Yup, we’ve had a whopping 500% annual increase in net internal migration from other parts of Australia, light years ahead of everyone, according to the latest data from the Regional Australia Institute. The Bulletin has totally missed this story, but the Guardian (a real paper) didn’t. But there’s good reason why Jenny Hill and TEL won’t be breaking out the champagne.
If Olympic Ball Kicking was an sport, Anna Palaszczuk would be collecting gold … this week saw her give Townsville two swift kicks to Jimmy and The Twins, as down-graded promises reflect the growing Olympic money pit.
Why Joe Biden should be careful if he’s visiting the new chancellor of JCU. A bizarre gift raises some ethical questions … not to mention taste.
Ambiguous Albo: it was meant to be another cheer-leading boost for the Yes camp in the Voice slanging match but the PM inadvertently spells out the reason the Yes vote has tanked in the polls.
Has Mayor Mullet called the big guns … or more correctly, The Big Gun … for her re-election campaign media blitz
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Anna Palaszczuk Sends Us Her Thoughts And Prayers …
… and not much else.
This week, the premier, via her current fall guy Police Minister Mark Ryan, announced their latest clod-hopping attempt to placate fed up victims of crime. Their latest ploy is a $6million useless Band-Aid in the form of anti-hooning camera-trailers equipped with automatic number plate recognition to detect stolen vehicles.
But it’s only a trial and Ryan promises more such units if the trials … here and in Logan and Moreton … prove to effective.
Here’s a newsflash, Minister … they won’t prove effective or even welcome to the hundreds of Townsville victims of car theft. We don’t give a tuppenny toss about hooning unless it involves a stolen vehicle, they want proper increased policing and a hard crack down on the juveniles shits terrorising Townsville suburbs. You see, minister, all this high tech fairy floss is ‘after the fact’. These units presumably aren’t manned and they only gather evidence for use in court. Sure, might result in za doot knock or two, but if they’re stolen vehicles, good luck with that. And the fact is hat these units stick out like a priest at choir practice, and thus hooners on the prowl will go elsewhere. And being unmanned, they also make great targets for vandals. You bum-polishing buggers all get too tied up in your technology and lose sight of practicalities as to what’s needed.
And that’s more coppers in cars … who are allowed to chase these pricks. Instead at the moment, high tech folderol is out there videoing away while the officers have been called back to the station to have a frustrating cuppa because some kid looked at them the wrong when driving past at speed.
FFS, get a bloody grip, Brisbane.
A Small Aside On This Issue.
Townsville Council is limited in what it can do about the crime wave but one initiative that deserves great kudos was the -thinking-outside-the-box placement of large rocks around parks and playing fields to prevent hooning. Clever move, as it serves two excellent purposes. For or a start, these new barriers don’t look like barriers at all, they are quite decorative and not an eyesore like steel fencing. But they’re bloody effective! And in the long run, cost effective, too, probably a first for our council. But Bentley believes these barriers will at some time in the future be the subject of mystified speculation.
Hoonhenge, indeed!!
Wonder if they’ll find their spaceship still where they parked it.
Hey, Did You See Anything About This In The Townsville Bulletin? No, Neither Did The ‘Pie
A reliable and regular reader reports that a recent meeting to update progress for the new Kirwan police station was told the much ballyhooed project is already over budget and competition will be delayed at least a year AND the multistorey building on the site have been downgraded to single storey for “budgeting reasons”. You can read that as ‘Olympic chickens coming home to roost’. The relevant shiny bums will have to go cap in hand to George Street seeking funds to get it back on track.
This development comes less than three weeks than a Bulletin stenographer published this you-beaut yarn in the Astonisher.
But, hey, not so glum chum, the meeting (not specified to maintain anonymity) was assured that the redesigned ground floor edifice will be ‘suitable for expansion down the track’. magpie mate says retro-fitting a single storey commercial building to multiple storeys after the initial build will cost almost triple when you calculate engineering and design costs, physical cost like electrical, plumbing, construction.
And that, sadly’ is absolutely correct and it seems the government hasn’t learned a hard lesson of a few years ago. Courtesy of Mike ‘Capt Snooze’ Reynolds, the Townsville Ring Road was built one double lane at a time, years apart, almost quadrupling the cost. It was always an embarrassment driving along an often heat-melted two-lane blacktop with signage telling you were enjoying a ‘motorway’.
Speaking Of Questionable Plans
Regarding the recent piece here about the Hilton’s Double Cross hotel venture near the stadium … any activity anyone’s noticed? The ‘Pie hasn’t been down that way much lately, and still wonders if Hilton go one step further than downgrading and can the whole questionable idea altogether. The economic climate just might make it so, and perhaps save the hotel chain a lot of embarrassment down the track. Absolutely a ludicrous location for a hotel of any standard.
Here’s A Story You’ll Find In The Bulletin In The Next Few Days – Maybe.
The somewhat excellent new Rural Unit of the Guardian startled The ‘Pie with this headline and story during the week.
While trying to remember who Ewen Jones was proved an instant diversion, the headline was a show-stopper. Really, Guardian?
How the paper came to get Ewen involved (only joshing old mate, you were …umm … unforgettable) remains a mystery, but he did come up with a catchy bit of sophistry for them with a classic two+two=five.
“We are an urban society. On the water, we are remote and we’re expensive but have great jobs, education and hospitals.
“Exactly what Australia is to the world, Townsville is to Australia.”
Mate, that last bit, hmm …
Like so many politicians, Ewen sometimes galloped over the small print in haste to garble out what seems like a catchy bit of headline ready wisdom but is, fact, utter bullshit. Because while the stats from the Regional Australia Institute tend to back up the headline, the word ‘popular’ is mighty ambiguous. First, let’s look at the graph from the report on which that assumption is based.
