go before you need to move out of your old one?
$30 mil would be good for a new water treatment plant.
The newly appointed CEO Mike Chiodo praised by the mayor for handling things very well during the recent awful events in Townsville. After dealing with both Mike and another director Eber Burton last year I found out that the top level of council had not changed in their elitism, as when I tried for a response from meetings was met with the reply “hope you appreciate the fact members of the executive were willing to meet you”. Arrogance at its best.
After the floods I was advised about a possible problem in the non CBD (Flinders Street) so I attended. I spoke to the person that contacted me and was leaving Flinders Street when I went to shake Mike Chiodo’s hand, a small conversation took place before our now stable, positive, great handling new CEO told me to F#@# OFF. Yes this was put in writing and sent to both the mayor and deputy and I received a note of NOTED. Details and emails present on request
Should not a job that pays $8,500- a week of our rate payers hard earned money be advertised Australia wide to get the best candidate or just another puppet??
Keep up the good work Magpie.
Come on March 2010
“March 2010″. Been there. Done that.
Actually, wouldn’t that be great … had a real mayor in Les Tyrell then, didn’t we?
That would be March 2020 there Cyclone Trev!
Sounds like the form from most Labor peasants that I have known, who grovel their way into a well paying gig and then suddenly think their pay cheque has elevated them from their peasant status in life, how misguided they are, they are still classless peasants, they just have a better spot in the car park.
Dosnt surprise anyone about his appointment not being advertised Trevor. Recent jobs for waste/water and parks have seen people applied for certain positions but were beaten by others who scored poorly and were given the knod ahead of them after management chose them instead. Tcc has a points system to help find a better qualified person for the position ( dosnt always work but is fair). The HR department then recommended the better employee in order from number 1 to fill as many positions as there may be. But management have final say. Sounds like same system mayor is using for this bloke. A couple of employees I know finished way above other’s but missed the permanent jobs because of management decisions. These people have many years of experience and missed out, sound like Adel still hasn’t left? One can only hope whoever runs as mayor next election is willing to look very hard into internal employment over the usual ” I’ll keep rates low” shit. There are more management positions now then before Adel supposedly saved all that money in the restructuring. Oh yes the labour party still spruks about gender quotas none of these managers are women but hold union ties.
CODE MJK69
`Our newsroom has transformed into a 24/7 multi-platform operation that breaks news as it happens`.
That`s the claim which is utter bullshit. From PM Friday to AM Monday nothing is updated. Also just about everything is behind the pay wall.
Hey, weekend workers cost money … oh, wait a moment, for decades now, due to a deal done way back when, journos don’t get penalty rates. But you might have noticed when the Courier posted the utter bullshit from Lancini about the Cowboys sudden financial woes, the Astonisher managed to pinch it and post this morning … about three hours after The ‘Pie first read in the Brisbane-based paper.
Someone found a funny looking carrot …
… and then the fun started.
This prick’s tariff pissing contest with China will result in a recession in the US that will spread world wide. Not as bad as the GFC but still bad. The markets will drop and that means, Dear Nesters, our Super will stall at best, and many will lose money. Here in Australia this prick is a direct financial threat to you and me. Never underestimate the harm that can be caused by stupid people in large numbers. Tighten your belts, it’s going to be a rough financial ride.
The colour just drained right out of the roots of his hair and fake tan face when he read the tweets and retweets. It seems most folk believe harassment of a deceased person is despicable, rather than heroic. What the? Only this vegetative state carrot top and ballooning bottom could lose an argument with the dead. Ahhh. McCain you’ve done it again.
WELL HERE WE GO …
The city and many hard hit western regions are in dire need of ongoing government flood recovery money but this is surpassed as a funding priority for some. The NRL hasn’t made enough profit to put anything away for their rainy day. Never fear, the now nearly $300 million stadium will still solve all our city’s woes.
Did anyone hear anything about this possibility for the Cowboys’ Club before today? It must be sending a cold shiver down the collective spines of the City Deal CBD redevelopment priority brains trust.
That stadium money could have built first class full waste recycling infrastructure to lead the country into best practice water conservation. We will continue to treat and pump up to 50% of our daily consumption into Cleveland Bay.
This is despite Council’s 3 point water security plan, with new water transporting infrastructure of any kind, from any source, and association with the locally lesser known Water Sensitive City Research by Monash University.
