This week, whether through naivety or mendacity, the Bulletin was either dumb or deceitful when it applauded unnamed police officers for using corrupt practices, for blatant political activism …
Off with the fairies: former federal MP Cathy O’Toole’s personal dreamtime …
The Great COVID Con: how the media exploitation of ‘fear porn’ has completely derailed the initial sensible response to the pandemic, which has now descended into a deadly political pantomime…
Wild card in the election mix: Federal member Phillip Thompson in good odour locally and ready to do Palaszczuk electoral damage … he’s already drawn blood from a petty local state member.
Filling the gap: with News Ltd pulling the pin on the Burdekin Advocate, a new independent weekly paper based in Ayr launches next month, and the hunt is on to fill two crucial positions …
And it truly is a tragi-comedy … we both laugh and cry in the unholy battle for America’s soul …
Burns unit … a small collection of the best Twitter put-downs – known as burns – from around the place, dare you not to laugh out loud …
But first …
The Mayor’s Run Of Magical Mathematics Continues
She really does make it up as she goes along, it’s now an annual event which those among us with a taste for dark humour eagerly await each year.
Fresh from her spurious claims of ‘minimal rate rises in the council budget’ – ignoring hefty utility hikes and mammoth job-killing rate hits on big business properties, this weekend Mayor Mullet has trotted out her annual guffaw about the mystical benefits of the V8 SuperPests to the local economy. Mystical, because for the past decade, she has steadfastly refuses to reveal how she calculates the claimed financial benefits of the annual V8 SuperPests to the Townsville economy (Townsville in this case being the CBD, Palmer Street and the Strand.) AND IT NEVER INCLUDES HOW MUCH THE COUNCIL KICKS IN TO THE SUPER CAR OWNERS POT – commercial in confidence, y’understand.
But this time around, she inadvertently reveals just how seriously the pandemic has affected an already ailing economy. Her simpering on about $5million also includes the benefits of the Horn/Tyszu fight, so pandemic reality has forced to abandon her traditional $36million annual boasting boost to the town. Making this year’s modified claim even before all receipts are in is her usual weird clairvoyant form, and the annual howls of derision at even this very modest ‘injection’ followed as night follows day – especially in the Astonisher’s comments on the story and in Text the Iditor.
But Bentley, wicked penman that is, reckons he cracked the formula of the mayor’s voodoo economics. It all came to him when reading Willy Shakespeare’s Macbeth …
The ‘Pie Is Feelin’ The Love
Well, somebody out there is reading this blog. The Magpie is the only one of local media to mention a council report that bobbed up a couple of weeks ago, suddenly spruiking a new mega art gallery for the CBD. This led The ‘Pie to ask the polite question if this meant the council (read Jenny Hill) was planning on selling the heritage-listed Perc Tucker Gallery. Seems the Bulletin thought it worth asking the question, so we got this during the week.
Hahaha, The ‘Pie is greatly amused … The Magpie being called ‘irresponsible’ by Jenny Hill is like a jaywalker being called a sociopathic killer by Ivan Milat.
Former Federal member for Herbert Cathy O’Toole is cooling her political heels for the time being, no doubt waiting for the shoulder tap from Labor’s backroom boys when a suitable spot comes up for her.
And why not, her CV which is still up in the ”former members area’ of the parliamentary website, makes impressive reading. Especially her qualifications.
Qualifications and occupation before entering Federal Parliament
- BEd (Central Queensland University).
- CertIVWorkplaceTraining ().
- DipT (TAFE and Brisbane College of Advanced Education).
- DipTraining&Assessment (Southern Cross Connection).
- CertIIILadiesHairdressing (Department of Education, Queensland).
- CertIVBus (Barrier Reef Institute of TAFE).
- DipFrontlineMgt (Southern Cross Connection).
- MMSc (University of Sedona).
- DippCommunityWelfareWk (Barrier Reef Institute of TAFE).
- BMSc (University of Sedona).
- Business Owner and Apprentice Hairdresser from 1972 to 1987.
- Teacher at the Townsville and Kangaroo Colleges of TAFE from 1988 to 1991.
- Small Business Owner from 1990 to 2002.
- Program Manager and Curriculum Designer at TAFE, Townsville (Qld) from 1991 to 1993.
- Associate at Tropical Industry Training Associates from 1994 to 1995.
- Director and Owner of O’Toole Enterprises Pty. Ltd., 1996.
- Manager at Workplace Training Tropical Industry Training and Associates from 1996 to 1997.
- Managing Director and Owner of Future Skills & Training from 1997 to 2000.
- Chief Executive Officer at Advance Employment Inc. from 2002 to 2011.
- Project Development Manager at Supported Options in Lifestyle and Access Services Ltd. from 2012 to 2013.
- Chief Executive Officer of Supported Options in Lifestyle and Access Services Ltd. from 2013 to 2016.
‘Dip Training and Assessment’ sends one into deep contemplation, and one wonders just what exactly is Southern Cross Connection.
Hmmm, hang on a minute, what’s that we see in there? Not one but TWO university degrees.
And from an American university, no less.
Now that we didn’t know. Boy, doesn’t that just put this sneering old Magpie in his place, for all those times he made jeering and jesting remarks while making merry with The Tool when she was our local member.
So, let’s see. Her alma mater is the the University of Sedona, eh? Let’s see now … ah, here we go.
Now this sounds like ideal training for Canberra. Looks like Ms O’Toole has both a Bachelor and a Master degree. Let’s see now, an BMSc. sounds impressive, what’s our gal actually been awarded. Oh, here we are …
Well, The ‘Pie, who barely finished high school, is truly humbled … there is no way he could’ve handled a curriculum which, the Uni tells us, ‘synthesizes psychology, the holistic, transcendent, transpersonal and mystical, blended beautifully together through decades of higher consciousness research …’. All of which sounds like training for branch membership of the Labor Party. But a Bachelor degree sometimes doesn’t cut it when your out with your chums in a yurt, ‘ohmming’ away at the stars in the Arizona desert, so Ms O’Toole displayed her admirable thirst for knowledge … particularly dream interpretation … and went the whole hog for a MMSc. … a Master’s degree. And she got it, by golly!
And not only all those academic achievements, we see that Cathy also has Certificate 111 in Ladies Hairdressing from the Department of Education, Queensland. Talk about multi-tasking.
So The Magpie reckons Cathy is blessed with an innate ability to make the right life choices. The ‘Pie has been unreliably told that she had a choice when it came to securing her place in life. Wisely, and after much thought and tossing up the options, she chose to pay for the Sedona Uni courses instead of taking up the tempting offer of a 10% commission to help a Nigerian princess distribute $30million of her late dictator father’s fortune to his overseas relatives. Close run choice, but she dun right.
Besides, Labor Party pre-selection for a winnable seat is worth about the same anyway.
Good News For Ayr: There’s Going To Be Some Good News
With News Ltd closing down satellite newspaper around the Townsville region, it was feared there’d be a bit of a news vacuum for the smaller centres. The Townsville Bulletin cynically announced that Ingham, Ayr/Burdekin and Charters Towers would get a page or two each week (oh, yippee skip), but that meant people would have to buy the paper for a few items of outdated news and trivia, and certainly would not have any editor to champion worthy causes or decry local injustices. .
Back in June, we learnt that Ingham was to get a new on-line news site, which may still be happening but it all sounded a bit seat of the pants stuff (nothing wrong with that, go for it).
Now Ayr will go one better … it is to get a weekly printed newspaper. The Magpie was delighted to hear from his friend Scott Morrison (the good Scott Morrison, DO NOT call him ScoMo), the founder of the excellent DUO magazine. He and his wife Stacey have moved to Ayr, and he emailed this during the week.
Burdekin Local News, so far, has a masthead, $2 cover price, printing organised with News, distribution via newsagents (and will continue if that model works), offices, production equipment, software..
I’ve met with other newspaper owners and received a lot of support, joined QCPA and VCPA, contacted all major advertiser, and signed up for Synergy software to run the show. But it’s still only Stacey (my wife) and I doing it all and the first issue will be out on Thursday 17 September.
We really need an Editor / eager journalist and sales person to make it happen.
Can you ask around or do you have anyone you can recommend?
With Scott and Stacey are behind this publication, you may trust it will be as professional as it can possibly be. The Magpie has always admired, and let’s be honest, surprised by the high production values brought to DUO magazine (if not all the content). It seems the magazine is having a covid-inspired rest just at the moment, but if that dedication to detail and layout is transferred to Burdekin Local News, it will be major gain for the town and district. Best of luck, Scott.
Over you, readers, if you can help Scott and Stacey in their quest, contact them directly.
Scott Morrison
Publisher, Burdekin Local News
A 132A Young Street Ayr QLD 4807
M 0418 746 470
Meanwhile, (Sigh), Back At The Astonisher ….
This from comments during week
The Magpie 4,691 approved 138.130.174.115 |
Submitted on 2020/08/24 at 5:18 pmCORRUPTION CORNER.They really don’t think these things through at the Townsville Bulletin, do they?
Reporter Shayla Bulloch, although she probably doesn’t even know it, has made the stunning and unsupported accusation of widespread corruption by a number of unnamed police officers, albeit dressing up their illegality and abuse of power as some sort of noble Robin Hood action for the ‘little man’. And also playing the victim, claiming they are not handing out $1000 fines because of the abuse they get for their trouble. Goes with job, snowflakes, and if it gets too salty, you have powers to handle that, too. There is so much wrong with this story, it is hard to know where to start. First anonymity: the very fact that the officer quoted didn’t want to be named clearly proves he knows what he and the others he says act likewise is wrong, and is a form of corruption – not for personal benefit (so he says) but by using police powers for political activism, as evidenced in the very first paragraph: WTF, of course you won’t … listen mate, if you really exist – having three or four a ‘pot’ plants in your backyard won’t in itself kill or maim other road users. This is the sort of conflation we’re used to hearing from Peter Dutton – who is, of course, an ex-copper. Finally, journalistic protection of sources. |
All that said, The ‘;Pie simply doesn’t agree with the premise of the fine being ‘obscenely expensive’, in fact, if we live in an age where someone can be fined $5000 for just the possibility of putting others at risk of catching a virus, a grand for someone risking the life of other road users through banal, irresponsible self-absorption is way too cheap.
The Coming Debate: The Great Corona Virus Con
No, The Magpie hasn’t donned a tinfoil hat but in an attempt to stay ahead of the curve of public discourse, he becoming is more and more convinced that we have been had – and are still being had, indeed openly conned – by a cowardly political leadership which has descended into destructive and false virtue signalling. And we’ve been cowed into silence by a media hungry for what has been termed ‘fear porn’, using extreme examples of known fruitcakes to stifle any rational and reasonable debate … stuff like this …
And at the core of this coming debate in Australia will one vital question: why have our leaders ignored the lessons learned as we progressed from the initial ignorance of this virus to greatly expanded knowledge, and then did not opt for nuanced and balanced decisions encompassing medical, social and economic factors, for the whole community?
