It can no longer be denied, it’s out in the open and the battle lines have at last been drawn … was it incompetent arrogance or just ignorant incompetence that led to the council bureaucracy’s latest black eye. Which was delivered as usual by a brilliant Suzy slam-dunk and a Robbo stiff arm.
CEO Joe McCabe introduces the euphemism of the week :“pivot”, corporate speak for cover-up. He was goaded into using this silly buzzword by some great reportorial sleuthing by the ABC, which revealed a hidden bombshell report which lays bare the past and current failings of our council. … BUT you won’t have see a. thing about it in the Townsville Bulletin.
Is there a surprise, and surprisingly suitable, mayoral candidate hovering in the political wings. He’s one that apparently comes with the blessing of Brisbane.
Seems a long term Magpie prediction about the Townsville Bulletin is about to come true …
… and some delightful low blows in our regular cartoon roundup from Amerika.
As the Harvey Norman-free Nest keeps coming to you every week, so do the costs of its production keep coming to The ‘Pie, along with the expanding hours required to put it together. If you can assist with our finances, it will be a great help. Bash the link at the bottom of the blog to help out with a donation.
It’s Crystal Clear Now – It’s The Public Versus The Public Servants
The power wrestle in Walker Street gets down and dirty, with a distinct possibility council executives, including CEO Joe McCabe, may have overstepped the mark into illegal actions.
Let’s set the scene.
Our councillors have settled in for their onerous couple of hours fortnightly work, and proceedings begin with the startling movement from the usually bored if not dozing Kristian Price … ‘ello, ‘ello, this is a we thought, something big must be afoot … but turned out he just wanted a couple days off in a week or two time. Granted, and just well he brought it up, no one might have otherwise noticed. He promptly dozed off again for the rest of proceedings.
Then to business, first item
| 1 Adoption of Package 1 Major Amendment | ||
You’ll remember that in the previous meeting, councillors were given at short notice the list of delegated powers the CEO wanted transferred to him so he could by-pass councillors on various matters including development and planning decisions. That was immediately knocked knocked on the head and sent back for further discussions, with the councillors, led by Andrew Robinson and Suzy Batkovic, making clear their displeasure with what appeared to be an ambush with a 400+ page document they had not been given time to properly consider.
So it was reasonable to assume that the executive staff wouldn’t try that stunt again.
How wrong could we be!
Last Wednesday, again with totally inappropriate short notice, a document of no less than 1,189 pages was plonked down in front of councillors for a vote. This, they were told, was what they had agreed on in the package of council procedures and processes, and all they had to do this time was vote on the matter of an amendment that had previously been rejected in chamber because of community opposition. This simplistic suggestion was utterly untrue … in fact, it was barefaced lie.
TCC town planner Jayne Carter
That suggestion was made by the bunny elected to put her head in the noose-trap, the unfortunate planning officer Jayne Carter. Whether she knew this was utter bullshit or she was just a lamb to the slaughter we leave for her to know, but slaughter it was: her mission was obviously an ill-conceived attempt to again hoodwink councillors into unreasonably doing the will of the hired staff … the council executive.
The issue itself wasn’t a blockbuster … the government had rejected a request that environmental areas under council’s control on Maggie Island remain as impact assessable (community asked what they thought) and not code assessable (the community gets no say, and council staffers decide an issue without their input). As Ms Carter told the chamber, the request that the area remain impact assessable had been put to the government, which had rejected it and insisted the amendment be reinserted in the package. Under the law, Ms Carter nervously explained, was an either/or situation … either the council agreed to the original amendment they had previous rejected, or they had no choice but to vote down the whole package. This back-to-square-one possibility was clearly an exasperation Ms Carter was loath to entertain, and she very nearly got a tad tetchy about it, telling councillors showing signs of revolt that ‘My view is this is a minor kind of matter’.
As it turned out it was anything but – and it seems likely that Ms Carter knew this. (If not, why not?) But she made things worse for herself and her bosses by insisting that the 1100+ page document was what the councillors had decided on, and they had known about it for more than a year.
That was simply not true.
Clr Suzy Batkovic
And an indignant Suzy Batkovic was quick off the mark to point out that the whole document had NOT been put before councillors in its entirety, and Ms Carter’s suggestion that it had was wrong. Clr Batkovic said bits and pieces had come to various meetings but ‘I don’t recall in this last term with this new chamber that this document of 1,189 pages has come to this chamber. … for us to sit down and talk to it’. (And let’s f ace it, something that size is unlikely to be forgotten.)
Clr Brady Ellis
Clr Brady Ellis was emboldened by all this enough to say ‘ I’d like to go back to it , too, there are some things in there that I’ve missed, and I’m not happy with some of the wording in there. And I don’t want to see a grey area, I rather we know exactly what something coming (before us) what that looks like – so there’s no confusion moving forward.”
Clr Andrew Robinson
It was then that Clr Robinson jumped in with a suggestion that could spell big trouble for the council executive and CEO McCabe. He said he’d also like clarification, because he too couldn’t recall ever receiving a 1,189 page document. And he made no secret that he felt the way the matter was brought before council on a last minute take-it-or-leave-it basis was wrong and unfair.
Robinson said: “This document is important, and if councillors here don’t fully understand what the changes to the 1189 pages mean, then again, we should be asking should it be brought before us here for decision making. Did it actually come to a council meeting, or was it decided through some other method.’
That ‘other method’ he was clearly suggesting was that the document was put together by council staff and had no councillor input to most of it. And that, as one sharp-eyed researcher has advised, may well be illegal, backing up that argument with these before-and-after pages.
Last year’s initial document had this page …
… but before the council last week, that same page was very different.
The researcher writes:
The comparison between the two documents confirms what both Suzy and Robbo appeared to suspect: that this whole document has been prepared by Council staff under delegation. And that most of it has been added in the year following the Councillors’ agreeing to submit it to the State. As you might recall from the CEO delegation discussion at the previous meeting, it is unlawful for a local planning scheme to exclude the input of elected councillors. Robbo brought that up specifically. Suzy asked Chief Planning and Development Officer Paul Needham: “when you say Council decisions do you mean decisions by the operative arm of Council or in the Chamber. He replied, ‘In the Chamber”. This is simply not true”.
So another attempt at bullying, bamboozling and rushing councillors has again failed, and thanks again to Clrs Batkovic and Robinson. Greaney has made it clear she is trying to bum-kiss the executive suite, and has shown not a skerrick of leadership, declining the slightest attempt to protect the rights of the elected and those who elected them. Her silly video this week skated over any meaningful summary of the council meeting, and even hinted that the reason it was back in a workshop was because the councillors were too dumb to understand the process.
Trouble for you, madam, is that they understand it all too well, and are onto your little game, too.
Perhaps this just adds further reason to the following story as to why there should be a major executive clean-out in Walker Street.
This Is Kinda Unbelievable
TCC CEO Joe McCabe wins Metaphor of the Week by describing his reaction to colossal mismanagement as ‘pivoting’ … which basically means covering up radical changes and funding cuts to overruns on projects, as well as highly questionable staffing arrangements. The latter includes vital restructuring plans be managed by a TCC executive currently on a temporary secondment job in – FFS – Norway.
Check out the details of the story here.
This is how The Magpie reported the explosive issue when alerted to it by a regular reader.
THIS A MAJOR MAJOR STORY.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-03/townsville-city-council-projects-over-budget/105651720
This fine piece of investigative journalism by the ABC’s Chloe Chomicki may well be a watershed moment in the life of the current council’s administration. Current councillors re-elected from the Team Hill era will also have so explaining to do … as will Jenny Hill herself. It is simply disgraceful.
There are many key take out in this story, but here is the core that should spell major trouble for the current council administration, and perhaps the councillors for not being the sentinels some of them should have been during the closing Jenny Hill years …. and ignoring our current situation, whatever that is.
From the ABC story:
No consistent framework
QVC scored the council’s capability as 0.66 out of a potential score of five, finding TCC had no consistent project management framework.
“Often, projects are recognised by project managers as under-budgeted, but this isn’t raised as an issue until the budget is almost exhausted,” the QVC report stated.
The assessment found that, as of May 2024, Townsville City Council did not properly assess the benefits of projects, only assessed risk at the beginning of a project, and did not conduct formal stakeholder management for most projects.
The firm said cost blow-outs could be attributed to there being no consistent cost estimation tool used by TCC.
QVC also said business cases were not completed for most projects, that projects valued at less than $10 million were often outsourced for delivery, and that the council did not implement project assurance.
“Not all projects are approved based on the merits of their business cases or business justifications with any relevant alternate solutions where that is appropriate,” QVC said.
Significantly, Joe McCabe has refused to say what projects have been subject to his ‘pivoting’ budget cuts. No doubt, they’re all C in C.
The ghostly odorous gases of former mayor Jenny hill still lingers in the corridors of council carpetland like a ‘silent but deadly’ in a crowded lift.
But If That’s Kinda Unbelievable, So Is This …
After four days, not one single mention of the devastating QVC report has appeared in the Townsville Bulletin. You know, the paper that is All For Us. The lack of even acknowledging the existence of the report suggests the paper has a case of the pouty sulks at being so comprehensively scooped. Not a single mention on any site or the paper at the time of writing this. And the morning after the damaging report was revealed, this was the paper’s lead story on digital this morning.
And just in case the prospective advertiser didn’t think that was enough, the iditor chimed in with this.
This is a fucking editorial!! … even a small hick town’s Daily Arse Kisser wouldn’t demean themselves like this. You should be ashamed of this insult to this city, editor Jill Poulson, not just for printing this but for buckling under to the unmerited interfering demands of the paper’s general manager Suzanne Wilson – a woman formerly the head of News Corp Sales Department.
Which figures.
Sadly.
But Even Sadder …
All of which makes it all the more satisfying for The ‘Pie to report that his forecast that the Bulletin would merge with the Courier Mail is about to happen. The source of the information is three seperate newsagents, all of whom, independently of each other, have told The ‘Pie that they’ve been informally advised that this change is coming soon. One said the idea is that the Bulletin will going on the front and the courier behind, as a single entity but The ‘Pie doubts that. More likely is the wraparound method. A slimmed down Bulletin containing of maybe 12 or more pages will ‘wrap around’ the Courier. This way, the local paper will retain its lucrative advertising pages. But the final inevitable step, which also can’t be too far down the track, will be a digital only Townsville Bulletin.
But for as long as this new twinned paper idea exists in hard copy, it’ll be interesting to see what the asking price will be … m-f the Courier is $3.50, the Bulletin is m-f $2.80. There is no way that anyone around here is going to pay $6.30 for the sub-par offering of this amalgamation. Seems there’s only one finanvcial answer … a drastic reduction in journalist numbers at the Bulletin. Oh, well, they’ve had a lot o practice at that.
Unless of course News Ltd decides to subsidise it to maintain the role the Bulletin has always filled … a News Ltd kindergarten for wannabe journalists, and for editors on trainer wheels.
