It’s been a bad week for Mayor Mullet, with federal MP Phil Thompson beating her to the punch with a swift one-two in their on-going political punch up, stealing her thunder twice. So perhaps she was still a bit concussed when she made an off-the-cuff statement that should have every Townsville ratepayer buttock-clenching in alarm.
Clr Margie ‘Potty Mouth’ Ryder appears to admit she’s a bit of a tool, when she spouts the most hilarious transparent lie about …. Townsville Council transparency. Fair dinkum, you ain’t gunna believe this one. (You won’t believe the photograph, either, but you’re not meant to.)
The media goes all gaga about Gladys, and has a collective bout of amnesia – and balance. It was a shameful day …. for the media across the board.
Queensland left behind again … yup, our annual setback of Not Daylight Saving is upon us. Right or wrong? Just so the chatterati is informed, The ‘Pie offers links to both sides of the on-going stoush.
… and for your amusement, The ‘Pie has unearthed one of the funniest television clips you’ll ever see … if you have already, worth another ROTFLYAO.
Your weekly infomercial: The Magpie’s Nest is free and always will be, a generosity not shared by the various technical operators who are necessary to get it out to you; it costs money and always will, so if you can lend a much-needed hand to help the old bird meet costs, it will be greatly appreciated. The donate button is at the end of the blog.
Now, onward.
Lost, One Plot: Please Return To J.Hill, Walker Street, Townsville.
Seriously, Jenny Hill must be seeing Phillip Thompson in her nightmares. Blunting her self-proclaimed triumph of a successful Rugby weekend (more on that shortly) came the expertly timed announcement from Thompson that $100million of the $195million kitty has been earmarked for the long mooted concert hall for Townsville – the initial convention centre component is down the gurgler apparently, one report claiming the convenient nonsense that Townsville isn’t big enough.
And if the announcement from the Feds wasn’t enough to put her off her oats, the mayor must have been grinding her teeth when she learnt that she and her council officers will be mostly sidelined in the process. Because Thommo dropped this little pearler oh-so-casually at the end of the Bulletin story.
So it will be an independent adjudicator who will ultimately have the final say in where the concert hall will go, which looks like being either Dean Park or The Hive development on the Strand. You remember The Hive don’t you, that’s the one where Jenny stamped her foot and nixed early plans for the concert hall there because the developers wouldn’t agree to some highly sus demands about council office space and rents in the development.
Poor old Bentley had a dream about all this, and had a vision Mayor Mullet having another bad day in the not too distant future.
But That’s All Cakes And Ale Alongside What Came Next – …
… which is far from funny.
Suddenly trying to get back on the front foot, all Clr Hill managed to do was damn near blow it clean off.
With barely a nod of ‘well done, Townsville thanks you’ to the Feds or Thompson for the concert hall, she took great exception that Thompson didn’t share her vision splendid out at Woodstock, with only a few piddly millions allocated towards her pet project, the Lansdown Eco Precinct. Our mayor suddenly became Generalissimo Jenny.
The Magpie
September 28, 2021 at 12:21 pm (Edit)
THE ALARM BELLS ARE DEAFENING!!!
This is a threat to Townsville Council’s coffers bigger than the Adani Airstrip scam.
But whose money is she talking about? YOURS, RATEPAYERS!
Yes, it’s there in black and white: ‘Mayor Jenny Hill has revealed that if the council is forced to fund the remaining money needed to get the land ready for proponents, it will.’
A levy? a fucking levy!?! Maybe in times when the good times are rolling and all manner of Daddy Warbucks are falling over themselves for a piece of Lansdown action, but right now, industries that are staying away from the project in droves, and you want to charge them A LEVY? Is the woman mad? She sure didn’t major in marketing.
This genuinely alarming. This is our mayor at her prideful best, trying to rule by fiat to soothe a bruised ego, without any approval for a levy let alone council funding of Lansdown from the electorate or fellow councillors. Jenny Hill has decided that the Lansdown Eco Park is to be her legacy. And this from a woman who can’t even manage an already state-allocated $8million on a promised lighting feature leading to the stadium, fobbing of questions with an airy ‘now is not the right time’. Yet she is happy to threaten to chuck around multiple times the proposed Adani Airstrip cost which could break this city’s financial back. Which is already severely bent, and take ‘bent’ anyway you like. But still, Lansdown, a sparsley populated, fly-blown, dusty tumbleweed precinct would be a fitting legacy for this bombastic idiot.
But praise be, there’s one councillor whose lead should be followed by the rest of them, if they really cared about Townsville and not themselves.
This will be a real test for the Townsville Bulletin, because it cannot remain silent on such a dangerous suggestion. Let’s see who they’re really ‘all for’.
But Thommo Wasn’t Through With His Tit Twisting
He muscled in on yet another one of Jenny’s favourite yakking points. The Weekend Bulletin had this story on page 8.
At this rate, that blinding array of Thompson teeth will have the paper describing them as ‘iconic’. They’re everywhere. And there’s one person who’d love to knock them in.
Dolan’s Dilemma – Jenny Is Actually Helping Thompson’s Federal Campaign
Thompson’s political team have manoeuvred themselves into a very clever position, and Labor’s canny campaigner Dolan Hayes might just be feeling its vice around Jimmy and the Twins by now.
You see, while Dolan has given away advising Jenny (so The ‘Pie hears on the BBQ circuit – that gaffe about a levy and council funding Lansdown wouldn’t have seen the light of day if he was advising her). He is wholly committed to directing Labor candidate John Ring’s Herbert campaign, Thompson keeps scoring hits and publicity off a Labor mayor at local government level. And that’s an arena that Dolan can’t and won’t get Ring to enter, it would go against all logic and wisdom. So Thommo doesn’t have to engage Ring in any serious way … well, not yet, you never know what stink bomb in about to go off in ScomoWorld. And Jenny’s performance to date is in fact greatly helping Thommo’s campaign – he no doubt finds her a great tool … but don’t we all
The Buster Keaton Straight Face Award Goes To …
Clr Ryder in an unguarded moment.
… Clr Margie Ryder. She even dressed up as Keaton to pose with members of the Townsville Council Media Spin Team for a run through of their latest effort.
Little more needs to be said, but you may have to wait until you stop screaming with laughter at the title alone … but it gets better.
A well deserved award, Councillor Ryder.
Well, At Least The New Name Will Be Easier To Spell
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s sudden resignation on Friday created a media meltdown, and there was a tsunami of coverage that ranged from satirical (including The Magpie) to sympathetic. And it is that last emotion that The ‘Pie found way out of kilter from a professional viewpoint. Even the ABC reported it was a ‘gloomy day’ when she stepped aside. ‘Gloomy’ for whom, ABC? For a populous that has found they might have likely had a crook for premier? Certainly not gloomy for Labor.
LISTEN UP, PEOPLE …this is a powerful, highly placed woman who is being investigated for CORRUPTION, and yes, while it is at this stage allegations only, she has given the game away by not just resigning the premiership but also leaving parliament altogether. She knows she’s been caught out by her own words to ICAC inquiry by revealing her long running affair with the crooked MP Daryl ‘Should’ve Gone To SpecSaver’ Maguire.
And The ‘Pie hopes he hasn’t been too hypocritical in saying all that, because he did see an admirable upside in her departure.
The Magpie
October 1, 2021 at 7:40 pm (Edit)
SHAME SHAME SHAME ON GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN’S FOR HER VICIOUS TRASHING OF TIME HONOURED AUSTRALIAN POLITICAL TRADITION.
Outraged reaction has been swift in the wake of Gladys’s shock resignation over the investigation into her relationship with former questionable colleague Daryl ‘Should’ve Gone To SpecSavers’ Maguire.
She has infuriated politicians across the country.
‘For fucks sake, she doesn’t have to fall on her own sword just because she fell on Daryl Maguire’s,’ one colleague fumed.
Dozens of politicians, both state and federal — including premiers – now risk having their behaviour called into question by Berejiklian suddenly and recklessly deciding to do the unheard-of honourable thing and resign. ‘Thoughtless and cruel,’ one Sky News commentator said. ‘She did this abruptly and without a thought for hard working beacons of accepted political behavioural standards for those in public life. I mean, how does this make people like Christian Porter look.’
He said many would take this as a personal insult. ‘What an unfair reflection on Scott Morrison, Bridget McKenzie, Pauline Hanson, Bronwyn Bishop, Craig Kelly, Les Walker, Aaron Harper and Premier Anna Palaszczuk. I could go on. Who the hell does she think she is, Mother Teresa?.”
Power brokers on both sides are seething, one describing it as ‘a stab in the back’ of time honoured tradition of prevarication, excuses, blame shifting and outright denial of the obvious. Her harshest critics just can’t understand why she did not do the sensible thing and refuse to comment ‘while the investigation is on-going, but I will continue to serve the people of NSW’.
Another backroom heavy weighed in, saying ‘This is a slap in the face to all hard grafting – err … that is, hard working politicians. And how lame is that, claiming to step aside to allow an unhampered corruption investigation, and ensure the smooth operation of the NSW government. How the hell can you expect to nobble those nosey ICAC bastards if you’re not in power?’ one told The Magpie, adding that ‘this sets a terrible precedent.’
Seems those funny folk at The Shovel were on the same page as The Magpie.
Nostra-magpie … Or Is That Magpie-damus?
The definition of irony is the clairvoyant killed by a train she didn’t see coming.
But something The ‘Pie saw coming during the week, displayed his modest divining powers. From contemporaneous comments.
- The Magpie
October 1, 2021 at 9:09 am (Edit)
How dumb can you be to make an error like this … especially one involving a leading law firm, FFS.
A minor player on the local legal scene, Ralph Lake, decides to close down his little-known firm Lake Legal for ‘retirement reasons’ (whatever that unusual statement is concealing). OK, a bit of a filler story , but hey, we need a pic of Mr Lake … so lets see if we’ve got something on file that looks all lawyer-like. Ah, here’s one, right outside one of Townsville oldest and most respected law firms, Connolly Suthers. That’ll do.
WTF? The clear visual impression at a glance is that Connolly Suthers is closing down. Which The Magpie can assure you will be surprising news to Connolly Suthers – it certainly isn’t shutting up shop. Will be surprised if a CS principal isn’t breathing down the phone to the iditor this very minute.