A 500% increase in a year is startling, a sort of loving-you-to-death statistic, but then you read the side note: “Townsville in Queensland topped the list, with more than a 500 per cent annual increase in net internal migration inflows. Of which, nearly three quarters of net inflows came from other regional areas”.
So we are favoured mainly by people from other regional areas, not the cities. And just how many of those folks are the sort we would welcome as … let’s call them, ‘constructive citizens’, requires a further study not undertaken by the RAI. Read the full report here.
And two other graphs in the same report tend to add perspective.
So quantity versus quality – we don’t even get a look-in … but given the city’s state of affairs at the moment, that may not be a wholly bad thing.
Is This The Most Bizarre Story Of The Year?
When a reader who follows the strangest FB denizens (The ‘Pie is starting to suspect he might be a cross dresser) forwarded this item, The ‘Pie initially took it to be a put on.
Irony of ironies! Thought this was a blistering sarcastic joke post from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) until a further investigation showed it was indeed apparently task allotted to a West End dressmaker named Peta. How were these pelts obtained? Disgusting but won’t say anything further for fear people will think I’m a racist for criticising the noble culture of our indigenous First Australians.
But if JCU’s new chancellor installs this mammoth toe-trap rug in her office, at least her visitors will have a soft landing. crikey, just imagine if Joe Biden dropped by.
Another Mullet Triump
Only 2,000 for a venue with 10,000 capacity . How much $ did Council blow on this? Or do they reckon like the rugby, this is ‘Townsville turning out in force.’
Hey, Hey, It’s Hayes. Or Is It?
Like a wide-beamed superyacht under full spinnaker, old mate Dolan Hayes has sailed into the mayoral race picture. A piccy from the Legacy Breakfast this week is worth those rumoured thousand words.
Better she listen to Big D than Kevin ‘Rhymes With’ Gill . Now in fairness, Dolan’s whip-smart missus is a big cheese (dolce no doubt) with local Legacy, so the old man would be expected to make up the numbers. But our homespun Machiavelli spends most of his time playing with the big boys in Brisbane, however, he’s been seen about town a few times lately.
Two facts: Jenny Hill is almost as gaffe prone as Joe Biden (any comparison ends there) and is copping a lot of flak despite ramping up her demure posing for all sorts of nonsense in the Daily Astonisher and making startling dumb statements about entertainment on Seven News. Although Fran O’Callaghan seems to have been quietly biding her time, Mayor Mullet has been stung by some public free character readings … not just here, but in social media and even the Bulletin’s letters and texts … so she knows she’s in the unfamiliar territory having a potentially dangerous opponent for once.
The second fact is that Dolan is a dyed-in-the-blue Labor lad, ever loyal to the cause. And although he has moved on from the yokeldom of Townsville politics, he will, certainly come to Jenny’s assistance if the floundering really gets out of control.
Watch this space.
Take This Any Way You Fancy
It is interesting to watch the Yes rocket start to suffer its Muskeque Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly.n Sure, the Voice question is an ultra serious issue that has little room for mirth, but The ‘Pie allowed himself a quiet chortle when he heard Albo’s words in an Adelaide speech during the week.
Quoth the PM:
“Australians won’t succumb to the appeals to fear and their ever more ludicrous invitations to jump at our own shadows.
“That’s because Australians have a healthy scepticism of doomsayers, a scepticism kept in good health by memories of all the predictions offered by the Chicken Littles of the past.”
He’s certainly right, whatever happens, because those words can equally apply to both sides of the Voice debate. We on the questioning side of this matter have been subjected to appeals to fear a NO vote, and fairytales of imagined dire consequences if we vote no. There was the delightfully unaware comment from one Yes supporter who said a No vote would mean we would never again be able to find a qualified person to do Welcome To Country speeches. That’ll save the public purse a lot of money – perhaps you weren’t aware these annoying distraction attract a hefty fee. small towns are slugged $3000, Broken Hill council has just canned any such ceremonies on these rorting economic grounds, and God knows what our stadium welcomer gets. Maybe Leighton Smith could ask the mayor – yeah, right. Perish the thought that life will go on undisturbed. And unbelievable promises that ‘she’ll be right, mate’ it’ll all be fixed up by politicians AFTER you vote yes.
But the growing number of corporation boards and sporting bodies pushing the Yes vote are having a negative impact exactly because of what Albanese says: Australians have a healthy scepticism of doomsayers … and the Chicken Little’s of the past.’
We’re told the sky will fall if this undemocratic power grab is not passed. And that makes many ever more suspicious of eventual outcomes.
But those still seeking firm unambiguous assurances, in writing in the referendum question, are also up against an unbalanced media.
On the basis of that stopped clock which is right twice a day, Sky’s Sharri Markson (thanks for the defamation payout, dearie) asked a very pertinent question on a matter no one else has reported virtually anywhere.The facts of the story are startling enough, but the fact that it wasn’t seized upon in the usual fashion by the MSM raises other queries. Including Hanson in the story was unfortunate for credibility and as usual, she’s really hard to listen to, it’s like fingernails down a blackboard when she gets excited.
Well, I Never … Goodness, Who Saw This Coming?
From Comments.
The Magpie
May 28, 2023 at 2:30 pm (Edit)
The least surprising story of the day.
This crap comes around every two or three years (a third of the current US debt was run by Trump who cut social prgrammes to give tax cuts to his already mega wealthy buddies). But the media had it’s usual adjectival picnic of doomsday foaming. Until next time, fellas … next year probably.
Still in America, you’ll recall last week’s clipping about school kids getting a booklet on how to behave if a gunman (person?) goes postal in the classrooms. Well, not just the kids are in the thoughts and prayers of gun shop owners.
So perhaps a new safety slogan: teach the kids to scoot, and the teachers to shoot.’