One Of Life’s Little Mysteries
The flag has been flying at half mast in Flinders St for 3 weeks now. No one seems to know why. No communication has been issued about it. We could be forgiven for assuming it is to mourn the loss of real leadership of the town or the death of the CBD.
On the other hand, maybe just another lax cock-up by our lords, masters and mistresses in Castle Walker Street.
An Interesting Sidelight from The Council Meeting
Both Batkovic and Robinson were highly critical of the public transport on offer in Townsville, and Robinson is the first person anywhere to publicly spell out why Townsville and other North Queensland urban areas deserve different planning and operational measures. His summation would never have been heard when the Labor luvvies were in power in Brisbane, because of their one-size-fits-all policy laziness.
Speaking about our City Plan, Robinson went straight for some home truths when he told the Chamber: “Some of those statements within the City Plan are based upon the euphoric idea that we will all be walking or riding to work, whereas I firmly believe Australians love their cars … and given that we (in Townsville) have minimal public transport availability, so that shoots down that option. There’s a number of different programs aimed at getting people to walk more, park your car away from the city, walk into the city, and so on. But if you did that in Townsville, you’d be fully perspired (sic), you’d need a shower and a full change of clothes. So I don’t think it is appropriate here, and while I agree with the sentiment and it would be a wonderful thing if we could live in a fully green environment, I don’t think it’s practical and I think the use of car ownership would certainly indicate that it hasn’t decreased in the past 20 years or so.”
The ‘Pie would like next to hear his views on parking in the CBD.
The Latest On The Upcoming Mayoral Race
It seems likely it will be sooner rather than later, with the suspended con man TwoNames Thompson definitely out of the picture, and the current councillors showing that they can work together (not necessarily effectively or even alertly, but still without discord), a mayoral by-election can be called. Sitting councillors can nominate and run a campaign, and if they lose, they can still retain their council seat, which does sound a bit like mayhem by encouraging a Melbourne Cup field of candidates. Greaney will certainly make the misjudgement of running, Robbo might put his hand up, boosted by recent starring roles in council meetings, and even Suzy might run, but more to do a deal with another candidate to pinch some votes rather than any expectation of winning.
This notion that a by-election is close has been given a boost recently by a new name on the ballot, this bloke.
Will Wayde Chiesa have a run at the mayoral robes?
Wayde Chiesa is a chartered accountant who has recently stepped down from top job with the Regional Development Australia, (Townsville and North-West Queensland). It is significant that although voluntarily stepping down, Wayde hasn’t indicated his next move, and that is what has given rise to the mayoral speculation.
The reason this seems to make a mayoral by-election more likely is because one source suggests that Mr Chiesa has the blessing and tacit support for a mayoral gallop from fellow north Queenslander Kid Crisafulli. The premier is said to be among many others who admire Chiesa’s four year stint with the government-funded RDA. He has also held senior roles with the Townsville council, as well as PwC (not a connection to be highlighted given PwC’s national shenanigans), BHP and Incitec Pivot.
He is apparently very well connected with Townsville’s business, civic and political networks but whether that’s a boon or a burden will only be known after the event. He will have to overcome the fact that is a former director of Policy and Investment at Bludger Central, aka Townsville Enterprise – two years and not much to show for his stint, maybe he knew when to get out. The one potential downside from The ‘Pie’s point of view is, strangely enough, his regional outlook: it is surely time we again had a mayor who focuses solely on Townsville’ s future well being and preserving its current amenity. That is surely the best way to naturally gain true regional leadership.
Other names have been chucked around, including Nick Dametto, an unlikely candidate anyway but almost certainly has scratched himself from the field after last weekend. That will be a relief to Marl Molachino, who will certainly have a dip … now made easier that his best mate Dametto is surely out of contention. It’s even suggested Phil Thompson may prefer a less disruptive personal life and maybe have a shot at staying on home turf. Why not, the pay’s not much different.
Seems the starting pistol is being loaded.
A Couple Of Random Thoughts
Mental breakdowns, suicides and lives ruined …. and not one single fucker has gone to jail. They make the rules so that makes them a protected species. Absolutes bastards.
And some common sense about one non-issue promoted well above it social value. Chris Uhlmann in The Oz.
Amerika Grates Again
With all due respect to The Magpie’s blood pressure, he will let America’s penmen do the talking.
Marriage: The Great Leveller
No matter how famous, no matter how rich, no matter how publicly adored, marriage plays no favourites ….
This latest chapter in the Taylor Swift saga confirms The Magpie’s previously stated view that it is her sheer ordinariness that has led to Swift’s phenomenal success. Her fans believe that they too could be just like her, swapping a hair brush recital in the bathroom mirror for a microphone headset and spangled speedos on a stage in front of thousands … they believe all they need is a little luck, and none of the gimmicky staging of as Madonna or a Lady Gaga – or the actual talent.. Taylor Swift is no raving beauty, femme fatal or slinky sex goddess, she is the archetypical pretty pony-tailed young American girl/woman born of the collective imagination and myth of her society … the girl next door who marries the football hero of the day.
The ‘Pie will be shunning all media for the duration when the first child (Taytray, maybe) is announced … the reporting will be a danger for all diabetics.
And A Final Thought
………..
The British diplomat*** who coined the phrase ‘may you live in interesting times’ could’ve had Townsville in mind if he were a time traveller … it’s been an ‘interesting’ week, with the promise of many more ahead. If you can help out with a donation to help meet Nest costs, itv will be as appreciated as much as it is needed. Thanks.
*** There is no evidence this is an ancient Chinese or Arabian saying, and first appeared in a British diplomats letter about 150 years ago.
ANY NEWS ON JIM TERRY?
When The ‘Pie read this, he wasn’t sure what it was all about, but he had a bit of a beak into it, and found something quite curious.
First mention of the name appeared in the Bulletin in November 2023.
This was duly followed up with Terry’s next appearance was reported in May 2024.
The story told us that
“Alexander James Macdonald Terry was publicly identified at the end of 2023 following the change in laws regarding the identification of alleged offenders charged with sexual offences.
Mr Terry’s lawyer said an application would be made to cross examine the witnesses.
The man has been charged with 17 counts of sexual assault, two counts of rape and five counts of entering a dwelling with intent to commit an offence.
Last year Queensland Police confirmed there were five female complainants involved with the charges, who were known to the man and that the alleged assault occurred between June 2019 and November 2022.
Magistrate Lehmann adjourned the matters to be mentioned in Townsville Magistrates Court on June 25, Mr Terry’s appearance will not be required and he is remanded on bail.
But is there that the trail goes cold, there is nothing more on the matter, no outcome or resolution has been reported.
A comprehensive search found nothing further on the matter.
The ‘Pie notes that there was a swap over of court reporter in between appearance, and both reporters Caitlin Charles and Emily Devon arse no slouch and seems to know their job. Neither would not have been allowed to attend any hearing of witness testimony in a rape or sexual assault case. But there is always an outcome to report … especially if there is no outcome to report.
So we don’t know if that is what occurred, if the magistrate decided the witness testimony wasn’t sufficient evidence to commit to trial (unlikely in the current climate) or if the women who made the allegations withdrew them rather than face cross examination and possible public speculation. Another possibility, depending on circumstances revealed in any closed hearing, an application may have been made to have any trial moved to another city. This is sometimes done in the jury trials of people prominent in a relatively small community.
But no matter what the outcome, if Ms Devon keeps a diary of on-going matters to follow as they move through the court system, she would’ve surely reported the matter to its conclusion. Which, given the publicity the paper had already afforded the story, seemed the only ethical option for the reporter. And for the paper.
The ‘Pie does not accuse Ms Devon of anything ethically untoward, sometimes these things are taken out of the hands of reporters by editors. And when senior executives of a local media outlet decide to be players rather than observers, things have been known to be lost or ignored, especially if pressure is brought to bear by advertisers. Self-censorship is well known at the Bulletin (as Jenny Hill so happily knows).
The Magpie is well aware of the fancy legal footwork often involved in such matters, with defence lawyers often doing whatever they can to minimise their client’s situation. Perhaps the charges were dropped for one reason or another, but given the previous stories, we are entitled to know about it.
So what happened? Given the charges and the paper’s previous eagerness to prominently report the matter, the readership deserves to know.
Perhaps Ms Devon – or editor Jill Poulson – can enlighten us in this matter.
When first reported, it rated a very short paragraph not front page. It just said a prominent Townsville figure and offences committed at a North Ward residential unit block. I assume he has paid to make it go away. Wouldnt be the first in this town.
That first mention was a small item because at that time, names of accused sex offenders were (quite correctly, in The Magpie’s view) now allowed to be published. Hence the wider coverage when Mr Terry was ‘outed’ no matter whether he was guilty or not, hew’s copped the tar brush demanded by the feminist lobby.
This is disgraceful imbalance in the law and the change is inexplicable.
The ‘Pie remains adamant that all sexual offender trials should not be open to the media or the public, until a verdict is reached and a defendant is either sentenced or found not guilty. If not guilty, all names involved except the judge and the legal participants should remain suppressed, there is no public interest argument beyond ghoulish titillation to do otherwise.
Of course, a guilty plea automatically makes the name available to the media unless naming the guilty party would reveal the identity of the victim. Because that way, no victim is subjected to the stress and fear of giving evidence.
Well..they fucked up by mentioning he was a highly prominent local figure. In doing so making his identity a matter of public interest. I recall a few very well respected and well known names put in the frame after that first article. Reminded me of the Huw Edwards situation when the BBC tried to cover his identity.
Hi Magpie, one small correction. It’s Chris Uhlmann, not Max. ????
Thanks, Frances. Amended.
With journalists thin on the ground at the Townsville Bulletin, readers are invited to keep the editor abreast of what’s happening around town by completing an online Story Tips form. (A link can be found at the bottom of the TB webpage).
After reading the ABC’s budget blowouts story courtesy of the Magpie blog I thought the editor would want to be made aware of it so last week I sent her a copy, saying I was looking forward to seeing it published in her newspaper, along with responses from the surviving Team Jenny Hill members.
The story didn’t appear so I sent it again, asking whether my story tip had gone astray or if the paper was protecting the Team Jenny Hill councilors.
Still no TB story, which raises the question:
Why?
Let me guess
With the mayoral position back in “safe” hands townsville council will embark on another round of 100 million dollar new debt taking. The most brilliant thing is 90% of those walking into vote wont care or are part of the problem.
A question for, you, Magpie, in this discussion concerning Council governance.
If a public officer is found to have wilfully engaged in an unlawful action, does that not mean the insurer can deny liability and the council employee has to pay their own court costs?
Maybe you’d fire the lot of them and start again from grass roots. Clear out any councillor connections to contracts.
And make you mayor. Yay!!
Is Guy the real Troy ?
Exactly right, Clarabelle.
Council indemnity only stretches as far as actions taken in good faith. The moment an officer is found to have acted wilfully or unlawfully, the insurance protections collapse. At that point the individual is on the hook for their own defence and liability, not the ratepayer.