What’s the bet there’s an apology – certainly at least a ‘weasel-worded ‘clarification’ ‘- perhaps s early as tomorrow on at least their website.
And BTW, a very old photograph. You’ll note in the background a distinct absence of the current modern multi-story building on the corner of Flinders and Stanley streets. In fact, that white bit is the back of the then still standing T&G Building, now long gone ten years or more.
- The Magpie
October 2, 2021 at 10:16 am (Edit)
Well, that didn’t take long, did it? Seems The ‘Pie’s crystal ball is in working order. From today’s Astonisher.
Just in case you can’t read it …
Nothing creates instant action like a call from a lawyer to an iditor.
The Incredible Shrinking Total Tools Stadium!!!
That’s the case if Mayor Jenny Hill is to be believed (apologies for the non sequitur). She seems to have caught the Bulletin’s Muddled Maths Virus.
The stadium – which some people insist on referring to the Queensland Country Bank Stadium – was supposed to build to hold 25,000 patrons, about 2000 less than then-existing Smiles stadium, but the new Total Tools Stadium apparently can now only take a tad over 23,126. Well, that’s according to our gabbling mayor, doing a TEL and taking credit for something she had bugger all to do with. This from the gush of self-praise in the mayor’s error-riddled media release about last week’s rugby knees-up.
“With a sell-out crowd at our world-class Queensland Country Bank Stadium and our CBD filled with revellers for our City Street Eats Rugby Championship Edition, last night will go down in Townsville’s history as a night to remember.
So, ‘sell out’ is now 23,126, not the 25,000 listed by Stadiums Queensland. Have the building contractors pulled a swifty and double counted a few seats and pocketed the difference? Well, no, because it seems Stadiums Queensland have got it ballsed up, too, but the other way. Although last weekend’s 23,000-strong beer queue came in second on the list of Total Tools crowds, the runaway winner remains the State of Origin match which pulled in 27,000+. So now it appears that under all the required health and public safety rules, the stadium can actually take 27,000.
Mayor Mullet also showed the danger of challenge of attempting to think when she gurgled, “I didn’t think anything could top our hosting of State of Origin game 1 in June, but last night’s Rugby Championships double-header just might have.”
Well, dearie, it just might’ve didn’t. And why say something dopey like that when the crowd figures were available at the time of the release your little paean of self-praise?
The world elite of Rugby managed to top the two Broncos v Cowboys matches by two or three thousand. When the attraction is such a star-studded line-up from the Rugby powerhouse can pull only 23,000 folks from a region of more than 500,000 that the mayor claims the stadium serves, one only makes an embarrassing fool of oneself claiming it makes us a world class destination.
But she’s got up a head of steam , the hot air just keeps on a-comin’. Like this thigh slapper.
“However, the Townsville community’s commitment to stopping the spread of COVID-19 has allowed us to host a number of A-list events like State of Origin, Oceania 7s, Reds v Chiefs rugby, NRL finals double-header and Supercars double-header.
Our commitment to what??? ‘Commitment’ implies voluntary sacrifice, so please let us know what we sacrificed to keep COVID at bay, apart from totally unnecessary and unfair mandatory business closures for a relatively brief period of time which were far from voluntary. And what did it have to do with you or us … it was spitefully imposed by your mate Anna-Joh in Brisbane.
And finally, let’s just back track to that bit about the revelry.
“With a sell-out crowd at our world-class Queensland Country Bank Stadium and our CBD filled with revellers for our City Street Eats Rugby Championship Edition, last night will go down in Townsville’s history as a night to remember
Indeed, just one night to remember out of many regular nights to remember in Townsville … it’s a fair bet that Townsville is chocka with nights to remember out in the ‘burbs, where folks tumble out of the farter each morning to check if they still have the family vehicle. If they don’t, they certainly remember that night somewhat more vividly than a couple of games of a second-choice football code, a street eats kebab and a warm Fourex.
A Labor mate once told The ‘Pie he reckoned the two luckiest politicians in Australia are Anna Palaszczuk and Jenny Hill. And who can argue with that when a financially incompetent self-stroking dunderhead like Mayor Mullet can continually rise from a bog bath smelling like Alan Jones just before bedtime.
Anyway, Here’s To A Great Grand Final
… although Bentley has some reservations.
Note our Benters little a bit of subtle editorialising, the scarf is neither Souths or Penrith, it is Cronulla … whose Number 1 ticket holder is Smirko Morrison.
A Quick Note On The Television Program The ‘Pie Rates The Most Valuable Across All Media …
… and that is the ABC’s Media Watch.
Yet again last Monday night, they took their own program makers at Aunty to task for a very bad bit of lax fact checking that made them look like right old patsies. Host Paul Barry didn’t pussyfoot around, condemning it without reservation. This is something the program regularly does, highlighting deficiencies in the ABC apparatus and programming. He has even had occasion to twit ABC supremo Ita Buttrose
But The Australian and Sky in The Dark (they call it ‘After Dark’) are all over the gaffe and weirdly suggesting that is another reason for the ABC’s privatisation. Any organisation in the Murdoch’s stygian stable calling out errors in others is just a touch bloody rich.
Sky’s Chris Kenny, Bolt, Jones and the whole cohort there would never dare to make the public self-examination of their own programs like Media Watch, let alone make even the mildest criticism of Murdoch management. No, instead it is a regular nightly spectacle of mixing and matching hosts from other Sky programs, not for criticism but pillow plumping and unzipping each other to show their mutual appreciation of themselves. What a daisy chain!
Unlikely That Any Self-Respecting Virus Would but ….,
… just imagine if the likes of Mayor Mullet, Les Walker or Aaron Harper tested positive to COVID. Tracing would be interesting.
Jenny Hill
- Monday, September 20, 2021 – – 12.01am – 11.59pm – Low risk contact Location: Sorry, Commercial in Confidence.
- Tuesday, September 21, 2021 – Meeting. Location: Commercial in Confidence- 6am to 3pm – Low risk contact
- Wednesday September 22, 2021 6pm to 12am Location: Patriots Bikies’ Club Casual contact, not as close as rumoured
- Thursday, September 23, 2021 – Walker Street meeting with Clr Fran O’Callaghan – Highly Dangerous contact (almost fatal for Fran)
Les Walker
- Friday, September 24, 2021 – Mad Cow Tavern – 5pm – 1.30am – Low risk of making contact with anyone else, didn’t see others contact coming
- Saturday, September 25 2021 – Location; ICU, Townsville University Hospital Can’t remember any contact since, but feeling side effects.
Aaron Harper•
Monday September 20 Brisbane – Barolos Ristiorante Italiano, Brisbane with Les Walker and Scott Stewart – close contact
Tuesday, September 21, 2021 – Brisbane La Porchetta Brisbane with Les Walker and Scott Stewart- - 4.10pm – midnight- Close(ish) contact
Wednesday, September 22, 2021 – Sasquatch Bar Brisbane with Scott Stewart (Les too hung over and bruised) Low risk contact
Thursday September 23, 2021 – The Walnut Restaurant & Bar Brisbane with Les Walker and Scott Stewart 6pm-1am – Les had a high risk contact with bouncer, , carried home.
Friday September 24, 2021 – Vaquero Dining – Sandgate. With Les Walker and Scott Stewart. No close contact but Les attempted to remove a visiting constituent who asked us a question about our work. Les expected out of hospital next week.
Bashing The Daylights Out Of It
It’s on again from today, and in case you have a problem remembering which way Daylight Saving works, just remember Spring Forward, Fall Back. No doubt there will be more debate about Queensland standing out of the Daylight Saving club, which this year will be an even more pressing and divisive in the COVID-ravaged business world hereabouts (its cost money, you know, an estimated $4billion annually to the Queensland economy).
But The ‘Pie will stand on the sidelines for the moment, but thought it might be useful for those who care to have a look at both sides of this perennial gabfest, from Brisbane Times , the SMH, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland CCIQ, and The Conversation.
Our USA Gallery
America keeps ripping itself apart, as Republicans push harder to achieve a crony-capitalist para-fascist racist state, and the Democrats in disarray, with a couple of key turncoats. Factionally, the Dems are way, way worse than our ALP. And Joe Biden isn’t helping much, but his bumbling still remains preferable to the Mobster President of yore.
Just To Leave You Laughing, Here’s A Bit Of Timeless Yukery
speaking of safety …
and finally, this is an oldie The ‘Pie had forgotten, but he still fell about laughing again at the clever silliness of it.
The gal is actress Natasha Lyonne (no, neither had I).
……………
Another momentous week, but aren’t they all? Plenty of room in comments for you, your thoughts are more valuable that just this old fart rabbiting on all time. Comments are by necessity anonymous, so feel free to make your point. Best ones are humorous, that way The ‘Pie can pinch them for the blog. The ‘Pie believes the old cliché ‘laughter is the best medicine’ … well, second best, after that nice donation you are planning. The appropriate button is below. Thanks.
Seriously the DST argument is the biggest load of piffle that goes around up here each year pushed by the pathetic media beat up.
If business’ in Qld needs to sync with those Ning Nangs in the southern states simply change your opening times e.g. instead of 9-5 change to 8-4 during this period, problem solved FFS
Losing $4B annually what a croc of shite when the back of a beer carton & a Nikko pen can fix it
That makes sense, but that then involves one of the big arguments unconvincingly used again DS … the interruption to personal ‘circadian rhythms’ (their 24-hour clock) that cause people to be dopey for the first couple of days after changeover and back, spiking car and pedestrian accidents, suicides and DV. Altering work times would have the same effect (think about it)
In reading up (yet again) on this mostly tedious issue, The ‘Pie was struck by one argument … no DS north of Rocky. There is a precedent within a state … Broken Hill in NSW is always on SA time. But that is so fiddly as to be a bigger pain in the arse, and put and western Queensland further out of touch with the rest of the state.
But allow The ‘Pie to assure you of on thing Pete … whether you like it or not, DS is definitely coming back sooner rather than later because of population shifts, mainly from interstate into the SE corner and the coastal strip. Eventually, tourism, business and everyday families down there – where daylight saving is a good thing – will get fed up with the tail wagging the dog … a referendum today would see it adopted by over 60% … Joh’s faded curtains in the extra daylight and cows that won’t milk are long gone. And it would certainly be a good thing for coastal Queensland right up to the Cape because of the tourist industry.