James Allan, writing in Quadrant magazine, has clearly laid out arguments that find the words that The Magpie’s could not – it is one of the most compellingly argued dissections of the destructive mishandling of the pandemic over the past few months that crystalise The Magpie’s growing uneasiness. While it is somewhat over dramatic in spots, and The ‘Pie disagrees on some minor points – especially the superficial glossing over of the situations in differing American states – Allan makes a very strong case. Some quotes from the essay:
“Much of the press has turned itself into an unquestioning arm of the fear porn industry – breathlessly reporting each new case (rather than the death rate), never giving context (as in more people died of the flu and car accidents in most past years, and by massive margins), indulging in the report-your-neighbour thinking of the sort that flourished in the former Soviet Union.”
….
Even if some of our politicians privately now think they goofed, they can’t really admit it. They have to stay the course – lockdowns, maybe upgraded to curfews, fear porn press encouraged to terrify the public, daily press conferences announcing new cases (as if that matters one whit, we don’t care about flu cases, we care about deaths).
….
And this echoes exactly what The Magpie said in last week’s blog and several times before.
Then there’s the awful way in which politicians not just here but around most of the democratic world abdicated key decision-making to a bunch of doctors or Chief Medical Officers. This was done in the name of ‘expertise’. But that claim to their expertise is mostly untrue. In terms of whether lockdowns and heavy-handed responses are called for, or not, a medical degree is not (the require qualification) We want experts in statistics; experts in probability; people who take everything into account; economists at least as much as doctors… the medical side of this situation is only one of many factors. Weighing them all up is the job of the elected politicians, not some bureaucrat doctor.
And although not included in the article, this interesting graph supports this final quote.
This is in a world where for those under 45 the corona virus is less dangerous than the flu (another instance of ‘we are not all in this together’); where for those under 60 it still doesn’t break into the top 15 causes of death; where the young are having their futures destroyed, job prospects detonated, and university and school experiences turned into sterile, near-worthless ‘Zoom time’; where millions will die in the Third World from the coming poverty there. The list goes on.
It sure does.
Has Coralee O’Rourke Really Chucked In The Towel?
There is evidence that … maybe.
She may just be playing hinting games with the paper, trying for a sympathy vote, by refusing to say whether she’ll stand down before the election on medical grounds – seems unlikely she’d go without getting a big Palaszczuk flea in her ear, since Premier Alphabet would be less than sympathetic at such a late hour withdrawal with no replacement in sight. The election is now less than eight weeks away.
And it appears the LNP believe they have an unexpected weapon in their campaign armoury … federal member for Herbert Phillip Thompson. The ex-ADF digger has been making solid decisions and statements that hook directly into local public sentiment for a while now, and had the unexpected bonus – courtesy of some weird Palaszczuk zombie economics – of being able to promise a cool $195million of federal funds for yet-to-be-determined Townsville-based infrastructure.
Previous members for Herbert in recent times have had little impact on state polls, but this time, George Street is so on the nose that Thompson’s matter-of-fact statements – on everything from crime to water pipelines – have resonated in an electorate fed up with the three local state buffoons.
And there seems to be proof that O’Rort is rightly rattled by Thompson, with a strange, self-defeating bit of petty and vindictive tomfoolery that is frankly, inexplicable and inexcusable … she barred Thompson from making a site visit to a new Townsville facility under construction for servicemen and women, this despite the Feds putting up $5million of the cost. Thompson posted about it on Facebook.
Sounds like they’re really on the run.
The ‘Pie Just Couldn’t Resist
The ‘Pie was bit chuffed with his tweet reply during the week.
Which brings us to our Trumpanzee gallery for the week, which featured Trump yet again telling the faithful he wanted to make America great again, totally unaware that it sounded awfully like an admission that he realized how things had gone since he became President. And it ain’t just corona virus that is sweeping the political landscape of the USA.
Finally, Here’s Hoping We Can Leave You With A Laugh
It isn’t just Trump who makes a prize goose of himself on Twitter. There a lot of dim bulbs out there who are blissfully unaware when making themselves a target for an epic ‘burn’ – the reply that shoots you down. Here’s a collection The ‘Pie came across during the week, and some of them are howlingly funny. Dare you not to laugh out loud.
….
Bit of a bumper edition, and The ‘Pie expects a lot of sound and fury in the comments section over the coming week. Join in the thunder and lightning, comments run 24/7. And if you enjoyed these bits and pieces, and would like to support the on-going efforts here, a donation would be a great help, the donate button is below.
Rules and regulations are made for the interpretation of wise men and the blind obedience of fools
so if the Hong Kong coppers refused to enforce the communist crack down on protestors are they heroes or villains
Ditto for the prison guards who refused to be part of the final solution death camps
these QLD coppers are refusing to implement the $1,000.00 fine and are reacting to the rules and regulations put up by fools
Poo, Pooh, absolute poo.
Get help (and while in the waiting room, look up ‘democracy’.)
Never ignore a pooh-pooh
Winni – you conflate texting whilst driving (one of the most dangerous of distractions) with denial of basic human rights and even genocide? You would not be a Sovereign Citizen would you? Or just a plain, garden-variety idiot?
Re corruption corner, its not only the cops who have failed to take action, i heard that one madam director was told by councils internal investigator that he witnessed a safety business partner driving while using a phone and apparently the director did nothing except give said safety partner a plum job with a councillor as his safety person.
Mayor Mullet is throwing around $ (Horn fight, two weekends of V8,s ) with 3 marginal State seats you dont think , based on her airport and battery plant offers she has already done a deal with Premier Palaszczuk on a Convention centre ? .T.C.C. spends like a drunken sailor up until the State election to try and get the 3 hapless State MP,s across the line (has Coralee pulled the pin due to disastrous polling ?) then the Mullet blames COVID when Council infrastructure work hits the skids as the cashflow cupboard is bare . T.C.C. have also backflipped on compensation for Rising Sun outlets flooded due to a busted water main . Perhaps the effected tenants should contact the Pies legal team because ABC news post 8th March 2020 by Lily Nothing quotes deputy Mayor Mark Molachino “the Council will offer support for Flooded buisnesses ” . If thats not a representation for class action i dont know what is . Thanks Pie for filling in the gaps on Cathy Otoole . Anyone who met with her when she was the Federal Member and got into deep detail you could see Cathy was in “dreamtime ” which is supported by her puppet following believing Bill Shorten would win . Surprised Cathy didnt also graduate from the Ponds institute with in Majors .
They didn’t backflip, they never meant it in the first place. Not only does TCC fuck up, they then fuck you over.
In my line of work we screen individuals qualifications. The University of Sedona is not an accredited learning institution. It is one of the many American fake education ‘diploma mills’ where you basically pay the unisversity a set amount of ‘course money’, provide some fictitious (often pinched) paperwork – a few reports/papers/fake pieces of work submitted and a few weeks later they send you a Degree! Another popular ‘fake’ is Corlins University in the USA. If you see someone’s CV with a Masters degree from Corlins University on it do not hire them. They are a person of nil integrity, dishonest and most likely are actually as dumb as batshit. The Politician in question in this article with a Degree in hocus pocus needs to have her robust resume scrutinised. Let’s see if her LinkedIn in profile and parliamentary Bio are quickly changed within the coming days!!
Fakes? No kiddin’, Prof? Whodda thort?
Since you’re apparently qualified in this area, any idea how much a Sedona degree costs?
A thought: your name would suggest you gained your title from … ummm … maybe Sedona?
Nice try Pie. No, I don’t have a dodgy degree and I’m not a Professor but I do work in a role that weeds out and identifies these fakes and frauds. The ‘fake degrees’ cost anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000. A lot cheaper than the $40k to $100k for the real deal. This ginger haired politician with a fake degree in hocus pocus and a cert 3 in hairdressing FFS is as impressive as being a bomb technician with ISIS. This woman’s CV contains absolute shite. I cannot believe that it has not been heavily scrutinised before now. Her CV is the classic toffee coated turd.
And what, pray tell, is NOT impressive about an ISIS bomb technician? Go on, blow us away.
When the ISIS suicide bomber is working from home, COVID-19 and all that.
Business is booming.
Perhaps the Toole is in line for one of the three top TCC jobs?
Well, as reported, she has the necessary qualifications, including professional ability to continue giving Townsville a haircut, in the business jargon.
Can The Tool be held to account for the publication of these fake qualifications, or does it just go through to the ALP keeper? Do we just have to accept that we have been duped and ‘represented’ by a fraudulent individual?
I’ll be plucked, hey!
Short answer – no. Because they aren’t fraudulent unless she tried to make them out to be something that they are not. And if she sent in a paper as required, paid her dough, then it’s all legally tickety boo. Just a very dim thing to do, putting on your cv.
Why does WHO recommend a social distance of 3 feet (a little over 1 meter), the USA recommends 6 feet ( a little under 2 meters) and Australia and Germany recommends 1.5 meters???
In Australia, different Premiers are applying different rules to border opening/closures and lockdown levels. THERE IS NO CONSISTENCY. The virus has been proven to predominately cause the most deaths among the elderly, obese, diabetic and people with pre-existing lung problems. We’ve had not even 600 deaths among 25.5 million people in 6 months in Australia yet the Government has reacted in what way – they have shut down and killed our economy, destroyed tens of thousands of businesses, increased debt to levels that we will be paying off in 30 years time and created social unrest, fear, high suicide rates, despair and a backlog of people with existing medical issues going undiagnosed because you can’t get to see a Doctor or Specialist if you are locked in your fucking house!! COVID hasn’t destroyed our lives, the Politicians have. If the disease was so bad, there would be one blanket rule or approach. The fact is simply this – before ever fully understanding the virus our inept Global Political leaders pulled the trigger early and as a result of doing that they have fucked the World exponentially. The so-called cure outweighs the cause and this will go down as one of he greatest Global Political fuckups ever.
I’m not a tin foil hat wearer and I am not ignorant to the deaths this virus has caused to date. But the way it has been managed is s colossal mistake. I am a realist and a measured person who reviews facts and data to draw reasonable conclusions. The lack of logic any logic behind why the worlds Governments have brought about an economic catastrophe is breathtaking.
