All hell’s broken loose over the controversial and highly doubtful funding plan for the Hell’s Gate Dam. Barnaby does a backflip and The Bobkat gets a throbbing vein in his forehead. But what everyone seems to have missed is that the Palaszczuk Government has quietly said ‘Why all the fuss, we’re never going to let it happen, anyway.’
Barnaby also gets quote of the week, which in a few words sends his credibility to hell in a handbasket – again.
Goose and gander … Why Albanese is right not to order a bullying inquiry – unless, of course, the Prime Minister orders an inquiry into Christian Porter etc etc.
Plus our regular American gallery.
Ad break: The Magpie’s Nest is only possible through the generous support of readers who appreciate this alternative voice for Townsville trying to ‘keep the bastards honest’. Costs associated with the blog are a constant source of distraction for The ‘Pie, and any support is as welcome as it is needed. The donate button is at the bottom of the blog. Thanks.
Now onward …
A RAT IN THE RANKS.
Why Albanese is right not to call for a ‘bullying investigation’ into the circumstances of the death of Senator Kimberley Kitching. His point blank refusal might be on shakier ground if the Prime Minister followed his own advice to Labor, but gosh, as Bentley points out, Coalition misdeeds come under a different heading.
But these not so tasty political M&M’s … Morrison and Murdoch … follow their own mythology and their own morality.
The late Senator Kimberley Kitching
Over the past week, The Magpie has been taken to task by a few folks who took exception to his view that Kimberley Kitching was no victim or angel being put down by a cabal of ‘mean girls’ colleagues. And that the alleged ‘bullying’ was extreme enough cause the senator’s heart attack. This total confection was spearheaded by the Murdoch media in one of the more distasteful timings of a political smear campaign in memory. That it is all complete rot is now shown to be exactly that … any contributing cause to the senator’s death could be described with the military saying, self-inflicted wounds.
None of these folks criticising The Magpie touched on the disgusting use of her death and funeral for political smear fodder. That includes her widower, the egregious Andrew Landeryou, one of the nastiest pieces of work on the Australian political landscape. This charmer even used his eulogy for ‘Kimbo’ to try to score some cheap political points that, frankly did nothing but dishonour his dead wife.
The ‘Pie’s view that Kitching was the architect of her own stresses has now been vindicated, supporting The ‘Pie’s view that any non-medical reasons of anxiety and emotional turmoil contributing to her heart attack was brought on by her own antics in Canberra’s political circus.
This from the whip smart political journo Niki Savva in the SMH/Brisbane Times.
Highlights from Savva’s well informed piece:
As well as being smart and ambitious, Kitching was a tough player who revelled in political intrigue, making enemies as easily as she made friends. She loved the nickname “Mata Hari” bestowed on her by a Labor MP, a mate, who admired her for not toeing the line, who also warned her to be careful she did not cross that line.
He reckons she never complained to him about her treatment, except that she wanted to be restored to Labor’s Senate tactics committee, from which she had been dismissed. “She was tough, she didn’t want people holding her hand,” he said. “She didn’t ask anyone to feel sorry for her.”
Kitching lost the trust of many on her own side. She was suspected of leaking and undermining colleagues, not only by briefing media – so far Chris Uhlmann and Andrew Bolt have publicly revealed Kitching told them she was concerned Wong would be weak on China – but Coalition MPs, former Liberal Party officials and even senior staff in the Prime Minister’s office.
Politicians leak. And they do have friends across the aisle. But the breadth and depth of hers fed the distrust. The crunch came in June last year when then defence minister Linda Reynolds said in Senate estimates she had been forewarned by a Labor senator she would face questioning over the alleged rape of former staffer Brittany Higgins.
In private meetings later, to prove she was not making it up, Reynolds went so far as to produce for Wong, Gallagher and Keneally, video footage from the Senate chamber showing Kitching approaching her months before in early February before prayers. Reynolds told them this was when Kitching first told her the tactics committee had discussed it and planned to weaponise the alleged rape.