Lots of other stuff from the US in our weekly gallery.
Finally, A Variety Of Matters To Leave You With
First is this very clever idea which they say is a reality, and offered in two sizes. Doesn’t look cheap, but brilliant if actual.
But there ideas, and then there are ,,, ideas. Here’s one that makes The ‘Pie believe the end of humanity ain’t far away. He was mystified when he came across this ad.
Shame on the old bird, but he wondered if this was some new … umm … pleasure device. So he explored further and found …
It’s for tying off balloons you’ve just blown up. FFS!!!
And the last item is about a renovation of a different sort. There is a series made by Al-Jazeera about hotels in war zones. This one brought bitter sweet memories flooding back … I knew all the people interviewed and the Europa Hotel in Belfast was my home for my 17 tours of Ulster as a producer for ITN in the 1970s. I was Jerry Seymour’s producer on a number of occasions … he always used to hole up in his room after work, tapping away on a typewriter to all hours, writing his first book called Harry’s Game. Later made into a movie. And Robin Walsh always bested me in our poker nights.
And yes, I was awarded one of those ties, still got it somewhere.
…………………..
That’s yer lot. Things are getting somewhat pointed in comments, stick your bib in if your game. Donate button to help with blog costs in below.
I wonder if Peta C could craft a canetoad skin seat cover as a gift from the city to our Lady Mayor?
Saw Jenny this morning at the All British Car Day at Strand Park resplendent in a black and orange-dotted frock which looked like make-believe Jaguar skin. There again, it could have been toad-skin.
She’s in for a busy day, next stop Anderson Park for the TCC sponsored ‘fun day’, where she will apparently be available in the Education tent named The Brainery. Not joking, check it out.
She will be a tired lady at the end of the day – may need to relax with one of those balloon toys. I too saw the advert and puzzled by it went for a look. Clearly a woman’s tool for no bloke could fit three fingers into the handle.
Anyway, Townsville’s population is getting very close to that of Geelong and it is the faster-growing. Won’t be long before TSV will be the 12th largest city in the country, depending on what set of statistics you view of course. All good as long as the immigrants aren’t from the Western Downs.
Do I hear banjos?
Glad I didn’t take the ‘56 MG down for all British this morning – would have had to wash it again this afternoon
Gal, I’m strugglingto make myTC’s SUs sing in harmony.
Dorris, I thought it was Wilma Flintstone in drag.
Great point about the Kirwan police hub, and not the only state Govt project to have shrunk to ensure enough funding for the Brisbane Olympics, the new building at the hospital will finally start construction but now at 6 floors high, the original plan was 10 floors, we could call that a 40% Olympic reduction levy.
Mayor Hills aspirations , President LGAQ , own half a regional airport , acknowledged by the Labor party , Senator ? . Then theres event manager , travel agent ” don’t fly Qantas ” developer ” you cbd owners are holding Council back ” , run Council like Paul Pissale . The City needs a good candidate who just wants to be Mayor and work with residents , Business , Council team .
On the new you-beaut reg plate cameras. Al the above comments are correct and I would like to add one other. I have never heard of a camera actually catching and stopping a felony.
Palashchook’s rabble are still trying to convince us that they know what they’re doing.
Agree, except there is no crime in Australia deemed to be a”felony”. They’re all as heinous as each other, although the more serious are “serious” and those not so serious are “minor”. Apparently this applies even when the perpetrator is a minor.
Misdemeanours?
Mangrove Jack. Thanks for the heads up. Try now.
I am unreliably told that the rug for the new JCU ChAncellor was to be made from the skin of students from the Townsville campus but they couldn’t find enough to do it.
Nah! It was because the skin was too thin and hyper sensitive!
I used to enjoy returning to this blog from time to time to catch the often witty and acerbic comments about incompetent local pollies and business identities and the dreaded Trump.
Now, the blog seems to have become a clusterfuck of angry, sad old white racist men who use it to vent their hatred of women leaders and First Nations people.
Even a good news story about people moving to Townsville is this week turned into a peevish query as to whether they are “the sort we would welcome”.
So the Pie is now a small lodge of aged, racist incels.
Feeling sorry for you, fellas. May you find some joy and peace as you rage against the dying of the light…and your predictable anger at me or anyone else for calling you out.
We all thank you for your thoughts and prayers.
From that insightful analysis it sounds like you’ve come to the right place,
Elusive Butterfly, do you feel better now that you have had a rant? Poor deluded petal that you are.
Ditto you, now you’ve had a pointless sling off?
Contrib, if you’re not angry, you’re not paying attention. The old, white, racist, or whatever is not necessarily a prerequisite.
Sorry Contributor don’t see your point. You were looking forward to acerbic comments about incompetent local pollies.
Because the incompetent local pollies are women, does that mean commentary about their incompetence is off limits?
If an issue that is being commented on involved the trifecta of incompetence, politicians that identify as women and heaven forbid, issues relating to aboriginal or Torres Strait affairs, are we to ignore said incompetence?
As far as I can tell, the Nest is an egalitarian hate group. Nesters will hate whoever is the goose of the week regardless of race, gender or creed.
AND THAT is exactly the job of journalism, to lay out the facts so you can make your own judgement on an issue – any ensuing emotion.
But there has been a creeping Jesus attitude in some media that some groups get a free pass … a good example was the total silence (except for Sky News) about the rorting in the peak aboriginal body being largely unaccountable for billions of taxpayer dollars. It’s a silence that may well have a lot to do with the continuing plummet of support for the Yes block for the Voice.
Magpie, the Mandarin reported results of the NIAA Audit the day before Sky News. The reason other news agencies didn’t report it, is because it was a non story. As I said on last week’s blog, Hansen is using it to distract from other issues.