Hoary old perennial joke time: Joh knocked back daylight saving because he reckoned the sun shone out of his arse and he wasn’t getting up an hour earlier for anyone. (Boom tish …groan.)
Yep, it will come eventually, as a golfer I would like to see it come, understand those who don’t but the whole state needs to change not just SEQ when it happens, it’s pointless just shifting the confusion to another point. One of the sticking points is always school hours and kids heading for home an hour earlier closer to the heat in the middle of the day, so here’s an idea, schools could run 9-4 over the 2 summer terms, given Qld is one of the worst states for school results an extra hour each day with teachers learning could only be a good thing, can you imagine the teachers union frothing at the mouth if that was considered.
Yeah so good luck with that one …. but what have we got today, a bunch of skirt tugging mummy leg hugging snowflake snots … and that’s just the teenagers. That argument has always struck me as patently ridiculous. It reminds of my favourite Ms Texas 1967 tweet: Ha kids today … I used to have to walk two miles barefoot in the snow just to punch someone in the mouth.
Anyone unable to work across time zones really should not be allowed online.
No one seems to argue that we need the entire world in the same time zone, but the silly people in south eastern Australia are unable to either get in step with the planet or add/subtract an hour.
Well said!
Barely Ce,
If the other states didn’t change to DS and just stayed on the normal time, what would happen?
I would say nothing, so what’s the point of DS?
Again, we have to drill back down to the original raison d’etre for DS in the first place. And as said in previous comment, more family leisure, happier people (the missus can’t can’t get belted in daylight) and more productivity at work … and lot of other questionable tripe.
Daylight Saving was introduced prior to flexible working hours. Yours truly was most enthusiastic as it gave him an extra hour to sail after work. DS becomes a bit less relevant with flexible work hours but if one was to start early in a DS state like Tasmania, you might knock off at say 1530 and enjoy daylight activity until (in mid summer) 2200. That’s 6.5 hours. Wonderful if going to work in the dark is not a problem.
I’ve just never understood the point of daylight savings.
The original arguments were around additional energy savings which have proven to be marginal at best.
Perhaps down south where the sunrise and sunset times move much more dramatically than they do up this way, but then I’d argue why not just move the timezones permanently to better align in summer.
Agree though it’s just a matter of time – pardon the pun – before we have it and don’t think splitting the state will help at all.
The argument most heard is that of extra leisure and family time at the end of the day. Time to go down to the beach, the dam or or the ‘crik’ for some quality time. Makes sense in England, where the ‘gloaming’ means it doesn’t get dark until 11 in mid summer. God knows, they need to catch up on their winters … The ‘Pie was very disoriented when his first winter in London dropped …. pitch black at 4pm.
If anything makes sense it is DST Rocky north
The hour difference certainly at Tweed / twin cities is a pain in the arse given the many workers and businesses who work within the bubble .. Retail is a classic example
I also believe the further north west you go .. say Mt Isa to be in line with southern states can equally be a PITA .. and not because the curtains fade
It is an argument that just keeps giving .. if it was my call I’d say Rocky North is a workable option
Tell you what, The Magpie is will to make a bet. When DS comes in for the whole state, people will quickly wonder what the fuss was about. There will just be a hard-core rump of whingers who will moan and breast beat on blogs like this. And as for the folks out west, what happened to majority rules? That’s the tail wagging the dog that the ‘Pie has mentioned … and the main employer, mining, couldn’t give a toss about DS, they devise their own shifts over the 24 hours cycle … and one doubts high flown tosh about circadian rhythms has ever troubled management. Train drivers are another group … on the long runs, they break and sleep during the day (when necessary) in special motel rooms that are all blacked out with heavy curtaining to be ready for the return journey.
I call recall (that’s unusual at my age ) that part of the Gold Coast Airport Boundary ie Runway is in QLD & NSW. It was decided by the Powers that be at the time that NSW time would apply …
A look at this link will show why DS is good for the southern states but not for NQ, the bell curve gives the likes of Melbourne hours of twilight and NQ bugger all.
https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/sunearth.html?day=30&month=12&year=2021&hour=20&min=15&sec=0&n=47&ntxt=Brisbane&earth=0
Haven’t read that, bit over it all today, but on the face of it, that doesn’t add up, Cockie. The ‘Pie has occasionally sat on his balcony at sunset and worked out the time if we had DS … voila!! an extra hour. If The ‘Pie is sitting there at 7pm, with DS it would be 8pm.
Big week for Phil Thompson and the $100 mil concert hall + photos at Driveit . Our Mayor visited Bravus mine along with Scott Stewart and our Mundingburra MP spruiking world coffee day whist the service across the road was robbed at 7 am and Aaron Harper ( I have a secret plan to fix crime )had a Jeweller assaulted and robbed at Willows and all in brawl of 50 at the Avenues pub . Anything from Labor’s candidate for Herbert on crime ? . It is a State issue but a major issue in the City .
Good to see that Landsdown is at the very least, a world leading parsley farm.
????
“Lansdown, a parsley populated, fly-blown, dusty tumbleweed precinct.” A sub-editor just gently poked your ribs.
On another matter, the announcement of “an independent adjudicator who will ultimately have the final say in where the concert hall will go”, sounds a bit like the now apparently unsatisfactory expert insider who pulled the stadium together and the different expert insider who advised on the Haughton pipeline duplication who/which is also now unsatisfactory in these parts. On that subject, hopefully by the time a concert hall is built and opened by Jenny Hill (tall order I reckon) the politician it is named for is still alive – ie. it is not a “memorial”.
‘Memorial’ was reference to the time it is likely to take …. although Jenny may well have ripped his heart out by then.
“Ripped his heart out’? Don’t think that’s how it will end. Does Phillip Thompson ride a motorbike?
Lord Howard, a scrambler near the Ross River after a few rainy days.
Pie, there was a typo in your blog and you said ‘parsley’ instead of ‘sparsely’. You naughty naughty boy. Has Warhurst been editing and spellchecking your blog?
Sorry, get it now, thanks for the heads up everyone … picked it up on my regular Sunday morning final sub.
No need to apologise at all Pie ! Starting early morning drinks on GF day is a time honoured tradition ! I actually know folks who started on Friday night and still haven’t found there way home yet !
Oops! The virus is obviously not a Rugby League fan. I guess it just likes excitable crowds.
There is no doubt that Mr Covid has gifted Townsville sports fans events that, in pre-covid times, were reserved for big stadiums in capital cities.
But with our 3 State MPs and Mayor Jenny Hill pushing the line that their decision to build the new stadium resulted in Townsville getting to host the State of Origin game, NRL finals and the international rugby double header, it’s worth looking at what happened in other Queensland regional cities.
Rockhampton and Mackay also got to host NRL finals – and in stadiums inferior to the Cowboys old one out at the Willows.
So surely it follows that Townsville would have got its share of the big games regardless of whether the new stadium had been built.
The spin is dizzying.
Precisely.
IO I admit to being a stadium fan, but agree “inferior” seems a nondescript word nowadays, evidenced by New Zealand transgender weightlifter, Laurel Hubbard, who failed to make a successful lift in Tokyo, just being named “Sportswoman of the Year”.
Thank you for not making a joke about her incredible snatch. Or jerk.
That’s a weight off your mind?
The logical extension of allowing transgender athletes, or indeed those who identify as a different gender from that with which they were born, to compete is to make all sports non-gender-specific. Otherwise it’s just a farce, as we are now seeing.
The Cowboys would still lose.
On the crowd numbers, if memory serves didn’t they add additional seating down the open end for the origin game? I think that’s how they were able to go over capacity for that one.
You are probably right … but wrong in one sense. If they can add seating to make the capacity 27,000, then that must fall within the guidelines of safety and all that jazz, so the capacity is in fact 27,000. The quality of the event is what will determine if the non-permanent seating is used.
Mr. Pie, why doesn’t Crisafulli grow some balls and announce that if elected, his government will adopt Daylight Saving!
Blind Man Freddie can see that QLD is a totally different State now to the 1992 version.
And, 1.8 million people voted in 1992…there are now 3.3 million registered voters.
Go on Davey…be brave!
Bout your only hope of toppling Anna!
Politics 101: courtesy Napoleon. ‘Never interrupt your enemy when he’s making a mistake.’ Crisafulli doesn’t have to do anything at this early stage, the danger is all with Anna-Joh and her pirouetting on borders, lock downs and hiding behind the CHO. Why distract the public from a dark mood towards your opponent, this far out from an election?
There is also the general idea that you don’t give away your platform too early for the two simple reasons … people easily forget the promises of those not in power, and if the idea is good, those in power can pinch them before the election.
And remember Dr Jeanette Young finishes as Queensland’s Chief Health Officer at the end of this month. We don’t know the incoming CHO Dr Krispin Hajkowicz’s (how do you pronounce his surname) stance on Crovid-19 restrictions will be we may be in for some interesting times come 1 November 2021.
It would be nice if we never saw him. and he just gave his – what is surely expert, considered advice – and then she weighs it up from a safety/economic balance point of view and front the media. Saying her decision are made on whathisname’s advice is quite good enough, but only she as premier can make balanced decisions that weigh up social benefit and risk … a CHO is always going to opt for a worst case scenario. A logical arse covering exercise which is reasonable given the blame game Anna-Joh has already shown to be more than willing to play.
Hajkowicz, pronounced : Has-cow-itch.
Must have picked it up from another politician.
At it again Elusive Caterpillar? What a ridiculous rant so far out from an election you peanut!
Davey is a sensible Nth Qld lad who will never forget school PE days on the oval in the blazing sun and after school team sport at 3pm. No air-conditioned classrooms except an open window – considered child abuse in the SE. Our NQ kids are bloody troopers for submitting to this bloody torture and heatstroke and coming home daily like drowned rats without getting up an hour earlier for more of the same.
Awww, diddums …
Did it ever occur to you and others who put forward this sort of ‘proof’ of the evils of DS that if there is a coherent argument for its introduction, all these piddling red herrings can be worked around. Reality time: most schools are now air conditioned, so the ickle dears just have to make the dash along the covered walkway from the classrooms to mummy’s air conditioned car and hope they’ve avoided sunstroke. Then its home to more A/C and computer games until Mummy shoos them out of the house in the cooler hours so she can get on the toot before hubby comes home.