We were all in the dark when the pandemic hit, and early measures were not unreasonable as we sought our best way to handle something unprecedented (a pandemic wasn’t unprecedented but the insidious nature of this one was). But as it clearly emerged as to not so much who was at risk as to who was not at risk, fear of flexibility froze clear thinking to pour protection into those sectors that we now knew required it, and let the rest of the country treat it like we treat the ‘flu. Rigid political considerations started to take over (you know the old political mantra – never waste a crisis), and fear of the ballot box is what we have governing the issue now. Hence the cowardly shields of ‘chief medical officers’ and ‘we follow the science’ trope – and here in Queensland, we have clear evidence of that fallacy, with Jeanette Young’s well documented selective idiocy where indigenous culture demanded restriction leniency, as did the political time bomb of BLM mass protests, but Anzac marches were banned and the deeply inexplicable conclusion that four planes flying overhead by a lone pilot in each were forbidden on the grounds that it might ‘prompt people to go for a drive.’ And it still continues with the empty and pointless gesture of banning organised events at schoolies celebrations, gatherings impossible to stop but leaving kids in a totally unstructured environment … kids go are at virtually no serious risk from corona virus.We had the added disadvantage of being in an election year, so expediency trumped responsibility and Palaszczuk made Young – and consequently us – her fall guys. The economy is now more fucked than it was before, the damage is unforgivable.
As Allan correctly pointed out: Worse, the medical side of this situation is only one of many factors. Weighing them all up is the job of the elected politicians, not some bureaucrat doctor … we want experts in statistics; experts in probability; people who take everything into account; economists at least as much as doctors. (But) Even if some of our politicians privately now think they goofed, they can’t really admit it. They have to stay the course – lockdowns, maybe upgraded to curfews, fear porn press encouraged to terrify the public, daily press conferences announcing new cases …’
On that last point, the severity of the ‘new cases’ is never mentioned. No wonder, it would go a long way to exposing this irresponsible fallacy.
We ARE being conned.
Senator Susan McDonald on TV this weekend:
‘We are now in a situation were we are fully prepared to deal with corona virus. We have had time to prepare, we have hospitals with all the necessary ventilators and medical gear, so now we have to move into the phase of living with corona virus while we develop a virus.
We’ve got a state election coming up in Queensland on the October 31, we’ve got a premier who is trying to make herself relevant and important and in the meantime, she is going to crucify a lot of businesses and a lot of families in Queensland, so it is time to move forward (and open the border).”
Senator Susan McDonald
“We have had time to prepare, we have hospitals with all the necessary ventilators and medical gear, so now we have to move into the phase of living with corona virus . . . .”
If only Senator McDonald’s federal government had done their homework in the aged care sector WHEN THEY HAD THE TIME, MONEY AND NOTICE, perhaps Victoria could be leading us into that phase.
The ‘Pie asks again, where were you ECQ when we were all in need of your 20/20 hindsight?
To add to the inconsistency around messaging.
I’ve read over the last few weeks the primary transmission factor is via air, this would seem to indicate the best measure is wearing masks – sovereign rights not withstanding.
This article mentions an example of a high rise building with a call centre, the overwhelming majority of infections were in a call centre in the building not at all consistent with picking it up off surfaces.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/07/scourge-hygiene-theater/614599/
This article raises the issue of consistent rules for masks and that they aren’t really needed outdoors, but should be used indoors especially by people who are talking.
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/07/why-arent-we-talking-more-about-airborne-transmission/614737/
But at this point its all being driven for political ends so not expecting anything approaching common sense to prevail in the short term.
In Queensland, it would be good if common sense prevailed on Oct 31st, but not much of a choice. God knows what sort of premier The Freckle would make.
#SOFUCKINGWHAT
Get on with responsible governing for us, you coward, not for your mistaken idea of your electoral chances.
#SOFUCKINGWHAT
Get on with responsible governing for us, you coward, not for your mistaken idea of your electoral chances.
And get rid of Banquo’s ghost in the background.
COVID Capers – the distances quoted by the WHO, the US and Australia / Germany is due to average heights of people. The WHO is mainly focused on Asia where people are generally shorter, the US has a high proportion of basketball players and Australia / Germany have similar average human heights.
What the dickens does the vertical (height) have to do with the horizontal (the direction transmitted virus spores travel)?
Shite
I have no doubts to the value of the V8’s in a normal year and what it brings to the Townsville economy, but can’t see the point of having it this year at all, especially two weeks in a row and all the inconvenience of road blocks etc. A switched on and savvy person would have actually looked at charging the V8’s to provide somewhere to hold their race and fulfill their TV obligations, but we don’t have switched on and savvy, we have Jenny Hill.
Something The ‘Pie has always considered back to front, too, but the reality is that the SuperPest businessmen know how to play the yokel’s ukulele, playing various competing regional city’s off against one another for the perceived economic benefits, which invariably ends up with us paying them. How much? we’re not allowed to know, because, at the insistence of the SuperPests (so the council says) it is all commercial in confidence. Commercial in connivance would be more accurate.
Why the fuck is Jenny Hill planning another art gallery?
Has she already forgotten her election promise of a new venue for the performing arts?
You know, the one to make up for the Entertainment and Convention centre near the new Cowboys stadium, the land for which was commandeered for the so-called Cowboys Centre of Excellence.
I guess she could argue that the Cowboys definitely need a crash course in excellence.
Two weeks in a row now the Cowboys have been thumped by teams that include talented players they had contracted but let go.
Wouldn’t surprise if they appointed Anthony Seibold to take over.
There are some big ol juicy Federal Government grants for the arts. So she is probably trying to capitalise on that. Let’s face it, the majority of Townsville are into drugs, drinking goon and breaking and entering so ‘art’ (except for the spraycan type) isn’t big on the towns list of things to do and see.
OK, The ‘Pie gets that trying (unsuccessfully) to be amusing and cutting edge, but to do so you have start out with a correct premise … the ‘y’arts’ as Edna E calls them, could be one of this city’s major drawcards if Mayor Mullet would just keep her bogan nose out of it or do more than just use the sector for another magic-penny-behind-the-ear trick.
Banksy you need to get out more.
Choral Society and NQ Opera &Theatre musicals at the Civic Theatre commonly run for 2 weeks and are sold out every night.
The standard is as good as anything you would see on Broadway or in the London West End.
You’re basically right, but a touch of the oversell there. Why kill a good point with nonsense comparisons?
Drama Queens just can’t help themselves.
Theatregoer you are kidding right? I can only assume you’ve never seen a production on Broadway or West End. Or Sydney or Melbourne for that matter. I’m not saying that local shows are not worth seeing but let’s not compare the Rowe’s Bay club champion with Tiger.
Back in the days when Greg Norman was Rowe’s Bay champion, perhaps one could have. Just a jest. Couldn’t resist it………….
hahahaha … rejoinder of the day!
In fact I have been to many musicals and plays on Broadway and in the West End.
Have any of you knockers been to a musical at the Civic Theatre?
You obviously didnt see Les Mis or We Will Rock You. If you had you wouldn’t be making uninformed comments.
As I said, try to get out more and see things that don’t involve kicking a footy or cars following each other around a track.
No one doubts, and all reports suggest, that amateur musical theatre in Townsville is of a very high standard, but as The ‘Pie said before, you do yourself no favours with nonsense statements such as the locals matching or bettering professional Broadway or West End productions which cost millions of dollars to stage and feature global stars. One does not have to have seen productions there or here (although The ‘Pie has) to know this is utter tripe and smacks of a particularly Townsville cultural cringe.
Or is a mincing luvvie hissy fit. Stay real.
One commentator on Phil Thompson’s web site, when Phil raised the issue of O’Rort locking him out of the Oasis building site raised the ‘rumour’ that Cathy O’Toole could get a tap on the shoulder should Coralee not stand and even the Mullet putting her hand up. (Which she has plenty of practise at) O’Toole was trounced by Phil Thompson in 2019, so why would basically the same voters put her back into a state seat.
As for Jenny running, that would be a no, as Liam Mooney is not ready for the mayors job at the moment. A little bit more indoctrination to go yet.
Well Ala, if The Tool is silly enough to run, the issue around these sus qualifications is bound to be raised and raised and ………
Our rates are now more expensive and what do we get: ONE free bulk rubbish collection PER YEAR with strict restrictions. No wonder illegal dumping is costing Townsville ratepayers a fortune…..
You’re talking rubbish about rubbish, sport. The Magpie applauds this pared down, justified and sensible move to scale back the idiotic, bogan dreams oif the mayor. One collection per year … in September … is what we should always have had, as it is timely with the approach of the cyclone season. Wanting more betrays a false sense of entitlement from people will soon be demanding council arse wiping officers be appointed because they can’t be bothered doing it themselves. The ‘Pie has long said that if you go to a store and buy something, and transport it home or have it delivered, when you tire of it in the usual materialistic fashion, YOU get rid of it the same way you got it … at your own expense, there is no reason it should be a chaotic four-times-a year impost on the general ratepayers. If not, and you want to live in a pig sty, that’s your business – the now current arrangement is sensible on the grounds of the safety of others. The bookingv system also puts an end to some streets becoming rat infested garbage dumps when mayor’s ill-thought out vote catcher system fails and stuff is left for weeks.
And no matter what real or perceived shortcomings of the council, its takes an over-weaning arrogance to blame it for illegal dumping. It is the fault of the knuckle-dragging low life slobs who won’t spend a few lousy dollars to go to the dump and be socially responsible but instead transport their slum mentality and surroundings with them into byways and waterways surrounding the city.
I like the booking system.
Yep. Sensible and efficient. But a burden for those who find it a chore to make a phone call, poor diddums.
Fast food packets, soft drink bottles and cans seam to have a magical property of getting heavier as they are consumed judging by the nuber that get dropped, hrown from cars o simply just get to heavy to carry toa bin.
Ha Ha Liam Mooney! No one has seen or heard from him since the council elections, must be still hiding under his mother’s skirt.
SG, They must have read your comment. He has been trotted out at the new airport entrance opening with ‘the dill’ and Phil.
On your last point on needing to know the severity of new cases, every case on COVID 19 is potentially deadly. It may not be a big issue for the person who has it now, but it may well kill the person they pass it on to. Or the person who gets it from the person who got it from the person who….- that’s how viruses work.
You are right that we do know a lot more about the virus than we did when this all started. Your strategy of herd immunity (protect the vulnerable and let her rip) has been tried (in Sweden, the US, UK and others) and has proven to have disastrous consequences. The problems have been
(a) even with low mortality rates, the outcome of this strategy (millions dead, that’s not alarmism, it has been modelled and is happening now) is unacceptable to many civilised people,
(b) there is no practical way to protect vulnerable groups- even with the best will and efforts, we can’t keep it out of old age homes, hospitals etc.