“Overall, the ANAO labelled the NIAA’s prevention, detection and referral of potential provider fraud as “partly effective”.”
“The NIAA agreed to all seven recommendations from the ANAO, with NIAA CEO Jody Broun saying her agency would start implementing them immediately.
“The opportunities for improvement identified in the audit report, in conjunction with the work already underway to enhance practices and processes, are consistent with the agency’s continuous improvement of its management of risk, fraud and non-compliance,” Broun said.
“The agency will continue to take proactive steps to enhance its approach to fraud control and take all reasonable measures to comply with legislation.””
https://www.themandarin.com.au/221631-niaa-not-consistently-considering-fraud-in-grant-design-and-planning-says-anao/
If you want something to be unhappy about try this… a health and hospital program by the Morrison government that deliberately breached the law and was ineffective.
“Health’s administration of CHHP grants was not appropriate, involving deliberate breaches of the relevant legal requirements and the principles underpinning them,” the report said.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8222545/audit-finds-2b-hospital-program-plagued-with-ethical-legal-concerns/
Apart from a weak attempt at deflection from indigenous misbehaviour, your resort to ‘whataboutism’ is so transparently juvenile. The hospital program story is an important and reported revelation, but $4billion was mismanaged or at risk of being mismanaged through corruption by the peak indigenous body is not? Or are your folk exempt from scrutiny which would be racist?
You have a weird idea of a ‘non-story’, and are being totally dishonest as you push your own barrow over such rocky ground.
The first two lines of the story in your link:
The National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) should do more to proactively manage potential provider fraud, according to an audit report from the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO).
The ANAO found the NIAA did not consistently or sufficiently consider fraud prevention in its grant design and planning, with the report covering July 2020 to December 2022.
“In the period of 2021-22, the NIAA funded $1.03 billion worth of grants to more than 1,000 external providers funded under the Indigenous Advancement Strategy (IAS).”
Where’d you get 4 billion for NIAA?
It seems you are loading the barrow you are pushing with extra billions.
Your father was obviously cuckolded when a goose slipped a length to your ma, resulting in you, because goose you are, Ducky.
Read carefully … and slowly.
The $4billion is the overall NIAA budget (as at the 18 second mark of the video), and then note the Magpie’s wording ‘was mismanaged
or at risk of being mismanaged’.
https://www.skynews.com.au/opinion/sharri-markson/over-1b-in-grants-havent-been-investigated-properly-by-the-niaa-pauline-hanson/video/8531fa6397a818005743e83891597285
For the benefit of Magpie who cannot read an audit report summary.
NIAA Audit Summary
Why did we do this audit?
In 2021–22 the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) funded more than 1000 external providers to deliver about 1500 Indigenous Advancement Strategy activities at a cost of $1.03 billion.
Effective management of provider fraud and non-compliance reduces risk to the proper use of public resources and to the performance and availability of services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
Key facts
Australian Government requirements oblige officials to consider fraud risks throughout the grants management lifecycle.
The NIAA introduced a new approach to integrated program compliance and fraud management in April 2021.
Non-compliance and fraud matters are dealt with as minor matters, ‘intensive support compliance matters’, compliance reviews or fraud investigations.
What did we find?
The NIAA’s management of provider fraud and non-compliance risks is partly effective.
The NIAA’s frameworks for managing provider fraud and non-compliance are not fully fit-for-purpose.
The NIAA’s arrangements for the prevention, detection and referral of potential provider fraud and non-compliance are partly effective.
The arrangements for the NIAA’s triage, management and resolution of referred matters related to potential provider fraud and non-compliance are partly effective.
What did we recommend?
There were seven recommendations aimed at ensuring the NIAA meets its obligations under Commonwealth legislation for risk and fraud management and effectively manages provider fraud and non-compliance risks.
The NIAA agreed with all recommendations.
0 fraud investigations commenced.
So although the NIAA frameworks for managing grants were not complete, no fraud occurred. And processes are being put in place to ensure it doesn’t. So you getting you tighty whiteys all knotted and pauline creating distractions about this is completely unwarranted. It’s a non issue. The potential for fraud to occur has been detected and in the process of being remedied.
Four ‘partly effective’ equals OK? No fraud investigations were commenced because no fraud was detected. In time.
Here’s a question: who is the world’s greatest criminal? The answer is – no one knows because he/she has never been detected, caught and much importantly, it is even not known what he/she has done, no one knows. Can’t investigate anything unless it is looked for and becomes known.
The ‘Pie apologies if these remarks are only ‘partly effective’.
Ah Bob… the nesters have certain groups they hate. Let’s be honest here. The contributor is right. Most of you hate aboriginals, women (unless it’s your mum) and any Labor politicians.
What a little hot house flower you are, Ducky.
You’ve hit the nail on the head, Ducks. Anything that threatens the unearned privilege of mediocre old white men makes the Nesters wet the bed.
Silly. But suppose one has to ask you, Too Left, what ‘unearned privileges’ do Nesters enjoy that are ‘threatened’?
Wetting the bed would be preferable to shitting your nappy in public when you realise you’ve backed a loser.
Steady on – the three local state MP’s cop a lot of well deserved flack in this column as well. Last we heard, they were all blokes.
weeelll … at least one is still making up their mind.
To be fair, the Little Pric may or may not be female or male or vegetable. It may also be white or black or just a funny greyish green. To be completely honest I don’t care about race or gender I just care about competence and honesty in public servants both employed and elected.
These stolen car detecting trailers are a perfect example of screwed up thinking as demonstrated in this classic poem.
The Ambulance Down in the Valley Joseph Malins (1895)
‘Twas a dangerous cliff, as they freely confessed,
Though to walk near its crest was so pleasant;
But over its terrible edge there had slipped
A duke and full many a peasant.
