And in the process, Townsville Enterprise gets a kick in the cods from Canberra for its soon to be publicly released ‘feasibility business study’ for the project.
That no doubt put Ol’ Kattertonic in a foul mood, which accounts for his spittle flecked ranting about the choice of the new Minister for Resources and Northern Australia …it’s vintage Bob at his bullshit best (which means worst, actually).
Winning the hearts and minds of voters … for Les Walker, that’s a walk in the park.
And on the international scene, a warning to those who say they aren’t surprised by anything anymore – get ready to be surprised and dismayed – the Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that innocence is not enough to save wrongly accused people from jail or from execution. Not a fake news, not a sick joke … just sick. But even sicker is the reason this has been so underreported.
And the NRA suffers one of the best gotchas EVER.
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On onward …
A Frosty Reception For The New Climate Minister
Seems mother nature organised a bit of some interesting symbolism with which to greet Christopher Eyles Guy Bowen, Labor’s newly minted Minister for Climate Change and Energy.
An early winter temperature plunge, cold enough to freeze the medal of a brass general, greeted Bowen as he was sworn in. This tickled Bentley’s fancy who told The Magpie: A bit of a laugh 2 degrees in Canberra on the day that Chris Bowen is awarded the keeper of Global Warming. And energy when we don’t want to burn coal to facilitate the manufacturing requirements of the country, electric cars, etc.. I believe the wind farms are feathered in destructive winds, and solar panels don’t work so well in snow storms. Labor opposes dams, and therefore we must burn coal or go nuclear. Pretty simple really.
The Magpie has always leaned towards the nuclear option, for the simple reason that advances in technology and the general stability of this continent make it probably the most ideal place to institute a nuclear power program … and we’ve already got the uranium.
NB Please address all spluttering indignant emails to A. Brandt, Canberra. If you don’t know his address well, Google it, mate.
What Bob Katter Could Learn From T.S.Elliot
He reads palms, too. His appears sensational.
Despite his usual appearance to the contrary, Bob Katter is well read and generally known to be a more thoughtful person away from the camera. So if in his literary rambles, he has read poet T.S.Eliot. he may have come across a famous line that a neatly explains the difference between campaigning and governing: , “Between the idea and the reality falls the shadow’.
The shadow in this instance is the never believed promise of a few billion for a dam in NQ. Maybe Katter got, as they say, a little ahead of himself in the ego stakes if he ever believed that anyone was about to splash out $5.7billion on a dam in North Queensland in the current circumstances. The ‘Pie didn’t need to Windex his crystal ball when five weeks ago right here the old bird called out Morrison’s promise for the transparent bullshit it was. To many, it was also an insult to their intelligence that we were meant to believe it.. One reason is that this is all upside down … the state is the entity that proposes this sort of project under its mandate to handle water issues, and then runs cap in hand to Canberra for some lolly to top up their contribution. Right now, the Palaszczuk regime couldn’t fund a Mr Whippy concession at the gates of the Wellcamp rort, let alone a Hell’s Gate-size boondoggle.
Now Labor has wasted no time and done EXACTLY what Morrison would’ve done had he slithered back into the Lodge – effectively put the kibosh on the whole matter. They’ve made some mewlings about setting up funding drip feed over the next few years (very apt, not much different from Joh’s chook feeding) but it’s all over red rover. But not before The Dudley Do Nothings got a nice little kick in the slats, with Labor virtually saying the multi million dollar TEL business case for the dam needed ‘further deliberation’ – i.e. they don’t trust a word of it.
Bob was counting that his balance -of-power blackmailer role continuing, only see it greatly diminished if not completely evaporated in a haze of teal.
Perhaps the still fuming and threatening Katter should check the title of the T.S.Eliot poems mentioned above … it’s oh-so-appropriately called The Hollow Men, Bob. Maybe you can relate.
And Katter has been leading the jeering chorus whining about the appointment of Perth-based MP Madeleine King as Minister for Northern Australia. Going down the member for Kennedy’s well trodden xenophobic path, the Bulletin appeared to endorse the moaning on its front page.
But wasn’t until you got to the story inside that this was all one big splutterfest by Katter, who said her appointment was ‘complete lunacy’ – a circumstance one imagines with which the member for Kennedy is intimately acquainted. ‘It’s not that they hate us, or that they have higher priorities, it’s that you don’t exist for them. We are not on the radar, that’s the whole issue.’ It seems it never occurred to him that we don’t have in this neck of the woods anyone even remotely qualified for the job.
Whereas Ms King certainly has claims – she held the Resources portfolio in the shadow ministry, and travelled extensively to mine sites and communities across northern Australia, and met regularly with local government reps across the region. She’s visited Gladstone and also has a family connection to NQ, having a sister in Cairns.
From The ‘Pie’s viewpoint, it is actually an advantage that the minister wasn’t appointed from up here … then there could be no question of favouritism, for dams or powerline projects, eh Bob?