We live in the driest inhabited continent on Earth and we think we’re pretty smart using 21st century technology for the most important finite and life sustaining resource. You can’t drink coal or footballs. It’s game on.
Linda, Linda, Linda,
You should be content in the knowledge that we now have a new paddock in which unsofistocated men can run around and bump into each other. Have you no gratitude?
The arts, environment, water security, and everything, is but nothing, compared to such a paddock, the JT White Elephant and taxpayer Money Vacuum.
Or might this be a well-staged click bait moment with an appropriate period of tension and public confusion? Then miraculously, maybe in 3 to 4 weeks, an announcement will be made, granting the precise gap funding to build the sporting excellence component with taxpayer dollars. Might there be a ministerial or even prime ministerial visit with media presence, the hopeful candidate in shot, and the cheque?
Seems more plausible than the Cowboys being in serious financial trouble without leaks happening before now.
You may well be right, but that would go down as another misjudgement by politicians … The ‘Pie will bet London to a brick more … many many more … Townsville people would be alienated by this cynical lying tactic and appallingly elitist outcome than would be rushing to the polls to thank the Feds for their largesse.
‘Pie,
I hope you are right but I suspect not.
You are talking about the same people who voted for the Mullet and her entire team, the three drones who represent Puddleduck, and O’Fool. These voters are repeat offenders. What makes you think they will not offend again?
Bitter experience. Finally.
On the other hand, ‘Pie, Herbert is the most marginal Labor-held seat in the country. If the Coalition really wants to win the election and has, as suggested, a half-billion pork barrel to throw around, maybe $30m for a Cowboys cosmetic application school announced around the time of the first State of Origin match in May would titillate the populace enough – especially with front-to-back coverage on the TBully. Certainly it would make more sense than federal funding for a new coal-fired power station. PM Morrison will be desperate enough.
As The ‘Pie previously pointed out, and has since received all indications that the sentiment is widespread, throwing another $30m at an ARL club … especially based on the totally challengable premise that the club faces extinction … will be the tipping point of increasingly dismayed electorate. Even the thickest out there will surely see that building such a facility is patently ridiculous, and will WORSEN any financial trouble in which the club finds itself.
I agree that there’s plenty of “widespread sentiment” around Townsville but I can never work out what it points towards. It seems like ‘government’, whether it be local, state or federal, can never do enough, spend enough or say enough for Townsvillains. I presume that the state government is covering the $50m cost overrun (so far) on our new stadium so by some standards it’s probably the Feds ‘turn’? Rent seeking sure ain’t for squibs eh?
If Ms Cairney is true to her word she will ask Lozza Lancini:
– to open the Cowboys books to prove the club is in dire financial strife (my mail is that is far from the truth)
– to explain why, with the club in deep financial strife, he isn’t asking for a handout to keep the club afloat, instead of millions to build an elitist facility that isn’t needed and will not generate any revenue
– why with his reputation for controlling EVERYTHING at the Cowboys, especially the finances, he isn’t resigning over his failure to run the club in a businesslike manner, and handing over the reins to the smiling dentist, who has a track record of running a very successful operation
– to explain why a small fortune was spent on those youth houses at Pimlico when that job is the responsibility of government
– how much of his own money has been contributed to the Cowboys and whether now might be a good time to help the club through hard times by stumping up some of the millions he has made from NQ over the years
So Jenna, considering your inspirational pledge to ask the hard questions, can I now expect to read the answers to these reasonable questions in your newspaper next week?.
-
Waste OFTAM. You mentioned many years of experience and these are the to telling words about the current toxic atmosphere in TCC. In TCC many years of experience is translated by current management, many who are not from Townsville to “this person is getting on and over 55 and knows more than me and could show me up so let’s keep them where have greater control of them or make them feel uncomfortable and hope that they move on”. It is well known that within the toxic atmosphere of TCC that experienced older workers are neither valued or wanted by younger managers. To get rid of older workers various tactics such as bullying, not providing appropriate support to older workers after the introduction of new technologies and then critising their performance when they take longer in learning these technologies, asking for their input into issues and then either ignoring or critising this input and I’m told by friends who work in council of instances of managers telling older staff that they should see TCC employee assistance scheme which is supposed to be all very confidential but many do not trust and to see their financial advisor to find out when they could retire are used and the story goes on. I’m told that the experience of older workers is generally valued by their colleagues but this hell bent do it my way management doesn’t see this.