Dear Mr Pie, This “Mummy” reckons you are a closet Victorian.
That sounds like extreme lockdown.
No More Dredging/Elusive Butterfly, you still throwing knives at The Kid?? Get a life and get over your obsession.
Totally disagree Mr. Pie.
He’s aimless…he’s reactive, never proactive.
He has to demonstrate that he can actually think, make decisions and influence the QLD electorate.
He’s never done that as a leader of the LNP…he’s never come close!
Anna never responds to him.
Why?
He never hurts her. He’s a flea on the back of an elephant.
Inconsequential!
Daylight Saving is his Ace of Hearts.
He should play it now and force Anna to acknowledge him and respond.
Now Mr. Pie. Not in three years!
Let him know, he will appreciate your insight and wonder why he didn’t realise the wisdom of it before.
Anna doesn’t respond because she has no answers or ideas.
So true Butterfly, she (Anna) truly is an elephant.
EB, What’s the old saying. “Better to say silent and be thought a fool, than open your mouth and remove all doubt.”
That apples to Puddleduck.
Mr. Pie, using the words wisdom and Crisafulli in the same sentence would be the ultimate oxymoron!
He’s the Gordon Bennett of Singapore.
I’ll come back after the election and tell you how good my opposition Anna was!!
And, Snowpeas… careful of those curtains son…they’ll fade quicker if we get Daylight Saving!
Un-fucking-believable!
Cheap stuff that says nothing, it’s just empty venting. Or put another way, your opening line is just a cheap shot from a cheap shit.
In this case, anyway.
You’re obviously under the influence of something Elusive Caterpillar. Alcohol, another substance, or Anna’s chins (or all of the above)? More ranting from a mentally challenged insect!!
How senile are you EB – all North Queenslanders know Daylight Saving doesn’t fade curtains…and don’t call me “son” you arrogant prick.
Flutterby’s a bloke? Comments sound particularly harridan-ish.
I think we need to refer to Phil Thompson as ‘Mr Townsville’. This guy is kicking goals for the people of Townsville. It’s incredible that this is a politician who isn’t even in power, yet he is getting things done for the region by securing money for projects, infrastructure and services for people of the Ville. Hang on a minute, who should be the one actually doing this? Oh yes, Jenny who? The fouls mouthed bad hair bogan numpty Mayor Hill is having nails banged into her coffin daily. What an embarrassment she is. Hey Mullet, you are irrelevant. The only thing you contribute to the region is a higher level of debt.
Ummm, Phil Thompson isn’t in power? What does he have to do to achieve that, then, get elected? Oh, wait a minute …
Prince R, since you seem to be keeping the achievement scoreboard for Phil Thompson – the elected government member for Herbert if you can’t remember back that far – would you care to outline how much of his $195 million pork barrel he is committing to the Lansdown eco-industrial project and what the money will be spent on.
The ‘Pie seems to recall seeing $40million for Jenny scrub turkey. Or was it $8m for somme study connected to it. Going on memory only. Anybody?
My tally is $2m for the Castle Hill shed, $5m for the rescue helicopter service, $50m for the Reef HQ upgrade and $100m for the concert hall = $157m committed so far. Assuming no ‘new’ money, that leaves $38m in the ($195m) kitty. Something not revealed in the Jenny-Hill-will-spend-ratepayer-money-at-Lansdown story is how much money she needs, “to get the land ready for proponents”. Will the Phil Thompson contribution cover that in full? If so then we can expect the Mayor’s crowing to be heard all across the electorate.
Magpie, sorry but I found a 28 September media release from Phil Thompson which sort of answers my question:
“A further three projects have been announced under the Townsville City Deal, which will help further industry and the arts.
Herbert MP Phillip Thompson said $2 million would fully fund a detailed business case for a concert hall, to help guide further funding for the project.
A further $12 million would be allocated to enabling infrastructure to support the Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct – matching the Queensland State Government’s commitment, while $2 million would fund a feasibility study into the supply of re-used water for the growing green hydrogen industry in Townsville.”
Seems our dynamic local member shares Jenny’s panicked glass jaw when it comes to the member for Herbert. But Memo, Harpic: always does your credibility good to get the name of your opponent right.
Wasn’t there something in there for the Flying Doctor that made Jenny sneer a bit?
There seem to be a number of different accounting systems being used in the Canberra – Townsville funding program. Some of the City Deal money has gone into Reef HQ ($40m apparently) but another $40m has come from elsewhere in Canberra to Reef HQ since 2019. And yes there was $15m to the RFDS but not part of the City Deal. And then some City Deal money to Careflight. Also, I notice that the “$100m” for the Concert Hall is starting with $2m for a business case and who knows where that will end up.
Hey Butterfly, are you Dolan, one of Anna’s 31 spin doctors, or just a rusted-on Labor lackey?
Actually, if you think about it, you could be all three.
Doubt its Dolan … he wouldn’t have the time for this blog, and besides, his points would be sharper and more cleverly (read ‘sneakily’) presented. But a big ‘E’ for Effort, Flutterby.
Keeping Jenny hill out of office was a great thing he did but then he left. He should have stayed on as next mayor and life in Townsville would be so much different now
Be interesting to see if QLD emulates VIC toward the end of the week from any contagion at the NRL GF.
Goodness me! Don’t I ruffle a few feathers saying anything negative about Mr. Crisafulli.
Sorry, Mr. Pie, more bad taste!
But, can someone please remind of anything memorable he has ever done?
Just anything, really?
The ‘Pie would not wish to embarrass Mr Crisfulli by drawing comparisons with your community achievements, so The ‘Pie declines.
Artful dodge.
Don’t feel left out Steve of Belligerent Gardens … same applies to your intelligent contributions to society.
Trust your armchair is comfortable … that’s the one with only an armrest on the left.
Effluent Caterpillar. I am not sure you ruffled feathers for the target of your comments, but you certainly have made people ruffled by your crazed ranting in the same way that a rabid dog gets peoples attention.
If you are the best the ALP machinery can scrape up, it speaks volumes.
The concert hall funding although very positive, will be a long suffering project due to the council blocking and stalling any approvals to commence construction.
Asa ever. We could’ve have had it, a convention centre and the stadium if there had been some political spine to start with and less self-interest from Laurence Lancini.
I’m assuming firstly that the capital grant funding will be coming to TCC to construct the concert hall and take ownership of the hall after construction. If so, the poor independent person charged with oversight of the project will certainly have a nightmare handling Mayor Dills demands. If TCC is not going to recieve the funding, then who is this capital funding going to and where is this going to leave Mayor Dill and TCC.
Secondly, assuming that TCC takes control of the concert hall after construction, what are the on-going maintenance, staffing and related costs going to be. I haven’t seen any figures yet and the TCC ratepayer needs to know these costs and how TCC is going to pay these costs particularly when we suspect that TCC is nearly broke.
The idea of user pays comes to mind so that the ratepayer does have to fork out for these costs but I doubt Mayor Dill would suggest this idea but then hopefully it won’t be her problem after March 2024.
Crits, Phil The Fed said the funds would not be going to the TCC the other day. Rather, the successful tenderer would be released funds as the project hit milestones/progressed. It was not clear who would hold the funds, but perhaps one of the Federal Govt departments/agencies? My understanding is definitely not TCC.
Critical, if the Concert Hall is funded by the Commonwealth as part of the City Deal (rather than some other arrangement such as happened with the stadium and another, reversed midstream, with the Haughton pipeline) then the money will be channeled via a pre-arranged process. But trying to make sense of that process is tricky as all the parties are seemingly able to move the goal posts as they go.
BREAKING NEWS …. NEWSFLASH … BREAKING NEWS… NEWSFLASH
EXCLUSIVE:
BOB KATTER ACCUSES TOWNSVILLE ENTERPRISE OF DOING SOMETHING.
In an unexpected ambush, and to the disbelief of Townsville residents, the member for Kennedy has brazenly accused TEL of doing something.
He has told the Townsville Daily Astonisher that Townsville Enterprise is using $24m he secured when he held the balance of power in the parliament “to betray the people of North Queensland and Australia”.
Despite failing to show any evidence that Townsville Enterprise had actually done anything at all regarding that, or anything else, Mr Katter stood by his claim.
But the head of Townsville Enterprise, Claudia Brumme-Smith was having none of it.
Ms Brumme-Smith, known admiringly by her staff as Mistress of B-S, fired back, ‘This is a scurrilous accusation about reports of any activity at all within my organisation. We have worked hard to become known, in the more reliable media outlets, as the Dudley Do Nothings of Townsville.’
Under intense and fearless questioning from a tough investigative reporter from the Astonisher, Ms B-S was forced to admit her staff had ‘ticked some boxes’ and did occasionally rewrite press releases from other organisations ‘to appear to include us in projects we had nothing to do with’.
‘But that hardly deserves this blanket slur on TEL of ‘doing something’. No wonder he’s known as Bob Kattertonic’
But Mr Katter countered by saying. “TEL and (consultants Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation) are operating with a combination of inertia born out of laziness and arrogance which brooks no interference from reality or the people of Australia.” He added that operating anything meant you were doing something.
Ms B-S said she was seeking legal advice for a possible defamation action.
Pie, I hope none of her income is derived from that $24 million. Oh! That’s right, we the ratepayers put in $700 K.
Hope that BS is not an acronym of Balls-Snipper; or it could be snip, snip and Mal’s you’re Auntie!
AHA! So that’s it.
The ‘Pie was wondering why Their Glad (not Our) went the whole hog and resigned from parliament as well as the premiership.
It’s now been suggested if you quit parliament before ICAC hands down results in corruption cases, you get to keep your parliamentary pension.
Could also explain why so many others are vaulting over the deck rail.
No argument, this Covid19 QR check in and current mask requirement is a pain in the arse, but it is what we have to do at the moment, except, that is, if you are from that gifted group in the community who, do not give a shit about anything or anyone, and, who the taxpayer funds their lifestyle from cradle to grave.
Woolworths Rasmussen. 90% doing the right thing. The other belligerent 10%, well, I expect they are unvaccinated, and that will be that in the long run, I hope.