(c) the economic outcomes of a let her rip strategy are no better than a regulated lockdown approach, because most people lock themselves down even if they are not legally required to (no-one wants to bring it home to grandma), while the ratbags run up the death count. For example the US economy is screwed even as their death rates spiral.
(d) there is considerable doubt if herd immunity is possible- there are instances of persons catching it twice, and recovered asymptomatic cases seem to have low anti-body levels
Yes some politicians can be quite immoral, willing to kill people to get re-elected (see Trump for example). Yet I am not sure why you think politicians are not getting advice from economists and statisticians as well as doctors. Perhaps on balance they have reached the conclusions that the consequences of let her rip are unacceptable even if it means a poorer economic outcome.
It is not an straightforward challenge.
In order as presented by you, Westie.
By your logic, your opening homily could, and indeed does, apply to other everyday social factors … driving a car is potentially deadly, as is getting on a plane or eating in a restaurant. Society has evolved a large degree of trust in everyday things, and coronavirus is now an everyday thing which we must learn to live with and accomodate as best we can.
What disastrous consequences in Sweden? Depending on whose interpretation of the hard statistics and projections of not just deaths but economic stability (the latter which avoids/averts many fatalities unrelated directly to the virus), Sweden … as Allan points out in his article … is far from a disaster. The Swedish Government took a mature and calculated approach to covid. What must be considered is the massive difference in economic and social upheaval. There has been some soul searching about the Swedes inattention to the aged sector, but the country is actually no worse off in terms of virus impact or economic damage than other countries, and in many instances, better off. Swedes were treated like adults, and consequently by and large acted like adults without any draconian stick being waved at them. Some folks, probably yourself Westie, don’t think beyond berating those who look at other pathways and cry callousness, ‘what about the oldies’, you ask … but no one seems to have asked what about the young and their future. And what responsibility do decision makers of today have towards them?
Would you rather have been in Sweden, or in the UK or, god help you, America? (Yes, yes, everyone would’ve liked to have been in Queensland, we have undeniably been lucky but not necessarily by good management for the long run.)
Your other points:
a. ‘ …is happening now?’ Nonsense. There have to this moment been 842,702 deaths globally, out of 25,009,250 global cases (data from the rolling tally of the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html) which in the simplest of terms means that 24,161,026 didn’t die.
And it is inescapable that the human condition being what it is, there are greater … much, much greater … global threats to mortality … like ‘flu … than any modelling of covid would honestly match.
b. Of course there are. Not foolproof, but sensible measures can be taken – it’s like child drownings, which still happens but stringent and acceptable rules have significantly cut down on them. So we can do what we can to protect vulnerable sectors, while not unfairly disadvantaging the rest. More astute people would surely be able to come up with workable framework.
c. That assumption is totally unsupported … by your or any other reasonable analysis. And anyway, if its no better, that means it is no worse, so why not?
d. Maybe but now you’re stretching it in order not to be wrong. Which you are anyway.
As to you last assertion – Yet I am not sure why you think politicians are not getting advice from economists and statisticians as well as doctors. – The ‘Pie … and the whole populace … think, indeed know, that is the case
because that’s exactly what the politicians have told us in straight and simple terms
… ‘We take the advice of the medical experts, we follow the science.’ Not a single word about any other experts from other areas arguing for a different approach, or any being contemplated let alone properly evaluated. If leaders have consciously chosen not to allow the public to debate other possibilities, what does that say about those who hold our democratic well being in their hands?
And your final line: ‘Perhaps on balance they have reached the conclusions that the consequences of let her rip are unacceptable even if it means a poorer economic outcome’ would be correct except for one single word in there … substitute economic with electoral.
And in closing you say ‘It is not an straightforward challenge” Yet your whole knee-jerk comment says exactly that it is a straightforward challenge, and daring to consider anything else is dangerous and irresponsible.
sweden is doing very well actually. Death rate is getting lower. Simple seach on google (bureau of stats ) in Australia shows thousands of people died every months since counting started on covid 19. We are only at 500 now after 7mths. Billions in debt and employment rate very high for no reason. All these people have died from natural causes without covid 19. Heard immunity is and has been the only way any disease has been stopped. Yes vaccination works to stop but anyone with basic biology knowledge knows nature evolves to threats of diseases. Have a look at the rest of the animal kingdom. 150000 dead in the states isnt that bad out of 320 million. Only 4000 in china out of 1 billion? Virus cant be that bad then?
There’s a job waiting for you at the Astonisher, mate, you are on a delay of a few days with the news …. just passed 180,000 deaths in the USA, but hey as the Trumpanzee says, 30, 000, pffft, it is what it is … and Australia at this moment is on 600.
And if you believe Chinese stats, The ‘Pie has a harbour bridge to sell you.
Otherwise reasonable points for debate.
The US CDC this week revised the number of deaths from Covid 19 to just under 10,000. That is Covid was the actual cause of death.
Each and every other death was from underlying causes.
That raises a very interesting question. Who’s conning who, then? If that’s the case, the entire approach is open to question. But the CDC’s credibility … and independence has been questioned of late. Looking for link, can’t locate it immediately.
Tropical, that’s a seemingly widespread misunderstanding
https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2020/09/no-covid-deaths-arent-only-6-of-whats-documented/
A very good myth busting article, Steve – you feeling OK?
However, that tends to bolster The ‘Pie’s primary debate point: the elderly and the medically predisposed of any age should be the focus of the protective regulations, allowing the – let’s say – 98% of us get on with regular life, Take precautions like masks and distancing generally, maybe get coronavirus, get over it and get on – 95% of infections are reported as ‘mild’, about 99% of the infected get over it. But no, panic merchants insist the sky is falling despite the emerging evidence that it is not … and we are seeing clear evidence that covid is now seen as a political tool. But a sharp one, and Anna amongst others, may cut off her own political tits with this none.
The crux of the story answers the vital question under this heading:
How many people died of COVID-19 versus with COVID-19?
If you sequester anyone with risk factors (over 65, diabetes, obesity, etc) plus their households it would be a much larger proportion out of commission than that. Plus, as mentioned before, looking at a 12% hospitalisation rate we’d still overwhelm our hospitals. Furthermore, setting aside the mortality rate, we’re talking about subjecting large segments of the population to possibly permanent neurological, heart and lung damage. Better to aim for elimination.
Who mentioned sequestering, perhaps apart from the very elderly in aged care? And the age of danger from all The ‘Pie has seen is 70 or 75+. At risk groups could be targeted with special assistance, improved PPEs, other suitable protection and safeguards and even financial support when required.
And elimination? Give yourself a break, mate.
I’m back!! I will be honest, Magpie has perfectly described the COVID issues in play.. let’s look at an example of what is truly frightening – Anna alphabet and the scraggy haired CMO! These two imbeciles calling the shots for all of Queensland’s well-being! Seriously! People actually believe that these two numpties know shit from clay? And Westie, what about the next virus – COVID 20, 21, 22, 23??? Shut the entire world down again, year after year?? If you let the damned thing run it’s course it eventually weakens anyway, say some of the experts (link below). If people self isolated when sick in general (not go to school, work or shopping centres when sick), practised hand washing and healthier and safer personal hygiene, ate healthier and used vitamins and a whole host of other measures then this would also keep virus numbers down. Not just COVID but influenza ‘a’ and ‘b’ and other illnesses.
The sheeple are weak and blind and limp along following what Pollies and the MSM say. Do your own research, look at what other experts in the science and genetic fields are saying about the virus instead of believing everything that the WHO Chief footstool and scum like Bill Gates are saying.
https://www.google.com.au/amp/s/elemental.medium.com/amp/p/928f2ad33f89
The sheeple are weak and blind and limp along following what Pollies and the MSM say.
Good on you Felcher. Going your own way but confident there’s a place for you in ICU – staffed by weak, blind health care sheeple doing exactly what the science dictates.
And right there, Comrade ECQ, we have the eristic political argument not to question authorities and their current wisdom, so favoured by political sheeple. At no stage has anyone on this blog attacked the selfless and courageous ICU – indeed all hospital – staff, anywhere, who deal with high concentrations of those in various stages of virus illness serious enough to require their skilled help. They see daily the (for round numbers) the one percent of the population suffering symptoms severe enough to require their specialist intervention of the treatment science.
Your flaccid comment is totally irrelevant to Felcher’s (admittedly wildly over-stated and braying) basic argument, and simply seeks to endorse the current political orthodoxy. Politics is the problem here, not science, which is based on boundaries dictated by common sense and evidence.
NB To save you the bother, ‘eristic’ is a statement aimed at winning the argument but not aimed at finding the truth. Perfect word for this instance.
“the one percent of the population suffering symptoms severe enough to require their specialist intervention of the treatment science.”
It’s about 12% hospitalisation rate from my understanding, not good news for those from the “let it rip” school of coronavirus denialism.
Seriously, we might have start calling you Stevie Wonder, you can’t, or don’t want to read. Slowly now … one percent of the population get coronavirus. 12% of that one percent them (let’s say your right) go to hospital.
For fuck’s sake, stop trying to be right all the time and win arguments with denigrating slogans that discourage constructive discussions, like your childish ‘let it rip’ – The ‘Pie has never advocated that, which you would known if you put aside your reading glasses of prejudice, he has simply said the way to handle the very real fact of the virus should change with the increased knowledge, not just of the virus but of the long term consequences across all aspects of society. And be a good little boy and drop the even more juvenile term ‘school of coronavirus denialism’. Show me where anyone has said there is no coronavirus. You just lazily transfer slogans from other separate drums you tediously bang, because you think it sounds authoritative … yes, there ‘climate denialism’ but show us one single credible person who denies there is coronavirus.
Coronavirus denialists are the ones who think it’s not serious and we should let it burn through the population to achieve herd immunity, looking at low mortality rates for some sections of society but not considering the hospitalisation rate or permanent organ damage. The US case tally has passed six million so I think the idea that only one percent of the population can be infected could be considered debunked.
You’re making this up as you go along. But rather than do the work for you, tell us this: US population 350 million … 6 million infected … percentage?
And in your panicked scramble to be right, you choose to use as an example a country whose leadership wilfully failed to take any early steps at containment, and therefore had nothing to learn in the first months and look ahead to ways to accomodate the virus without wrecking the economy.
ECQ, you truly are an idiot. Although you are a lapdog to anything Labor, I did think you had a bit more brain. I have never referred to our hard working medical people as anything untoward. These frontline people are our true heroes. To spell it out again, and to your disgust, my barbs are aimed at the never ending conga line of political dross being highly remunerated to do nothing more than continually fuckup and make our lives a misery. The sheeple I refer to are the people with no brains nor any interest in looking at facts and making reasonable assumptions upon what is taking place, but prefer to follow the words of muppets like Anna alphabet, the Tangeriene Terrorist and other assorted dimwits that are given power and authority to use and abuse.