The sting in the tail is that councils often cover legal costs up front, only trying to claw them back if misconduct is proven. So the public purse can still bleed for years before the hammer finally falls. That’s why governance matters: negligence can be insured, but corruption and intent can’t be hidden behind the policy.
Yes, LLLA
and we’ve seen with the Troy Thompson saga just how long the CCC takes to act.
Have you ever wondered about the sudden departure of other high ranking public offices?
Think former CEO, former chief legal officer and former director of infrastructure services.
Ships and rodents come to mind.
Barfly, Hence the 79% in corporate wages that ‘two name’ caused, but trying to fit up current administration.
The sudden departure coincided with the arrival of the suspended Mayor. They left with payouts which needs investigation, as to who authorised it, an if it was legal. With all the other stuff that has arisen before and since, this needs to be made public and not covered up.
Ralston’s termination payout was signed by Thompson shortly after he took office.
The Orange man’s dictatorship continues to strengthen as he now threatens to deploy troops on the ground in Chicago. Oh America, you get what you voted for. One wonders how much more damage can be caused by this power hungry dictator who is hellbent on destroying his country from within.
I am most uncomfortable with the AUKUS submarine deal. The leverage is all in favour of the US with their America First Fuck The Rest policy. Good grief, the Yanks cannot make enough subs for themselves at the moment, let alone anyone else. I am sure we will never see an Australian owned and crewed submarine with Australia billions of dollars out of pocket and, boys and girls, THERE IS NO PLAN B.
AUKUS is the greatest fraud ever pulled on the Australian public, it is the most misconceived defence strategy imaginable.
The future of marine warfare is underwater drones, unarmed vessels with all the speed and firepower of the current behemoths … christ, even that Chinese military parade was prominently showing off submersible drones. And it is a technology we could build ourselves (maybe with investment money from someone else).
AUKUS is a guarantee that we will be forever on our knees when the US unzips.
And ‘Department of War’ ??? We all know Trump is looney but seriously ! Meanwhile, China, Russia and North Korea sit silently but poised to ask the question is the White House dictator for fucking real ???
The saying ‘best not to interrupt your enemy when they’re fucking up’ comes to mind ! (apologies to the original author)
J,
No argument with your sentiments. Prior to 1947 the US Department for Defence was the Department for War.
As inappropriate and foolish as it is, it is a return to it’s previous name.
It’s all ok though because Mike Johnson says Farty-Seven was an FBI informant on Epstein. So now he is on the list, but he’s a good guy because he informed.
…. and liked to watch.
And maybe touch and grab and just occasionally participate
More of an uncovered agent, then.
I doubt any high ranking council employees would be worried about any misconduct. Not often you see a public officer in court. They usually have the state government to protect them.
Barfly, when you say State Government do you mean the public officers or the elected politicians or both?
What is it called when the Local Government is backed or instructed b the State and federal Goverment to deny it’s community?
The Moonlight State.
Comment of the week goes to Malcom!
For what it’s worth as a point of interest not politics related i was watching a YouTube presenter , he had a theory.
Theres a correlation between the introduction the introduction of lead into fuel and the rise and fall of serial killers. The theory is with the introduction of lead into fuel there was a significant rise in the number of ( caught I’d assume and active) serial killers; the idea being that lead was slowly changing the make up of the brain of developing infants and feeding a crime wave for the futyre.
The number increases to a crest of the wave in the 70s / 80s and slowly starts falling as lead is phased out of fuel. The only lead in fuel these days is in the Avgas for piston engined aircraft, so when you look up at one of those smaller single engined aircraft theres a very good chance lead is being sprayed into the environment. Lead in fuel was phased out thanks to the work and dedication of a single man who proved that ANY level of lead being taken into the body is a neurotoxin. Lead in many consumer products has gradually been phased out.
The guy that put lead into fuel is debated to be the one person in history that has killed / harmed the most people, he also invented CFCs, poisoned himself by drinking a toxic chemical to prove its safety and eventually killed himself by a mechanical rig of his own design whilst he was laid up in a hospital bed.
Well, that’s sounds like a correct theory, because The ‘Pie has noticed in the past few year’s that there is a distinct absence of it in his pencil.
On that premise if I put a Viagra pill the fuel tank will that spark up the old beast?
apparently … if it’s a Fiat.
https://www.google.com/search?q=TV+ad+car+gets+a+viagra+pill&oq=TV+ad+car+gets+a+viagra+pill&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRiPAtIBCjEwMTA1ajBqMTWoAgywAgHxBY_cLsNPf6qW&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:8c3f1bd2,vid:V0lcY58fwpY,st:0
Been watching Joe Rogan again Guy?
You have got to be fucking kidding me right? Serial killers and leaded fuel? Fuck me sideways you have really lost your marbles Guy! And what about the ones that are still out there, still kidnapping and killing people, it’s just we don’t know about it because they haven’t been identified and caught yet?? Guy, has someone been dropping chemtrails above your house from 35,000 feet??
no, they’re dropping fluoride….
Wow! just look at your shiny dentures…..gratis!
Guy Guy Guy. What can I say other than you need help. I’m always lurking around the Nest and often don’t have anything specific to add, but Guy you seriously shouldn’t post such disturbing and unhinged comments. Are you also allergic to all fossil fuels?
Very sorry ‘Pie, but after Guy’s latest contribution I had two options. Rip out some fingernails just to cheer up, or this. Sadly I chose this.
Lady goes into a pet shop to purchase a cockatoo.
“I’ll take this one.”
Shop owner, “No, no you do not want this cockatoo. It has spent it’s life in a series of brothels. ”
Regardless the lady takes the cockatoo home.
Shortly there after the cockatoo arks up, “ARKK ARKK NEW HOUSE, NEW MADAM. NEW HOUSE, NEW MADAM. ” And finally it settles down.
Later the lady’s adult daughters arrive home.
Cockatoo, “ARKK ARRK NEW HOUSE, NEW GIRLS, NEW HOUSE NEW GIRLS.” and it settles down.
Later the lady’s husband arrives home.
Cockatoo, “ARKK ARKK NEW………..Hello Keith. “
Not just Serial Killers, all violent crime.
https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-27067615
There has been multiple studies on the correlation, and apparently it does suggest there is some link between decrease in crime and removal of lead from Petrol. Of course not everyone is a believer in the theory because as the famous saying goes, correlation is not equal to causation.
Maybe we should check the local servo’s for lead content? Might explain our current kiddie crime wave.
Port Pirie and Mt Isa are the two lead smelters in Australia with lead contamination a problem in both towns. How does the crime rate, adult and juvenile, in these towns compare to similar regional communities? If there was a correlation between lead contamination and crime it must be statistically evident. Yes?
Perhaps unfortunate wind conditions blowing across Kennedy explains the longevity of Bob Katter with voters. It could also explain a bit about Bob himself.
I can taste mount isa on my lips about 20 minutes / half hour out of Cloncurry depending on the wind.
The last thing I’d add is that with the BBC article there are spikes in the data; I’d hazard a guess this is direct ingestion from sources such as chocolate ( with dark chocolate being the worst offender – chocolate is LOADED with lead and cadmium. Chocolate consumption would have increased after ww2 because rationing would have gradually been phased out. As the american economy boomed so did gasoline sales and chocolate sales , you’d have a fateful double whammy of leaded petrol AND direct ingestion.
Guy, thankfully we don’t have to rely on your guessing game for public policy decision making. Once again you’ve fallen down a rabbit hole of conspiracy theories and your guessing game is shit.
The idea that spikes in mid-20th century data came from chocolate consumption rising after WWII, combined with leaded petrol use, doesn’t hold up. There is no published evidence showing historical spikes in human lead exposure tied to chocolate consumption. The well-documented rise in lead exposure in the mid-1900s is overwhelmingly attributed to leaded gasoline, lead paint, and industrial emissions — not food sources like chocolate.
Yes this was from Chat GPT.
But Guy, you should probably step away from the YouTube.
Guy
Could it be that the main role you play here is to introduce distraction?
Strange comment. It’s up to you if you’re distracted, unlike The Magpie, you are under no obligation to to read anything you don’t want to.
FFS Guy, will you stop plagiarising ChatGPT !
Robbo, being former Defence and state government, would be well versed in bureaucratese, and has seen the 1100 page document for the shite that it is.
So if that’s his only experience it’ll all just look normal to him won’t it?
PWC Townsville Donated to labor , either for themselves or to mask the real source of the money . But I associated it with developers and Rocky/Elliot Springs. These a are a few. I have a more detailed list of all the Rocky Springs money I know about and the links between same addresses and different names . Its why they no longer provide party agent names, addresses and phone numbers like in the old pdf returns. They’ve never had it so good.
PWC TSV became PVW Partners run by Carl Valentine.
Greg Peel donated $500 to Townsville First/Arlett/LNP in 2016 and gave his address “C/-Price Waterhouse Coopers 51 Sturt st Townsville” which is the same address given by Ferry in his 2004 Liberal donation
Carl Valentine Gave $500 to Townsville First Arlett/LNP in 2016 , he is associated with IT and Accounting and gave the same 51 Sturt st address as Greg Peel and Price Waterhouse Coopers for Ferry’s 2004 Liberal donation
Go to the ECQ archives here https://www.ecq.qld.gov.au/disclosurereturnarchives click election disclosures . Click Local Gov Elections . Pick 2016 Quadrennial Local Gov Elections . Scroll to Townsville
Speaking of Mayoral whispers one doing the rounds is Nick Dametto could be a late starter but this could be a lot of hot air just like his parties leader.
As mentioned in the Nest, he has probably knocked himself out of the race because of his suspicious performance associating and posing with neo-nazis at the Townsville march. The ‘Pie doubts he could win anyway.
(A regular Magpie reader attended the MIRRA meeting on Saturday and emailed in this report … it was a too long for the blog, so for those interested, here’s a view of what went on).
There was a noticeable change in tone at this morning’s MIRRA meeting. The same three Council heavies turned up, but they appeared to have left their usual arrogance at the ferry terminal. McCabe, Greaney
and Richardson’s performances seemed under a new director.
They also brought along newcomer, Paul
Needham, Manager of Planning; although they may wish they hadn’t as he almost gave the game away.
CEO Joe McCabe was visibly nervous. Which you might be if you thought you might lose a job worth
$750K a year. Mattypants was more relaxed; but then he has less than $500K at stake. Greaney appeared
relaxed, but diminished grooming is a dead giveaway in a woman. She sported a nautical look, but her
hair hadn’t been washed or styled.
She felt it necessary to say that she hadn’t brought the others as her bodyguard, but for their expertise.
McCabe addressed rates and the Delegation to CEO issue. He stunned us all with the magnitude of the
increase in land values: 61% overall for the island, rising to 93% for Horseshoe Bay and an epic 99% for
Picnic Bay. When he got to the delegation details, he peddled the ‘less is more’ mantra: ‘we have actually
reduced the number of items delegated’. He said that it was his decision to return the development of the
local planning scheme to Councillors; that previously it had been delegated to the CEO. Perhaps he
suddenly realised what he’d just said when he mumbled, ‘Well I don’t know if it ever was actually
delegated’. Which would have been unlawful in Queensland.