Bread And Circuses: But Who’s Footing The Bill – Les Walker Goes For The Yummy Mummy Vote
A bemused Nest reader received this unsolicited email a couple of weeks ago.
From: Les Walker <email hidden; JavaScript is required>
Sent: Wednesday, 25 May 2022 9:08 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: Free Family Fun Day Charlotte St Aitkenvale
Hello,
Please find attached my flyer for this Saturday.
I would love to see you, family and friends come along and say hello and have some fun.
It really is a great afternoon of fun.
Kind Regards,
Les Walker MP
Member for Mundingburra
0432 069640
Turns out Les emailed out everyone on the Labor database in his area to join him for this unexplained hootenanny, and that raises a couple of polite questions. Did non-Labor members in his electorate also get the same invite, or was it just for the faithful? And who’s paying for all this? The ‘Pie can’t remember a local political bod staging something like this (thank heavens Captain Snooze didn’t try it, one look and the kids would be traumatised), and it’s a strange way to appeal to the punters – especially if their own taxes are paying for it.
The reader suggested that Les would hog the Jumping Castle, practicing safe ways to fall down without getting hurt.
News Ltd Continues Having Its Wicked Way With Words
Apparently there is some doubt about not only how but whether a supposed murder victim was actually killed … yup, it’s our old friend ‘alleged’ raising questions again during the week.
This unfortunate young lady was ‘allegedly shot and killed’ in the first sentence, but then in the next sentence, it was an ‘alleged’ shooting’. But the paper seems certain that two men have been charged with her murder. They really are asses at News Corpse, insisting on throwing in the word alleged as though it is some magic legal shield against possible litigation. What it does do is increase the emotional burden for those who knew the woman.Be difficult to know where the litigation would come from, since no one has been named.
And this is even worse grammatically, a schoolboy howler that is simply laughable … if you’re not the head of the NRL..
Bet it came as a surprise to Mrs Abdo to learn that her hubby had been playing up … and wondering why he would go to a football player to ‘get back on track’.
There’s A New Pandemic Sweeping America … a Pandemic Of Insanity.
Forget ‘something evil this way comes’ … it’s here.
When The Magpie saw the first tweet, he simply didn’t believe it, and put it down to fake news and deliberate disinformation. But turns out it is accurate …
…The Supreme Court of the United States has ruled the American government(s) can deliberately and knowingly put to death – i.e. can murder – innocent people without any retribution. Even if there is new evidence, it does not need to be acted upon. And just to add another veneer of human indignity in our human society, not much was made of it in the media when the details of the judgement were released last week. It was almost totally lost in the empty honking about the tedious Amber Heard/Johnny Depp media circus.
The ’Pie now thinks a legal mate has been right all along – a kind of second American civil war is now inevitable.
The only way Biden can combat this (can’t sack the life-appointed SCOTUS justices) is to appoint five or six sane non-religious judges to sit alongside the current far right religiously bigoted Republican appointees and block this heinous decision making. But to do that, he would need to control Congress , the only body that can make such appointments.
The impression from this distance remains one of utter turmoil across a range of issues, as mirrored in this week’s gallery.
And here’s one of the best gotchas ever …
If you want to see one of the best gotchas of all time, have a look at this from that infamous NRA meeting after the Texas school shooting.These thickos were lapping up every word of it and even politely applauded at the end. Clever and brave, whoever he was.
And to put an exclamation mark to that, this tweet from Bette Midler.
And This Is Spooky …
Reaching out across more than 110 years, proof that we have learned bugger all from history … and are repeating it right now.
…..
Another week down, have your say in comments, you all know the drill. And if can lend a hand to The Nest, the donate button is below.
Ooh how very exciting, the federal governments department of agriculture, water and the environment has undergone a name change and will have a restructure now that there is a new federal government. As if the department doesn’t have their shit together already, now it’s time for more upheaval. It’s hard enough as it is trying to get a quick turnaround on import and export services in Townsville, and now this. Apparently the chain smoking local Townsville manager, is puffing out his chest and crowing about how good he is and how he sees himself as part of the departments future hierarchy! I call bullshit as he is just a career public servant who has slipped from one government organisation to another due to wearing out his welcome wherever he goes.
Poor old Katter, he was hoping to hit big time paydirt with the dam deal. Not any more.
I suppose when you invite the Labor data base and supporters to your river fun day paid by tax payers no one is going to ask about crime , ambulance ramping hospital and 170 % increase in public housing waitlist . No one does it better than Transport Minister Bailey blowing tax payers $ with $490mil blowout on Gold Coast light rail , $213 mil Coopers plains rail crossing , $600 mil Coomera Connector . $ 1 bil and thats one department .
And $200m on the Wellcamp Holiday Inn for a handful of COVID positive people.