So the people said something would have to be done,
But their projects did not at all tally;
Some said, “Put a fence ’round the edge of the cliff,”
Some, “An ambulance down in the valley.”
But the cry for the ambulance carried the day,
For it spread through the neighboring city;
A fence may be useful or not, it is true,
But each heart became full of pity
For those who slipped over the dangerous cliff;
And the dwellers in highway and alley
Gave pounds and gave pence, not to put up a fence,
But an ambulance down in the valley.
“For the cliff is all right, if you’re careful,” they said,
“And, if folks even slip and are dropping,
It isn’t the slipping that hurts them so much
As the shock down below when they’re stopping.”
So day after day, as these mishaps occurred,
Quick forth would those rescuers sally
To pick up the victims who fell off the cliff,
With their ambulance down in the valley.
Then an old sage remarked: “It’s a marvel to me
That people give far more attention
To repairing results than to stopping the cause,
When they’d much better aim at prevention.
Let us stop at its source all this mischief,” cried he,
“Come, neighbors and friends, let us rally;
If the cliff we will fence, we might almost dispense
With the ambulance down in the valley.”
“Oh he’s a fanatic,” the others rejoined,
“Dispense with the ambulance? Never!
He’d dispense with all charities, too, if he could;
No! No! We’ll support them forever.
Aren’t we picking up folks just as fast as they fall?
And shall this man dictate to us? Shall he?
Why should people of sense stop to put up a fence,
While the ambulance works in the valley?”
But the sensible few, who are practical too,
Will not bear with such nonsense much longer;
They believe that prevention is better than cure,
And their party will soon be the stronger.
Encourage them then, with your purse, voice, and pen,
And while other philanthropists dally,
They will scorn all pretense, and put up a stout fence
On the cliff that hangs over the valley.
Better guide well the young than reclaim them when old,
For the voice of true wisdom is calling.
“To rescue the fallen is good, but ’tis best
To prevent other people from falling.”
Better close up the source of temptation and crime
Than deliver from dungeon or galley;
Better put a strong fence ’round the top of the cliff
Than an ambulance down in the valley.
Christ!! Know any short poems?
The King farts,
And wipes his arse,
His private parts,
Are working class.
A little ditty from a Canberra poet who’s name I no longer remember. As a Canberra public servent he was involved in the clean up of the asbestos houses in the ACT. He wrote a very powerful poem about housing asbestos remediation in the ACT while just over the border in NSW nothing was being done. His anthology should be compulsively reading. I lament that I am a long way from home at the moment and cannot provide a reference to his publications.. Regards to all, especially Contributor.
One of the poets’ Romantic School, right?
At 20 to 4 this morning,
“BING”.
Poet and author Keith McHenry, from his anthology McHenry’s Curse and other Verse.
Dave, if you copy/paste that ditty into your browser it turns up, not its author but the opening statement from the 1945 Nuremberg Tribunal:
“ May it please Your Honors: The privilege of opening the first trial in history for crimes against the peace of the world imposes a grave responsibility. . . . .” Which is not a bad read for the uninitiated.
Take your meds Wanker.
About that Hilton mirage over near the stadium.
A few months ago Townsville’s well-heeled movers and shakers were rounded up and given a glowing update on the then Hilton Double Tree second rate hotel.
They were told it was the investment of the decade and asked to stump up big money to help it all happen.
The Hilton involvement appeared to be mainly as a tenant, renting out the building, but there wasn’t a lot of info on that, so I’ll stand corrected if I’m off the mark on that detail.
Needless to say the pickup wasn’t great – there’s a reason Townsville’s movers and shakers have got money, and it’s nothing to do with brain fart projects like the now Hilton Garden Inn third rate hotel – hence the first sod is yet to be turned.
If the Bully wants to do an update they should contact the Cowboys chairman, who was identified as driving the project a couple of years ago.
The question is, what’s next?
Hilton don’t have anything lower than the Garden Inn, so maybe we’ll end up with a tent city, giving Cowboys fans a taste of country life by camping out and having fireside singalongs after the game.
Get in touch with Dolan … his former business partner and mate is behind this highly suss venture.
So the whole thing is a ‘build it and they will come’ business deal, with Hilton saying build it and we will come. Bet they’re having second thoughts.
Surprised the news of the Townsville Bully editor’s impending move to Hobart didn’t get a mention!
Where did you see that?
OK got it now, as buried deep in a regular media movements column in Media Week.
• Craig Warhurst returns to Queensland as the regional network editor for News Corp. Craig Herbert replaces him as editor of The Hobart Mercury stepping in in July
Crikey, Discio, you must’ve have a lot of time on your hands to spot that …. and it also raises the question if you’re looking for another job … Media Week is always the go-to publication for vacancies … The ‘Pie benefited a couple times from it way back when.
But you didn’t mention the good news (not sarcasm here) … pleased to see the return of former Astonisher editor Craig Warhurst back in the vicinity. He was easily the best of a doubtful bunch of editors of the past few years. indeed, he was making a good enough fist of the Astonisher that he was tapped to move on up the greasy pole. But maybe Hobart is a last chance make or break appointment, because Herbert, a certified journalistic idiot and also-ran, hasn’t done anything to remotely merit elevation. That Scottish lass, Jenna Cairney, (also went to Hobart – seems to be a proving ground pattern here) wasn’t too bad either but the rest, including Craig Herbert, weren’t just useless, they were actively detrimental to Townsville’s interests.
Maybe a new meaning to “climate change”?
There has definitely been an increase of people moving into our region. But the main reason for it was because of people leaving cities due to COVID 19. They relocated all over Queensland. But currently two of the cheapest ‘cities’ to rent or buy in are Townsville and Gladstone. And because these areas are ‘cheaper’ it does come with the risk that additional bogans, houseo’s
and lowlifes may be included in amongst those relocating here.