Mattypants began with a convivial ‘it’s good to be part of grass-roots democracy’. Who would have
thought he had it in him to move to irony. When he spoke about the future of the Nelly Bay dredging he
said they will be consulting with the community :’We’re not going to just sneak in at 11 o’clock at night.’
But that’s exactly what they did on the Kelly St site. Trucks banging in the middle of the night. That was
when the community realised there was something big happening.
On the repair of the Sooning St bridge,
he explained how the project was being driven by the state government, the deputy Premier to be specific.
Speaking of Jarrod Bleijie, the issue came up about the Ministerial condition he applied to his
endorsement of Council’s new planning amendment. That, only on Magnetic Island, and not on the
mainland, development within the Environmental management and conservation zone would be code
assessable, not impact assessable. Greaney fastened her retroscope to this, claiming that document was a
bit of a red flag for her, and that’s why the Councillors deferred their decision to endorse the amendment.
Which is news to anyone who attended or watched the meeting. She certainly didn’t make a single peep of that nature on Wednesday.
In his debut performance, Planner Paul attempted reassurance, when he said just because something is code assessable, that doesn’t mean it can’t go before the Councillors; and the Picnic Bay Hotel redevelopment will
definitely be put to the Chamber.
But also, just because something is impact assessable, doesn’t mean it
will necessarily go before Councillors. Council planning officers will decide which DAs are of public
interest.
That brings us right back to the core of the Delegation to CEO document, doesn’t it?
He took a direct question from the floor about the new planning amendment, and was asked ‘Are there any rezonings
on Magnetic Island?’ After a bit of mumbling that it was a huge document with many changes, he
conceded there were some ‘minor changes’.
What he did’t elaborate on was just exactly what is a minor change to a zoning? Does it mean the
existing Light Impact industrial zone along Kelly St will be Medium to even High Impact Industry?
What about our Community Facilities site in Kelly St? Has that been rezoned to Industrial? If it has, was
this ever approved by Councillors?
Then we all went home , although not exactly whistling ‘Happy Days Are Here Again.’
I wasn’t sitting close enough to the front to pick up on a sweaty McCabe brow if he had one. But the rest sounds about right.
There was another thing the planner said that didn’t ring true. He said of the DA at 16 Marine Pde that he was “hoping for a decision soon”. He’d just been introduced to us as the General Manager of Planning. (The GM as Greaney referred to him at the Council meeting on Wednesday. ) Isn’t it HIS job to make the decision? Surely there’s not another executive management level between him and the CEO? So is he waiting for the CEO, who is not a planner, to instruct him on an outcome?
It can’t be that hard. The DA was prepared by an INTERIOR design firm on the Gold Coast, which might explain the bizarre nature of the proposal. This firm chooses upholstery and positions sofas, not buildings and car parks.
The developer wants to build a facility with open air dining, but the acoustics engineer has confirmed the only way the development can be noise compliant is with double- glazing. So why is the decision so hard for Paul Needham?
Tourist and locals alike are known as noisy open-mouth eaters, so double glazing is clearly necessary. And the constant clatter of dropped cutlery is likely to upset the natural rhythms of the local curlews.
Who the fuck wrote this shit?
It reads like someone who has gone down the rabbit hole .
Talk about making up stuff up.
The MIRRA meeting was informative and well attended.
You’re sounding quite disproportionately angry, IV.
Reads more like letters from the rabbit hole.
I imagine the author is also a member of one of those groups Magpie posted the link to in another post.
I believe Mrs Greaney is a compulsive liar.
She is a schemer of the worst kind.
You are exactly right Magpie. She never said boo at that council meeting and I believe she knows exactly what the planning scheme changes were about and would have voted them through.
Same as when people questioned the use of the beach for alcohol service under the proposed redevelopment of the Picnic Pay Hotel. She said it raised some concerns.
I believe she knows exactly what’s going on with that development given her personal connections with one of the owners and their families.
And the question is still unanswered why are they spending millions on the motel when it’s going to be demolished for the fourth stage. And why are the shops on the esplanade not been constructed first given that access will be limited by previous stages.
My view the shops will never happen. And a proposal of 12 car parks for the whole development inc 172 apartments shows they are not serious about developing the two vacant sites.
Well, your view raises some of its own questions for you to answer.
If your claim is correct that Clr Greaney has ‘personal connections’ with one of the owners and their families, (you are presumably talking about the Goicoecheas) then she is in breach of conflict of interest laws if she has said ANYTHING AT ANY TIME about the development. Or does so in the future as long as she remains a councillor.
And The ‘Pie can’t get excited about your innocence concerning development applications, especially ones that are ‘incrementally staged’. That is a prudent, legal and ethical matter to support investment, site value and future possible sales. And if times change enough to merit dramatic expansion, and the original application remains current, time and money is saved down the track.
Barbara,
The Picnic Bay Hotel development is not spending millions of dollars on the exisiting accommodation which is about 10 units. This complex was built in the 1970’s after cyclone Althea. It has that very 70’s ‘Hawaiian Eye’ besser block vibe. The owners are simply refurbishing the existing units – they may even chose to use them as staff accommodation, which would make a lot of sense.
The Picnic Bay Hotel has already paid for many of the on street existing car parks adjacent to the hotel- that’s what businesses have to do. Remember that until the mid ’80s the Picnic Bay Esplanade was a road, not a Mall and vehicles parked on both sides.
It would appear that licensed area on the beach would be used for functions.
Send a submission into TCC if you are not happy, having whinge here will go no where.
As for your views on Cr. Greaney – the Moggs is certainly not fan of hers. Have you got any evidence of Greaney’s ‘personal connection to the developers’, to back up your claims? If so please enlighten all of us.
MM I thought there were around 23 units at say $100,000 per unit to renovate plus common areas, the additional building plus landscaping would amount to a few million.
When I say personal connections I mean that she knows them personally. I didn’t mean as in related or have any business connections. I am pretty sure it is legal for developers to talk to a councillor about what they might think about a future planning proposal.
Barbarra,
They may have been 23 units in complex originally, over the years there have been many changes. Most of the ground floor units were gutted and became a disco with a glass viewing area of a crocodile named ‘Rinny’, then they refurbished it to become a function room and part of water garden complex.
Upstairs there are about 10 units, many moons ago I frequented several parties there – if only those walls could talk.
I do not know how far the owners plan to go with the existing units, I doubt they will be spending millions. To me it would make sense to have them as staff accommodation, as the complex will be a building site so some time.
As for Cr. Greaney, yes she does have many influential friends around Townsville, she likes it that way.
Our councillor has come along way from driving around in a ute, loaded up with plastic chairs, marquee, tent pegs, mobile amp, mirco phones, with a plate of sandwiches on the front seat and an urn of hot tea on floor.
She is as cunning as a lavatory rodent.
Sounds like our tourism mecca is a long way off, to what it once was, thanks TCC.
Magpie, your anonymous informant about the MIRRA meeting left a bit to be desired especially when making observations about the A-Mayor’s handling of the proposed amendments to the City Plan and the Minister’s intervention in that process. Your informant wrote:
“Greaney fastened her retroscope to this, claiming that [the Ministerial Condition] document was a bit of a red flag for her, and that’s why the Councillors deferred their decision to endorse the amendment.
Which is news to anyone who attended or watched the [TCC] meeting. She [Greaney] certainly didn’t make a single peep of that nature on Wednesday.”
Except that if you watch the video replay of the 3/9/25 council meeting, which is still available on the TCC website, that precise matter was discussed from about the 26th minute to the 53rd minute and includes Greaney specifically raising the question of the Ministerial Condition, later formulating the motion to defer the decision and ultimately raising her hand to vote in favour of it. Your petty and unprofessional informant appears to be more concerned about whether the mayor’s hair was “washed or styled”.
Worse, what your informant has failed to uncover and ultimately your readers are missing in this discussion is any observation as to where this idea of ‘streamlining’ the planning process for certain types of eco-tourism projects on Magnetic Island has come from. It is not out-of-the-blue. In last Wednesday’s TCC meeting recording you can hear the planning officer ‘Jane’ say that it was the Council (not the minister in Brisbane) that wanted to “identify areas where the level of assessment” could be lowered from impact assessment to code assessment and that this change would be “part of our amendment package” which ultimately went through to the State Interests Review. That at least four of the councillors who spoke (Greaney, Batkovic, Jacob and Robinson) can’t remember choosing to take council ‘green zones’ down that low assessment path at some stage in the past few years, beggars belief. Jenny Hill was on the case when she was mayor. So Maggie Island is being sold down the drain by our own councillors who are making it look like they are being forced into it by Minister Bleijie’s intervention. He is only doing what they were asking all along.
Well Charlie, just like you, I was also at the MIRRA meeting and viewed the video footage of the last Council meeting.
Yes, the Minster’s condition was discussed, at both meetings. And the decision to endorse the amendment was deferred by Councillors, but the two were not related. The issue raised by Robbo and Suzy was about parking rates. They had also brought up the parking rates at the meeting a year previously, and the decision to refer to the state government had been deferred, then it was passed at the next meeting. Based on parking rates; when there was no Ministerial Condition document.
Greaney successfully pulled the wool over your eyes at the MIRRA meeting, Charlie. The decision to defer approval last Wednesday was not contingent on that Ministerial Condition document.
As to your insistence that the Councillors must have known, go back up the blog and have a look at the two versions of the amendment posted in red. All those dot points in the second version were added AFTER the Councillors had given permission for the document to be forwarded to the state government. Public servants devised this amendment, not the Councillors. Although personally, I’m prepared to believe Greaney is in it up to her neck.
Greasy hair is a perfectly valid observation, Charlie. It suggests overwhelm. When British soldiers stopped shaving in India, the army knew it was time to send them home.
Clarabelle, the devil is in the detail and it’s a very significant detail which you seem to be mixing up. You suggest that:
“All those dot points in the second version [particularly about parking spaces raised by Cr Batkovic AND about the downgrading of development assessment raised by Cr Jacob] were added AFTER the Councillors had given permission for the document to be forwarded to the state government.”
Please check the precise chronological detail. If you go to last Wednesday’s TCC 3/9/25 meeting video recording, at about 37 minutes you can hear a discussion about the exact dates that decisions were made BY COUNCILLORS on the final form of the amendments that would be put to the minister. Planning GM Needham and planning officer Jayne establish that councillors in the TCC 4/9/24 meeting were given a document and attachments which included all the amendments which you describe as the “second version”. Although none of the councillors seem to remember reading all or even parts of the attachment, apparently it was endorsed by them at that meeting and was subsequently recommended to the minister a few weeks later on 19 November 2024. Unless anyone can establish some sleight-of-hand in dealings between council staff and councillors in the chamber, I think we have to accept that our council, over a period of about five years, has set about creating a “package of work” and a “more focussed review” which, in the case of Magnetic Island eco-tourism and green zone development, is specifically designed to downgrade assessment and take it out of public oversight. As I mentioned at the MIRRA meeting on Saturday, this could become a crucial issue in the future development of the ex-Defence Amaroo holiday apartments site on Bremner Point overlooking Geoffrey Bay in Arcadia.