A visit from a Rockhampton relly over the weekend has provided a vision of the future for local news coverage in regional cities and towns. The Rockhampton Morning Bulletin newspaper is no more (actually it hasn’t been printed for almost 2 years but I certainly hadn’t heard of its demise until now), replaced by an online version which according to my relly, isn’t worth a pinch of shit. He said local sports results are no longer covered, nor is much of anything local.
Going by the website nothing happens in Rocky anymore, he quipped.
How long before the Cairns Post and the Townsville Bulletin go the same way?
Ask the ultimate boss of News Ltd … Gerry Harvey.
Regarding Les’ party in the park – non Labor faithful received a flyer in the mailbox. By strange co-incidence the Council did a heap of work in the weeks leading up to the event. Not sure who he was trying to appeal to – most of the residents in our little patch of Aitkenvale have been here for 40+ years and kids have long flown the nest. The only families I see using the park are African migrants who gather to chat while their kids play soccer.
Different days have different hours it seems. Normally 24. The work day has, or had 8 hours, and a Les Messageblank fun day has 3 hours. Would 3 hours be a normal Messageblank work day?
Only if two were paid at time and a half and the other hour was for lunch.
Update on the 39 Cassurina Dr. CASPA residence.
Les Walker is reporting back to the community at a park next to 45 Cassurina Dr. on Monday 6th June at 5:30pm. The E petition is now closed and will be presented to parliament soon.
One take away from that is that either Les is a political dill, or the news is basically a fuck you to the residents ‘but gosh I tried’. The reason for that conclusion is 5.30pm …. no TV news that night and probably too old for them the next day. We’ll see. But thanks for the heads up, Ala.
Pie, Re 39 Cassurina Drive.
“Copy of letter from Les Walker handed out after the meeting:
“I am pleased to inform you that the Ministet for Children and Youth Justice and Ministet for Multicultural Affairs has confirmed that the property at 39 Cassurina Drive will not be utilised for residential care.”
Short & sweet, but at least the residents have won round 1, not knowing what CASPA’s next move will be.
The ‘Pie understands that CASA will be attempting to go ahead with similar plans in Pimlico. The Magpie is seeking the address, and wioll alert the neighbourhood when he gets it confirmed.
There is also reports that CASA intends – or did – to set up as many as six of these intrusive operations across Townsville suburbs. Interesting to see how that goes with the Annandale precedent now in place.
And The ‘Pie hears full points to Tony Mooney, who cracked the whip to get Les moving, but fair’s fair, he did get moving and deserves credit for taking this issue to the minister.
The E Petition is yet to be presented to parliament by Les. The group at at the meeting insisted that this still be presented as the second part of the petition expressed that an issue like this should not occur anywhere in Qld.
In a legal sense, this certainly appears to have set a precedent. Any of our learned friends care to comment.
Here in Australia , for what it’s worth, we are signed up to the second optional protocol to the ICCPR which prohibits the death penalty . It’s also federal law.
Up until recently all it would have taken was Australia putting in a reservation to that protocol or to pull out if it all together and pass a federal law to bring it back. I say up to recently because it’s the progressive constitutional proportionality cases that would render such a law invalid just as it should with compulsory preferential voting.
It’s Nationwide News v Wills territory , together with a hint dropped in Clubb v Edwards.
I used Nationwide because a law striking down both true and false, bad and good speech will be invalid.
Well, Australian legal history is that at all levels the innocent as well as the guilty get convicted. And new evidence can happen even AFTER a final high Court case. A person can be convicted because they could not afford a defence and though the court implied a right to a fair trial in the Dietrich case, there is no right to legal representation unless it’s state or territory law.
So it is highly arguable that the high Court would strike down the death penalty if a government tried.
Clear as mud.
Our retarded governments can’t even fix the buggered taxation system, let alone introduce something like a death penalty. I don’t even know if that is what you are alluding to Pat, your comment is a bit left of Center.
Gees Pat..and how does this affect the killer crocodiles with PFAS?
Typical tin foil answer from you Pat.
I’m anti nuke
Gone fission, eh?
That’s shallow minded Pat. Why are you anti-nuclear? It’s a much cleaner option than coal.
In a location like Australia there is minimal risk of earthquake and tsunami’s which could damage reactors. On the east coast we do get cyclones, however nuclear power plants can withstand high end Cat 5 winds. Plus there is the option of building the plant slightly inland and westwards so as to minimise those risks. We have plenty of open land so that would minimise any risk of contamination to a large scope of people ‘if’ an incident were to occur. As for terrorism risks, the average bad guy armed with a pea-shooter or bayonet can’t do much damage to a nuclear reactor.
Everything in life has an associated risk, everything. However, nuclear power for energy use is a sound investment. Not cheap to build and maintain, but when faced with a world that wants cleaner energy we should be looking ahead by 20, 50, 100 years and taking the necessary steps now. Coal is being phased out. Solar farms and wind farms can’t produce the required energy that is needed.