And my concern, Felcher, is that regardless of what opinions we might choose to get from economists, engineers, council workers or circus clowns, whatever happens in the statistics will be experienced most pointedly by health care workers at the front line. In Victoria now, health care workers, including those who are in ICU, make up a considerable proportion of the active cases, and growing. So while you and I and Everyman might debate whether to loosen up the borders and other restrictions, every ‘mistake’ we make impacts directly on health care workers who become one of the inevitable statistics. Politicians from the PM down have decided to put health ahead of everything else, bar none. Apparently, punters are OK with that, in LNP NSW as much as in Labor Victoria or Labor Queensland. They’d be mugs to flip now.
Queensland Government failure – denial of crime in Townsville but say they are strong on Borders.
They have no control of the government departments with COVID spread inside Corrective Services and nobody held to account.
The wage theft from employees at Sun Water for years- let’s see if the enforce their own laws on wage theft https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/90198
25 years of Labor in the last 30 time for a change.
Greetings Magpie, as someone living through this lockdown hell in Melbourne and attempting to home school two children to the best of my (limited) ability, I can tell you there is no mystery about why these draconian laws are in place.
A few months ago Daniel Andrews and his Labor government made a complete dog’s breakfast of implementing the proper supervision of returned travellers in a number of CBD hotels, the result being the re-emergence of COVID-19 into the community and hundreds of deaths (most in aged care). Daniel has subsequently shat himself and is terrified a quick reopening of society and the economy could lead to even more problems
Then make sure you all dont vote him and Labor back in. Same problem here in Townsville and probably soon in Queensland. How far are you hanging your head down steve, Belgium gardens??
How far are you hanging yours after your performance in last week’s comments?
God, Steve – are you seriously keeping a score? One of the very few things I admire about you is that, despite how many times you get kicked to the gutter and head-stomped in this blog, you keep coming back…and back and back.
He raised it! And none of the genius intellects in the comment sections have yet to score a blow, depressingly.
Whats your point Stevie knicks? My comment about how Labor may have caused the death of an unborn child because the premiere and her chief medical clown said only Queensland hospitals are for Queenslanders? Neil breen in Brisbane might be able to enlightened you. Your the type of person who should have there right to vote taken off them.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.4bc.com.au/neil-breen-grills-chief-health-officer-over-failure-to-provide-urgent-health-exemptions/&ved=2ahUKEwj3js_E68TrAhVp4zgGHUjUB70QFjABegQIBBAB&usg=AOvVaw0pc0Z2YJB1yWKtr_dQAm0B
Exactly Fubar, you grabbed the short end of the stick on that one and poked yourself in the eye with it.
Steve your score at the moment is like the infection rate of every state, except Victoria. In the negative! Maybe you can make a name for yourself online by starting a new following. There’s BREXIT, now BLACXIT, yours could be, STEVZIT? At #ilovepinkdunas
And on top of all that pile on, Steve – and ECQ – care to explain why your beloved Palaszczuk government has now created a special unit to handle cross-border medical emergencies, as announced on the media tonight, despite you insisting there was adequate information for those dastardly NSW doctors to inquire further than just believing unequivocal statements from Palaszczuk that their patient in Ballina couldn’t get to Queensland for help. Why a special unit if it was so clear?
You are starting to become an embarrassment.
The news I read indicated it was the woman’s father who decided against treatment in Queensland. It’s not a contradiction to set up a new unit to handle queries if there’s confusion on the part of the public, but medical staff in northern NSW would still have gotten their information through internal sources not the media.
Oh really. So you are willing to accept what you read in the news (when it suits your argument) but the premier is not to be believed when her statements or pronouncements on TV are read and seen by NSW doctors. You are bishop in the Church of Fuckwittery, Steve.
Mr Magpie, “pile on”? I’m not even on the field.
I see we have an Acting Mayor again. With all the major events, you’d think the Doona would be front and centre – unless they really are the unmitigated disaster many are suggesting.
Remember when the absence of the Mayor was something the paper used to note?
Even stranger when an Astonisher pic from Thursday or Friday showed her looking a little bilious standing behind Scott Stewart – the rear view of whom would make anyone a touch bilious.
What is this unmitigated disaster?
coroner’s court?
I was suggesting the financial return (or failure to create one) from the events council and the gubbermunt funded.
But a coronial inquest would brighten things up too.
Oh goody on both counts! Pie hit the nail on the head with his earlier translation for oxymoron of the month ‘driven to protect’. Perhaps it would be triple goody if the CCC poked there nose into things.
Must be another boxing match or V8 meeting on somewhere else in Australia !
When going through an old box of papers belonging to my grandfather 1877-1965 I discovered his desk notice which he has obviously bequeathed to the bureaucrats of this world.
It Reads:-
WHY BE DIFFICULT WHEN BY TAKING A LITTLE MORE EFFORT YOU CAN BE BLOODY WELL IMPOSSIBLE?
You have hit the nail on the head. My other half (who works for Qld government) was regaling me with a story the other day spending an hour on the phone to another government department trying to sort out paperwork. It was along the lines of “my form 12 is the same as your form 12, but you are asking me to redo the form just so it has your logo on it?”
What’s this all about, then?
A recent Courier article banged on about the next election and the seats to watch. Have a look at the list of their ‘battleground seats’, and see if you can spot what is NOT there.
Yup, the CM seems they think Scott Stewart is a safe bet, but it’s a bit hard to work out why. He may be the least objectionable goof of our local trio, but surely he’s no shoo in … at least not sufficiently to not be on the list.
The Green vote was a factor, sure, and their preferences were going only one way, but the non-performance and party parroting about youth crime must surely change voter intentions. Sure, a challenge to move a significant portion of the Greens percentage, but it is certain some Labor voters will become single issue voters on the crime issue, surely you’d think Townsville would be seen as vulnerable.
Seem like a straight forward play – LNP & ONP swap preferences to roll the ALP.
Locally this would see ONP win Thuringowa, and LNP with Townsville with either party taking Mundingburra. All in all a good results to get rid of the 3 blind mice who see no problems in Townsville apparently there are no issues with crime, employment or the economy.
Anyone who weighs in all guns blazing on kiddy crime will romp home.
That James Allan seems like a libertarian crank “the most socialist government in Australia’s history”!
What took you so long to attack the man and not the issue? You’re slowing up, old son.
That is a crank belief, Pie, this government can be called a lot of things but not socialist.
If you say so, comrade.
You show up your lack of understanding of the Australian legal fraternity with your comment, Steve. By any measure, James Allan is without doubt one of the best practicising academic lawyers in Australia at the moment – Don’t take my word for it do a bit of research for yourself instead of relying on others.
That doesn’t mean it makes sense to describe the government as “the most socialist in history” just because it’s sensibly spending money in the middle of a global recession to keep the economy ticking over.
I have to advise that the heritage potholes in the front car park of the Rasmussen shops have been destroyed.
The potholes, present in one form or another for at least 38 years that I know of, were covered by a waifer thin layer of bitumen late last week.
I am confident the potholes will prevail come the next fall of rain.
Another Rio Tinto sacrilege?
You’re welcome, have some Glitter on a turd my friend.
Potholes? I thought they were underground car parks for stolen cars.
Talk about history repeating itself! try this informative docco. {it has a couple of irritating self promo ads} but its worth the entire archive reprise.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0AoRkmj9YM
A friend flew to Perth last week sitting in front of a fellow traveller who coughed, sniffed etc., apparently unwell. No mask, unlike the rest of the passengers and crew. My friend confronted the offender and complained to the crew, but to no avail. It was up to a passenger to alert the police who took No Mask into custody in Perth. My friend is currently in isolation and mightily pissed off. What is wrong with our airlines, bus companies, health officials, and piss weak government?
Have witnessed a similar situation myself and I think the airlines are being caught out with not having masks on board, as you have to grab one yourself as you walk on. Had someone on one of my flights ask for a mask after takeoff only to be advised they have none and they needed to grab one as they boarded, so it could well be a case of the flight attendants not being able to direct the passenger on your friends flight to wear a mask, and draw attention to the fact they don’t have any.
One think that wearing a mask would be a condition of boarding any form of public transport where the virus is a threat. How difficult could that be???
Our local Mayor is doing a wonderful job during these unprecedented times. Also, our regions 3 local representatives are working hand over fist to care for our regions needs, again during these unprecedented times. I personally look forward to the upcoming election and I am confident that Labor, under the strong leadership of Anna, will be returned victoriously to power.
Very amusing.
NMD – did I miss seeing the flying pigs this morning?
And I will be cheering with you NMD, I am really starting to enjoy watching brainless fuckwits struggle and suffer, worthless fucking morons who will turn up on polling day and vote for their own misery and misfortune to continue for another four years, and I just get to sit back and watch it all for free, you couldn’t make this shit up, why the hell am I paying for Foxtel I really don’t know.
Dredger, seeing you are close to all the labor stooges, can you ask Puddleduck when she is going to hand down a budget. Or is the state finances that fucked that nothing can be done. Looks like the only option now is to get rid of them.
This is not the real NMD. This is a pisstake. Don’t take the bait.
What is going on with our local radio station?? Pricey on long leave and Minty no longer on air. Out of town announcers??? WTF 4TTT sounding better all the time
The ‘Pie understands Pricey had to take leave to fly down to Australia’s biggest tent manufacturing factory to be fitted for a custom made mask.
I don’t know who she is, but the C&W host has a voice that could drill teeth…”Station Sponsaaaarrrrrscreeee”.
More cover-ups where assaults on staff at the Townsville Detention Centre are not reported by the State Government because they don’t fit the political narrative. There is no crime problem in Townsville.
Is there more to Labor’s refusal to back the public child sex offenders’ register to strengthen the safety of children in Queensland?
What are the best cover-ups over the last 4 years?
Replies in order:
What? No. You tell us.
There is a long list but let’s get things going.
Never ending – breaches of the Ministerial Code of Conduct
Eroding of Promises – Silent loss of Queensland Government jobs in Townsville from Government Departments, to Ergon and Queensland Rail where these jobs are now in Brisbane or have gone from the region for ever,
Hiding behind confidentiality – Refusal to release details of physical and sexual abuse of residents in state-run aged care homes.
Looking after mates – Trad anyone….
GP, you can take Jackie Trad and her ‘issues’ off your list by leaving her in the loving hands of her electorate. If the voters think she’s a dud they can dump her. If they don’t dump her then you’ll have to suck it up.
Just like Barambah did.