Reynolds also showed them subsequent text messages she had received from Kitching effectively confirming their initial conversation.
The matter had not been discussed in tactics, something Reynolds later accepted, so Kitching’s leak was actually not true. This was a sackable offence in anyone’s language. Kitching was dropped from tactics. Fearing ongoing leaks to their opponents or media, it was no wonder they restricted her access and contact with her.
The timing of this smear campaign smacks of low desperation, that even the usually sanguine Murdoch is in a panic. He seems to realise that Albanese won’t win this election, Morrison will lose it.
Bob Katter Says Hell No! The Government’s Hell’s Gate Plan.
Bob Katter sees this $5.4billion as nothing less than a bargain basement, cut price sellout of North Queensland’s future prosperity … and has said so in no uncertain terms.
To the surprise of some, the bemusement of most and the rage of the backers of the original Bradfield-based plan, the grandiose, highly questionable announcement of $5.4billion dam plan was not met with the collective orgasm the Prime Minister expected. For Bob Katter, the announcement turned his long running wet dream of water for the west into political coitus interruptus.
Two of his pithiest judgements:
‘The Government’s Hells Gate funding model will destroy the future and the potential of the of the region.’
“Prime Minister has been led down the garden path by out-of-control bureaucrats’.
But although it is often hard to take Bob seriously, given all the garrulous gargling, squeaking and tee-hee-heeing interviews he gives – most of which are thought-disordered tosh – his basic argument on this resonates with those who are aware of this state’s political history. In a nutshell, Katter argues that the government proposal will turn a large dam project into a small and fairly pointless project, because the dam wall will be built at less than the 395m above sea level needed to divert water inland.
There is a school of thought in Queensland that sees the Burdekin Dam as unfinished, abandoned business, which should be higher for greater capacity, and to hold the prospect of hydro electricity. But rather than doing once and doing it right, that overall vision was allowed to languish. And on a smaller state scale, Townsville knows this scenario, with Capt Snooze Reynolds decreeing the Ring Road be done in two stages, years apart. That effectively doubled the cost of the road. And let’s not talk about the massive cock-up and lack of progress on the pipeline.
So Katter’s argument certainly holds water, unlike that mysterious pipeline from the Burdekin seems never likely to.
The one thing that has the member for Kennedy snarling like a bobcat is the treachery of Barnaby Joyce on the issue. “Last year, the Deputy Prime Minister rightly said the water should go west, and he was completely ignored and defied by TEL, SMEC, and the bureaucrats.” So now, Katter sees the back flip as selling out the very constituency that the Nationals are meant to represent. Mr Katter said landowners and cattlemen along the Upper Burdekin River would put up one hell of a fight opposing the TEL/SMEC scheme.
“The TEL/SMEC irrigation scheme would only irrigate 50 to 60-thousand hectares, whereas building the dam at 395m above sea level would allow 130-thousand hectares of irrigation for industrial purposes like ethanol and algae production, timber, cattle-fattening, petrol and energy production,” Mr Katter said.
The government announcement was intended as the coalition’s insurance policy of getting Katter’s vote in the case of a hung parliament, but that was self-inflicted custard pie, because Katter now says if the funding model isn’t changed, he and other KAP MPs – if there are any – will vote now, and in a future parliament, with Labor.
Quote Of The Week
But if it’s difficult to know when Katter is right, it is dead easy to know when Barnaby Joyce is wrong. In his rambling response to Katter’s objections, he did not once address the issue, and simply made sneering fun of the colourful member for Kennedy. And in the Townsville Bulletin report, we read this thigh slapper.
“He said the design option was picked out by Townsville Enterprise Limited, which was appointed to manage the feasibility study.
“If it’s a choice between what (TEL and) the Townsville business community say, or what Bob Katter says, I’m going to roll with the business community,” Mr Joyce said.”
And the business community is rolling in the aisles if the deputy PM thinks TEL has anything to do with representing the business community of Townsville. Perhaps Mr Joyce would be enlightened by reading Shari Tagliabue’s excellent forensic dissection of the fraud that Townsville Enterprise is in this weekend’s Bulletin. They’re finally being found out by more than just this blog.