One thing is certain; growth in Townsville’s population is not due to our Mayor having any magical business skills. It’s because people are desperate, that’s why they are turning to Townsville.
Prince Rollmop , Covid is only a small part of those relocating to Townsville it’s the 2.4 % unemployment and new businesses like call centres , lawyers , ndis hub . Extra points Government tenders by having a local office , employing apprentices , indigenous employees ? . There are still hundreds of State / Council unfilled jobs . Public transport is a major issues in getting the unemployed into a job and Mayor Hill is taking a wet lettuce approach to her mates State Government . Mackay has had a trial bus from the Airport – cbd for months and Mayor Hill / Council , Aaron, Scott , Les can’t even get a decent airport taxis / buses operating . 18,500 was the crowd at the Cowboys yesterday .
The lack of public transport from the airport has long been a mystery to The ‘Pie … for god’s sake, major cities even built specific rail links to serve airports, as well as special bus areas, such is the importance seen by authorities. It is hard to understand the continuing rationale where passengers not being picked up in the scramble of personal arrangements or the mini hotel buses are subjected to long waits for an inadequate and often chaotic taxi service, a service further aggravated by a thieving and unconscionable taxi rank levy. If first impressions count, we give ourselves a black eye from the first moment of arrival.
Tulla has gotten away with it for years.
Indeed, a good crowd for the footy, well above the usual average of around 14,000. The ‘Pie wonders why such a relatively innocuous match was so well attended, and whether the Sunday time slot should be investigated further. A small minus would be the long drive home for those from Ingham, Ayr and CT, but nothing too onerous for those at matches starting mid-afternoon.
Anderson Park? Try next weekend when the Cowboys are scheduled to be somewhere else.
Oops, confused the dates. Suitably amended and thanks for the heads up.
The TCC hootenanney is this coming weekend.
The Storm game is usually one of the more well attended. Not sure whether there are a lot of Victorians here or Queenslanders that couldn’t stomach backing the Broncos supported Melbourne as the “other Queensland team” before the Cowboys came along.
Indeed, Palm was good enough to alert The ‘Pie to his error, now suitably amended.
With only 13 cars stolen just last Saturday, yes, you’d have to be desperate to move to Townsville!!!
Please give the new JCU Chancellor a chance. She’s got one hell of a job to do to get JCU out of it’s $48 million blackhole and to raise the academic standard of many courses. At a meeting recently and a person with political connections said that JCU isn’t the go to university any more and many NQ students are heading south. Not certain how accurate this comment is but must be circulating in certain political arenas.
I’m told that this course has been offered by JCU for 2 plus year and yet still only has provisional accreditation with the relevant national registration body.
What the hell is going on or hasn’t JCU updated its website information
https://www.jcu.edu.au/courses/master-of-clinical-exercise-physiology
Your opening sentence, what are you on about? The piece in The Nest was about dead possums as a rug. Which was made because the new chancellor is indigenous.
the rest haven’t a clue about.
Looked like a very healthy crowd at the stadium to watch a rejuvenated ‘Boys thrash the melbourne Storm 45-20 (yup, you read it right!).
But one of the most striking thing about the TV coverage were the truly stunning drone shots of the stadium, Townsville and one of those wonderful twilights and sunsets we often take for granted. Those variety of brief shots were worth more positive publicity to promote our city as an attractive destination than TEL could ever achieve in a month of Sundays.
It is surely time the Dudley Do Nothings and Tourism ditherer Ms Wolff started to think creatively to use the great asset which at the moment is being completely wasted.
‘Talk is cheap, Magpie,’ you all cry, ‘So what would YOU do?’
Glad you asked. Will tell you in next Sunday’s Nest.
Do you mean the Drone Shots of the stadium that you didn’t want built? A Picture is worth a million Magpie Warbles. Well done to our Mayor and our Premier for blocking out the naysayers. The stadium is the making of our wonderful city.
You’ve named yourself well, Confused. The stadium is a fact, albeit one that those in charge of attracting visitors haven’t a clue how to utilise and maximise it as a hook. And despite your unsaid belief, Mayor Mullet and Premier Alphabet did not invent the twilight and sunsets, and the stadium was a good excuse to show them off (which BTW could easily have been done at Smiles stadium).
Yep, sunset over The Pinnacles is beautiful. I see it nearly every night. But, still not a patch on the Drones view of the new stadium.
Confused – it’s all about the lighting. During the golden hour, even a shot of a lit-up oil rig against a pretty sunset looks spectacular. Doesn’t mean that the oil rig should have been built in the first place …
I like a lot of the articles that are in The Guardian. Fairly well researched information and well constructed articles. Perhaps Leighton can join them on a traineeship when his local Rag goes bust?
That photograph of queen Mullet shows her true colours. She is happy when engaging with footstools like Gill the dill or with Labor powerbrokers. But when she is with Fran, Thomson or a big business enterprise she turns sour and nasty.
She looks like a little girl trying to suck up to the headmaster.
Corporate scum
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-05/fair-work-accuses-woolworths-coles-of-foreign-pay-system-court/102441378
Oxymoron.
As to welcome to country ceremonies it is puzzling somewhat that those being ‘welcomed’ are expected to pay for the ‘welcome’.
Yeah, bit like paying your neighbours to come to your place for a party.
The welcome to country is explained in this clip.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=L16ZUH-sCGc
Another fat descendent of hunter gathers
Society owes them nothing
They can strip down and leave for the bush if they don’t want to contribute
This is Australia not a collection of Bullshit First Nations (Note the “s” in the spelling Duck’s Nuts!)
nawww winni isn’t it lovely that when you post vitriol about aboriginal people you think of me.