BUT Woolworths Rasmussen has private security staff. YES, er, no….
The security staff, by all outward appearances would be more at home at the Carlisle Gardens happy hour than dealing with the savages and miscreants that the State Government has inserted into the Upper Ross community.
Bring on the revolution!
Dave, do you mean the security staff are unvaccinated pensioners?
A,
Don’t know about unvaccinated but would most probably qualify for some sort of pension. But, hey, on the plus side at least they have a job and front up for work. More than many do in these parts.
And some very necessary free medical care occasionally if they persist in this line of work.
A final footnote to the Rugby league season just gone.
This bloke has been waging a polite, well argued campaign, for more than a year now on a subject the exercises him a bit. As it may others. But it is interesting that although Phil Thompson’s office is filled with a surfeit of political smarties, the day to day efficiencies seem to be suffering. Even drongos get replies from politicians, it is considered an entitled not a privilege. So surely even a polite non-committal reply is the least that a constituent is entitled to, especially if he’s not a ratbag and asks a perfectly reasonable question with rancour or abuse.
Date: 2 October 2021 at 4:35:08 pm AEST
To: email hidden; JavaScript is required
Subject: NRL and other sporting groups having clothing made in China.
Phil
I mailed the attached letter to the Prime Minister on the 19th July, 2021.
To date I have had no response from his office.
I find this unacceptable.
I have sent emails to you over the last 12 months or more on this same subject.
Haven’t heard anything back from you either.
What’s the go Phil, doesn’t your Government see this NRL situation and the millions of dollars spent with China. in the manufacture of this apparel as something worth following up with the NRL. Australia needs to break away from our dependence on China, and create local jobs using our own local materials. We can do this with the manufacture of this NRL apparel but the Government has to be involved from the get go. Other major sporting groups in Australia have their apparel manufactured in China too.
I ask you to follow this NRL/ China manufacturing situation up and let me know if anything has been done or is planned to be done to curtail it.
Thank You and I await your reply.
Richard W Perkins – Belgian Gardens
10 cars stolen on Sunday night so is Caitlin Charles following up the progress on the over half a page ” Jenny’s youth crime fix ” July 14 th article Olabud Doogethera Project – Smart justice with the Mayor . 1 person on ankle bracelet , any update Cheryl Scanlans taskforce or are we just sitting ducks ? .
MD
I was told from a source that a Tiny Timber boy was involved?
Can any one confirm this?
What or who is a Tiny Timber Boy.
Small Wood?
Thanks, very clever.
They don’t want people to know about it, but the concert hall is designed only for concerts.
It will not be capable of staging musical theatre, such as delivered by the Choral Society and NQ Opera and Theatre Company every year.
Apparently the Chamber Music Festival people have been able to convince Phil Thompson that it is worth spending $100 million on concert hall that will be used just a few weeks of the year by the Chamber Music Festival, local Eistedfodd, and school speech nights.
If you need to display props or backdrops, it won’t be possible. There will also be no orchestra pit for musical theatre. The chamber music is played on the stage so a pit is not required.
Sounds like another white elephant to me.
Then there’s the yet to be announced location.
The local performing arts groups want the $100 million to be used to build both a concert hall and a 500-seat theatre adjacent to the Civic Theatre, but Jenny Hill won’t have a bar of it.
Maybe if they stage a V8 Supercars musical they can win her over.
Any chance of a hint where you are getting your info, without outing yourself? Are you sure you’re not just raking over the coals of past bitter infighting (arts communities everywhere are just as factionalised as any political party, and capable of similar sledging, backstabbing and self interest as any political party). It seems early days in this latest process to b making these claims, but OK you could be rigft. We have form, as they say.
What this mayor and past leaders have failed to present to the city is an overall vision for an arts hub, which is always desirable for attracting crowds and marketing cf the wonderful riverside cluster in Brisbane. A concert hall that you predict would be a disaster and a lost opportunity of the same magnitude as the Cowboys joke Centre of Excellence. This mayor’s obsession with the highly questionable V8s event will be recognised in history as one of the great failings of vision in the leadership of this city. One reason is that a scaled down version of the aforementioned Brisbane riverside site could rise along the banks of Ross Creek, but the mayor won’t consider even a stage one of such a precinct because she is at heart a lead-foot car hoon with the vision of Mr Magoo and the civic responsibility of a Visigoth . So in the end, everyone will find it expedient for Townsville to continue along it path as a place of scattered bits and pieces, like G&S’s ‘thing of shreds and tatters’.
As a work in progress, Townsville is living proof of the old truism ‘ a camel is a horse designed by a committee.’ Or in our case, designed by factionalised politics.
The Townsville Civic Theatre is just that, a theater for stage productions. When used as a concert hall the sound of the instruments at the back of the stage mostly disappears up into the loft. It does not have the features that will project sound from stage right to the back row of the auditorium unless amplification is used. Sometimes this is undesirable or impractical. A proper concert hall will fix all these short comings.
This is what Townsville needs, but, oh no, don’t listen to the arts community. What would they know?
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.tpac.net.au/&ved=2ahUKEwj9jNCHs7LzAhU2zjgGHRj0BDAQFnoECDcQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3mKbFNXaeOH7CuMY3Ovq1C
Then you will love the link to the report posted by Sceptical, it agrees with you, Dave … although The ‘Pie has some reservations about that amount of money being so narrow focussed. But then, crowd numbers show that the reputed motor mad city of Townsville is basically a very small percentage of the population.
Magpie. How dare you malign our council by saying we have no clusters!
We continue to produce a significant and ongoing crops of magnificent cluster fucks.
Language, dear boy, language … you mean ‘malignant’, don’t you?
I would have thought the $2m going into a ‘business case’ for the Concert Hall would mull over all these issues and expose exactly who is promoting what agendas.
The TCC have already got some of their usual contracting suspects earning an early quid out of this. Note thge last updated line.
Do you mean the line in red saying $315m?
Interesting to note is the figure in red. Is that the actual dollar figure for the project?
$315000000 ($315M)!!
And the address already decided at Dean street?
Council voted on a confidential feasibility study in 2017. Somehow the study is publicly available on the council website despite the confidential markings. Although I fear it may get taken down if the web link is published: https://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0037/37999/Concert-Hall-Feasibility-Study.pdf
Please notify the Magpie if this is link is taken down by the council. Having riffled through it for an initial scan, there seems plenty of reasons why Mayor Mullet would not want this to see the light of day, by inference it shows her in a bad light. But the detailed and comprehensive report of 37 pages, put together by one of the most qualified experts in the field, begs the question whu do we need to spend money on another such report/ The ‘Pie cannot see that this one leans in any particular political direction. Why can’t Phil adopt and run with it to the next stage?
More fucking political games. Poor fella my city.
Lots of minor trivia bits in that report – like a slip-up of a well known name.
George Kreipp Auditorium at JCU No storage, good acoustics, costs $500, no piano, good acoustics, nonCBD.
That of course would be Sir George Kneipp Auditorium – Townsville, QLD, The late eminent jurist would not be amused.
But the bit that did surprise me was the break down of occupations in Townsville. Although tradies are probably under managers, and the industries list helps explain it too, the grouping are vague enough to surprise. And surely the legal industry – the largest outside Brisbane – deserved its own grouping, especially one of their number, arts maven Michael Fellows did the photography for the report.
They’ll get the $ it includes an Indigenous cultural centre so Angie Akee and her followers and the bleeding hearts mobs will the demanding $ for the complex. Don’t forget a Federal election coming up within 6 months and the major parties want to win Herbert.
The Magpie noted that in the ‘confidential report’ which he has now read, one little snippet from our out-of-town expert is that the concert hall must have an aboriginal name. Why is this so? Especially in a venue that will feature 95% 9at least) western cultural music and events. The ‘Pie is not against an indigenous name, but thinks it is a bit of a calculated demeaning insult in these circumstances. And didgeridoos do not work well in a close space (true, not a joke).
I noticed that Scomo’s buddy from Hillshlong Church, Brian Houston, has pleaded ‘not guilty’ to covering up his fathers kiddy fiddling activities. What a fine outstanding individual Brian is. I wonder if Scotty from Marketing will still have Brian come round for tea and biccies? Religious parasites.
So he’s actually guilty? Why are they having a trial and not saving a lot of time and money by listening to you.
The same reason why many found the NSW Premier guilty without a trial, and the Tony Ireland car salesman guilty without trial. We pump our chest and point the finger but refuse to stop and think that the accused may actually be innocent. Shame shame shame!!
That many think that way is for them to consider, and police don’t charge alleged pedos lightly, and premiers do not resign for no reason. But the automatic guilty ‘pub test’ conclusion is, as you say, wrong, but unavoidable. Although more often than not, right, but always remember Lindy Chamberlain. And if ICAC want to say they are investigating someone for corruption, they should explain why they are saying something that is equally ruinous if eventually found to be wrong.
Seems many of these enthusiastic god botherers world wide have a predilection for kiddy fiddling.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-04/french-catholic-church-paedophiles-child-abuse-report/100511520
If they are admitting to 3,000 kiddy fiddlers you will probably find the real figure is 30,000. These disgusting grubs pay no tax and build their vast wealth based on pumping doom and fear into the lame and gutless who actually believe that by paying the Church money the poor deluded payer will receive immortality up in the sky!! It’s time for ‘religion’ to be banned, stripped of its wealth and to never be seen again.
Well it looks like the Libtards will lose more trough swillers with the rumour of more resignations to come;
. Gladys Beenjerkingoff – gone
. John Barium enema – gone
. Hap-Hazard – retirement
. Melanie Gibbons monkey – Federal politics
. Andrew Constipation – Federal politics
. Rob Strokes it – retirement
It looks like the long suffering residents of NSW will have COVID to contend as well as by-elections and then a Federal election. I cannot believe the utter shit that inhabits parliament buildings. The Libtards, the Laborious, the Snot Greens and the Nationless parties are nothing but circuses filled with clowns and magicians. How did Australia, a nation built upon hard work and values, end up with political parties that wouldn’t even be qualified enough to run the town of Deliverance.
Break out the banjo’s cos it’s going to be a putrid 12 months Australia wide.