The Subtle Art Of Saying Nothing, Meaning Everything
But Hell’s Gate Is All Pointless Hot Air In Any Event – Looks Like The Queensland Government Will Sink It Anyway
For the dam proposal to go ahead, it will need the approval of the Queensland Government, which for a couple more uncomfortable years, will be Palaszczuk’s realm. And it seems Anna is not a fan of the proposal, but didn’t want to buy into the argy bargy directly.
So on Friday, without any reference to any announcement, issue or topic, the Government put out this pointed non-news media release … which amounts to a subtle ‘get fucked’ to the Coalition’s plans for Hell’s Gate.
Ah, Elections … A Hacker’s Heaven.
Election campaigns have always revealed a lot of hotheads, but courtesy of social media, they now also reveal a lot of potheads, as some surprised browsers will discover when checking out Katter Party sites.
The two domain names robbiekatter.com. and bobkatter.com. do not take you to to any Katter’s Australian Party page but instead to a little known pro-marijuana group called AustralianParty.com.
The joint (weak pun intended – sorry) websites do not call outright for the legalisation of marijuana but they do want to “make herbal hemp products legal”.
Bob Katter has not spoken much about legalising marijuana, although his verbal delivery and facial tics sometimes gives rise to speculation about the presence of some sort of recreational product beavering away under those snowy locks. But when it comes to Mary Jane, his stance is pretty clear from a 2021 remark when he said he was “sick of dealing with half-witted, Lilypad Lefties, with stars in their eyes and marijuana in their head and lungs”. At that time, he was referring to the Queensland Government’s crocodile policy, while inadvertently making his ‘marijuana policy’ pretty clear.
In 2020 he also said, “I didn’t know that marijuana was legal in Canberra and I can now understand why the country has gone to pot”.
The Katters are not alone in having their squatting rights infringed, the same group also has also weeded out palaszczuk.com. primeministerofaustralia.com. and derrynhinch.com.
One idly wonders if it wouldn’t be a better world if that lot had the occasional toke or took a shot or two from the old crystal pistol. After all, they’re always talking about a shot in the arm.
A $4 Bulletin?
There are persistent rumours in the industry that the Townsville Bulletin … God and Harvey Norman willing … will cease to be a hard copy printed paper within two years. And that was even before this story.
More than 10 years ago, The Magpie predicted that the Bulletin would eventually end up being an insert a couple times a week in the Courier Mail, while all immediate stories would be up on the website, Facebook and twitter. In the Murdoch universe of Mcpapers, it makes financial sense. And the local $60m print hall will not rust away, it would be used to print the northern regions Couriers Mail, at saving on transport costs. Such a move seems inevitable but putting a timeline on its is risky. Not too soon, one hopes, or The Magpie will be out of business … heh heh heh.
The Latest TV Blockbuster That Had America Rivetted … Comedy, Pathos, Tears, Spine-Chilling Surprises …
… and some very, very bad acting.
The name of the show: The Supreme Court Nomination Hearings of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson.
This is not normally stuff of great interest here in Oz, but the depth of pompous ignorance and boorish behaviour – including a flouncing walkout by one Republican senator – have been mesmerising moments. Easily googled if it’s of any interest. That and the unflinching courage of Ukrainians in the face of Putin’s war crimes, dominated the cartoons of the week in this week’s USA gallery.
Finally …
Some of signs of the times …
The Magpie can exclusively reveal that a site has been chosen in Austria for talks between Putin and Biden to end the war in the Ukraine. A popular hotel was the undisputed choice for the historic meeting.
…….
….that’s another week down, and plenty to talk about in comments throughout the coming week. feel free to vent
And that donate button is below.
How could you get it so wrong on Ash Barty?? How could you get it so wrong on Newlands construction being shut down for lack of funding ie raising sewer main in Wulgru …If you don’t read this shit you are uninformed and if you do you are misinformed…….