I can remember last state election what tim Nichols and freckle did in not accepting one nation vote preferences. Looking at your link there for seat of Townsville, Stewart has no chance if the preference deal is done. But the idiots in the LNP keep taking the bait by Labor that one nation are supremacists. Most 9ne nation voters are pissed off LNP voters or are conservative. Labor takes the green left antifas vote to get in.
By the way the reason its so easy to bash down the lefties, like Steve and ECQ, is because by definition of our side of politics is…….we are always “RIGHT”
( CORRECT)
If it was so easy it’s a surprise that none of you manage it.
I just did!!
#SoFuckingWhat
PANIC, EVERYONE!!!
C’MON, PANIC, YOU BASTARDS!!!
LOOK, THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM …
… SERIOUS, BECAUSE I’M BEHIND IN THE POLLS.
Four! Yes, that’s four!! Look, if it wasn’t for me, you’d all be gunna die. (sob) VOTE FOR ME, YOU MONGRELS.
for me, it is all contained in one word – “cluster”
There is every reason to panic because our Queensland Hospitals could cope with more than 100 active cases in April 2020, but they can’t cope with 28 cases now.
This close to the election we can’t have everyone see how bad Queensland Hospitals are. So PANIC – shut the borders, shut down businesses, live off jobkeeper, and most importantly get the Townsville Bulletin home delivered.
Best we get used to more tourism and hospitality based businesses failing as Nanna Anna has locked up the borders until the end of September.
It’s bad in Townsville, but I’m guess Cairns / Port Douglas businesses are much worse off.
Has the funny numbers fairy is at it again down at the Astonisher? Is Caitlin Charles the latest reportert to be sprinkled with magic mathematical moondust. This story today …
… starts off thus …
The ‘Pie is first to admit he is no ‘rithmetic genius, but trying every conceivable formula, he cannot make out what the bloody hell this weirdness means.
Can anyone enlighten the old bird?
Perhaps 1483 hours / 24 hours = approx 61 days until voting
Yup, get a gold star for your forehead. See Non Aligned Worker comment and Magpie reply.
Magpie, nearest I can get is that there are 61 days until the election. That equates to 1,464 hours, not minutes.
There are 1440 minutes in a day.
Buggered if I know where the numbers came from.. Alternate universe perhaps?
Ah ha! Think your right … because Ms Charles wrote the story yesterday (Monday) and was timing it from when she wrote the story, not when Bulletin readers … all eight on us …we would read it. 1,464 + say 19, depending on the time yesterday she wrote it = 1,483 – but she still managed to cock that up, confusing hours with minutes. But the strangest thing is the idiotic irrelevance of it all, even if she had the hours/minutes right.
Perhaps a more relevant coincidental connection could be that 1,483 just happens to be the number of blunders in the Bulletin in the past two years/months/weeks/days … multiple choice, take your pick.
Ha, good one Pie. ANOTHER reporting pluck up by The Astonisher. It is a consistent paper though, which continues to ‘astonish’ on a daily basis!!!
Hey there Grigory P, you died in 1791. What’s brought you back and more importantly, to a commentary role on The Pie’s blog? I’m curious………
PS – Have you come across Banquos ghost in your travels?
Thanks Plucker old mate back because even a first class bullshitter like me is fed up with all of the spin.
As a long time reader of the blog and first time contributor I thought it might be time to shake the tree after a while you get tired of seeing your mates get screwed over thats why I left the union. Havent seen any ghosts but you can bet there will be plenty out on the campaign trail soon.
I’ve been quite surprised in recent months how much ASIO and the Australian Signals Directorate have been ‘advertising’ their departments by way of publicly airing footage, pictures and media interviews. Obviously it serves as a ‘warning’ when they showcase some of their powers, capabilities and activities. But is it a warning to China or a warning to its own citizens?
Very reasonable comment from Signals boss today, who reminded us that not all Australians are the good guys. But safeguards will be needed.
Non Aligned Worker
No More Dredging
Not the ECQ
Are these three the holy trinity? All three are one and the same?
The ‘Pie has actually wondered that himself, and is well aware there are other mischief makers in these comments, but that is the nature of the beast.
Trinity, you left out Steve from BG, although he is out on his own.
Trinity
I ride alone
Speaking of the Mayors mathematical magic. Magically, she has been with TCC for 23 looooong years. Way too long. When you consider some Federal government agencies move their managers around from one location to another every 3 years to avoid ‘industry capture and corruption, it is a joke that someone can stay on Council for this long. Especially when their track record is shite. The whole system of local government needs a giant overhaul, one huge enema. We pay these Councillors good money yet they spend most of their working days working at or on their own personal side businesses or business interests. No other form of employment allows this. What a fucking joke. Our V8 loving hoon of a Mayor is a huge joke.
Dan, you reckon local government is like no other form of employment allowing 20+ plus years of political engagement and freedom to pursue outside personal interests? Here’s one from yesterday’s news: Federal member for Wentworth in Sydney, Dave Sharma, is being lauded this week for his sharemarket prowess – “Sharma, a big believer in the tech sector, has managed to back some of the biggest winners of the Australian tech market, many of which are thriving during the pandemic.
Last week he picked up more shares in buy-now pay-later juggernaut Afterpay, which is booming thanks to the downturn as consumers turn to online credit for purchases.” Sharma will likely be in politics for the rest of his life – a bit like our local Bob Katter who has been a politician since 1974 and at the age of 75 is still popular with the electorate. At least politicians have to declare their material investments so there’s few secrets.
Oh, no, ECQ, you’re not getting away with that bit of political smoke and mirrors …. here is the quote from Dan Brown: ‘… yet they spend most of their working days working at or on their own personal side businesses or business interests’. No reference to personal interests, that make it sound like they go off mountain biking when they should be working. Anyway, your last line argues against everything said before it, which, may we add, applies equally to councillors to inter alia signal any conflict of interest in voting on issues. Investing in the stock market is not a job or running a business while on the public tit, ever heard of stock brokers? Or do you envision Sharma down at the ‘Change, with all the board hawks and old shufflers with nothing better to do? (Keeps them out of TAB which is a shame, probably better chance of the occasional win on the neddies than on corporate Australia.)
Bob has a bit of difficulty with his declarations sometimes
https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/katter-fails-to-reveal-houses/story-e6freoof-1226194004713?sv=5514ec6a1a258ab3d5983efa502a256f
Well, we all know he is discomBOBulated. (See what The ‘Pie did there?)
Dan Brown – absolutely agree with you. If I was a councillor being paid over $120k a year, I wouldn’t be treating it as a second job.
NQ Gal, you aren’t a councillor or any other politician so you wouldn’t know what the ‘rules’ are, if any. Ref. Federal politician George Christensen spending as much time as he likes in the Philippines pursuing personal or business interests (or whatever, it’s none of our business) and he is re-elected without a hitch. It looks like the same applies to our mayor and councillors and we’ll wait and see about state politicians. When “Dan Brown” wrote “We pay these Councillors good money yet they spend most of their working days working at or on their own personal side businesses or business interests”, did he give an actual example or is this just envy masquerading as public morality?
Ho bo!. ‘… did he give an actual example…’ meaning he didn’t. ho, boy, that creaking sound is the rusty hinges oin this Pandora’s box. Let The Magpie give you one … just one … example in three words. Clr Margie Ryder. You won’t need to go far, just FB or a recent Magpie blog on the subject, Margie boasts about this, as she sees herself as an old style Aussie whipo-crackin’ big momma character, into everything except a shit sandwich, and only then because she doesn’t like bread. And on top of that, there’s her family link to Clr Batkovic, which, while The ‘Pie makes no inference or implication, is not, as the current smart-arse buzz saying has it, good optics.
Mr Magpie, as George Christensen and Ms Ryder demonstrate, there are no rules, no pub tests and ‘optics’ are, most of the time, virtually irrelevant.
So much for Belcarrra, eh?
In ECQ’s desperate attempt to deflect from what I said, it shows up what an idiot you are. Can input it another way for you hypothetically;
– Can a Council landfill worker being paid to work 38 hours per week Mon to Fri 0800-1600 stop mid shift on Monday, on full pay, and do 3 hours of invoicing for his/her own private business repairing motorcycles? Can the same person then spend 2 hours on Wednesday writing a Board report for another seperate position he holds as a aboard Director with Morgan and Wacker? And on the Friday can he spend most of the day telephone interviewing a new mechanic for his personal business and then arranging for some maintenance to be done on 3 of his rental properties? Meanwhile the taxpayer is paying him to supposedly work 38 hours per week at the landfill.
Moral of the story – politicians get away with shit that no other employee would be permitted to do. They double dip, triple dip, piss our taxpayer/ratepayer money away while fattening their pockets. The recent ‘awy/location allowance rort’ in Adelaide proves these people are parasites. And when caught, all they have to do is ‘pay it back’. WTF? That rort is actually stealing money. But if a Landill worker took a can of Fanta out of the social club kitchen fridge and got caught not paying for it he would be sacked.
Well Dan, have you reported this to relevant employer and/or other statutory authorities? They would assess and act accordingly one would presume? Some serious allegations there!
The border debacle continues.
Plane loads of Victorians steam into Queensland under the cover of the AFL. Not only players, but CEO’s etc and their families. All heading to AFL hubs that if you talk to people on the Gold Coast they will freely tell you they see southern footy players driving around the coast everyday. What a joke.
Meanwhile ScoMo complains about borders, but still let’s the Army help out the premier. The Queensland Premier could not close the borders without Federal help eg JobKeeper, defence, and industry funding grants.
Then Tony Abbot comes out of the blue with common sense “We cannot stop COVID, and saying no loss of life is irresponsible, so how many lives lost will governments accept”. Fuck me the first time ever I am agreeing with the mad monk. I suppose governments already accepts loss of life from their employees, that’s how you run an Army.
I agree with Abbott also. Can’t believe I’m saying that. But he is absolutely spot on. Big question though; would he have been prepared to say the same comments if he was still in Power??
He would say what he always said … no …err … yes … maybe … hmmm.
In Crikey today an observant reader recalled a different Abbott:
In October 2017, in response to Victoria’s assisted dying legislation, his take was a little different: “It marks our descent into a country which regards human beings as disposable, and we don’t want anyone ever to be regarded as useless, worthless or disposable.”
Just as the choir boys in his seminary felt.
ECQ. People can change their mind, you know. Just as several prominent Labor politicians did about Same Sex Marriage. Would you believe that I was once a Leftie?
Once?
Grumpy. The question is, can you believe that you were once a leftie?
Let the record show I was once an office bearer in a branch executive. And I shagged myself silly whilst in Young Labor in the 70’s. Them Bolshevik gals are easy with their charms. Still an idealistic gullible lot.