Do you mind, really? The party is One Notion … nothing to do with Nation.
P.R.
To run a town like Deliverance? Hummm…..
A little bit of inbreeding perhaps.
For example, the simpleton junior son of a past debt and deficit labor mayor is put up as a candidate and is elected as a councillor. Political inbreeding indeed.
Prince it is easy to chuck shit from the side lines about the quality of our politicians. If you are worried about the quality of candidates, throw your hat in the ring. Given the pizzle politicians of all colour get, it is only the delusional, the ideological and the narcissistic that could cope with the role.
The ‘Pie agrees only with part of that comment …if you go into public life, on the public dollar, you must expect criticism, that’d the nature of things … but criticism is a far cry from outright abuse. The ‘Pie has general rule that can be summed up like this: ‘Fred is an arsesole because …’ is more or less OK, ‘Fred is arsesole full stop’ is not, that’s simply abuse without focus.
No way is Pastor Morrison going to agree to the establishment of a Federal anti-corruption body when you consider this mob of crooks. Don’t go digging to deep because you never know who else might join the list.
https://www.crikey.com.au/2021/10/04/who-would-federal-icac-have-in-its-sights/
Does anyone else think that Annastacia Palaszczuk‘s whinging over hospital funding is a bit rich?
2 years into the COVID pandemic and Qld hospital’s don’t have enough bed due to lack of funding. Yet Qld can fund all sorts of sporting events, but not hospitals, I think it’s all about priorities, and Queensland’s are all wrong.
The more I hear Annastacia Palaszczuk speak the more I start to believe in the conspiracy theories that she will keep borders closed until after the federal election, because it will hurt Scott Morrison and stop him travelling to Qld for the election campaign. Sure it will hurt ScoMo but at what cost to the people of Queensland long term. Another 6mths of border closures and our tourism industry is dead and beyond recovery.
Palasczuk is an embarrassment and a failure. I thought most politicians were at least smart enough to be able to defend their bullshit lies and stories, but Anna is plain stupid. Trying to piggyback off the ‘COVID panic’ and squeeze more money out of Scotty for our hospitals. FFS, just a handful of COVID patients admitted to hospital and she puts in a claim for hundreds of millions of extra dollars! Fucking fool, of course Scotty called you out, and he did it brutally. Maybe Anna can cull some of her 30 advisors and not put aside hundreds of millions of dollars for some ridiculously outdated Olympics? That’s a starting point for her..
DOUBLE ALARM.
First alarm: Four NQ hospitals suddenly become full to capacity and all announce the fact at the same time, turning people away . The announcement comes as Premier Palaszczuk tries to -in the words of Canberra – ‘extort’ more federal money for Qld hospitals to cope with a Delta rush.
Second alarm: The Townsville Bulletin doesn’t seem to think this is as alarming as the general population surely must, and just warbles merrily about our luck in dodging COVID. These closures are front page stuff if ever there anything is, and sure, timing prevented that in the hard copy, but there’s not a dicky bird of background info on the websites.
The ‘Pie has made a polite inquiry of the paper in this email just sent to reporter Leighton Smith.
Morning, Leighton,
Don’t you find it a tad strange that your paper goes on about dodging COVID and how lucky Townsville is, but then import a southern story about Townsville University hospital issuing a Code Yellow near capacity warning …. and you don’t ask why? It can’t be COVID, by your paper’s own reporting. Same applies to Mackay, Cairns and – for God’s sake – Mt Isa.
Coincidence is the journalist’s early warning system, and it seems passing strange that these warnings seem time co-ordinated. Time co-ordinated with the Queensland Premier seeking more Federal money for hospitals in a scare campaign about Delta and opening borders.
Seriously, you don’t smell a political rat here? How did all four hospitals suddenly become so overcrowded? All at the same, and making the announcement all at the same time? is there some unnamed scourge stalking the land? As Boris Johnson recently told Macron, donnez moi un break!.
There might be a valid reason, but wouldn’t it be up to folks like you who are ‘all for’ us to explain this strange phenomenon? Some facts demand explanation, and your southern writers showed absolutely no curiosity in this matter.
Show them up.
Malcolm Magpie
The Qld state public health system is now just an extension of the Labor govt, and called on to do the Labor Govt work when required, which includes extorting money as well. Ask anyone with private health insurance who is going to the Townsville Hospital, the begging bowl comes out and patients are heavied into nominating to go private and their private health fund charged accordingly, it’s a fucking disgrace and should be banned under federal legislation. Patients dealing with health issues should not have to put up with these putrid people scabbing off them as well, they are a disgrace and I have no doubt the sudden code yellow was just another example of how low these health officials are prepared to go.
Well, hang on now, don’t blame the sins of the wife and all that …
Cantankerous, found this piece by Choice magazine about private patients using public hospitals:
“Every quarter, CHOICE asks Australians about the financial pressures they’re facing in our Consumer Pulse survey. Recently, we asked about their experiences using their private health insurance.
In the past three years, one in four (26%) Australians with private health insurance have been a private patient in a public hospital. Just under half (48%) had a private room, and just over one in four (27%) were able to choose their specialist (compared with 58% who were private patients in a private hospital/day surgery).
When we asked how satisfied they were with their experiences of being a private patient in a public hospital, responses were mixed. Less than two-thirds (63%) were satisfied or very satisfied with the extra benefits of being a private patient. 16% said they weren’t at all satisfied with the extra benefits of being a private patient.”
This of course does not answer the question about whether it should be allowed at all but clearly a lot of people do it and are satisfied with the result. I also notice that the new Liberal premier of NSW is already asking the Feds for more money for health. Seems like it’s a non-partisan operation as all the states are doing the same thing. Bludgers all I suppose.
Many don”t have a choice, especially in regional areas where all of the ED are in public hospitals, so any sort of trauma, chest pain, breathing issues, abdominal pain etc where an ambulance is required you will be taken to a public hospital, where you will be admitted and then comes the big sell from these fucking parasites, do you have private health insurance? would you like to be treated as a private patient?, there will be no out of pocket expenses and while we can’t guarantee you a private room we will do our best to make it happen. That’s the sort of shit these fucking low life’s carry on with, seen it first hand, they are lower than lawyers and used car salesman, it’s a disgrace and the federal govt should legislate to ban private health patients receiving a taxpayer funded policy be allowed to use it in a public hospital, which should be free for everyone to use.
I wonder if the ‘coincidence’ has anything to do with the live Covid case in Townsville about a week ago – which caused us to go into the current mask mandate? You would think the Bulletin could at least interview someone from one of the hospitals concerned but perhaps their reporters only work week on, week off and only from home as there’s no space at the office. Maybe the Chair of the Hospital Board could do a home visit to the reporter’s place to save the poor blighter a long bicycle ride in the sun? Now that would be ‘service’.
Code yellow has been used over a number of months in all of the four hospitals particularly in Cairns.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-06/four-code-yellows-called-across-major-north-queensland-hospitals/100517582
In Townsville Cairns and Mount Isa it is well known that certain groups within the community won’t go and see a GP early in their illness because it is inconvienent and/or might cost the money ( inspite of numerous bulk billing medical centres and Indigenous medical centres) or they will have to pay $6.60 for a script. However you can’t get away that we are going to have true medical emergencies.
I also note that in some places the Queensland government is paying for beds in private hospitals. WTF, I pay private health insurance so what should this mob get private hospital services for free. Transfer people who have private hospital insurance from public hospitals to private hospitals to free up public hospital beds.
The true tragedy for the Astonisher is they have missed a wonderful opportunity to blow the lid off the government spin.
Clever, opportunistic and successful Astonisher Editors of years gone by would have skilfully called out the political shenanigans as a way to drive publication numbers.
I don’t buy the Astonisher because I can go straight to the government website to read the media releases without the Harvey Norman ads. I would buy the paper if it had stories exposing the government’s spin. What happened to the phrase in newspapers – “unnamed Townsville University Hospital source said….”
Well, tend to share you viewpoint, but The ‘Pie would temper it bit with the increasing evidence of green shoots of good journalism at the Bulletin … almost a worm turning scenario. Tony Raggatt’s story today about the lack of meaningful stadium fixtures in the foreseeable future was a welcome departure from the usual stenography of those media releases you accurately nail. And that included the stark truth – never uttered by the mayor or TEL – that we were simply a COVID lucky city in terms of events, blowing the mayor’s usual self-puffery out of the water. Even the iditor joined in, hammering home that point – several years too late for the paper – and echoed what The ‘Pie has foreshadowed for years now … other events, and lots of them, outside dismally attended Cowboys games are absolutely necessary for any semblance of success for this white elephant.
Contrast that with the lame Leighton Smith effort regarding the mayor and a climate emergency non-story a couple of day ago … it was nothing more than a manufactured opportunity for our dim-bulb mayor to spruik the Lansdown precinct, a story notable for its unasked questions. And the mayor’s truly inane statements about climate change.
The great Astonisher does it again, four armed men rob the Sun Hotel on Wednesday night, I thought today is Wednesday, wish I could get my race results in the same timeframe.
The Townsville Daily Clairvoyant.
Maybe the robbery was last week and the Astonisher, as usual, is behind in it’s reporting ! Suppose to actually get a robbery reported from that lot is a bit of a positive…I think !
Instead of blowing 315 million on the arts how about using that to fix the plumbing system around town ??
Maybe buy some big solar systems for council buildings ??
The way funding works, one does not preclude the other. Or shouldn’t.
We actually have some big solar systems on TCC assets.
Any Milky Ways?
The problem with the stadium is that pretty much the only events that are held there are Cowgirls matches. The team is playing like complete shit, and have been for awhile. Until they actually start winning games, convincingly, the stadium will not fill up fully. Poor old Thurston, it would seem that there are 3 things in his life that are completely fucked; his Cowgirls team, his shit airline Scaretrans, and his massive eyebrows.
If you check back the attendance stats, even when they were in their brief golden period leading up the GF, Smiles was never at capacity or anywhere near it (except for the old Broncos opener tradition).
Tony Abbot is in Taiwan, for some “obscure” reason. With his “diplomatic” skills and complete lack of Sino/Asia idiosyncrasies its already time to dig the shelters and don the tin hats.