A pretty selective view, no doubt informed by undeclared interests. Yes, as The ‘Pie said elsewhere in another reply, he gets it wrong occasionally, but accepts that that is the nature of the way getting to things that others – especially an incurious Bulletin – won’t print, reveal or admit to. And the very few matters that have been off target over the years have personally or professionally harmed anyone. The successes outweigh the stumbles, like this blog being instrumental in bringing the Adani airport rort to public notice, the Nous staffing scandal (still not acknowledged by the Daily Mulletin), embarrassing into making the TCC reverse its introduction noif meters to the Eyre St free car park, and more recently, making News Ltd admit its error in glamorising criminals.
As to the substance of your criticism, The ‘Pie did not name or blame Newlands (he will take your word that that is the contractor involved) but passed on a subsequently incorrect rumour that the council had shut it down. That error has been fully acknowledged. (And allow The ‘Pie to point out he was way ahead of others in exposing the wulguru backyard shit scandal in the first place.)
But Ash Barty? Haven’t a clue what you’re talking about there, what did The ‘Pie get wrong? Care to elucidate.
Talking about the Adani Airport rort I have a follow up question.
Why would Bravus (Adani) pay out a large amount of money to put on a “return charter” as a gift to the Mayor?
There is more to all this I am sure, lets wait and see.
Just a simple question Litwait, while the pipe sizes have been increased, are they going to increase the size of the pump station, or have they run out of funds? As they say in journalistic terminology, more to come, or can you elaborate.
It’s a pretty sad state of affairs when this weeks edition of The Nest is dominated by Biden, Joyce and Katter. That’s not a criticism of the blog, it just highlights the depth of dross that exists in various levels of politics these days. Freaks and fuckwits reign supreme.
The Magpie takes your point, but has found himself in a bit of a dilemma. So much of the local scene is covered in comments during the week, and just repeating them on the weekend would be easy but lazy. Along with information, the aim is to entertain. Also, The ‘Pie is aware of a tendency to look like ‘same old same old’ every week (Mayor Mullet, TEL, Harper, robotic councillors, the Bulletin, and round and round we go) but since he isn’t in this to keep any advertisers happy, he will keep on their tails. His targets hope he, or you, his readers, will get tired of certain repetitions and walk away, in fact, that’s what they’re counting on. That’s not going to happen, and I will keep exposing the undeclared powers of self-interest that are damaging our city and its prospects. Don’t always get it right, but even then, it’s a better brand of bullshit that the usual array of fans spraying the stuff around the place.
What a joke TEL and it’s matriarch, Frau Brumme Smith are for trying to cash in on the Beetrooters damn proposal. TEL, a backwater half cocked organisation (mind you, including its Directors it has 29 people on its employment books) is for trying to make out that it has been influential in Scotty from Marketing’s $5.4b dam announcement. You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. Given time, anything that Brummell Smith and Kevin Dill are in charge of is sure to be a clusterfuck.
No surprise after the PM announces one of the biggest infrastructure projects in NQ Hells Dam our 3 State local MP,s choose their party over the people they are supposed to represent with no acknowledgement and their focus on their struggling candidate for Herbert . $80 mil in local defence upgrades , $400 mil inland highway coming into Charters Towers Scott Stewart and Mark Molachino play games with the media with a map showing where the Haughton pipeline stage 2 would go if the State comes up with $110 mil in next years budget . Hats off to our 2 independent Councillors who voted against NQ spark vs Team Hill who are following the Mayor down the yellow debt road .
Mike you need to understand that the Labor candidate for Herbert isn’t exactly there because he was the unanimous option. Molachino and Rehbein were both approached and turned it down. John Ring was doing the rounds wanting a go. With no other options, he got a foot in.
The rest of the miserable suck holes will do everything they can to make sure he loses.
That sounds like the smartest decision those two have ever made … it is fairly obvious as stepping up a notch or two, they would get hammered, as Ring will.