Would be best built just behind Bob Katter’s house in Charlies Trousers, and it could be cooled by waters from Hell’s Gate Dam.
Where are the new wind turbines being built in inner city Brisbane, Melbourne or at Manly, oh that’s right they’re not.
Teals and greens are classic NIMBY’s
The 2 biggest causes of climate change are urbanisation and population, but nobody is talking about these.
Good point you make, Dickybird. It is interesting to note that one of the very best wind farm sites in Australia … if based on consistency of wind (outside Canberra of course) is Sydney’s North Head reserve. Could easily accommodate a useful number of blades … and believe it is controlled by the Feds and defence and other greenie associated orgs. It is also dubbed a nature reserve full of natural needles, discarded condoms and goon cartons.
So here is the Greens biggest problem … given the northern beaches falling to the teals zeals on climate change, why not make a bold statement with a North Head wind farm? The local toffs would shit themselves. And suddenly, we would find that it would despoil view, it would be a danger to shipping … wild manouvers by incoming ships thinking they’ve accidentally arrived in Holland, the IPA would do an in depth study intrusions on urban environments trashing an iconic area, and if all that fails, trundling out some native title owners (understand it’s the Kikakanalong mob there) to blow smoke. These traditional owners would come to defence of the far from extinct native bird, the Little Titty Bitern, named for the preliminary courting behaviour of those folks who have always been attracted to the area seeking some erotic bushy encounters.
North Head wind farm would be great, and good point on the traditional owners, just a shame traditional owners in the regions get shafted like everyone else in the bush so city folk don’t have to destroy their playgrounds.
A fun bit of info on wind farms, as they are not a green as you think they are when one turbine uses about 900 tonnes of steel, 2,500 tonnes of concrete and 45 tonnes of plastic, with a life span of about 20 yrs.
Think about hydrogen too in our next drought as we export our water overseas with 18L raw water/kg H2 for a green hydrogen project
Prickey,
Bob Brown has lead opposition into a wind farm at Robins Island near Burnie in Tassie for the last few years because, he says it is in the wrong place, will ruin the view and kill endangered birds like the Tasmanian wedge-tail eagle and the white-breasted sea eagle that live on the island, and potentially migratory birds like the swift parrot and the orange-bellied parrot that travel between Tasmania and the mainland.
So it sounds like “do as I say, not as I do”.
Prickster
Wind turbines actually are pretty green, and the bigger the greener. A typical large wind turbine has an energy payback of between three and five months- ie it generates enough energy to build its own materials in three to five months, then generates emission free energy for the next twenty to thirty years. And of course, if the energy to build it comes from other renewable energy sources then it is completely green.
Magpie
The biggest objection to nuclear energy plants is their cost. They are the most expensive way of generating energy that we know. Because they are so dangerous, they need huge containment vessels and massively redundant support systems.
That does not take into account the cost of the risk involved. Disasters are rare, but when they happen they are big ones. The costs of the Chernobyl and Fukishima disasters is calculated as each being between $500 billion and $1 Trillion dollars each – the cost of the Australian National debt after the pandemic. Hundreds of thousands of people lost their homes. Include this (and believe me insurance companies do) the cost becomes astronomical.
Prickster
I think your comment on building wind turbines in the CBD is silly. Not all infrastructure is suitable everywhere- not even wind turbines. Installing them in the CBDs of large cities would be ridiculous- especially when there is cheaper land nearby. Would you place a coal power station in the cbd? Similarly if installation of a turbine threatens an endangered bird, then that site is not suitable- find another.
By the way I see there is a current project seeking crowd funding to install wind turbines on North Head in Sydney.
Got a link for the North Head story?… The ‘Pie will be flabbergasted if that’s accurate, because he made the whole thing up as his spoof on city v country divide. So much for the old bird’s cutting edge humour.
On the nuclear energy front, time to update yourself, Westie. … even this link from a few years ago shows that nuclear ain’t what it used to be. And added to all these layers of cost reduction and safety is – The ‘Pie repeats – Australia is geographically one of the safet places on the planet to install nuclear power plants. As well as the great fortune to have the uranium to run them.
https://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/nuclear-fuel-cycle/nuclear-power-reactors/advanced-nuclear-power-reactors.aspx
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=DTWEB_WRE170_a&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailytelegraph.com.au%2Fnewslocal%2Fmanly-daily%2Fthe-global-warming-solution-wind-turbines-and-solar-farm-proposal-for-north-head%2Fnews-story%2Ffd52fd6e05ee855221f955b53319e7f4&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=dynamic-hot-test-score&V21spcbehaviour=append
That is quite amazing, in that The Magpie can say, hand on heart, he had not heard of that at all, and said it all tongue in cheek (although wind blows a gale up there more often than not). Personally, don’t think it will happen, vested interests one way or the other will have the final say.