I hope Lawrence Lancini is showing the same passion for his tenants at Fairfield Central (many not covered by flood insurance ) as he is the $30 mil for the Cowboys . Out at the centre he is a part owner of , there is lots of activity fixing the centre and Kmart my thoughts are with the little family owners and how many can afford to re-open . Rumour is Peter Beattie is trying to change the ARL rules and get Lawrence on the board .
HAHAHAHAHAHAH … but why is The ‘Pie laughing?
Great news about the UltraSport games coming to Townsville in 2021, but as always, some questions from the curious remain. Such as the ‘thousands’ of athletes, officials and spectators the event will attract begs the question … where will they all stay? Townsville has 3,300 hotel beds, and even if that is bedROOMS, which doubles that number – it doesn’t, but let’s just say – that seems a tad short … well, a big shitload short … of the accomodation required. according to the vague hoopla, it is a definite shortfall.
But there is probably an explanation that is not readily apparent, no matter what we think of the empty happy clapping of TEl and the council events boofhead, an international committee is unlikely to give us the nod unless their research found we were all tickety boo. (NOTE That rule does not apply to FIFA, where the size of the bribe is the deciding factor.)
HOWEVER, the laugh of the day which almost made the Magpie do himself a mischief was this from par tucked away down in the story.
“Townsville Enterprise declined to comment on how the financial contributions laid out in the criteria would be split by local organisations, the council and the State Government, saying it was “commercial in confidence” information.”
How can public money be spent without accountability? And what Commercial in Confidence considerations can there be? Chris Morris getting too big a slice of the pie and doesn’t want it revealed?
For those who think that The ‘Pie really does witter on about CiC smokescreens, here’s a reminder.
“Commercial in confidence. A classification that identifies information that, if disclosed, may result in damage to a party’s commercial interests, intellectual property or trade secrets.”
The way things have been going around here, with our local and state leadership, ‘intellectual property’ and ‘Townsville’ are mutually exclusive terms, so what ‘commercial interests and/or trade secrets’ are going to be revealed? Seriously, we would really like to know, just in general terms. Please ask, Jenna, one of the questions we want answered and one of the ones you and your tough questioning of the powerful aren’t afraid to ask.
Pie
That’s 3300 available rooms but the average occupancy rate last year was 67% therefore on an average day there would be about 1000 rooms available. ( yes I know this is not exact science but close) take out the 220 rooms for officials doesn’t leave many. ( no prize for guessing where the officials will be camping) but in principal I support the initiatives
According to this 220 rooms as a minimum have to be provided for officials and others associated with the event, so who pays for those. I don’t mind if it brings people to town but as you say why the commercial in confidence if all they are doing is complying with the bid criteria attached.
https://www.triathlon.org/uploads/docs/itusport_bid-multisport-2020-2021.pdf
Canters, the 220 free rooms for officials also requires of up 30% available at cost. So 286 rooms need to be sponsored.
Don’t forget to add in the additional ~ 170 rooms in the new luxury 4.5 Hilton Doubletree Hotel which will be built and occupied by then, if you can believe the TCC and Astonisher bull.
But wasn’t that where they want the $30m training facility? Oh, no, that’s right, it’ll be … ummm … oh, somewhere. And anyway, since the Ultra fun fest is going to be over two weekends, that new doss house is going to be booked out by the RL hoards flocking here for a home match.
Park a couple of cruise ships in the port and, bingo, lots of bed spaces. Easy………
Good idea … think there’s a Norwegian liner going cheap at the moment … if it can make it this far without bumping into something – like the Great Barrier Reef.
‘Pie
The Swedish and Norwegian navies have barcodes on the sides of their ships.
So when they arrive at their home port, they can Scandinavian.
Slow day at the Secure Unit, mate?
From today`s The OZ,
Some of Australia’s top media editors and journalists could face prison over allegations they breached suppression orders and prejudiced the sexual abuse trial of Cardinal George Pell.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/jail-sought-for-top-australian-media-names/news-story/7b5e121573814a2711b51ebfa6ff49d6
Still no comment from the top Honcho in the Vatican.
Big Pappa won’t comment till after the appeal, having eternal hope for a verdict reversal.
BUT he is supposed to be invaluable. Or not!