Agreed. Labor will not win from Thompson in Herbert. I don’t like the LNP chances in many other areas though.
Yeah, he’s likely to be a lame duck, even if Smirko could make an unlikely alliance government with what would seem to be several independents. And have noted there is a social media/tv/radio campaign revving up by the Libs saying independents are independent but they are all a secretly united party. Which will come as a surprise to a few of them. As the old yankee saying has it, smirko and his crew are as nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.
Hells Gate Dam has turned into just that for everyone who touches it but a few simple facts do poke out of the muddy puddle.
TEL is undoubtedly a feeble minded cluster but at least the business case isn’t just a glossy brochure. It is a dense (in every sense of the word) assessment by Consulting Engineers GHD (known in the trade as God Help Dem as they have a reputation for delivering cut price work which gives the answers clients want). In this case the engineering looks solid if uninspired.
The dams will hold lots of water, they have the height to gravity feed farms and communities downstream, and unless flows in the Burdekin change from history will not distrupt the overall annual cleansing flow of the river.
Some simple geology for Bob Katter who is pulling figures out of his hat again. To put it REALLY simply, the further upstream and higher you go the smaller rivers get and the capacity to both generate and hold enough water reduces so dam siting is a balancing act between height ASL and enough holding power.
Try and stay with me here. Bob, you cannot build a dam wall taller than the surrounding landscape as the water just runs out the banks.
To put Lake Bob and Dam Katters where he suggests would leave it high and dry, a lot like his political future.
OK, accept your conjecture … and surely conjecture is what it is, because Katter, while often appearing the fool in the media, actually isn’t that stupid, surely (he couldn’t be and still remain upright). So any idea why he would make such an easily proven error so publicly?
With Bob Katter your guess is as good as mine. Remember all the other fact-based announcements he has made about crocs and gays and almost everything under the sun. He just shrugs off the facts and appeals to the inbreds who are his flock.
Before you dismiss something as conjecture, can I suggest you actually read the business case. Not the glossy brochure, but the science and engineering behind it.
Well, yes, trying to work out what goes on in the Katter mind is not usually a profitable enterprise, but one still wonders why he would go so ape shit if so noisily if his argument was so easily disproved. Your succinct reasons in your original comment seem sound enough to a layman like The ‘Pie, but that all depends if you’re going to accept in good faith that all possible scenarios were considered without interference based on cost. And the Katter question remains.
Regarding the business case, do you have a link so we can share it with The Nesters?
The business case, is not due to be submitted yet.
I reckon we should all just stop the drama about who, what, where and just wait for that huh and we can all have a read?
I’m just gobsmacked at the negativity in this city? At least something local is being progressed through the convoluted paperwork process forced on all projects by the State and Fed systems by someone and the current government is backing it with funding promise that many never get! Get out of the weeds people!
My dear Headless Chook, that neatly ignores several of the very real arguments posed by this funding proposal, including all the get-out-of-jail phrases like ‘dependent upon’ and ‘if’ this and ‘if’ that … but the big one is that Palaszczuk his poised, ready to insert the political dildo of its veto powers. And you are easily gobsmacked if you take at face value anything any politician says when in election mode. Or any other mode for that matter. Been too much blind acceptance of bullshit around this town for too long. Here’s a deal .. we’ll get out the weeds if you stop smoking them.
The (barely) Civil Engineer is I doubt even an engineer, as engineers can read and, are careful about their opinions.
A modest amount of googling will show you Hells Gate engineers are SMEC owned by Singaporean Surbana Jurong Group
https://www.smec.com/what-we-do/projects/The-Hells-Gate-Feasibility-Study
https://www.townsvilleenterprise.com.au/key-projects/hells-gates-dam-project-d5bq62/hells-gate-dam-project/
Bob goes ape shit because his dream to flood western Queensland with coastal water isn’t going to come to fruition. Bob, as usual, is going off half cocked.