Let us trust that those Young Labors you were in weren’t too young … those there’s no limitations on those sort of offences … unless of course, you’re Bill Shorten.
Well we did hear it first on the Pie blog as usual.
https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/breaking-tigers-stars-in-brawl-outside-gold-coast-strip-club/news-story/f0e7ad7594cecc4080bb1a2b78637c53
You did????
The crime situation seems to have Townsville on its knees. On an ABC morning talkback this week they had a couple of residents (Idalia I think) calling in and saying they were scared of people breaking in looking for car keys, and if they couldn’t find the keys would start looking for them in family bedrooms. The solution? They were leaving the keys in a prominent position so they can easily be found. What is the World coming to?
What needs to be asked is who they voted for, if they voted Labor then they are getting what they voted for, pissweek spineless lefties, if they didn’t vote Labor then I feel for them, and the fact they have to live like that, it is terrible.
All their pigeons coming home to roost I’m afraid. Do they campaign for change? do they take active measures to keep their house secure? Do they do anything to stop the problem? Alas I fear – no. If you do nothing then you should learn to take it quietly.
Indeed, it is just encouraging the victory of the brain dead grubs through fear. By logical extension, for safety of the home and all in it, why not just drive out to where these troglodytes hang out chroming all night, and hand over the keys. Refuse the kind offer of a lift home from the 12-year-old, otherwise they’ll know where you live and it’s back to square one.
Townsville City Council is receiving $3,862 mil in financial assistance grant from the Federal Government . Then there’s the $2 mil they knocked back because they couldn’t build a demountable coffee shop on Castle Hill for that amount which they would have received rental income on . $195 mil the State Government knocked back on stage 2 pipeline which will be spent here , millions in jobkeeper / cash boost which has kept many local businesses afloat and the Mayor / Deputy Mayor can’t acknowledge the Feds support because it’s a LNP Government . Maybe the acting Mayor Anne Maree Greaney could .
The astounding thing about the Castle Hill deal was that they couldn’t design something for $2million? The ‘Pie has been a restaurateur on four occasions in his time, (no they were not Pie Shops, real cafes and restaurants) and even allowing for different escalating values, he could built a mini-Taj Mahal for $2million. There’s something really murky in the background of the deal and its being chucked … there is NO WAY the money on offer is the reason.
Pie – the Taj Mahal didn’t have to conform to the requirements of the BCA/NCC and C3 wind ratings. There were 6 sets of engineering / construction drawings for the initial tender of this job. The first $100k of the project would have gone on consultancy fees!
And the Taj Mahal still stands today, despite regular monsoon. So an exrta anchor chain or two blows out the cost over $1.9millionn (after consultancy fees.)
Horse feathers, m’girl.
gross consultancy fees for Consultants would/should be less than 10% for completed to hand over stage project most likely 7.5% if a commercial private project
that is less than $200,000.00 for completion of the construction more likely less than $150,000.00
do an FOI request on the Council but the fee quoted of $100,000.00 looks reasonable
this does not including preliminary feasibility studies
value for money means keeping the Architect under the control of the Cost Consultant and having a design team that works in the cyclonic region
Probably $1.6M divvied up in numerous ‘consulting’ and ‘viability’ reports leaving only $400K to construct?
That much?
Amazing announcement by the Premier on the AFL at the Gabba where they are allowed to use more than 70% of Stadium capacity, meanwhile at Total Tools Stadium there are still bullshit restrictions.
Once again the Queensland Government has proven if your not in SEQ you don’t count.
Yes but when you know the people of Nth Qld are simplistic dickheads who will vote you back in anyway it is something they don’t have to worry about.
Aaron Harper MP
Hey, Harpic, don’t you pay no heed to those knockers who say you are just trying to get some virtue signalling brownie points up in the hope of your dismal electoral chances. The ‘Pie thinks it is terrific and timely for your part time move … especially weekend shifts … back into Paramedic World. It will give you the opportunity for a close-up look at the wasted lives, shattered bodies and emotional turmoil caused by your cowardly party parroting total failure to do nothing about juvenile crime for the people who elected you.
Better not fuck up as a part-timer, mate, you will likely be seeking a full time position in a few weeks.
if i ever need a paramedic for anything and he shows up he’ll be in for rude shock. Id rather wait until a better qualified person tends to me. Hos ethics alone should bar him from obtaining a position like this ever again. And my feelings have nothing to do with what party I support. Hed proven to the electorate how he dosnt give a fuck. Have a look at the damage all these cars are doing. Millions to fix a bridge a mt low, amongst all the money people have to fork out in premiums now because of claims. Just last night ergon had to replace another light pole on Nathan Street after stolen car hit it, with the gardens as well. What cost??? Fuck off harpic!!
And what cost to fix this mayhem up from overnight in Heatley Park? Thanks a bunch, Harpic, stop patting yourself on the back, if your QAS paramedic competence matches your parliamentary performance, FUBAR is right … you shouldn’t be allowed near people in distress.
Where is the mayor on this destruction of council property? Or should I say ” acting mayor ” or ” council spokesman “. Whays the number now for the bulletin story? It would be over 1500 cases now so we can’t have a half smart silly number association when the numbers go up by ten every day. The hours and days until election is going down but crime os doubled every 48hrs. FACT!. Wheres the mayor??
The ‘Pie is a cynical old conspiracy theorist, so regarding the mayor’s whereabouts, he had an idle thought that she may be appearing in another judicial region regarding a certain accident of recent times. Just wondering ….
Every call he attends “Hi, I’m Aaron Harper, your labor member for Thuringowa”. What a tosser!
Should add ‘for the moment.’
“This ambulance attendance is endorsed and supported by the ALP. Your taxes at work”
I thought there was a regulation prohibiting using public assets to campaign?
Harpic and Labor well know it will only assist their ‘optics’ if what the dumbos out there perceive as a responsible act of self-sacrifice is attacked in this manner. Best to mlet it slide. Of course, his resignation (unforced) would be a better indication of self-sacrifice for the community, until his resignation (forced) next month.
just a thought, isnt using an ambulance to promote himself on his political page illegal?? Whats the law in using public property to advertise yourself during an election or prior to one thats very close to being called.
ToyA, I’m reminded of Tony Abbott in a fire truck. I don’t think there’s any restriction.
Andrew hastie was blasted by your labor crackheads for being in a unmakered soldiers uniform and was told to take it down because of what i asked. Whats good for one is good for all. Harpix has qld ambulance everywhere in that pic. Your answer please?
So Magpie
Dees to flog the Swans in Cairns tomorrow.
Go Dees
You are so right-wing, Magpie, you are flying in circles.
The Magpie may appear so, considering from where you’re viewing him.
Great post Pie on the Police, but I feel the problem goes deeper.
Under Labor the police have been turned into a political apparatus and not allowed to police.
The weasel words and double talk sees mixed messages everywhere, here is another good example https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/sep/01/queensland-police-officer-who-leaked-address-of-domestic-violence-victim-has-conviction-overturned?CMP=share_btn_fb
So much for the Government’s position on domestic violence, 4 years for a conviction, then no real penalty for a shocking breach of trust and office, then followed up by spin from those who set standards.
At least under the LNP the police were given real powers and real support to get stuck into crime. Who kicked the bikies out or Qld and who let them back in?
Stretch, the bikies never left.
Stretch – the rot set in when the police changed the name from Force to Service. The no longer work from Stations, the building are now Hubs.
The 3 shonks in SA that ICAC are investigating for travel rorts might claim parliamentary privilege to suppress the details! Sounds like a trick from the Mullets handbook, claim commercial-in-confidence and hide the information from the public behind lock and key where even an FOI can’t pry.
We should just take it upon ourselves to speculate and present it as fact. We are not journalists and have no obligation in this regard, so we could just quote sources that one of them wasted $28,000 on red haired hookers with false teeth, when asked they will deny it and you just keep putting up variations until they don’t deny it, and then you get your answer. Like the speculation Anna Alphabet paid the AFL $20 million of taxpayers money to play the GF in Brisbane, until she actually tells what the amount was and we have something of substance to disprove the $20 million, that is what it stays.
Like the mayor and V8s.
And the boxing?
Thanks Courier Mail, that’s a big fuckin’ help, muppets.
After a mild verbal exchange, an angry cyclist (aren’t they all?) punched a Gold Coast old bloke, breaking his jaw, sending hm to hospital. Naturally, the police want to have a chat with our hero, and luckily, there was a photo of the grub available, so the cops were hoping for a bit of publicity to help out. So what did they print … this …
Shouldn’t be too hard to spot, not too many lycra-wearing cyclists with pixilated facing riding around.
All his bike buddies will recognise his bike. Hopefully they will put pressure on the grub.
And what makes you think his bike buddies would shop him?
The “code of the mamil’s” Magpie. Middle Aged Men in Lycra don’t like it when one of their own brings disrespect to their poorly fitting Lycra uniforms.
You mean some of them DO bring respect to their poorly fitting Lycra uniforms?
I saw him recently building a fort in Minecraft.
For the record, without comment:
Swans 67
Demons 46.
FT
Some Magnis news coming it seems
https://reneweconomy.com.au/battery-gigafactory-hopeful-magnis-energy-enters-trading-halt-ahead-of-capital-raise-27320/
That’s about the third trading pause in the past 18 months … nothing new here, just a straight rewrite of a Magnis press release. If they actually raise any money, then that will be news … and even bigger news if their recently appointed big hitters with political connections in NSW agree to the plant being in Townsville.
Good news!
https://thedriven.io/2020/09/04/magnis-raises-7-65m-to-accelerate-townsville-battery-gigafactory-plans/
Steve, after glancing at the above attachment and your comment, the initial impulse was to simply delete it for the nonsense it is and move on. But The ‘Pie has had a change of heart, and has decided to publish it, as it is such a fine example of why people like you are the PRECISE underlying problem facing Townsville.
First the attachment. Again, it is an almost straight rewrite of a Magnis media release, with a few well known historical tidbits thrown in to make it sound fresh. The claims are very carefully worded for folks like you – and for our mayor, published by some obscure not very inquisitive hack on a minor site. If you wish to wet yourself over this two-bit company of hucksters, feel free, you’re a good gullible target, but let’s look at just a couple of things.
If you believe that raising $7.65 million – if it actually has – will go very far in furthering a $3billion – that is $3BILLION – project which is reasonably suspected of being their utter battery factory bullshit, then you, m’boy, a true child of Labor’s financial blue sky policies – your beloved Jenny has job just for you, but if that isn’t grand enough, Cameron Dick is ready to snap you up.