Somewhat off topic but it will eventually affect us all. It also shows the gutless shortsightedness of politicians from both sides. LNG management on the East coast vs the prudent West Australian. It will make your blood boil.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-06/the-great-gas-rort-what-should-the-new-government-do-/101127780
At News Corpse, they simply do not understand idiomatic English, let alone plain English (cf ‘alleged’). But one supposes that is to be expected when much of what is seen is written by folks with English as a second or third language in India or the Philippines. Ordinary sensibilities to language go out the window,
Today’s front page of the Daily Astonisher.
brou·ha·ha| ˈbro͞oˌhäˌhä | noun a noisy and overexcited reaction or response to something: all that election brouhaha | 24 members resigned over the brouhaha.
‘Brouhaha’ has always carried the suggestion of making a mountain out of a molehill, overegging the cake, too much fuss about to little … brouhaha has always meant to to trivialise something.
One would think the disgraceful fact of a rapist so casually released by court to be at large because he scarpered is hardly trivial – on two levels, first the danger to the public, and secondly, the gross incompetence of the judicial system that let him disappear.
This bloke HAD PLEADED GUILTY to two counts of rape, attempted rape, grievous bodily harm and AOBH … in simple terms, he said he did it, yet the magistrate thought it a good idea to let out until he voluntarily returned for sentencing. This is nothing short of irresponsible lunacy … the fact that the rapist appears to indigenous from way up in FNQ might also raise a flag or two for the bench. Or perhaps the reverse … it might have excited some sort of misguided sympathy for the perpetrator at the expense of the victim’s – and the public’s – rights.
As for the Bulletin, alliteration does not automatically make a good or responsible headline … as the rape victim at the heart of this ‘brouhaha’ will tell you.
The Magpie also notes that magistrates in retrospective stories like this remain a protected species … the responsibility lies directly with the presiding magistrate who is not named. He or she should be made publicly accountable to explain his/her reasoning behind what can only be nothing but an incompetent and unfathomable decision.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXLYiB49fZo
A good arguement against the US right calling for more police in schools
Also a funny bananna bit at the end refrencing Melbourne
Overly long and a bit repetitive, but Oliver is a watchable performer. And his basic point, which could’ve been made in a tightly scripted five or six minutes, are very valid.
I laughed, and was yet saddened to see all the idiots celebrating the Queens platinum jubilee. Yes, 70 years of living a lavish lifestyle funded by the taxpayers all this time. There was the old bag and her conga line of trough drinkers, standing on the balcony looking down at the peasants who blindly and stupidly believe that the old cow could give two shits about them. What a joke! Fucking parasites.
The Sorcerer, no different than our politicians here in Australia.
Nice to see a comment by someone with such a refreshingly open mind!
Probably couldn’t have said it better myself, except perhaps to mention the Pope and other religious zealots!
Funny that, I did mention the Pope in a seperate comment but the pie won’t post it.
Because it was neither funny or relevant … and barely literate. Try Facebook, more your gutter style.
PEOPLE POWER!!!
This letter from Les Walker has been sent to 78 concerned residents in Annandale.
I can’t see anywhere, where it says who the letter is actually from.
Be careful people, the letter only says RESIDENTIAL CARE, but the organisation could look at using it for other purposes such a day time activities, counselling, short term accommodation for homeless and so on. Local residents fight may not yet be over. Never trust some of these so-called welfare agencies.
Very good point. The ‘Pie is trying to stay on top of this none. please forward any info on the issue.
Mr. Mag, just when I thought I’d seen it all…this…
“The 2022 Queensland Greats were revealed at City Hall on Monday night by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who paid tribute to their achievements, advocacy, creativity, and community spirit.
First Nations health and human rights advocate Gracelyn Smallwood”
Is it April 1??
Dry your eyes (were those tears of laughter) … those awards reflect more on the selection panel than the recipients; choosing them to suit their political alignments or choice of knob to polish … they as in line with public sentiment as with the endless Bulletin pablum about Townsville’s ‘Cutest Dog’, ‘Cutest baby’ and of course ‘Cutest Crim’. Didn’t Jeanette Young get one of these or similar? ’nuff said.
Has Auntie turned on Katy?
ABC Fact check say Katy is wrong.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-07/fact-check-katy-gallagher-worst-set-of-books-debt-deficit/101129490
Turned on her? Quoting excellent fact checking is turning on someone? Christ you can be a tiresome goose sometimes.
Stop Press!
MAGPIE TURNS ON GOOSE.
Ho ho har, har.
I feel better now. Just returned from the Telstra shop and had to cheer myself up somehow.
Rumour has it Steve Belgian Gardens is branching out reading Fairy Tales at the City library . Latest Fairy Tale is Wayne Swan the ” Worlds best treasurer ” handed the Coalition a great set of books . Factcheck Steve , Wayne Swan as Treasurer and Penny Wong as Finance Minister failed to achieve their budget surplus any years when in their roles .