An essential difference between us, Charlie, is that you believe everything Council says and I don’t.
The devil IS in the detail and you have completely missed the point about comparing the two versions of the amendment the Councillors were given one year apart.
Did you not notice written up on the screen in Council meetings “Minor changes may be made…” All those additional dot points are what Council STAFF hold to be minor changes. They are not minor. They constitute most of the document.
At the MIRRA meeting, the planning boss admitted minor changes to zoning had been made on Magnetic Island. Can’t wait to see what they determine to be “minor.” You can probably stop musing over the Bremner Point site, Charlie. It’s more than likely been given a big development green light with one of this Council’s ‘minor’ zoning changes.
And at the 18/9/2024 TCC meeting, when the matter of the Planning Amendment Package 1 came up the dithering around continued despite a ‘workshop’ being held a week before – but only over the amendments to car parking. At no time in the whole debate a year ago were the so-called ‘Magnetic Island issues’ raised in any debate on the floor of council. Our divisional councillor seems to have been unaware that the downgrading of the assessment regime for Nature-Based Tourism and Environmental Facilities in the Environmental Management and Conservation Zone was in the pipeline, then or now, although the majority of public responses to the entire Amendment Package came from Magnetic Island residents. Where was our councillor? Where was Cr Jacob who was asking Magnetic Island questions last Wednesday but was silent in September 2024? I know . . . . each of them was manoeuvring around the deputy mayoralty and how to knock off the mayor. The mayor who didn’t have a clue what was happening.
There has been a disgraceful oversight by our council brought about by sloppy preparation and presentation of reports (whether deliberate or otherwise), other interests distracting councillors and a complete lack of engagement and leadership by both councillors and senior council officers. Would it be too much to ask for them to actually address the Magnetic Island issues AS THEY WERE RAISED IN PUBLIC SUBMISSIONS on the floor of council before they are steamrolled through by ministerial fiat in the coming weeks?
STRIPEY
Good grief, Charlie, now you’re blaming Paul Jacob for shit going down on Magnetic Island? What, because he might have once raised a question but didn’t pursue it to crack the case?
There’s only one Councillor who is directly accountable for what goes on on Magnetic Island and that’s the Councillor who was elected and is paid to do it. Greaney. It’s not Robbo’s job or Suzy’s job either to monitor high jinks in Division 3.
“Where was our councillor?” You ask. Indeed.
Anyone notice the astonisher is regularly now putting the same article in twice in the same edition a few pages on? The last was about renters in Thursdays. Don’t they have at least a trained monkey to read it before it goes to print or a bloody ai program to pick it up?
You silly person, Double Vision, OF COURSE they have a trained donkey as the final check sub-editor and page layout boss. The term is ‘editor’.
Pie, I’ve been wondering why there is not many funeral notices in the bulletin, just found out, the cost of a funeral notice is $600. Most people now put the money towards the wake, another kick in the city halls to the Townsville residents by the bulletin.
Preying on the vulnerable grieving. There is no way a spot the size of a funeral notice should cost that much. A few years ago, long time resident of Townsville the late Ron Bairstow retired to his Perth hometown after decades here in the ‘ville. Soon afterwards, he wife Shiela died, and because she was well known and much loved here as well as Perth, Ron put in a funeral notice with the Bulletin … he was outraged when it turned out it cost TWICE as much as the one he placed in the West Australian, which was and is a REAL newspaper.
They really are a low act.
Magpie
There was the lady who rang up about putting a notice that her beloved husband had Frank passed away she was told it was $5 per word……….she said to put “Frank dead” only to be told it was a minimum of 5 words….after a few moments the said put “Frank dead, Volvo for sale”
After a week of radio silence on social media, the democratically suspended pustule Mayor is back at it, rehashing old shit and sticking it to members of the Crisafulli government. He has definitely woken up to the fact that he won’t be returning, so he is damaging as many government officials as he can. He really is a dumb cunt. One imagines that he will have lawsuits out against probably 50 individuals before this circus sees its end. Wonder if he is using a ‘no win no pay’ legal firm, or has he taken out a loan against mummy’s house and using that money to fund his litigation? What a wanker.
Dingbats in every district.
Just be aware of this … these nutcases are potential cop killers.
https://web.myplaceaustralia.org/qld/
Pie, employees of the Attorney General’s Dept, keep an eye on those in the employ of foreign governments and terrorist organisations, foreign and home grown.
With the Train Brothers murdering two police and a neighbour in Queensland, and now Freeman, nee Filby in Victoria I would expect the Attorney General’s Dept is now keeping an eye on those in the link you have provided.
The thing is the AG’s Dept rarely advertise these activities so we just have to hope they do a good job and the police act prudently on the intelligence they are given.
Don’t forget the Bogie triple murder
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11108275/amp/Bogie-Queensland-alleged-mass-shooter-Darryl-Young-reportedly-held-sovereign-citizen-beliefs.html
In the context of what PWC , PVW Partners and others were involved in with Rocky/Elliott Springs, remember that in the 2012 election Crissafulli was to be local government minister. You follow directions to returns above to that election and candidates returns. You want Crissafulli and Hathaway. There need be no words spoken if you put it in the name of the company donating like Rocky Springs Rural. You will see many donors used Ferry’s TSV P.O. box number 1064 . Throughout the donations all the way back from 2004-2016 they also used 42 Walker st where libs were in charge at the time,and 77 Denham st. They used a shell company later with 77 Denham st Pty ltd. I believe that 77Denham later became Palmer’s campaign office. Again I have a detailed timeline of donations.
So in a nutshell, Pat, what conclusion are you trying to lead us to?
Indeed, what is your angle Pat, what are you trying to tell us? I’m following this with interest.
ARCADIA CENTRAL PRECINCT CONCEPT PLAN
I’m wondering whether any of the Nest regulars can contribute anything concerning this plan for 4 storeys at Alma Bay. Here’s the graphic appearing on page 494 of the 1189 page planning amendment document put to Councillors at the Council meeting last Wednesday:
The 4 storeys appears in the legend, bottom left hand corner.
The new precinct is code assessable ( Mixed Use), not impact assessable, which brings us back to the same old argument we’re currently dealing with in the redevelopment of the Picnic Bay Hotel. So any redevelopment of the Arcadia Hotel will also occur without community consultation.
I don’t know anyone, not only residents but anyone who has ever visited the island who wants to see a repeat of Bright Point at beautiful Alma Bay.
Greaney showed up at the Council meeting prepared to endorse this plan. She must know about it, or she’s dropped the island ball completely. My question is, do any of the other Councillors know about this? Has it ever been brought before Council or it something the planning department drew up on the back of a serviette at morning tea?
I don’t remember seeing this planning change in the TCC explanatory notes.
Maybe everyone needs to go through the 1000 or so pages to see if any changes apply to them.
That’s exactly what the shiny bums are hoping you won’t do.
Clarabelle
The land in question has been owned by the same family for about 30 years.
You and your cohorts missed your chance to purchase it back then or maybe you had never even heard of Magnetic Island.
On two sides are ocean views it is prime realestate, pub, motel units, shops and a large vacant lot.
What do you think they are doing to build on the vacant block – a couple of humpy’s, a few deck chairs and an array of hammocks would you be happy with that?
Reading your comments over past few weeks, you are trying to stop a restaurant being built on the main road, trying to stop the redevelopment of the Picnic Bay Pub, complaining about the removal of a tree on a private access, trying to stop any building occurring on freehold land on Bremner Point and now your starting on the Arcadia pub.
The common word here is STOP
You don’t want to see any development- well too bad, because you can not STOP It.
So is that a yes, IV, you already know about Council’s plan to allow 4 Storeys at Alma Bay? That sounds a lot like you have an in with Council, as no one else seems to know about it.
You’re entitled to your own opinion, but not everyone will agree with you that Bright Point is the way to go for little Alma Bay.
And I’m totally flattered that you’ve been following me so closely.
The comparison with Bright Point is a bit of a stretch, Cow Bell. Best be careful not to spoil whatever legitimate arguments you have with wild exaggerations. And you can’t completely freeze the island in a point of time. Might it be that you’re confusing your justifiable anger with the council and its underhand processes with what might be a reasonable an beneficial project (as yet undeclared).
Pie
The thread I introduced is not about what sort of development might end up at Alma Bay. It’s about the community’s right to consultation; which is being removed under the current McCabe / Greaney collaboration.
At my own expense I asked an architectural consultant to superimpose Council’s Arcadia Central Precinct diagram on an aerial photograph. This is what it looks like:
It is an area much larger than the vacant lot opposite Alma Bay, and all of it is zoned up to 4 storeys. As you can see, it is surrounded by existing low density housing. How would the residents in Hayles Ave like to have four storey buildings abutting their backyards? This is a real possibility as any development is likely to be tiered to allow the maximum number of apartments to have water views.
At Bright Point the backs of the four storey buildings abuts a rock face. This is an entirely different scenario and would be better suited to a two storey maximum height.
I’m not anti development. It’s secret and inappropriate proposals I find offensive.
You seem to tangling yourself up in your own zealotry, Cow Bell.
Yesterday, you said this:
I don’t know anyone, not only residents but anyone who has ever visited the island who wants to see a repeat of Bright Point at beautiful Alma Bay.
Today, you are saying Bright Point is an entirely different scenario, something The ‘Pie among others, pointed out.
And before you start speaking for others, might be an idea to ask them first … maybe the residents whose amenity you are so eager to defend are not fussed at the idea, they might be business people who would welcome the extra opportunities such a development would bring, or accept that they don’t have much of a water view anyway. The ‘Pie is not saying this is their opinion, because he doesn’t know and hasn’t talked to them. Neither have you.
You say you are not anti-development, but you are … except for development you approve of. ‘Development’ is not an all encompassing term with negative connotations and big business/government/council bullying. And knowing quite well … at least used … the area your talking about, I personally think it is a worthwhile idea in the right place.
You are absolutely correct that your argument is … or at least should be … entirely about the council’s deceptive moves to avoid community input. Best stick to that, and not make assumptions on behalf of others about their money, the amenity, and their opinions.
Clarabelle
I think you will find that there is still a 3 storey height limit – 4 storey build would incorporate a basement level which is classed as a floor.
Do not compare what ever the owners chose to build on their land with the Bright Point development.
You have no right to dictate to any owner of any property what they can build.
As for me being in with the council, once again you are well off the mark.
I have read the Townsville Magpie for years, that may well change, if you keep bombarding the blog with your fucking nonsense.
What’s the blog got to do with Nest comments? The weekly Nest is where The ‘Pie has his say, comments the rest of the time where others have their say.
IV, you are quite correct that no individual has the right to dictate to a property owner what they can build. But a council has a legal right, indeed a statutory duty to impose guardrails. The guardrails for Magnetic Island are about to get a right going over and noone seems to want to know why.