‘Pie, I know Q&A gives you the shits but last night’s effort really was a revelation about the Liberal party and its leadership. The question (at about 40 minutes if you watch i-view) was about whether Scott Morrison would demonstrate some leadership on the question of One Nation and other ranters of hate speech and the vice president of the federal party made it clear that the PM would not be making that leadership call at all. No, it would be the task of the (non-elected) federal executive of the party including Ms Bombastic McQueen and they would do what they thought was best for the party . . . . thereby sparing the elected PM of the leadership pain and suffering.
So I take back what I said about the possible $30m for the Cowboys. Morrison won’t do anything unless he’s told to by some backroom cabal in Sydney. He’ll be totally wishy washy and gutless, probably handing out firearms at the next Shooters Party rally, being a bagman for Clive and rooting for Pauline. No wonder Peter Lindsay and Co are on the outer. The Liberal Party has been taken over by nasty, nasty clowns.
NMD,
Settle dear chap. You will do yourself a mischief.
To equate that McQueen woman with the whole of the Liberal party leadership would be … say … to equate all the Labor leadership with Sam Dastyari,. Yes, yes, the Libs leadership is in tatters … just like any party that swaps prime ministers mid-stream, wouldn’t you say?
NMD, it s the normal function of all political parties, even your mates in the ALP to seperate the executive from the politicians, they are two seperate entities within the party. One deals with processes, constitution, compliance with the various electoral commissions, advertising, fundraising, finances, preferences, etc etc etc. The others are simply elected members of parliament, which can be bought to a sudden end at anytime by the executive, and live their political life with that in mind. McQueen needs to decide what the fuck she is doing, if you are part of the executive get your head off the television and focus on what your job is,. She was embarrassing and out of her depth last night when not surrounded by the likes of Paul Murray who doesn’t ask her too many questions.
NMD, your rose coloured glasses about Labor and Cathy Otoole for Herbert . Both Labor and Cathy are short on details to their policies like 45% reduction in Carbon in 3 years which may force meat prices up 50 % . Labor havnt advised families and business exactly how much energy will increase under Labor’s 50% renewable targets. Then there’s the proposed stopping negative gearing on existing houses and the use of imputation credits . I believe there are over 7,000 people in Herbert who negative gear and most see this as the first step in Labor getting their hands on people’s nest eggs and many were Labor voters . Labor’s partners the Greens want to reintroduce death duties .Have you mentioned the Liberal candidate alternative Phillip Thompson ? .
WWOOOOOO!! KIck an LNP nest and look what comes flying out. Firstly, Cantankerous, you say: “McQueen needs to decide what the fuck she is doing, if you are part of the executive get your head off the television and focus on what your job is”. Forget it mate, McQueen said she’ll do whatever she likes whenever she likes and I’ll bet you PM Morrison does nothing whatsoever about it because he is not in charge – just like PM Turnbull was not in charge. Every time I see her on TV she’s saving me from Pauline Hanson, Clive Palmer and some yokel from the mad Katters. Let her stay!
As for you Mike, if there are 7000 current negative gearers in Herbert (as you assert), not a single one of them will be affected by Labor’s plan – surely you understand the concept of grandfathering? And before you start speculating about what will happen to property prices if Labor’s negative gearing policy change is implemented, please account for the fact that property prices are already falling in Townsville after nearly six years of Coalition government – not because of what Labor might do but because of Coalition policy (inaction), indecision and misdirection has been steadily doing over the recent past.
And sorry but without a Google search I couldn’t tell you who “Phillip Thompson” is. Is he Jason Taumololo’s masseur, did he finance the new stadium, or is he on the board of TEL?
Mike, what are you talking about?
1. 45% reduction in carbon? what is that all about, are you referring to a 45% renewable target? and how could that lead to a supposed 50% increase in meat prices?
1. 50% renewable target will lead to cheaper cleaner power in the long run as coal closes down and renewable sources come online, selling Energy QLD will not bring down power prices, name one privatised electricity network that has led to cheaper power?
3. Negative gearing will be grandfathered, so you can stop lying about that.
4. AS far as changes to the use of imputation credits, can you tell me how it is fair that some people get a tax return when they did not pat tax, it is a rort that Costello introduced to bribe people before an election. It was a Labour initiative, though you had to have paid tax to get it back before Costello got to it.
5. So when wealthy people die there should be no tax on their estate? Bet Clive loves you, do you also shill for Gina?
6. Phillip Thomson, is that the bloke who had to come out last year and apologise for far right Nazi type stuff he posted on Facebook? Sounds like a real charmer – and he supports the Federal government forcing QLD to sell OUR energy assets, sounds wonderful
Have a nice day.