The greatest Australian Treasurer to ever grace Parliament House was the dapper Paul Keating. A smart man, at the time he was wise beyond his years and was even underestimated. A legend.
Reasonable bit of fandom but as usual completely irrelevant to Mike’s point … as a matter of interest (no pun) what shape did Keating leave the Australian economic books? Don’t know, genuine question.
And Mike’s post, in which he mentions myself, is completely irrelevant to the theme of this thread. As for Keating, best you go and Google him Mal, put some of your ‘journalist instinct’ into play.
You arrogant prick, you make the assertion, you do the googling … that’s the way any reasonable person gives consideration to a point of view on this blog. Even Pat Coleman has the courtesy to supply links to support his arguments. If your rule applied, The ‘Pie would be spending his day doing what lazy self-entitled posters like you so loftily require. Stop being so up yourself and do a bit more to be part of the discussion, clothhead.
And there was no thread … Mike D was not replying to anybody, and in reply to him, you just, as usual, just went of on a ‘those were the glory days’ irrelevant tangent.
If you want to have a rant, Pie, go for it, just stop writing fake comments using my name.
Look this whole name thing is beyond tedious, but if you and other folks claiming being name hijacked are on the level, The ‘Pie will start checking IP addresses which are included in the original post (but not published, of course). So tell me which comment you mistakenly believe The ‘Pie posted under your name (why the fuck would he?) and will start checking.
Boring, but anything to keep you happy, and avoiding error.
SBG, Keating 17% interest rates. “The recession we had to have”. The true believers ‘Worlds greatest treasurer.
Keating was arguably the greatest reforming Treasurer/ Prime Minister in Australian history. The following occurred on his watch:
Floating of the Australian dollar
Introduction of the National Superannuation scheme
Native Title and Mabo
Enterprise bargaining
Medicare
Phasing out of tariffs
The Prices and Incomes Accord
Tax Reform
Developed, but did not introduce, the GST
Privatisation of QANTAS, the Commonwealth Bank
Made the Reserve Bank independent of Government
Produced four consecutive surplus budgets
It is argued that the Keating reforms set Australia up for 30 years of uninterrupted growth, knocked the head on the rampant inflation of the 70s, brought our massive deficits under control, and established rule of law in Industrial Relations,
Indeed, a worthy list and The ‘Pie would agree with your assessment.
However, the matter that got Stephanie of Belligerent Gardens dainties?all in uproar remains unanswered – in what shape did he leave the economy for the incoming Howard Government?
And while in the economic neck of the woods, talk about sore losers …. New Corpse is really smarting from the finger … whole fisrt vreally … the electorate give their wild and dishonest attempts at electorate manipulation. Their resentment is such that they are losing coherence, like this prime example in The Australian, which appears to lay the blame for the last nine years neglect at the feet of a government that’s been in power less than three weeks.
Steve, I, too, am a fan of PK. However, he is slowly losing his grip and becoming rather odd and malevolent in his dotage.
A natural human – and avian – progression, to which The Magpie can personally attest.
I detect none of those three drawbacks in your character, ‘Pie – no losing grip nor oddness or malevolence – on the bigger question I think it is accepted that Keating left a March 1996 deficit of $10.3 billion or 2.1% of GDP – I stand corrected if wrong
In Keating’s case, money well spent, being mindful of the crucial difference between debt and deficit, with the latter getting way too much misunderstood attention.
And yes, The ‘Pie notes your merry jest about his character.
Yes Mike, Wayne Swan should never have been Australia’s treasurer or been let anywhere near the treasury. At Uni, where he was supposed to studying, he become the student union member top dog, graduated and never ever practiced any form of accountancy except for counting union members. Next minute his buddy Kevin Eleven..sorry, Kevin 07 (I’m here to help) gifted Swan the Treasury and the rest is history as he embarked on a career of fucking up things for Australia !
Catching up on yesterday’s Astonisher and the response from the CASPA representative.
Their clients are “far more deserving than the residents of Annandale” “the level of hatred for what we do was at an extreme level in that Annandale community and in the end it turned out it was a really inappropriate place” “I don’t believe it would be a good environment for kids to be subject to that level of disgust from residents. Children don’t deserve that”.
Take that you ungrateful peasants!
Don’t worry, an astounded ‘Pie didn’t miss that, and will give his response to this unmitigated arrogance in the weekend blog.
I agree actually. All CASPA wanted to do was put a couple of troubled kids into a house. The local residents are complete idiots. Scaredy cats.
Please stop lame attempts at flippant humour for rage farming, this is a serious subject.
You definitely are Plucked. Even if you are having a go at humour, let’s let you know that before the CASPA stunt occurred, there is already a halfway house at 93 Yolanda Drive. Since then the crime in the area has increased dramatically. As the crow flies this house is probably no more than 150 metres from 39 Cassurina. The Yolanda drive house was also established by the state government without consultation. So why wouldn’t the residents object to another place in the area.