The matter of the downgrading of assessment levels was well underway a year ago when our current mayor, Troy Thompson, was being hosted at MIRRA meetings and being questioned about the proposed town planning amendments. But long before Cr. Thompson was on the scene his predecessor, Cr. Jenny Hill, was already pulling the levers. The consultation report about ‘Reduction in Level of Assessment for Tourism in EMZ on Magnetic Island’ presented to councillors a year ago stated:
“Issue
The level of assessment for Nature based tourism and Environment facilities within the Environmental management and conservation zone is proposed to be amended from Impact assessable to Code assessable. Concerns have been raised with this change, particularly the impact this change has on the environmental values of Magnetic Island and limited benchmarks that will manage the impact of these development on the environment.
There were 46 submissions received regarding this change with submitters raising concern that the amendment will result in inappropriate development of natural areas on Magnetic Island.
Response
Council acknowledges further work is required to ensure the Environment management and conservation code adequately regulates development, particularly when involving accommodation activities.. . . . ”
Note the specific mention of “accommodation”. There is no record of any “further work”. So at that time, after at least two years of gestation, four councillors (mayors Hill and Thompson, deputy mayor Jacob and divisional councillor Greaney) had direct knowledge and carriage of this process and GM Planning Paul Needham was threading the needle in the bureaucracy. None of them seems to have had any interest in mentioning, let alone owning the project in the council chamber. Jacob, Greaney and Needham know all about it still. Why the secrecy and feigned ignorance?
You really are an old Henny Penney, aren’t you, Charlie?
Owning what project? Feigned ignorance about what exactly? The ‘Pie doesn’t think this is more than council future proofing itself for possible development applications, but even so, it should still allow community input. And that means all of Townsville, since any TCC monies will be ponied up by the whole ratepayer bloc.
See Charlie’s comment below, IV.
I’m not trying to dictate anything. I’m just the messenger you want to discredit.
Council, not me, has a responsibility to the residents and ratepayers.
And its first responsibility is to be transparent. Not something that flourished under Jenny Hill and her revolving door of CEOs.
Joe McCabe had an opportunity for a new start, but he doesn’t appear to be wanting to take it.
All I can say is OMG what does this mean for Victoria and the rest of Australia
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15079085/Aboriginal-treaty-Victoria-changes.html
Nothing for the rest of Australia, don’t get your knickers in a twist.
It means it will be most profitable for those carpetbaging white fellas with 1% aboriginal blood stepping up for a hand out, or even 0% aboriginal blood, because there is no measure for who is, and is not, an aborigine.
https://share.google/veDoZe8NeezyytmlL
You really are a nasty ignorant fucker, aren’t you, Willie? If you’re going to litter up Nest comment with your droolings, be better informed, and get your information from a more reliable source than the Daily Mail.
The fact is that while overall this is more left wing woke flapdoodle, it is primarily about exactly the opposite of what you have just sprayed, a welcome change to the ‘aboriginal identity’ rort.
From today’s Australian.
Yep, I recon if you haven’t got at least one full blood grandparent your not “aboriginal”. (American Indian standard to filter out frauds.)
So, until the rules change I am going on line to purchace my aboriginality. After all, there is bugger all financial gain to identify as a wondering albatross
There is no “American Indian standard”, each nation sets its own criteria for membership.
Since reading about the Victorian bill, and the ‘proof of aboriginally’ change The ‘Pie has been contemplating the second of the three criteria … just how do you prove someone is an aboriginal, who decides the cut-off point? The ‘Pie sincerely hopes this will not lead to yet another corruption by the Aboriginal Industry elite, where ethic recognition can be bought for a price, just like it has been before but under more lax criteria. We are after all talking about a group who wants to welcome us to our own country (which is fine and irrelevant) but for a charge for the ceremony (which is not fine, but very relevant to a mindset).
This all prompted The ‘Pie to take a deep dive into the whimsy mine, and wondered what would result if wholesale DNA testing of those who want to get on this bandwagon was mandatory. Best bet is that if DNA testing revealed dominant ethic origin, there would be a sudden upsurge in applications for Irish passports.
Magpie, your comment is on the right track. Genetic testing is the way to go. All genuine aboriginals will have vestiges of Denisova DNA and non-aboriginals, except other descendants of the very early island-living east-Asians, will be lacking. So, make it ‘DNA with more than 1% Denisovan and you’re IN’.
This independent website has its own team of researchers that investigate people that claim to be aboriginal. Interesting reading on the site.
https://www.dark-emu-exposed.org/home/if-real-aboriginal-people-cant-recognise-a-fake-how-can-the-rest-of-us
The Magpie has severe doubts about the authenticity of the site’s claims. Clicking through some of those said to be ‘fake’ aboriginals (and they may well be), any reliable proof is not forthcoming, just a lot of claims that disprove nothing. And the dependence on Andrew Bolt as a public outlet for the claims of spokesmen of vague background (what the hell is a ‘self-employed scientist’?) also raises questions. The group seems to be riding the success of disproving the silly ‘history’ of non-indigenous Bruce Pascoe and his Black Emu opus.
Read with one eyebrow cocked.
Has there been a final announcement of visitor numbers and takings for the Wedgwood display?
Dunno, but you’d believe them when there are?
And BTW all Nesters, many of the questions you pointlessly ask here are things you should be asking your councillor, or finding out yourselves and then informing fellow readers here. FFS, I’m spending my entire day or what is left of it answering fucking questions you should be telling us the answer to.
HARUMPH!!
Better you than us, oh wise oracle.
Ducks Nuts did not write this. I’d never call you a wise Oracle.
Yeah, ondered about that … but The ‘Pie will take what he can get.
Of course you didn’t write this, your comments are usually angry and are a load of bollocks. Oh, hang on a minute….
The future of Newscorpse has been decided and Lachlan will carry on as the executive after the Pickled Walnut dies. His other siblings will receive a cool $1b and have no say in the company after the Pickled Walnut drops off the perch. So there you go, young Lachlan hits paydirt, not that he needs the money.
That’s 1 Billion (US) Prince R ! Looks like they three kids will have to sack their weekly pool cleaning boy ! Cutting back on weekly expenses is tough !
Fair go, mate, have you seen the costs of helipad providers lately?
Jacinta Price, the gift that keeps in giving. Do you think shes a plant by the Labor Party? Surely shes not this fucking stupid? Even Sky News is having a go at her.
https://www.skynews.com.au/opinion/chris-kenny/ridiculous-jacinta-prices-comments-on-india-are-damaging-in-many-ways/video/896df314a4ec448e1736f85a4a20c213
She’s a nasty unprincipled grub of the MAGA school, and their first rule is never apologize when you’re called out for your behavior.
At least Sussan Ley has the spine to axe the nutter
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-10/jacinta-nampijinpa-price-refuses-to-apologise-sussan-ley/105758494?
For PWC Qld donations since 2016 type ‘Price’ into the search here and its a shit load to both sides https://disclosures.ecq.qld.gov.au/Map
With none of the details that were available from the previous returns these days , the ECQ and the crooks in parliament have made sure we cant cross check anything . No addresses of donors anymore. No Party agents details (the person who made the donation and contact details) , no P.O. boxes that were illegal anyway . No emails. So when someone from a previous donor company gets a nod , its gonna get harder and harder to check against current returns. We have to search their previous employment and type those companies and directors into the searches. Democracy for sale is now defunct and the AEC search is convoluted . Time may have elapsed since donations were made but they expect their backs scratched .
My Detailed list of known Rocky/Elliot Springs donations to both sides including to Crissafulli as a candidate. They just got another $40 mil.on top of the $15Mil Trad and co gave them.
You have to go to the AEC site to get Lend Lease and its subsidiaries donations to both sides . Ferry and co did all the work playing the long game. https://transparency.aec.gov.au/GlobalSearch/Index?searchName=lend%20lease
Ferry Real Estate $2000 to Qld Labor in 2003-04
Richard Ferry as Townsville Resorts donated $ 4500 to Qld Labor 20/2/2004 and 31/3/2004
with Annette Elliss as the contact name
Richard Ferry as Townsville Resorts 21 Sturt st donated $1500 to the QLD liberals on 6/12/2004
Richard Ferry as Townsville Resorts donated $9000 to Qld Labor , and Rocky Springs Rural donated $5000 to Qld Labor in 2010 and Obeid donated $5000 Jacki Trad was Labor Party Agent
Townsville Resorts based out of The Sturt st Business Centre next to Scott Stewarts Office donated $5k to Townsville First/LNP in 2012
The contact name “Annette Elliss ” on the form , and her email also turns up on the return for 77 Denham st Pty Ltd which is $2500 to Townsville First/LNP in 2012
Under separate names 77 Denham st , Rocky Springs Rural and Richard Ferry donated $1000 each , totalling $3000 to the LNP’s David Crissafulli in 2012 , he was going to be the Local Government Minister and have sway over approvals . The same post box 1064 Townsville 4810 was given.
The contact name “Annette Elliss” on the form , and her email also turns up on the return for 22 Walker st st Pty Ltd which is $5000 to Townsville First/LNP 1st in 2012
Richard Ferry was Associated with Colliers International who donated $1500 to Townsville First in 2012, and he gave a Colliers email address later
AIS Investments gave $2500 to Townsville First/Arlett/LNP in 2016 . They gave their address as Sturt st business center att Annette Elliss
Greg Peel donated $500 to Townsville First/Arlett/LNP in 2016 and gave his address “C/-Price Waterhouse Coopers 51 Sturt st Townsville” which is the same address given by Ferry in his 2004 Liberal donation
Opteon Property is associated with Rocky Springs and donated $2500 to Jenny Hill in 2012
Opteon Property is associated with Rocky Springs and donated $2000 to LNP’s John Hathaway in 2012
In 2016 “Rocky Springs Rural” listed on Team Hills return as 77 Denham st and $2500 .
77 Denham st Pty Ltd is listed as 21-25 Sturt st which is Ferry and gave $2500 in 2016 Darren Bragg is listed as 25 Sturt st and gave $990 which is as Ferry Address above link.
Carl Valentine Gave $500 to Townsville First Arlett/LNP in 2016 , he is associated with IT and Accounting and gave the same 51 Sturt st address as Greg Peel and Price Waterhouse Coopers for Ferry’s 2004 Liberal donation above .
Incidentally , in relation to 77 Denham st , Guildford Coal Ltd Founder Craig Ransley who went up before the NSW ICAC was in no 75 just next door . And when both 77 and 75 were put up for lease it was a Ferry real Estate job . Former Townsville Labor Mayor Tony Mooney and and former Liberal councillor and member for Herbert Peter Lindsay were also directors of that company and so is former QLD Labor Minister Craig Wallace and Jim Soorley which rebranded as Terracom ,
Aagh yes, Jim Soorley. Soorley, like Tom Tate, has made millions from realestate ventures, many of those being questionable and failing the pub test. Politicians are a protected species, and barely any of them are struggling to make ends meet.