Let me get it straight, Confused one, are you actually saying that a few shots of the Townsville twilight, which believe it or not is evident in winter with or without the stadium, is worth the millions of taxpayer/ratepayer dollars it costs to run and maintain the stadium especially in the football off-season from October to March.
The Magpie is right, whoever is responsible for generating business for the stadium needs to try a different career.
They’d be a shoe-in for a job at Townsville Enterprise – an ideal replacement for chairman Kevin “Rhymes With” Gill.
And no, I’m not suggesting they swap jobs.
Comment of the week! Well said.
Tenacious D, link please before publication.
https://www.facebook.com/MayorJennyHill
Is she just talking about a Women’s game or Men’s or both. Hey Mullet, you don’t have enough decent accommodation to host top level big events you numbskull.
Nor do we have a stadium big enough. And we don’t have a laughably described ‘world class’ stadium designed to allow cricket in the summer – or … arggghhh!!! AFL.
And Harpic of Thuringowa toilet fame is going to bring Pink to the stadium.
Kenny – they could have the tent city at the cricket grounds again!
Now that you mention it, Kenny, do you or anyone know how many visitor room Townsville has? Can’t find such a stat anywhere. Although even half the stadium crowd required accommodation, say 13,000, doubt that could cope in this ‘world class’ destination.
I know it’s irony Magpie, but TEL would hold that sort of data. Perhaps if you phone Frau Goebbels she will willingly give you the stats?
For a start, I am unable to talk on the phone, and The ‘Pie also wonders if he would be wasting his time seeking a response. Might try the Chamber.
Mate!
None of us can talk to her/Herr/heir Majesty Jen, because we plebs are all vocally neutered by her Aurel dysfunction to reality.
Might be something about visitor nights here: https://economy.id.com.au/townsville/tourism-visitor-summary
I found a link to an Tourism Research site (possibly a couple of years old now) showing that were little over 3,400 rooms in Townsville. (Most) rooms only allow 2 people, so 6800 (or thereabouts) can be accommodated in Townsville.
https://www.tra.gov.au/ArticleDocuments/185/QLD%20Townsville.pdf
Magpie Chat GPT . Finding what’s happening around Town on the nest then a few days later in the local media . 44 stolen cars last week , was it 17 on Saturday alone ? . Geckos from Aaron , Scott , Les who would have attended Labors State conference in Mackay on the weekend .
In brilliant news for lovers of truth, Daniel Andrews Labor Government has just announced it’s chosen to ban all state government advertising from both
The Herald Sun and The Age from July 1st this year.
It seems that falling circulation is being used as the reason for this decision. So no bang for the buck.
Well, Rupert and Peter, if you want to only give voices to RWNJs, this is what you get in the Free Market Economy.
Please Ms Palaszczuk, do the same.
Hahaha, it’s all staring to fall apart for Albo and his band of socialist fuck ups, no one should really be surprised, these people just can’t help themselves, over and over again Labor governments who just don’t understand the economy, business and how it all works, going to be a fun next couple of years.
Cantankerous, Minister Anika Wells was on the tv today about aged care in Australia. The last government was terrible in this role – at last there is someone smart on that job.
Wanker. Should this have an “advertisement” heading.
Palm Sunday , agree Anika Wells does present well but it took a year for her to organize the 15 % pay increase aged care workers . Even then she tried to stretch it out over two payments but Fair Work disagreed . She has also failed to deliver 24/7 registered nurses every facility . Like Albo , Chalmers , good presenters but can’t ” walk the talk ” .
Mike it’s a bit hard to deliver nurses that just don’t exist. Where are we going to get the nurses from? The former government weren’t training them or looking after our health care staff, so it’s not like as a country we are flush with qualified nurses.
Remember DN, Albo had a plan, maybe he meant a plan with an e attached, his promise was to have an RN 24/7 in every nursing home within the 12 months of him becoming the greatest liar this country has ever seen.
Has he suddenly become Scott Morrison?
Bahaha “Labor governments who just don’t understand the economy ” wait…
The Morrison government had achieved at the end of 2021:
The worst recession on record
Wasted more money on job keeper than any other previous government program before had wasted
Achived the deepest budget deficits since the 1960s
Achieved the greatest increase in Gross debt and Nett Debt since WWII
Lowest wages growth since records were kept
Record profits for companies as a %of national income and the lowest % of taxes paid by companies relative to profits
Worst sustained retail slump on record
Worst manufacturing collapse on record
That’s some major economic goals kicked that even previous Labor governments had failed to achieve so tell me again how the LNP can do it better.
Whilst I agree with you about LNP spending on job keeper, when Morrison was wanting to stop it on a few occasions labor were front and centre telling them to keep it going and voting for it to continue in parliament. I feel labor can never again blame LNP for the spending when their vote on record will show this. Unfortunately people forget very quickly. This is why we still have puddelfuck and the mullet and probably will again after the next elections.
Unemployment at record lows, interest rates at record lows, high levels of construction activity, business profits above pre pandemic levels, household disposable income the best in many years, ASX 200 and All Ords near record highs, double digit super returns, people forget how good things were under Morrison, and sure he was an irritating bastard but compare that with now under you Labor people, within 12 months you have fucked the place again, doesn’t take long, you people just have a knack for fucking business, killing confidence and ruining the economy, you must be so happy.
I just had the wonderful pleasure of having breakfast with the truly down to earth and inspirational Senator Jacinta Price, I can tell you she is the ducks nuts.
You really are a short sighted fool. It takes much longer than 12 months to fuck an economy and the libs had royally screwed it over by the time the public had a gutful and voted them out.
I think you are in fact a “Chicken Little”, and need to have your left wing clipped.
Old tradie, perhaps the Chook needs both wings and a neck chop to make it useful.