And that statement by Rodwell about the “level of hatred”. Well Pie go after the bitch.
And the data you’re basing this comment on is…
Let’s do this a different way, DTs: on what data basis is YOUR question based on … Nest comments are not a court of law, and you are obviously denying even anecdotal evidence, so what data do you have to suggest that it isn’t so?
Councillor Blom to the Principals Office . As an example of why T.C.C. has so much staff turnover was Mayor Hill explaining that Councillor Ryder attended the 7/11 opening at Burdell ( even though it wasnt her division ) and didnt advise Councillor Blom because “thats how Les Tyrell ran things when he was Mayor ” . Its a race to the bottom under Team Hill .
If only Jenny Hill really would use Les Tyrell as an example of council leadership. Fat chance, and a disgraceful finger to residents in Sue Blom’s electorate.
This reminds The ‘Pie of the Labor’s ingrained and outmoded mantra of hate which was disgracefully typified when then Mayor Tony Mooney refused to attend the Jezzine Barracks hand-over with then PM John Howard and local Lib member Peter Lindsay, because he told colleagues who urged him what a bad look it would be boycott the ceremony that he wasn’t attending because it was going to ‘just be a Liberal love-in’. His senior advisers were appalled at this decision, but it was in the Looney Mooney period towards the end of his reign. No wonder Tyrell handily knocked him moff his disintegrating perch.
Thought you might be interested in the ABC’s perspective on Casurina Drive, Mr Magpie. I don’t know what the solution is to our crime. I do feel for children who are bought up in a traumatised and abused environment. I also don’t like what they are doing to our community.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-10/townsville-wont-break-cycle-for-troubled-youth-/101138752?fbclid=IwAR3KzMZK10iIe28BZjU8c0pMAaKp5dOjXZAI6MxMNbByOAZoobNBwaVFoAI
A fairly balanced report, as one would expect from the ABC, Treesy, but also as one would expect, some unbalanced quotes from the usual suspects. One vital aspect is skated around and only comes towards the end of the report – the secrecy, lack of real consultation and transparency about what a property will be used for. Townsville has enjoyed the government sponsored upheaval of their bail house experiment, which has disruption of many streets in our suburbs, and so it is little wonder that out of justified suspicion of intentions flies off into wild rumour when there is smarmy, self-righteous deflection of information with infuriating arrogance … ‘we can’t say who will live there because the law says we cannot identify whomsoever that may be’ is one of the more evasive and dishonest ploys in the case of the Annandale issue. And to attack residents of a generally peaceful suburb as ‘haters’ and ‘less deserving than the children who need help’ is to basely and dishonestly conflate two issues with a totally unwarranted slur – the (genuine)needs of the abused and undisciplined children versus the rights of law abiding citizens to live their lives free of threat of disruption to their family (including children) safety, peaceful enjoyment and financial stability. CASPA in this instance, or particularly the CEO Ms Rodwell, choose to paint a picture of selfish fat cats who hate disadvantaged children. She should issue a public apology for her self-demeaning comments in the Bulletin this week.
Perhaps Ms Rodwell has a spare room at her place she could hand over to one of these poor troubled kids or maybe all the CASPA team could each take one home with them?
Seems very easy to drop something like this into some one else back yard.
Get where your coming from, Barely, but somewhat unfair … Ms Rodwell herself comes from a troubled background, so her empathy for those kids needing help is no doubt her overwhelming motive, and must be admired for the good works she spearheads. But there are clearly some managerial and social arrows unavailable to her bow through her single minded objectives. And in fact, wouldn’t be surprised if the people you name already do that fotering and caring. The Magpie’s commentary on CASPA is not to attack what it does if it is done is a considered manner without resorting to slurs and denigration because some communities assert their basic rights to safety and peace.
Pressure comes from both sides. Lock them up and the detention place sooner or later explodes. Leave them loose without family or community support and the wider community explodes. The middle ground, which surely must be created within the community, is hard to find, especially if the community denies responsibility. But who else is responsible for our children?
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-10/don-dale-self-harm-incidents/101141030?utm_campaign=abc_news_web&utm_content=mail&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_source=abc_news_web
The use of vague and vaguely sounding truisms isn’t really helpful in this issue, Kris, but it does clearly show that you are as at sea with all this as we all are … but meaningful action only comes from the government, it’s a responsibility that can’t be dumped back on the ‘community’ to accept third party actions or risk being dubbed ‘haters’ and – although law abiding and peaceful – ‘undeserving’. In this specific matter, CASPA is used to distance the Queensland Government from actions it is unwilling to undertake itself for fear of political fallout. Mr Rodwell and her group are clearly not skilled in the arts of obfuscation, deflection and ‘hands off’ behind the scenes manipulation of public sentiment. Anna Palaszczuk is.