Tenacious D and NMD , Do you or labor know how much the average business and households will pay in increased costs to achieve Labor’s 50% renewable targets . Based on the cost of electricity and the impact on business, jobs and household disposable income you don’t think the voting public should know what the costs will be . Yes there is grandfathering on the negative gearing but are you suggesting it’s ok for the 7,000 local negative gearers to have their properties devalued more because local house prices were already dropping . In regards to the Imputation credits , the investors would have paid paye tax on the income they earnt to have obtained the $ to purchase the shares or did the money fall from the sky ?. If they contributed above the threshold they paid more tax and the company they have shares in paid tax . You claim Liberals jumping out but how about some details and modelling to support labor’s policies . Chris Bowen says he doesn’t care about people upset about imputation credits or negative gearing because they arnt Labor voters . If the Market research polls reflect badly let’s see if he is a man of his conviction .
Tenacious, you are living in lala land if you think Labors changes won’t have an effect on people’s investments and the actions they will take to mitigate these changes, rents will simply go up to cover the drop in house values, those with shares who are effected by Labors policy will simply change their investments away from dividends driven shares to those with more capital growth, or they could just blow the lot on a big holiday and then go on the pension, that will help the country no end, but seriously Tenacious D , what sort of sick, fucked up human being wants to take money off dead people, what sort of person thinks that, what next, you just dig up coffins and take their gold fillings.
Not taking money from dead people Cranky, just taking it from their offspring!
So if they get buried with their money or have it cremated with them you think that’s fine but they just cant leave it to their families, you must be one seriously bitter individual.
Politics of envy / class warfare from a couple of socialist bludgers
And they both think they are so fucking clever.
Argent, presumably you are referring to James Ashby and Steve Dill?
Actually, could be anybody from any party.
Yep! Argent, Supervised and work besides Union oxygen thieves for years. Always worried about what somebody else is getting, but don’t want to work for it. Shorten just keeps the class warfare going.
Do you two naive socialist idiots – NMD & TD – really think that negative gearing in its current form will exist after 2-3 budgets under Labor? And is not the whole purpose to reduce property prices?
TD, I guess you never lived through the days of Succession Duty. It devastated ordinary families and drove many hardworking people off the land. There was a reason it was repealed. But I guess that doesn’t concern losers who is going to die broke with their cold dead lips still pursed around public teat.
The class war has begun.
Bring it on.
Actually, Grumpy, I’d say that Labor will change negative gearing at the first opportunity and the LNP would do it too if only their leadership would lead. But they can’t lead because they have to wait for the deadbeats in their national executive to tell them what to do – even then they have to grovel before the beetrooters in the National Party (if they can find one actually at work in the country) and then go around the back to see if Pauline or the Shooters will give them preferences. Still, if it’s a culture war you’re after I suppose you can start one. How will we know?
NMD.
How will you know? I guess you can ask those of us who already have culture and class. I’ll set you right.
My, my, it seems that Mrs Hansen’s little girl, Pauline, has been getting somewhat ambitious of late.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-26/one-nation-party-leaders-conversations-captured-by-al-jazeera/10936328
Anyone who’s been to the Hervey Range Landfill recently might have noticed some shiny new building works. A few questions and you’ll soon find out that council are building a brand spanking new Recycling Shop. Fantastic! You might say! The current shop needs an upgrade. But this is not an upgrade. The operator of the current shop, who employs people unlikely to be employed elsewhere, has been told hes not invited, cut off, and council isn’t interested in his services.
Even after he’s approached out amazing and compassionate Mayor Mullet. So if you’re out that way, there’s a petition, look into it, make your own mind up, and if you feel like it, sign.
Hey, wotcha fussin’ about … Jenna and her tough journos down at the Astonisher will ask the mayor what that’s all about, they aren’t afraid to ask the questions we want answered. (Chortle, wheeze, snurffle … oh, ‘Pie, you are a one!!)
So Sam Blackadder is running for the Greens in Herbert … now that’s a cunning plan.
(The Magpie just wanted to be first with that, and cut you other humorists off at the pass.)
As cunning as fox who’s just been appointed Professor of Cunning at Oxford University
What’s his position on turnips and household servants ??
When it comes to the Greens, you’d have to be one to be the other.