Watcher, Weren’t the four involved in Rocky Springs,
Tony Mooney, Barry Taylor, Jeff Pascoe & Richard Ferry? In council circles it was know as Mooney’s super fund or Mooney Ponds.
Sold to Lend Lease for $millions.
I notice there is a special council meeting on Monday two days before the ordinary one on Wednesday.
Must be important to rush one through before the next one.
Uh oh.
Perhaps some information on the mayor…. might be time is up
Yeah. Wonder if Nanny McPhee will be making another flying visit.
Perhaps CEO Joe McCabe is going to apologise to the Councillors for effectively locking them out of the drafting of the new planning amendment?
Yeah, sure.
Pie
Have you seen the Bulletin on-line headline this morning:
MAGPIE SWOOPS IN TO SAVE TOWNSVILLE…
(…veteran cafe space, alas)
Indeed, the old bird did. Even when they tell the truth, it’s accidental.
You really are a pack of drongos, Bulletin.
How in your wildest droolings did you imagine this headline was suitably illustrated by this photo?
But then again, ghiven the antics of this gingernut, maybe not so wrong.
Here’s a date for all you Nesters, especially the keen photographers among you.
But choose your angles carefully, the abundance of tin foil may cause any photographic flaring.
But a warning, if any Nesters are going along for the entertainment or taking pix of the ‘action’, don’t too many you turn up … a half a dozen will outnumber the protesters, if the last attempt by these lost souls is anything to go by … that occasion was the MyPlace demand for a mass protest, banners, flags and trumpets, outside the Walker Street offices, from the disgruntled who wanted a new council – led by troy Thompson.
This should be interesting https://facebook.com/events/s/stand-against-racism/2400757266988679/
That pic looks like the second coming!
Info on Organizers:
The People’s Revolution is effectively the Australian Q-Anon. Pretty much your gold standard conspiracy theorists, aiming to ‘wake people up’ under a convention known as the ‘Great Awakening’.
MMAMV Australia is all Anti-Vax, Anti-Mandate. Going to MMAMV.org takes you to a page all about ‘natural’ remedies and anti-vax pseudoscience
A Stand for Freedom/A Stand in the Park is a Townsville created group that came out of Covid. They believe it was all a planned attack, ‘Plandemic’ and all that. They’ve since moved on to ‘Big Pharma, Fluoride in the Water, being ‘anti-woke’ and ‘combating Cancel-Culture’, and being upset about the WHO, WEF, UN, ect
My Place is what it is, effectively its aspects of all the others in the form of a Facebook Echo Chamber who just feel the need to yell about every little thing that bothers them, which is usually Fluoride, 5G, Adrenachrome, Vaccines, Cash is King and basically every other conspiracy theory you can think of. Also essentially a branch of Q-Anon adjacent as Q-Anon is less a single collective and has roots in practically every fringe philosophy, ideology, conspiracy time movements.
I must be a cooker as well. I looked at the list of contaminants in the fluoride product dosed into the water and realised it was poison.
I looked into it.
The NaF used in townsville isn’t pharmaceutical grade, its the by-product of the Chinese fertiliser industry and explains why so many terrible things are in this product – the NaF being used in townsville is industrial grade, so that means lead, uranium, thallium , Mercury its what can be described as a chronic poisoning. Tonnes of this stuff would be dumped into the tap water every year but the contaminants are at such a low level they dont register in some water sample tests; either the dosing of the tap water will continue.
If you are worried about ingesting the heavy metal contaminants being added to the tap water you’ll need to get a reverse osmosis or a water distiller. I bought a reverse osmosis system thats relatively easy to install although having some experience in fitting these things is helpful ( sweep the water tubing rather than bending into tight corners when using push fit connectors).
Yes this stuff is eating people’s brains out – slowly , safely – but that’s Australia for you. I mean come on Australia is one of the handful of countries still using 1080 , a chemical warfare agent created by the nazis to use in the gas camps of WW2. The nazis thought it so dangerous even they refused to use it, not so for stupid old Australia. It gets into the water supply and kills a notable number of pets every year by direct ingestion. New Zealand is even worse for using it ! Piles of the stuff can be found littering the land, its so bad that new Zealand honey is laced with 1080, the bees pick it up and it ends up in the honey.
Human history is littered with chronic poisoning, its a psychological trait of the human mind – and just think…… they vote.
Was wondering whether to further make fun of the afflicted, or to be merciful and and trash it until ….
“( sweep the water tubing rather than bending into tight corners when using push fit connectors).”
How could The ‘Pie not share that wonderful sentence.
Sounds like Guy has memorised the process of how to self deliver his own enemas.
Wow. Guy. Just wow.
Today is RUOK Day.
R U OK?
Like seriously.
I get that distinct feeling that “MyPlace” takes up a massive volume of rent free space in the brains of the : trust the science , my name is albo and I’m here to help you , mob.
And why wouldn’t such a threat from deranged people with a capacity for violence?
It makes perfect sense to be wary of them, they’re detached from reality and a gateway to dangerous sovereign citizen style extremism.
Your mockery of trusting science shows that you’re on the same path.
Keep drinking the tap water bob – its the only way the true believers can pledge allegiance to the mindset.
When it comes to science its about opinion and dogma. Long before germ theory there was semmelwiess the man who in invented handwashing, he saved countless lives by promoting hygiene in medical situations ( the saviour of mothers). After proving that hygiene was necessary he became a nuisance to the medical world and was lured under false pretences to give a lecture ( at a mental asylum) and held as a patient. He was beaten to death two weeks later by the guards.
Yes – trust the science – but verify.
Guy, wonder if you’re free to give a lecture on your beliefs. We can arrange it for the secure unit at the TUH.
“But the fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses. They laughed at Columbus, they laughed at Fulton, they laughed at the Wright brothers. But they also laughed at Bozo the Clown.“ – Carl Sagan
Guy, facts mate. They are really useful things. Try using some.
Semmelweis didnt “invent” handwashing. Handwashing existed before then. Semmelweis discovered disinfection.
But one’s increasinly feeling that Guy invented knob polishing.
The gathering should be a real hoot. Will Threenames Batman friend turn up in his Batman suit? And with all of these cookers in the same place at the same time, I would imagine that the psyche wards and local psyche doctors will be having a few hours of downtime while these deranged muppets sip koolaid and speak in tongues.
‘… all these cookers in the same place at the same time”? All four of them?
One of the orange man’s chief cookers just met his maker. It’s a dangerous life being a cooker.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-11/charlie-kirk-shot-utah-university-event/105418226
The ABC in its usual patronising way, warns that the video ‘may be confronting’, and then just shows long shots of the gathering and then the crowd running.
The ‘Pie has seen actual close-up video of the moment Kirk is shot, and believe me, you won’t be seeing on TV, or here in The Nest. The ‘Pie sees no point beyond ghoulish fascination at witnessing a violent death in airing it, it is graphic and there is a lot of sudden spurting blood.
But in the end, The ‘Pie will just say that he offers all his Republican-style thoughts and prayers for this thoroughly immoral man, who recently said ‘Gun deaths across America are unfortunately worth it to keep the 2nd Amendment’.
Talk about live by the sword etc.
Not to mention karma.
Yep, found it. Death would have been almost instantaneous. No time for him to consider his words have consequences. Shame that.
Oh well, he has gone to join the scores of American school children sacrificed in the name of reckless and irresponsible gun ownership.
Well he wont want us to feel sorry for him.
“I can’t stand the word empathy, actually. I think empathy is a made-up, new age term that — it does a lot of damage.”.
Charlie Kirk, 2022
Well, it is a four burner cooker…..
I’ll see myself out
Regarding the rally of Townsville’s intelligentsia on Saturday two rrhetorical questions come to mind:
1. Will there be covert surveillance as uniformed police will most likely ‘trigger’ them, and
2. Will they gather under an appropriate banner that should read, IDIOTS of the WORLD IGNITE!
Wonder what Epstein Files dirt old Charlie Kirk had on Trump to have him deleted by the Orange Headed egomaniac ?
A conspiracy theory within a conspiracy theory!!! Genius, luvvit!!
I dont follow Troy Thompson on social media but got a paid ad from him “Troy Thompson FOR mayor. Im not clicking on it or pasting it.
Anybody got a screen shot they can send to email hidden; JavaScript is required? Anonymity always.
if you see these, always take one for the team and click on it. Facebook charges more for click-thrus than just page views (which is what you saw).
TwoNames has set himself a $100 budget of his rage posting. But if you click on it, rather than just view it, he will burn through that budget in no time at all. Rule of thumb is you can get 2k-3k of views or impressions for $100. But once you start getting click-thrus at every chance, he’s lucky if the ad get presented to 200-300 people. So if in doubt, and immune to his convincing rhetoric (Ie did you pass Grade 5 in Primary School?), click the ad and ruin his ad-spend.
Anyone know what the council’s special meeting on Monday is about?
They strangely have the agenda up for Wednesday’s one but not the special one two days before.
You’d expect at least a ‘confidential matter’ agenda post.
There are so many matters that this secretive bureaucracy wants to bent the councillors to approving, it could be any one of a number of issues… delegation of powers to the CEO, bulldozing councillors into accepting the amendment package for council operations, possible civil action against the TCC challenging the legality of how the thousand+ package was compiled without councillor involvement, moves to change assessment criteria for parts of Magnetic Island. It may perhaps be to inform councillors of any government decision regarding a possible Mayoral by-election.
So again, The ‘Pie asks, has Nanny McPhee been spotted around the place again? Or maybe he’ll just be flying in on Monday morning.
Malcolm,
Haven’t seen McPhee working on his tan at Rocky Bay, however the QEC was told to gear up for a bi – election awhile ago, they are just waiting for the trigger.
I wonder if a gushing Greaney will do one of her now infamous FB reels?
‘My fellow Townsvillians today council held a special meeting, it was of a confidential nature, so I can not disclose what was discussed.
But I can assure you as your leader, the council is performing above all expectations mainly due to our great CEO, our over paid directors and ofcourse my fellow councillors. We are there for you’. – Ending with a big fake smile and few unicorn farts…
I wonder who is actually pulling the strings at the TCC. Is it high ranking employees who have been there most of their lives. Is it senior state bureaucrats?
All of the above and a few others. None of whom are elected councillors.
https://townsville.resolve.red/web/Player.aspx?id=1883&key=-1&mod=-1&mk=-1&nov=0
Yup. Detailed and summarised in other comments. Thanks.
( Unfortunately, the world being what it has become, The Magpie is obligated to point out that the following comment is satiric humour … sadly, there are those who need to be told so.)
I spotted Oberhardt this morning. He was smoking a cigar and engaging in lighthearted banter with Mayor Thompson. They were discussing human DNA and fishing spots on the Strand and then finished off with a hug. It was very touching.
This is the Agenda for the Ordinary Meeting on Wednesday …
… but although the Officers’ Reports are listed 1-7, none of them is accompanied by a copy of the report itself – which I think is the usual format. Don’t tell me the written reports from council officers are now c-in-c?