Just heard the tail end of someone from CASPA on ABC radio differentiate between children who are likely or actual offenders being housed in such places and children who are not offenders but cannot be found suitable places in foster care or other out-of-home care – for whatever reason. These inoffensive children in particular should be housed in regular streets and houses in our community, not in bail houses, boot camps, industrial areas where brothels go or other settings where it is obvious they are being given special treatment – ie. placed where no one will see them, hear them or have to think about them. This is no way to treat children whose homelife, through no fault of theirs, is deemed no longer safe or appropriate for them. I can’t think of any reason why Annandale or any other suburb of Townsville should be out-of-bounds for housing such children. I’m not defending CASPA’s seemingly opaque behaviour nor the posturing of politicians but some cooperative perspective would be handy.
If that assurance of the nature of the residential care recioients had been given in the very first place … and a guarantee that those with criminal records would not be there … the resident’s attitude may have been very different. CASPA’s arrogance, looking down from their self-perceived moral high ground (it’s really none of your business what we do with a legally purchased property) was the basis for this attitude in the first place.
So yes you are defending CASPA’s opaque (no bloody seemingly about it) behaviour, and it CASPA’s reluctance to take a cooperative approach that is greatly at fault here. This is reflected in Ms Rodwell’s very unbecoming sulky insults towards the residents in Annandale.
The question is, where to from here? Government will not be building institutions, private enterprise will contract to do the heavy lifting. Some (quite a lot probably) will have to take place in the community, possibly next door. And like neighbourhood domestic violence, the source of some of these neglected individuals, we have to own it.
That will never work until there is effective professional and adequately resourced staff to handle the youngsters. Even CASPA acknowledges that can be a problem.
By the by, Treesy, The ‘Pie doesn’t see that link as the ABC’s ‘perspective’, just thorough and balanced reporting. The only hint of any ‘opinion’ might be, to some, the order of emphasis on various elements of the story.
Hi Magpie. As you are aware I have been with you since day one at the Nest, and have also followed the commenters who contribute to the weekly musings closely.
I have noticed in recent weeks one long timer has been absent. Where is or what has happened to Cantankerous But Happy.
Obviously a very connected individual who seemed to have had a lot of background knowledge about a lot of projects and people associated with them.
To me he seemed one of the more intelligent posters and I miss his input.
Hello, stranger, know to know you’re still around … you are one of the few who moved over from the Magpie in the paper to the blog. The ‘Pie well remembers how you came by your name: when the old bird wrote in one of his Bulletin columns something like ‘This column’s readers, both of them …’, you quickly dubbed yourself The Third Reader.
Re your comment: good point, but as mentioned here before, The ‘Pie doesn’t know the identity of all commenters, must some that he knows personally … and there’s quite a few he’s happy he doesn’t know personally.
Come on out, Cankers, wherever you are, we all miss you.
Been enjoying the retired life in Perth for a couple of years now and loving every bit of it. Yes mate, always have been and always will be with you, albeit in the background mostly.
I appreciate your skill as an investigative journalist, and the way you keep exposing the Mullet for what she has done, and continues to do, to the place I spent half my life and once loved.
She must shudder every Sunday morning at what you have uncovered.
Third Reader , i also miss Cankers input . He called out bullshit , reminded us that the Policies of Council have cost the residents in Townsville dearly in regards to house valuations . If you are wondering why Townsville has a rental vacancy shortage its because owners saw the opportunity to cash up ( many at a loss ) and invested elsewhere just like the rear vision mirror of Lancini , Honeycombe etc etc . Team Hill and our 3 State MP,s have little understanding or how to fix and support Townsvilles issues Crime , housing , skills shortages .
I would have thought that Rodwell, as a CEO, would have been smart enough to let it go quietly and without fuss. She is obviously a complete idiot and needs to get her emotions under control. Her spray towards the good folk of Townsville is pathetic. She is the problem. Next time try communicating, being transparent, engaging with the community you moron. Now bugger off and take your houseo’s elesewhere.
I think CASPA and its board are the haters hear. After all, a nice little earner was stopped for the mystery persons that purchased the property and were leasing back to CASPA.
In amongst all the excreta flying around, Ms Rodwell said they are keeping the house … maybe they have to to avoid legal problems with the landlord … so that leaves open a possible round 2 …
Story in today’s paper says Bazza Taylor’s wife Joanna has sold their mansion in the foothills of Castle Hill for $4.5 million. From what I’ve heard thats $5.5 million shy of his asking price.
Did someone say “fire sale”.
The ‘Pie heard last (about four years ago) that the ask was $8m … still, an interesting price to be accepted by one of the most avaricious people ever to infest Townsville (actually, on the one or two occasions I met her, his missus was quite friendly and pleasant, even although she knew who I was). But selling the cheap motel architecture on Castle Hill may add weight to the unconfirmed reports coming into the Nest that Bazza’s Emanate is being sued for millions over an unspecified matter. Odds would be another rorted client.