Not to worry, we’ll have our own underwater deterrent in about ?????years ready
FFS
Yes, heard that too Heel. Perhaps he is now marketing budgie-smugglers and Strop type hats to the Taiwanese and doing some anti-China stuff on the side for Scomo?
Achilles, the Chinese will be right onto this visit by Abbott. As the Magpie pointed out earlier, courtesy Napoleon: ‘Never interrupt your enemy when he’s making a mistake.’
Anyone else notice the News Ltd full page ad on page 9 of Wednesday’s rag?
Apparently they are now keen to hire young wannabe regional journos.
On first impressions, refreshing.
But wasn’t this a condition of the Federal Govt forcing Google to pay them zillions for shared copy?
And why the sudden enthusiasm to train young journalists? Have they been exposed for taking money under false pretenses?
More importantly, who will train these young cadet journalists in Townsville, if they are ever appointed?
Please don’t tell me Tony Raggatt or Craig Warhurst.
No, no, IO. They will be fresh out of uni, fully trained, fully informed and ready to go.
Who will train these young cadet journalists?
The answer is clear. Have them study, in great detail, at least five years of The Townsville Magpie blog and comments, and they will attain the knowledge, skills, and, most importantly, the ethics to be competent journalists.
Steady on, there, Dave, kind words (thanks) but perhaps a bit over-enthusiastic. While The ‘Pie has more than five decades of mainstream journalism to draw on, he emphatically DOES NOT encourage newbies in the craft to emulate his antics in this blog. The ‘Pie breaks the rules because he knows the rules … people who break the rules because they don’t even know the rules are a danger and a liability.
Ah, yes, the ‘rules’ of mainstream journalism and the Murdoch media machine. Talk about square peg and round hole. Plus, I think Kelso Dave might be looking for some recognition for the particularly high standard of ‘ethics’ of commenters. Would that be the vaseline in the above peg/hole arrangement?
Curating the comments in The Magpie’s Nest is akin to panning for gold … occasionally there is the gistening little chunk of value in there … it is the only way this caper can operate.
As regards the changing mainstream and Murdoch rules, the most despicable thing is that standards have been shot to hell simply for financial (read profit) reasons.
Dave of Kelso, you are a simpleton if you think rookie journo’s should follow The Magpies model.
As he points out, these kids graduate with pieces of paper and little else. If they ‘followed’ his method they wouldn’t last long and be toasted by any employer, or the receivers of any attention.
Very bad ‘advice’ from you on this occasion.
Queensland has the lowest vaccination rates in the country, Locking last place
Has Pete Newey and the Tin Foil Hat brigade infiltrated Queensland politics to entrench Antivaxx agendas?
Scott Stewart is in on the conspiracy too recently announcing his support for a new bauxite mine that will ultimately boost availability of aluminium foil
I think that secretly Nanna Anna-Joh and the Guvn’r-in-waiting are happy to have the low rates. The longer they stay under 80% / 90% / including 5-12 year olds (who knows, the goalposts keep shifting), the longer they can keep the borders locked and impose movement restrictions on the citizens. This is all for our own good – of course.
If The ‘Pie chucks brickbats, then, to be fair, he must throw bouquets when they’re due.
So the coverage of the Alva Beach killings has been dogged and thorough throughout, including the summary of the coroner’s findings released yesterday. It may be questionable if the reading public were as enthusiastic about this long running saga as the paper’s ‘if it bleeds, it leads’ gang, but it was nevertheless well done.
But The Magpie would probably have a fit of the conniptions if he were unable to have a niggle about something, and iditor Craig Warhurst came to the rescue … putting words into the mouth of a coroner can be a dangerous exercise. From today’s editorial.
Mate, she said no such thing, and it is not a matter of petty pedantry when it comes to language and the law – as The ‘Pie sadly knows to his own occasional detriment over the years.
What reporter Vanessa March accurately quoted from the findings was this:
“Had he gone to Mr Webber’s residence on being advised of the matter, it is highly likely that the situation would have been defused immediately and two lives saved”.
‘Highly likely’ and ‘would have’ – the one speculative, the other definitive, are universes apart in legal matters, the shoulder shrug of ‘close enough is good enough’ has cost a lot of people (and papers) a lot of money and embarrassment over time, and in some cases, a lot of time in places they’d prefer not to be.
What is worse Craig, was the accurate version was in your own paper. As Joe Biden says ‘C’mon man.’
Magpie, I believe Mr Craig Warhust should not be called Craig Biden.
Being inappropriate which way?
Sorry, typo. Craig Warhurst SHOULD now be called Craig Biden.
Heard on 4BC that Qld Treasurer, Dick, is having another “GST” wrangle with Canberra about funding for the Brisbane Metro. Sounds identical to the Haughton2 funding fight from a couple of years ago but this time Dick has spelt it out in detail in a live radio interview. Canberra has offered $50m to Queensland for the Metro. But rather than being a straight up ‘grant’, a large portion of the funding, said by Dick to be 80% or $40m, will be deducted from Queensland’s annual GST allocation. So that the Commonwealth in fact only puts up $10m and Queensland has to find the rest anyway.
This appears to be how the $195m originally allocated by the Commonwealth for Haughton2 got knocked back – because 80% or $156m would have been deducted from that year’s GST allocation from Canberra.
Apparently, not all ‘grants’ get treated this way. Dick said that $15m allocated at the same time by Canberra through Brisbane for the Townsville RFDS would NOT be deducted from the GST allocation. Not sure if there is some sort of formula for these deals or whether they are completely arbitrary or even, dare I say it, political.
Interesting, the formula should be clearly stated so we know who’s lying. But when the Haughton issue came up, why did both sides fudge about and fail to provide a clear answer to what surely must be a clear-cut, one off answer?
Fair dinkum, wouldn’t feed any of the bastards.
Would love to know whether the $100m from Canberra for the stadium got dicked or docked.
The pipeline to nowhere will never have any water flowing through it, while it is heading in the present direction. If you read the Jacobs Engineering report solar will be too expensive and uneconomical to provide any power to feed the high voltage motors that will be required to do the pumping. Our Commercial in Confidence Mayor and her counterpart Dick knew this at the time of rejecting the Federal funding by using the pretext of the GST scam. Hence they have only budgeted $85m. The remaining $110m has disappeared. Actually I don’t think they have any money at all as they are broke, just like Health where the Federal money allocated for Health that is an extra 50% that they were given has gone elsewhere, probably to pay the 30 spin doctors and accommodation for the white powder sniffing NRL players and their Wags. It’s time we heard the true story.
OT, I think we established, back at the time of the Queensland Budget, that the $85m for Haughton2 was for THIS FINANCIAL YEAR. Presumably, next year there will be another tranche of money to finish off the job. Possibly that money will come from the GST allocation which will be the full amount. There is no water crisis at the moment because there’s 58% supply in the Ross River dam. As I recall, the pumps for Haughton2 will be powered from the grid unless a renewable option comes available.
Like the 195m Haughton Pipeline (Townsville City Deal) the 50million for the Brisbane Metro Project (SE QLD city Deal) is part of the City Deal Funding requirements and obligations outlined between all three levels of government. The signed MOU between all levels of government outlines accountability and transparency and providing open data about projects so all parties involved can be held to account. Seeing as ever since the QLD government and TCC went it alone with the Haughton Pipeline it has been reported they have been working under “commercial in confidence”. It’s my belief this is the real reason why they come to the table with this sham GST story.
It’s no coincidence they’re only knocking back Federal Money from City Deal Funding Streams but letting federal money flow in every other QLD town!
Could you explain this “GST sham” please? We know that the Feds collect GST and each year allocate the lot to the states on a pro rata basis with ‘adjustments’ to a particular formula – which you can look up online. Qld Treasurer Dick has said that sometimes extra Federal money comes to a state for a particular project (such as the RFDS in Townsville’s $15m) and this payment (or grant) has no effect on the GST allocation to that state for that year. However, on other occasions, such as the Brisbane Metro currently (and apparently the Haughton2 pipeline back in the day), Canberra decides it’s going to slug the state as outlined in my previous – which I heard live on radio today. Are you disputing this account? If so, please explain because I think it is a true account. Mind you, the commercial-in-confidence charade around the current progress reports on Haughton2 suggest that it’s time someone went for a sticky beak down the Burdekin to see what’s actually happening on the ground.
Well let me explain…
The sham is the smokescreen the QLD Government is putting up to distract you from the real issue regarding these infrastructure projects. With 30+ spin doctors available to these ministers please forgive me for thinking there is more to it then just a stoush regarding GST. Any state would love to get hundreds of millions of dollars from the federal government to spend on infrastructure. Why is Dick not complaining about the GST clawback affecting any other federally funded infrastructure project in QLD? Why is the QLD government only concerned with the GST linked to infrastructure projects as part of the City Deal arrangements? And not other infrastructure projects outside the City Deal? Is it because under the city deal arrangements you cannot hide behind commercial in confidence and have to reveal to the public actual cost blowouts? For example, the QLD Country Bank Stadium was delivered through the Townsville City Deal, and from what we know it was $50 million dollars over budget and that was largely due to the State Labor Governments Procurement Policy. Without those city deal arrangements largely focused around transparency do I think for one second Labor would have been as forthcoming about the delays and cost blowouts regarding the stadium? No. When I talk to my mates regarding this GST back and forth everyone says it doesn’t make any sense and I think it’s not supposed to make any sense. Now if I’m speaking a lot of bum fluff trust me these readers are gonna let me know. I’m new to this blog but so happy I came across it because 9/10 they are on the money. What I read here eventually ends up in the bully a couple days later. It is safe to say and I think a lot of people would agree is that the Labor State Government and Jenny Hill have plans to have the Haughton Pipeline bring water to Landsdown. Hiding behind commercial in confidence and not having to answer to the federal government through the city deal is exactly the transparency I believe this mob was trying to avoid from the very start when they brought up this fake GST stoush and decided to go it alone with the pipeline. To some it might be a long bow to draw but transparency is the last thing on Labor’s mind. It’s my belief they would do everything in their power to avoid that and especially avoid having to answer to the federal government. Hence, why only the city deal projects affect the states GST allocation according to this mob and every other deal on the books doesn’t.