Oh, yes – he’s going to be taken seriously.
If that’s the name he was born with, I’ll kiss a wombat’s bum.
Enjoy your smooch with the wombat Grumpy – don’t forget to post the pic please!
At a guess I’d suggest you start looking for a willing wombat.
Inevitable response.
Before I find any wombat – willing or wily – upon which to impose my tender ministrations, I like to see a birth certificate – unless he is going to go all Obama on us.
But, c’mon, Wily – you know you want to
FFS, where is a wombat going to get a birth certificate?
Shit, NMD – how would I know?
He is your dopey wing man – why don’t YOU ask him?
..or Google him
From the Curious Snail:
“Pauline Hanson is recovering from a tick bite that has left her with a swollen face as her party deals with the fallout of revelations her representatives sought foreign donations to wind back Australia’s gun laws.
Ms Hanson’s cheek is red and swollen and she is under medical care after the bite that can cause paralysis or transmit dangerous illnesses, One Nation officials confirmed”.
OK, but how’s the tick? Has it turned white?
No, but it is at the Ipswich general having its stomach pumped
When last I looked One Notion party did not have a candidate for Herbert. Hope it stays like that as I can’t put them and the loony dangerous Greens both last.
According to NewsFeed reports the Pope doesn’t like having his ring kissed! Anyone……….?
Please … no.
Apparently it’s ok for Cardinals to kiss his ring, Pie!
Holy pell, really!?!
The video in this story is both hilarious and arrogant … what a cross-dressing prick.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/26/video-of-pope-francis-trying-to-avoid-having-his-ring-kissed-goes-viral?utm_term=RWRpdG9yaWFsX0d1YXJkaWFuVG9kYXlBVVMtMTkwMzI3&utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=GuardianTodayAUS&CMP=GTAU_email
Another indication that the Catholic Church is paying lip service to reform, and will try to ride out the exposure of world wide kiddy-fiddling. Time is on their side. What is 10 – 25 rough years to an institution that is 2000+ years old.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-27/vatican-womens-magazine-female-staff-quit-in-protest/10943824
Had a dream last night that the Astonisher had taken a leaf out of the Maccas sales pitch book.
In my dream I called up The Astonisher to buy some advertising space.
A nice young girl answered the phone and happily gave me a quote, which I accepted despite the fact that circulation of the paper has halved in recent years.
But before I could pay for the ad, the nice young girl said: “would you like protection with that?”
“What sort of protection” I inquired.
“The same protection we give all our most influential advertisers,” came the reply.
“How does that work”” I asked.
“Oh its really very simple” she said. “If you buy enough advertising you don’t have to worry about getting any adverse publicity in the paper, and we won’t ask any hard questions like all those keyboard warriors. For example, someone could cause a major disaster costing a billion dollars and we wouldn’t even ask who was to blame.”
That sounded like value for money to me. After all I’m due to front court next week on a drink driving charge, so I gladly accepted the upsell.
The nice young girl then took me by surprise saying: “But wait, there’s more.”
“If you guarantee you’ll spend a heap of money with us on advertising, we’ll not only protect you, but also promote you.”
“How’s that work,” I inquired.
“Oh that’s our speciality. For example if you want to get the average punter to pay for a major redevelopment of your business, we’ll print some positive stories that will help pull the wool over their eyes. For example, if you put up a noticeboard for people to write comments on, we’ll treat it as a major news story. ”
“Crikey, that sounds like the sort of publicity money CAN buy,” I said,.
The nice young lady then hung up.
I told the missus about my dream this morning and she said: “Remember, the saying from our school days? Dreamt on Wednesday, told on Thursday, comes true.”
I think the Astonisher might find itself in the shit over a story this morning. When I looked at the online website of the paper in the very early hours of today the paper clearly had the faces of the youth on the roof of detention centre for all to see. I was on my laptop at the time and couldn’t take a screenshot but it was definitely the case, I believe this is a big no no and probably comes as a result of the lack of detail we see everyday from this orginisation, but the paper must face some sort of please explain.
Well, yes, the bar on showing faces includes, apart from adults whose identity may reveal an sexually abused/raped or under-age person, extends to these cantankerous but unhappy youths, on the basis that it will cruel them for life, and even stop them entering politics in order to legalise their inherent talents.
yes … when it comes to “inherent talents”. These youngsters should be given a Cert 3 in Property Security Assessment upon release, so they can work as consultants !