What’s Palasczuk spending on the Olympics again, $3b? Yet she can’t find $100m here and there to upgrade small regional hospitals. Seriously, this is a fucking outrage. And it’s an embarrassment to the local residents, medical staff and anyone else that has to use these prehistoric, falling down piles of shit.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-07/charters-towers-cloncurry-residents-call-for-hospital-upgrades/102444632
Drone art in Townsville, really looking forward to this show.
https://www.v8sleuth.com.au/500-drones-to-put-on-a-show-at-townsville-500/
Will this be the mayor and her secret guests in the Ratepayer-funded private box will step onto the balcony and tap dance?
Will be very interesting to see how many people turn up to this crime rally next week. Mullet and her labor minister for crime will apparently be there but no other state MPs. What a surprise Harpic cupcake and message bank arnt going. I’m going to watch our Jenny sit back and let the crowd yell at the minister and then see Jenny lash out in support for her voters as if she’s always been there for us. I really hope if she speaks that everyone will boo her just as much for being a hypocrite and a silenced lamb during the last 8years. Crime isn’t council issues I’m being told every day. Well the mayor of Alice Springs seems to be getting a lot done by speaking out yes?
What will be way more interesting is if Phil Thompson is there, but is banned from speaking or taking part by Mayor Mullet. The organisers of this well worthwhile show of public frustration and dismay with our leadership should keep Thompson in mind, because it was oe alone who forced the Mullet into the public stance she has belatedly taken so late in the day. Even if this is a state matter, it took a federal member to jolt the vote hungry mayor into cynical reaction.
PS Bet the mayor has agreed to her attendance on the proviso that Thompson isn’t there … she ain’t too hot on democratic principles in the city’s interests.
Phil can always turn up as a private citizen who has been personally affected by the crime wave. That would be almost be better, as he can ask questions from the floor and then make hay from the inevitable fob off.
‘Labor Minister for Crime?’
Phil Thompson will not be attending the rally because of parliament sitting fair call. But the 3 useless wanks representing our city arnt either so what are they doing that’s more important. Everyone I know calls her the minister for crime because she definitely isn’t a youth justice minister. Because the youth is never facing justice so it’s a false title.
#showannathedoorin24
#showhillthedoorin24
Wanker, that sounds about right. That would be a Ministry deep in talent.
@Prince Rollmop
I think zag you vill find zat it is Frau Blucher, nor Goebels
Pie looks like your mate “Can I borrow your homework” Gleeso is made from Teflon. He’s replacing Neil Breen on 4BC’s afternoon show, and the publicity blurb describes him as a “veteran journalist and media personality,” who “left News Corp last November after more than 30 years with the company”. S’ funny but there was no explanation as to why. ‘Plagiarism’ must have been too hard to spell.
There go the ratings, one imagines.
Great, the plagiarist pops up at a new place from where he can pinch other peoples stories. Sounds a bit like Jimmy Olson, always a few days behind everybody else when it comes to breaking news. Squeaky voice Gleeson is a washed up hack.
At least Jimmy Olsen is not a plagiarist in the usual sense of the word … putting your name on barely if at all rewritten media releases makes one a dishonest stenographer, but not a deliberate attempt to puff yourself up on someone’s intelligent analytical works.
Trump Indicted on Federal Charges. Pass the popcorn. Don’t travel to America.
Fuck the popcorn, The ‘Pie will be popping open a Perrier-Jouet Premier Cru ’96.
Have empty glass will travel, what’s your address?
hahahah, well, not even a nice try. First up, that ain’t from Achilles. Secondly, The ‘Pie look silly enough to publish his address here? Really?
The pre-budget drip feed has started with an announcement that Aunty Anna will be giving a $64M funding increase in next week’s budget to address emergency housing demand across inner-city Brisbane
The money will be spent purchasing and leasing crisis accommodation sites in the inner-city, including hotels and boarding houses.
One can only hope that the Wagner’s aren’t involved.
While not begrudging the homeless in Brisbane this extra money, it is widely acknowledged that homelessness and a lack of crisis accommodation is a Statewide issue and regional cities and rural townships are also grappling with a shortage of affordable and social housing.
I only hope that our esteemed representatives Aaron, Les and Scott are making sure that the needs of Townsville are not overlooked in the Government’s largesse, and that a few crumbs are sent our way.
That is, if Aaron isn’t too busy being preoccupied in negotiations with Pink to bring her to QCB Stadium.
Money is not the problem here, and will probably be of minimal effect. The short-term populist fix by this scrambling premier, while certainly welcome, is no substitute for determined political leadership … for a crisis whose coming was as obvious as Clive Palmer entering an igloo.
Perhaps Anna wants the inner-city homeless moved out of the sight of all the visiting IOC delegates and committees. Homelessness isn’t a good image for an Olympic city.
Your on the money there. … if it were not for the Olympic folly, Palaszczuk would let the issue fester on until she could no longer ignore it. Be interesting to see how The Kid handles that issue, being from the Daddy Warbucks Party.
On matters US – the Orange Ejit is being indicted on 7 criminal charges relating to document he kept at his Mar-a-Largo and has to appear in a Federal court in Miami next week.
Can somebody pop around and check on Tropical/Gunny Highway, please? He/they will be in a ‘bad place’ with this news..
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jun/08/donald-trump-charged-retention-classified-documents
Magpie don’t drag me into your shitshow you old prick. Trump is t the worst of a bad bunch. You forgot Bush’s x 2, Obama, Clinton’s – all fuckwits and crooks.
Always heartening to see the afflicted have a ‘road to Damascus’ moment.
pity it’s not a road to Tashkent
So Aaron Harper , Youth Justice Minister and DG met with Clynton organizing the crime rally but neither Aaron , Les , Scott will attend the rally with residents from their electorates they committed to serve ? . Mayor Hills attendance confirmed along with Natalie Marr LNP candidate Thuringowa .