Go back through the recent Magnis history, and you will see these trading pauses – this certainly isn’t the first – seem to coincide with getting in some dough to entice selected pricey shysters onto the board. Big self-off when the share prices have a half hearted spike, then things slump back to where they were, and we all settle back waiting the Astonisher’s latest regurgitation of a rehashed mayoral gush. And one of the recent appointments to the Magnis board … at another eye-watering sum, is a former minister in the NSW government, who still has mega contacts in Macquarie Street. If this project eventuates anywhere, it will be in NSW. Bet on it.
Also note there was no crowing any specific names of “Australian and international investors from institutional and sophisticated investors”, which any serious outfit would be doing. And over-subscribed? Really? Also one suspects that James Dack’s ballyhooed $500k investment is the fact that he has accepted that amount in shares from a recent issue when he joined up a couple of months ago.
Then there’s the deathly line that a Queensland government-funded $3.1million feasibility study found that an investment in a Townsville based battery factory COULD prove highly profitable. Could? Great insurance word. And the fact that Poullas and co have NAB as a ‘financial adviser’ means absolutely nothing, except maybe the bank is hoping to scam the scammers.
And then, we have this: “Magnis said that the feasibility study showed that massive factory plans were feasible, and that it would progress discussions with potential investors before making a final investment decision on the project”.
Does none of this raise any questions, does none of it make your nose twitch even a little?
No it does not, Steve, because it is your political parrot attitude … shared by so many other developmentally delayed rusted-on Labor zombies in this city … demands that everything Jenny and Premier Alphabet does has to be right, brilliant and clever, and The Magpie and the readers of this blog are all far right-wing capitalist running dog lickspittles exploiting the working man. Exploitation that is a pretty hard chore when said working men and women haven’t got a job, and precious little money to spend on making the running dogs any richer.
Keep your shit coming in Steve, selected items will still be published – we like to keep our enemies close, and at the same time, have a good old albeit bitter, laugh.
Mr Magpie, you did say in your previous response to Steve: “If they actually raise any money, then that will be news . . . ”
I find the whole thing so Adani-like it’s quite a worry. Isn’t there an airport at Woodstock?
So in amongst all the Qld Govt scaremongering that a sewerage water sample taken in the Arlie Beach – Cannonvale sewerage area might indicate that ‘someone could possibly be/someone is/someone may have been/infected/previously infected’ comes this insight from CMO Jeannette Young:
Quote: “We don’t know what this means….there’s a few ships of the coast with positive cases.”
What the? How do cargo ships in the ocean off the coast have anything to do with virus traces detected in fecal samples taken from sewerage water on the mainland? Does she think some sailors have taken a quick dingy trip to the mainland to take a dump in a public toilet in Airle Beach? What is this woman on?
Christ man, show some responsibility, don’t blather, just panic, don’t you realise that Airlie just a couple hundred Ks away? Geez, you people …
… and The ‘Pie will start believing Jeanette Young and her overlord Alphabet when they start saying things like ‘There were four news cases of coronavirus overnight, all of them mild.’ But that might spoil the narrative, might it not?
Everyone knows COVID is spread by aerosol droplets. It is these same droplets that have evaporated into the atmosphere and fall to earth in rainfall events, like the recent showers on the Whitsundays.
As Qld CHO I am urging Queenslanders to take extra care in the wet season, to not go out in the rain and be very careful drinking water.
Is scotch OK?
Wine?
Dear Mr Magpie,
As the Premier and and her propaganda apparatchiks weren’t hear to tell me what to do I did what any CHO would do and used my typewriter that is connected to the TV to go on the interweb to find out if Scotch is okay.
Good news – drink up https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2020/03/19/fighting-covid-19-can-whisky-strengthen-your-immune-system/#100625e4510c
But please make sure you don’t use unauthorized ice, unless it is from the ice machines at Total Tools Stadium or the V8’s where they use an exemption from my rules to keeps safe.
Do they have exempted ice machines at Happy Valley?
I’m sure Jenny will be participating in this. After all, she won’t have much work to put it in to grow a mullet!!!
https://www.teamblackdog.org.au/event/mulletsformentalhealth/home?fbclid=IwAR0dHPydcJxiCakh-QjgUVOG3ZjmOrjKHIIUPrp8Lsi8UbAYRqDYG87eTxI
Sorry, Jenny. Growing a mullet in one month would be beyond most of the subscribers here. Even those that still have hair.
Seems that Anna Pallet’of’chooks is becoming more unpopular bybthe day withnher stupid stance on border closure. Where the fuck do we get these ministerial morons from? Time to vote her ass out of this State.
How many more injuries are the going to have at Queensland Country Loose Turf Stadium? Who paid for the $50,000 repair job?
OT, must you take up Cantankerous’s MO line and letter?
“We should just take it upon ourselves to speculate and present it as fact. We are not journalists and have no obligation in this regard, so we could just quote sources that one of them wasted $50,000 on replacement turf, when asked they will deny it and you just keep putting up variations until they don’t deny it, and then you get your answer.”
And the answer is you haven’t got a clue.
Speaking of Labor trolls stalking the internet in an attempt to put down any pasts even remotely critical of the three stooges, I see Celine is once again active.
Gold old ‘Celine’, apparently NOT the mayors daughter. Apparently. Apparently NOT. But apparently. On her Facebook page I even had someone put it to her as to whether she was the mayors daughter but there was no reply.
Story of identity is apparently very obscure and oblique, so,msomeone in Labor is responsible.
S&M!!! or Smoke and Mirrors, somehow both applicable.
Steph Naunton to stand in Mundingburra?
or is Corralie still standing?
depends on what day you read the Astonisher it seems
She’s out of the race … Coralee O’Rourke announces this morning she won’t stand again in Mundingburra.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-05/coralee-o-rourke-wont-contest-her-seat-queensland-election/12632674
Can’t stand the woman politically, but it sounds like she has one hell of a fight ahead of her, and in that contest I wish her well.
It’s obvious she was pushed.
Actually, best you didn’t say that at all. It’s not very generous and is callous disregard for what could even be life-threatening issues. The ‘Pie is on the record with his political judgements of Ms O’Rourke, but she is a human being, each and every one of whom deserve a bit of compassion (except for Donald Trump and Billy Ray Cyrus for ‘Achy Breaky Heart’.)
I don’t think her health has been all that great in recent times. And let’s face it, Politics destroys any good health you have regardless of who you are.
Just a couple of questions about Aaron harpers appointment back to the ambos.
1. If phil Thompson calls 000 for an ambulance for himself or a family member what happens if harpic turns up. Given his recent record on his political Facebook account and comments made against phil Thompson dosnt this show a clear conflict of interest. Very worrying especially with anything medical. Lets say he bags phil at 9pm on a Friday night, then turns up to work Saturday morning and phil calls at 8am. What happens when he turns up to phils house? This sernario is possible and qld ambulance shouldn’t alliw it to be possible.
2. Has harpic stayed up to date with all training to be a paramedic? 28yrs of qualifications mean nothing if regular training isnt conducted. If so has this been done on qld parliament time?
He should either stay in parliament or quit if he wants to be an ambi again. The above sernario shows he should be fit for duty.
In order:
1. Utter crap. What are you on?
2. Yes he has, according to him, he has undergone and been examined in an intense refresher course. And even parliamentarians have personal time to a certain extent.
But The ‘Pie, who now indulges in a far more plausible scenario, detects a Baldrick-like cunning plan from Harpic … he has seen the writing on the wall (done by the kiddy crims he has done nothing to curtail) and knows he will be turfed out a few weeks, so is ensuring job security in his old work. But in the meantime, he uses these efforts as a campaign tool to virtue signal the absolute lie that he cares about his community. Bit late for us to swallow that.
well I for one would like to know QLD ambulances position on what happens if harper is sent to a job involving someone hes given a politaical spray to online. As i said in previous comments his ethics should be called into question. The 1st question seems a bit muddeled but harpers professional standards are also in question if that situation ever occurred. Using Phillip Thompson as an example might not be relevant considering so many people hate harper, his job card wouldn’t be very full if hes unable to attend peoples emergencies who hes abused online. I would love to attend a job where hes abused someone prior to see the reaction of the patient. Im betting he’d play the abuse of emergency services as his defence on Facebook.
That is just complete rot, get a fucking grip, FUBAR, Harpic did his job for 28 years he tells us before becoming Brisbane’s representative in Thuringowa, and his parliamentary performance … not to mention the checks and balances of working as part of a team – paramedics aren’t lone rangers riding the streets on their own … do not point to any lack of ethics or professionalism in his other chosen career. The straw you are clutching for got away … besides there is enough legitimate failures in Harpic’s public performance that projecting mythical ones in the future is basely stupid.
What’s he complaining about? Wouldn’t we all like to be fed up on treats?
Thanks, Bulletin, great job.
Oh dear Wonder, another TB pluck up – what number are we up to now? They just keep on coming!!
“Editing” is a lost art in this new age ……
Re O’Rourke not running again in Mundingburra: Despite what is widely thought about her non-performance as an ALP member over two terms, her reasons for not running (health related) need to be respected and not subject to insensitive and inappropriate remarks.
Wholeheartedly agree, however it would be prudent to keep an open mind as history is replete with pollies suddenly recovering from a medical condition when a plum job offer is dangled in front of them.
Cheryl Kernot being a prime candidate as she was cured of Alzheimer’s.
A touch imprudent, A, O’Rourkes problems with breast cancer have been on the public record for some time. Best we leave all that aside, don’t you think?
Yes, indeed.
Achilles, would you care to explain yourself:
” . . . history is replete with pollies suddenly recovering from a medical condition when a plum job offer is dangled in front of them.
Cheryl Kernot being a prime candidate as she was cured of Alzheimer’s.”
I can imagine your interpretation of “Alzheimer’s” (you being a well-versed psychiatrist and all) but what was the “plum job offer”?
Hey ECQ, the plum ‘job’ was Gareth Evans and his plums!! Sorry, couldn’t resist!
And didn’t the traitor Andrew Robb resign from Parliament in February 2016 for medical and psychological (depression) reasons, but miraculously recovered enough by October to become a ‘high level consultant’ with the Chinese Government’s Landbridge Corporation, which has a 99 year lease on the Port of Darwin, a deal that Robb himself set up when he was the Australian Minister for Trade and Development. He quit the position after a couple of years for no official reason, that makes one think that the ‘plum job’ was a brief ‘payoff’ period for services rendered. Just like Tony Mooney and his bullshit pay-off position with Craig Ransley’s Terra-comm mining group – $275,000 per year, thanks very much.
Mr Rob was paid a salary of $800k per year. A nice payoff for the Port approval. What fucking thieving rorting parasites.