Items listed for Wednesday from Mattypants:
ENVIRONMENTAL OFFSETS policy and land strategy documents
Environmental offset: “activity undertaken to counterbalance a significant residual impact of a prescribed activity on a prescribed environmental activity”.
What about a bit of offset for the damage Council has already done on our community land in Kelly St? A history of asbestos dumping followed by earthworks to turn it into a heavy industrial site for dredging spoil.
Just what the fuck does he mean by that? Another example of the increasing use of incomprehensible language to avoid unpleasant plain language statements.
Why cannot these buffoons descend from their public service Mt Olympus, and tell us what is going on, in terms that everyone can understand?
And attached to the 36 page document is a Disclaimer:
“ Townsville City Council does not accept any liability for any statements or opinion, or for any errors or omissions contained within this document.”
That bit they have no trouble saying in plain language.
Another Keneally cost taxpayers a lot of money. Chip off the old ‘nut’. Kristina’s son and ex copper, cost NSW Govt $450k for bullshitting to the Court about one of his arrestees in 2021. He has since quit the force.
On another note, I see the Pink shirted Albotross isn’t happy about Jacinta Price enjoying a closed door LNP Fundraising function at an Indian function centre. That’s twice in a few days that his choice of colour has made him look like an idiot.
To be honest, Albanese looks more like a poofter as each weeks passes by. His choice of clothing has to be seen as a statement of his inner self. Gay styles shirts, Hawaiian shirts, tight pants displaying his meat and potatoes, plus he is best mates with Alan Joyce. A definite Nancy boy.
Putting aside your misplaced clunky attempt at humour, it’s unlikely Albanese is trying to get in touch with his inner Nancy boy. The shirts he has been parading on his Pacific jaunt are obligatory cultural protocol dictated by the host nation (and wouldn’t The ‘Pie like to see how you’d get on calling a Fijian rugby forward a ‘Nancy boy’ or poofter.
Watching this with interest. The PM definitely doesn’t dress ‘gay’. As pointed out, he wears the cultural attire of the country he is visiting. Had he been visiting Texas, USA, he would be wearing denim shorts, black tank top and packing a .45 in its holster. Regardless of his dress sense, he is still one of the worst PM’s in living memory.
He’ll never be worse than the unparalleled, unquestioned, unchallenged worst, Scott’The Liar From The Shire’ Morrison.
The special meeting details have dropped.
Might change the suspended Mayors narrative of innocence.
https://townsville.resolve.red/web/UserControls/pdf/web/DocPDFWrapper.aspx?ad=8889&token=53794753-7c5a-4df6-bb10-0929d3ad7cde
Very interesting, and appears to leave the door open to the totally unacceptable return to office of this shyster.
So let’s remember that this is the OIA’s determination which amounts to some wrist slap options, IT IS NOT ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE CCC INVESTIGATIONS.
Correct. But it is a first and final warning with a repeat offence outcome a dismissal, which is likely if you go by history because he just can’t help himself.
CCC are investigating different matters which are more serious in nature.
The ride has only just begun but his house in tumbling.
Correct. There is no way he is coming back.
That is, unless the Premier turns out to be weak and a liar. Which, in The ‘Pie’s experience, he is not. But Crisafulli has got himself in a tricky political situation, having two or more times repeated that any return to office is untenable.
I’ve read through all 11 pages. Although the OIA report is a bit of a slap with a wet lettuce leaf, there are some findings which will have the democratically suspended mayor firing off on social media. And there was definitely evidence of Thompson’s fuckwittery in the report. And this is a bit of a warm up, hopefully the CCC investigation will yield his scalp. Well let’s hope so, as the relationship with fellow Councillors is nothing short of parlous and it is beyond repair. Is the OIA report the lubrication for his pineappling?
To be con’t….
Yep, he can’t take too much heart from this report, and The ‘Pie sees it as just the first step. We’ll look more closely at the situation on Sunday.
Extraordinary.
This is the result of all these months of suspension on full pay?
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate gets referred to the OIA multiple times each year. Are Gold Coast Councillors asked to VOTE each time like this? Is that why he continues as Mayor?
Isn’t the whole point of an INDEPENDENT assessor to remove the allegations from the petty rivalries of the local Chamber? It doesn’t sound like the CCC even started up the truck.
But then this is Queensland.
You’re getting a tad moist about all this, Cow Bell.
The ‘Pie has been reliably informed that he won’t be back no matter what, but this matter does raise a question for The ‘Pie should we all get tripped up in this nonsense and he somehow did make a return … could the council again pass a vote of no confidence in him? The further turmoil that would cause would be less than if this criminally-minded fruitcake and his MyPlace pals were allowed anywhere near Walker Street again.
The report is interesting. Not damning, but it tells its own story and the suspended mayor has no doubt been acting in a bullying manner towards TCC staff. His return will create an untenable situation. Hopefully the OIA assessment will be considered by the state government who can still take action against Thompson. What an embarrassment. He is a bully, faked his credentials, has been previously charged with domestic violence, was sacked from One Nation and now suspended as mayor. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck….
While I don’t like the bloke, the legal space is open to interpretation, and must remain with the ability for natural justice to play out. I understand Thompson uses a lot of lawyered up words, this is a mess from the beginning. The government has messed this up and it will result in some form of pay out. Lying politicians are everywhere, so I’m not convinced the CCC will be any concern. The DV stuff was prior to office is not a concern, there was no conviction recorded, it has nothing to do with his appointment. The long ACA recording on his page could be argued to show he is not deliberate in misleading voters, in his words no intent.
He will be removed on or before November 20th. He has many claims in place, and the industrial relations argument is still alive for his epilepsy. Joe should never had used the words locked out due to his impairment etc, that’ll bite him. Case studies show he’ll be compensated, suggested to be $150,000.
The OIA is where the council may make him uncomfortable, I think this will be referred to the minister, though it happened while in office, not since, so it’ll be training as punishment. All in all it’s a shit storm, this period will end and a by election will be announced prior to the deadline.
Candidates I see are: Hawks, Pugh, Chesia, Walker, Ellis, Greaney, Patel, Dan Ryder, Molachino, Kippin and Thompson.
Maybe to all that, but a couple of points.
The DV matter has everything to do with his election, it is an issue he should’ve taken command of, and ran a standard ‘mea culpa but I’m now reformed and have learnt from the experience‘ etc etc. Too dumb, too dodgy and too arrogant to do that, so the matter was understandably magnified he was revealed as a valour-stealing liar who manufactured fake educational attainments. Might not have anything to do with the arcane LG rulings, but DID have a hell of a lot to do with his election. That said, the voters didn’t have much choice but , as he well knew, full exposure might have driven people to decide for the devil they knew.
Also, no Robbo in your list? Assuming you are not THAT Robbo, (you wouldn’t be that cheeky woukld you?) why have you sidelined him? And we assume the Thompson is the good one, Phil, the con man wouldn’t be allowed to run.
The only person I have heard mention a payout is the suspended Mayor. If he is dismissed, there is no reason for a payout, much like any other person who is sacked. The OIA report is the first step, the next one is the CCC. With accumulation it gives reasonable grounds for the minister to move to dismissal without compensation.
The only person I have heard that he was locked out because of his epilepsy is the suspended Mayor. He was locked out because he took indefinite mental health leave, and a few days later wanted to return, and made public threats to Councillors. Like any workplace incident, a medical clearance is required before a return to work is granted. That is standard practice.
The only person I have heard mention that his claims are still in place is the suspended Mayor. They were dismissed by the judge and short of any appeal it is done. Just because he didn’t like the outcome, doesn’t mean he can contest it until he wins.
I agree with everything said, he is entitled to an appeal, and you can bet his clever lawyers down south, Lewis Hunter (Solicitor) and Ben Dighton (Barrister) who are paid on ratepayer coin of the officer and councillor insurance, will fight to keep it relevant.
My main point of concern is, if he loses, and that means loses everything, he may well throw all these so-called documents, and if he does that, aside from being confidentiality breaches, he will have ignited a fire that will not be able to be put out. At this point in time, I still think we just pay him something, a token and get him to go away, but somehow, I don’t think he will accept anything, the pr*ck.
So Thompson gets a wrist slap. The investigation policy attached in the report states the council should follow the investigators advice, which is further training.
The councillors have 7 options additional to this, either way I’m certain he will contest it with his ‘lawyers’.
Is it true Stephen Lame left him holding his bag of lollies before Crisafulli was elected, sounds ominous, you can’t bet that will get some play, as Lame and his wife are LNP members and were part of the Marr campaign. I can see a twist coming.
Someone married Stephen Lane? Seriously?
Great takeaway, but his partner ran Natalies campaign, and her and
Lame are membership people, it has a certain stench, particularly with this bloke doing the rounds again. Who knows Lame may run too.
In the Mayors latest FB rant he states “WHS Misapplication: The use of the TCC WHS Policy now places elected officials under the authority of the CEO, which is inconsistent with the intent of the WHS Act and the Local Government Act. This undermines the independence of your elected representatives.”
His interpretation of WHS is incorrect.
The WHS Act and its administration of any company including TCC, incorporates the safety of every person on their site. Whether that be an employee (paid or unpaid), a visitor, a member of the public or in this case a Councillor/Mayor, they all fall under the direction of the PCBU managing safety on site. There are no special previsions or exclusions because of roles – including the Mayor. Even the Premier, Prime Minister, King, Dalai Lama, must take lawful direction from the PCBU and those who administer the WHS if they enter a Council site, which includes but does not limit the Mayoral office and Chambers.
Let’s hope his removal is near, and with a by-election Townsville can move on from this sorry saga.
His removal is near, and the the first step in the process starts on Monday. An analysis in tomorrow’s Nest.
Good comment. The accountable manager of a Council’s employees and contractors is the CEO. It states that in law. Too bad if you disagree with it but the fact is that if an employee or contractor is killed, it’s the CEO who could end up in jail. It’s that serious. If Twonames doesn’t understand this then he is as dumb as we have always suspected. He is just a power hungry control freak who does t like not being in control of everything. Stiff shit numbnuts.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-13/troy-thompson-mayor-townsville-conduct-breach/105769890
Pie, for your info.
The guy is an arseclown. Hopefully the Councillors are busy phoning each other and talking to lawyers about what their possible options are regarding Twonames ‘punishment’. Either way, we still have the CCC report yet to come and hopefully that will deliver a knockout punch.
The ABC article is a solid, factual summary — no hype, just the referral outcome and the recommendation for Council to consider.
Worth contrasting with the Bulletin’s version today, which left readers thinking the OIA had already made binding findings and that Monday’s meeting is a formality. That’s not right. Council still has to:
1. Resolve each allegation, and
2. Decide on disciplinary action if breaches are confirmed.
That distinction matters. Monday is where accountability is either upheld or sidestepped — not a rubber stamp.
This is sounding more like a court room event, so does the contender have an opportunity to contest these issues at the event?