We’re sure many of them do … which explains a lot about our crime wave.
Saw the same picture and noticed that they were all white faces. I didn’t think this was the case with the Cleveland Youth Detention Centre riots.
Cold Comfort Corner:
It could’ve been worse, Townsville … this is the super scary power of water.
https://www.theguardian.com/global/video/2019/mar/27/new-zealand-south-island-bridge-is-swept-away-in-torrential-rain-and-flooding-video?utm_term=RWRpdG9yaWFsX0d1YXJkaWFuVG9kYXlBVVMtMTkwMzI4&utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=GuardianTodayAUS&CMP=GTAU_email
Horrible to watch. Thankfully Townsville sits on on relatively stable substrate rather than the crappy volcanic scoria and sand which fills all the valleys in the land of the Wrong White Crowd. It’s a miracle that anything survives there for long.
Polite observation – said like a Cynical Engineer … as Oscar said, a cynic knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. Stunningly beautiful country, plus they’ve got Jacinda.
Their sauvignon blanc grapes do well
Any update on the investigation into the mayor on her Adani trip to India, pie?
Still underway, as far as The ‘Pie understands.
Flappy and Pie
Just by way of update:-
Investigation has been declined, then accepted, closed, reopened passed from CCC to the Department of Local Government and now sits with the Office of the Independent Assessor.
20-30 emails and letters exchanged, RTI application to CCC “refused”, RTI application to DLG “refused/redacted”, referred to the Office of Information Commissioner decisions supported as “still under investigation”
Office of Information Commissioner advised they expect to finalise the matter in May of this year.
I wait with bated breath
This is clear evidence that Mayor Mullet and the Dudleys have failed miserably in stemming the downturn in business in Townsville and in actual fact, its getting worse. Townsville cant even keep its birth over deaths population growth and once again more people left the town last year than arrived. Why would any business seriously consider expanding into a floundering, struggling city that cant even keep its own citizens.
Who is asking the questions, who is demanding the answers, where is the accountability.
http://www.conus.com.au/2019/03/far-north-population-growth-lags-qld-average/
Hey Cranky, when we were having this population trend discussion a few months ago (in the Nest) didn’t you say that Mackay was booming while Townsville was lagging? The Conus article you linked to gave a different picture: “Townsville City Council area lost 1,112 people to internal migration in the year; this was the second largest negative net internal migration in the state, just behind Mackay who lost 1,186 and grew just 0.1% in the year.” Not that it’s a big deal. I would have expected both cities to have lost population following the mining downturn and consequent real estate exodus and maybe more recent statistics would demonstrate that more accurately. Anyway, in a few weeks the electoral rolls will close for the coming federal election and since the electorate boundaries have not changed in the interim we will know exactly what has happened in the last three years.
The seat of Herbert will be 1/150th plus or minus 10% of the total eligible voters on the electoral role, you dunce, it has no relevance to the population of Townsville whatsoever, as the Townsville statistical area encompasses 3 different electorates.
Cranky, don’t talk about a dunce until you know some facts. There was a redistribution in late 2017. Twelve electorates in Queensland, including Herbert, were unchanged. Before the redistribution, seven of the 30 electorates were projected to be more than 3.5 per cent over projected quota by the legislated date in September 2021. Herbert was also close to being over quota, but no change was made to reduce the projected enrolment for Herbert. The adjoining seat of Dawson which extends from Oonoonba to Mackay was docked 1000 voters by altering its boundaries on the south side of Mackay. In other words, Herbert covers exactly the same space as it did in the last election in 2016. Bob Katter’s seat of Kennedy used to cover Yabulu (once) but these days the only part that is nominally in the city of Townsville is Mount Margaret.
Tosser, you just shot yourself in the foot, to calculate the population of Townsville you have to include the changes up or down to the people who live in Townsville but who are in Dawson or Kennedy also, the statistical number for a Herbrt alone won’t tell you that. That s why the ABS ( the people who actually have all the data) and take that all into account, and they say Townsville lost over a thousand people in the year 17/18, but like all the lefty dickheads in the world who suddenly don’t want to accept the facts because you don’t like them or it doesn’t suit your agenda, you try and make up some lame worthless shit to discredit it, but the facts are that under your mate Jenny Hill Townsville has shit itself big time, the numbers don’t lie.