GST Sham, I asked if you could explain the sham. I guess I meant could you explain the mechanism of the ‘sham’. What actual amount is delivered and what amount is clawed back and who decides? You wrote: “Why is Dick not complaining about the GST clawback affecting any other federally funded infrastructure project in QLD?” My question is what exactly is this “clawback”. How is it done? And what is actually happening with with non-City Deal projects? Do you know the answer or are you just speculating about what might be happening?
Coincidence or not, Weststate Private Hospital in West End suddenly approved as Ramsay Health (Australia’s largest private hospital provider) purchases remainder of old Townsville General Hospital site, including the old Oncology building. What a magnificent private hospital site. Question is did Weststate do any under the table deals with TCC to get this approval through as a mechanism to block any planning applications by Ramsay Health to build on the North Ward site. I know that I’d prefer to be in a new modern hospital with sweeping ocean views rather than an old refurbished building overlooking Ingham Rd and the railway lines or onto the rocks of Castle Hill.
If the area in North Ward you’re talking is the vacant area adjacent to the dental clinic, you won’t be getting too many ocean views from there, buy Gregory Street dies flood occasionally. Unless they plan to build on the car park servicing the gym and sports medical offices on the Leichhardt Street side. That would create a lawyers picnic with a massive stink coming up sufficient for a few more spinnakers for sailing lawyers, because such a building would wipe out the views and half the value of the houses in the cul-de-sac just behind it up the hill. But caveat emptor, ain’t it?
It’s the building housing the gym, physio doctors etc. (old oncology building) and adjacent car park area. Gym has moved out to Charters Towers Rd. Don’t know how much people’s in the development could scream because the plans for this site included multi-level units on this area and the houses were always in the current cul-de-sac area. It was probably sold because the developer who owned it all plus the unsold units in the old hospital building recently went bust.
Yup, Robert Zammit told me in an interview many years ago that his company owned all the air rights, so you’re right, no one can say anything much – and those in the cul-de-sac must’ve known about it.
Weststate was approved by council quite a while ago, it has now sorted out its operational structure and signed the specialists it needed to proceed with construction.
And show me the comments made from the feds saying they were going to slug the state back this money? There aren’t any because it’s a falsehood which originated from the state government. There are no letters confirming this, or media because it’s just a statement made directly from the Labor government which forgive me doesn’t make it true blue.
Not sure what you mean by ‘comments’ from the Feds. If Dick isn’t talking through the other side of abdomen, he must be referring to the hard and fast rules of GST. No government of any stripe in. Canberra is going to engage in a frunning commentary on matters like this … it is the mandarins area now.
Yep agree Pie. Will comment on this thread to Addled. Yep GST calculations and allocations is very confusing. But my understanding of how it works is if billions of federal money is spent in QLD you get less back in allocations. So states that received less federal funding for projects from the federal government can receive that back in allocations for their state governments to spend on projects to make it fair. So…
The more federal money you get for projects the less you get back in allocations. The less federal money you get for projects the more you get back in allocations. The question is, is this arrangement fair? Cherry picking certain projects when it is calculated from total infrastructure project spend to pick fights and win arguments is just?
In simple terms (The ‘Pie’s preferred mod of mental trajectory) that sounds like a classic play of purse strings power … the thing here is not the money, but Canberra funding its preferred projects rather than projects that may electorally favour the incumbent state government (of any stripe – what goes around etc). The Haughton pipeline is to the benefit of a Liberal-held seat, so Dick concocted an overblown version of GST disadvantage, saying Queensland would itself fund such a vote winning (he thought) project. Seems to The ‘Pie that bewildered scepticism of the general public about Dick’s dickish decision has done more damage than gain. Especially outside Herbert.
Yep true Pie but hey that’s politics! And I think everyone needs to remember that’s also at play when it comes to such matters.
The cynical bit is elevating flashy incredible dollar numbers to the front over and above the project … classic distraction.
GST Sham, back at the Haughton2 GST time the ABC reported that Federal Member for Herbert Phillip Thompson was quick to dispute that [GST observation], claiming the figure was incorrect and that the GST was incalculable at that stage. Note that “incalculable”.
Mr Thompson said it was not the appropriate time for GST exemptions to be considered either. “This is all just electioneering,” he said. “The GST exemptions get done at a certain period of the year which isn’t now. If this project were to be considered by the Independent Grants Commission it would be done in March next year.” Ho ho ho, how jolly clever is that!
Whilst you claim that a signed MOU between all levels of government outlines accountability and transparency and providing open data about projects, you don’t seem to be able to point to the “open data” about the allocation of GST funding to Queensland in relation to City Deal projects. Perhaps you have been busy working for PM Morrison on the French submarine deal which had similar accountability and transparency obligations?
Addled I’m the first one to say that submarine deal is a joke. It’d be hard to find someone who disagrees. The point I was trying to make is you’d be hard done by to find any other state that has thrown money back at the feds and it’s no coincidence that both projects are within the City Deal framework. When it comes to the comments by the federal member I don’t disagree with the comments because of how I interpret them. At the end of the day the GST distribution to states needs major reform and both parties will always put it in the too hard basket. But what I’m interested to know is will the GST allocation to QLD over the next decade be significantly less because of the major infrastructure work that will be delivered to SE QLD because of the 2032 Olympics? This could be another contributing factor why the Labor Government are trying to get as many projects exempt from these allocations.
The Federal Government blew billions on the Collins class submarines over the years, now history is repeating itself with the new attack class submarines as this project has also cost the taxpayer wasted billions of dollars. But wait, there is more – Scottys boys and girls have blown hundreds of millions on the Future Frigate Program, and billions more on the failed F35 attack aircraft program. Estimates put the current spend and waste of money by Defence at an astronomical $300b. This is just part of the incompetence. You also have the Snowy Hydro, COVID-19 vaccine Program, Barrier Reef funding failures and monetary wast also. And on and on it goes. Then there is the flow-on effect that is yet to be measured as individuals, jobs, businesses and the economy continues to be decimated by the fucking ridiculous and arrogant lockdowns. At least $145b thus far says Josh Fraudenberg, and that’s a conservative figure. Some clever and transparent analysts are saying that it could be upwards of $500b. There has also been political rorts, scams, porkbarelling and infrastructure fuckups costing us poor taxpayers tens of millions of dollars.
So realistically, and without exaggeration, the financial hit to Australia over the past couple of years from political ineptitude and mismanagement is climbing towards $1 trillion. And you know what then happens? Well, look at Rudd for example – failed pink batts and NBN schemes costing us billions of dollars. He then pisses off from office and gets hired by big business to ‘advise’ them! Advise them of what – how to be a failure?? FFS. Scotty and his footstools will do a Pyne or a Bishop and depart with millions in super and land a sweet job with some of societies big hitters, on a nice profitable retainer.
Now we have a Federal Reserve printing off money, a ‘quantitative easing’ policy implemented for the first time. Yep, copying the mistakes of Uncle Sam who is now ‘officially’ over $28 trillion in debt, with some Financiers suspecting it could actually be as high as $300 trillion, and that’s because politicians are lying grubs.
Australians are being financially raped by politicians and the Wall Street white shoe brigade, and all of them are corporate shysters, con artists and crooks. Until we, the little pissants, stop bending over and grabbing our ankles, we are doomed. Small fish like Mayor Mullet will continue to feed money into the pockets of these so-called elite scumbags. Do some research people; ‘Panama papers’, ‘Pandora papers’, we are all being financially raped yet hardly any of you can feel it.
So things is crook in Tallarook, then.
Unfortunately GST Sham, you haven’t been able to nail down even one ‘mechanism’ around which this GST allocation thing works with the Queensland City Deal projects – which by the way, Townsville was the very first. You stated earlier that the QLD Country Bank Stadium was delivered through the Townsville City Deal so we should know by now whether the $100m purportedly given by the Feds had any effect on last year’s or the year before’s GST allocation. Is there a publicly accessible account of these historical ledgers or is it all secret squirrel stuff? What doesn’t seem to be in doubt is that if a Commonwealth grant is going to affect the next GST allocation then it can hardly be said that the Commonwealth is “fully funding” something – they know already that they are going to claw back some large percentage (the 80% is not disputed), but we never find out why or how. Apparently you can’t help unravel that mystery either although Treasurer Dick has at least uncovered it, however Jugheadedly.
Pie, Have you had a reply from AnnaJoh/Mullet, via Leighton Smith to your email of 6 October, re NQ hospitals suddenly becoming full to capacity? “All for for us” busily working for whom?
Was told others were ‘working on it as we speak’ (we weren’t speaking just emailing.) Nothing more, or has The ‘Pie missed it..
I see the bulletin still can’t write their stories right, the woman who’s husband drowned last night at Marina said she tried to safe him? Also forgot to put in a to in the latter part of their headline, surely these journalists can’t be that bad ? It looks like a 10 yr old has written the story on their Bulletin site.
This whole thing is a mess, even more than you note, Casper.
First of all, ‘waters off Townsville’ may be technical police chatter, but implies it was well off-shore. But then we are given the nonsensical suggestion that he ‘drowned off Townsville in the marina’ … the marina cannot be described as ‘off Townsville’, but the click bait teaser says ‘near the marina’.. But then it turns out that that cock-up is itself a cock-up because in the end it seems the catamaran (‘boat’) was moored in the waters in front of the casino. This is colloquially known as the ‘duck pond’ but whatever its correct name, it certainly isn’t the marina.
Written by a child … or the Bulletin late stop was hauled out of the Mad Cow to write it. Oh, wait … they don’t have them anymore, penalty rates and all that you.
Told ya! I just saw Abbott addressing the Taiwanese in a moronic public broadcast. The man has no idea how to communicate in the region. Hopefully Beijing will just ignore him which is a Sino trait to show contempt. But this moron will assume the silence as his victory.
P’raps he’d like to drop by Hong Kong on his . While China promised a One China TWO systems way home and address the now subjugated former free populace. I remember the “assurances” given by the democracies that they would stand by HK,
He night also try a visit to Manila which has thousands of Chinese nationals running on line Gambling establishments laundering billions of dollars with the connivance of the President.
Just how many of these huge fines that are being handed out willy-nilly all over the country for all sorts of stuff (mobile phone (traffic offence), PPE/Covid, naughty border crossings, etc., etc.) do you think will actually get paid? Not many I’d reckon!!!