Calm down Cranky. I didn’t suggest we compare the statistical city of Townsville to the electorate of Herbert to determine if the population has changed. I said that if we look at the numbers enrolled for Herbert at the 2016 election (104,815) and compare it to the about-to-be-completed electoral roll for the 2019 election we can determine the change in population of the electorate over the three years because the boundaries for Herbert have not been changed. Sure, there are parts of the city that are not part of Herbert, I get that. But since Herbert covers most of the city it will give a pretty enlightening snapshot.
Cranky, you can add 3 more to that in June when my other half & little ones come south as well. Have found somewhere & June holidays is D Day. Hopefully when Townsville wakes up to itself & starts getting some real jobs we will be back.
Was in the CDB once over the weekend on my visit home, still a lot of tumble weeds blowing around the joint and what is the go with the endless works on Flinders st, all the footpath works will be destroyed when those buildings are ultimately redeveloped. The place just throws good money after bad and is laughable because I have seen Thai cities do the similar stupid stuff but forgive them more…
Stuck at home in the rain I watched some of the Christchurch memorial on TV and noted two different signers for the deaf indicate that “God” and “Allah” are both located sort of up there, on the right hand side, obviously just out of sight. I would never have guessed.
Apparently on 10,000 turned up when they had planned for 80,000, hmmm, says something
Like what?
I know exactly what you are saying, Avacado old mate.
But…too soon, way too soon.
Advocate, interested to know your sources for those numbers. According to the ABC 20,000 attended. The NZ Police planned for between 40,000 and 80,000.
And sounds like dog whistling of the most vile type, suggesting people have stopped caring because ‘they’re only Muslims. The ‘Pie printed the initial comment to call out this moral degenerate. It’s pretty clear what Advocate advocates.
Original comment published as a spotlight on the fact that these knuckle draggers still exist among us.
Makes interesting reading … and you’d be forgiven for thinking that The Short Un has helped.
BUT A WARNING ALERT FOR ASTONISHER JOURNALISTS
Be careful, there are a lot of numbers in this, don’t confuse yourselves.
http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/7931-government-confidence-australia-march-2019-201903290300
Well the Lets Eat Townsville has been postponed for a month due to rain
While we all feel like we missed out, let’s be realistic and remember what the Romans did when they needed to pacify the masses and win adoration. They’d entertain and feed them. Don’t be deceived. This is exactly what is happening here. It’s a poor attempt at diverting the public attention away from the current cluster fuck that is the city of Townsville and a half arsed attempt by the incumbent council to win favour.
Bring on the lions and Christians! Throw in a chariot race and Victor Mature and we got a party!
Australia does not need to lose anymore of it’s diminishing Christian population.
But how about changing the V8’s to chariot race so that we do not waste valuable fossil fuel on pointless driving around in circles.
Can we have rotating knives on the wheel hubs??
So cobalos, will that be Christians pulling the chariots and will the drivers be allowed to use whips? The devil is in the detail.
therefore, we can expect more of the same over the next 12 mths
& more of this (at least until the fed election is over)
” NQ Cowboys secures multimillion-dollar funding for new HQ ”
god bless you, the rate & tax payer … sigh
Oh great a new HQ…. can hardly contain my annoyance at the waste of money. How about we invest in things we really need. Better public transport, better national highways, a rail system that isn’t equivalent to that of a third world country. Water infrastructure. Power infrastructure. Nation building investments.
But noooooo… we focus on pissant shit like this
Hey, Tenacious D
I guess that the front page photo and opening lines of the main story in this weekends Oz confirms your views on the inherited rich. Can’t say I would totally disagree with you.
As much as a vulgar, smug tosser Anthony Pratt may be, his unlamented old man, Richard,was one of the biggest corporate thugs in Australian history. All major parties kowtowed to him. He used his money and influence to persuade Rudd to drop criminal charges against him because they were socially embarrassing. Closely connected to Shorten, who loves to move in these circles.
Immoral old prick was known as much for his philandering as his philanthropy.
Not missed.
With the Loonatic Greens going 100% renewable power by 2030, my question is, “What are the greenhouse emissions from a fairy fart fired power station?”
I’m confused. Cowboys need $30m funding ‘to survive’, ie build a largely exclusive training field on what should be prime public land. Immediately get $15m in Federal funding. Which Laurence then says will allow them to seek the remaining $35m of the $50m they require…
I work with budgets, and something isn’t adding up (without even getting into the appropriateness of using public funds for this)