Well, yes and no … it has been incorrectly reported that he adopted part of the original Bradfield to green vast section of the arid inland. Katter hasn’t said that – not that The ‘Pies knows of anyway – but is seeking a larger dam for more immediate areas. But yes, he does need to answer his critics about the engineering aspects, but they could be suspect if the study was overseen by Mayor Mullet’s (and therefore Labor’s) bum boys down at the Dudley Do Nothings.
C’mon Pie. Bob is pure ranty Bradfield.
https://www.bobkatter.com.au/pms-hells-gates-plan-wont-facilitate-the-bradfield-scheme-dream
Positive Chick, you can look at the existing Feasibility Study online and see plenty of bullshit analysis to get some idea of what a full blown ‘business case’ will look like. Here is some of the shite the marketing experts at TEL discovered:
“Modelled water costs are well above those seen in established irrigation areas that have viable economic scenarios growing broad acre crops (for example the established horticulture areas such as the Murray-Darling Basin). This is not an unexpected outcome – this greenfield site was never intended to compete domestically with Murray-Darling sourced produce, while the 2014 study that concentrated on sugar cane showed that traditional broad acre cropping was highly unlikely to be internationally competitive.
A critical message from this study is that delivery of an attractive investment proposition requires expansion of export quantities to the ASEAN and European markets for high value crops, and/or a substantial increase in grower returns for traditional broadacre cropping.
Hells Gates Irrigation scheme needs to be set up to maximise a mosaic of high value produce such as tree crops (avocado, citrus, table grapes) and premium vegetables (capsicum, pumpkin, pulses) for the export market while not flooding those markets with single crops. There is potential for broad acre farming of crops such as sugar and cotton, but these lower value crops would not form the core investment return for the scheme.
Despite these challenges, the scheme represents a significant opportunity for the development of Northern Australia. The identified scheme has unique scale, at up to 50,000 ha, providing significant synergies in the development of new and existing markets. Furthermore, the high-security water supply allows for the development of a broad range of high-value perennial and annual crops, with long-view investment in food- bowl production for the emerging middle class of Asia.”
It looks like PM ScoMo is throwing money at the quarrying, concreting and earthmoving industries (ie. mining) but making it look like farming and town water supplies are the beneficiaries. Maybe the seat of Herbert will fall for it. Nothing surprises any more.
Full story.
https://kangaroocourtofaustralia.com/2022/03/27/bill-shorten-and-andrew-landeryou-weaponize-the-death-of-kimberley-kitching-to-blackmail-anthony-albanese-and-the-labor-party/
And here’s one strictly for political junkies like The Magpie. This from Crikey’s Guy Rundle, who gives a powerful account about the real reasons behind the Kimberley Kitching bullying bullshit. Although Rundle is not a Magpie favourite for his views, his writing has always been a lesson in how to nail a target with language.
The thrust of his story is that factional infighting and mainstream media laziness and ulterior motives could see this as the perennial last-minute issue that sinks Labor … hey, it’s almost a tradition.
But The Magpie realises he is but a babe in the woods when it comes to expressing a less than favourable opinion about the Murdoch media and its pals. Try this for size.
“And I am not the only one in the media politics hinterland to conclude from these events that our complicit mainstream media is now beyond any sort of joke, a broke-down, right-wing propaganda mill of some dirtwater junta dogpatch somewhere, run by vipers, their shivering sycophants and enabling airheads without a care for what their country has become, or where it’s going next. Requiescat in pace. Res ipsa loquitor.”
https://view.mail.crikey.com.au/?qs=de207d0f257e37f2e12deed208ede6abf0b5cacf05cbb2cbabae64626a9d05deaccf5b5d3b58e8f79a1936df7f3680e48d0d2f2033234634f7646d2b49562b8b90b68ef78fe2be85a708dee87a1f9db8
Thanks for that ‘Pie – a good summary of where those who are less than enamoured of Kitching, Landeryou et al are coming from
Oh, dear. Guy does go on…
Whilst two actors slapping at the Oscars rates higher in the Australian news cycle. No wonder it’s hard to pitch an election campaign and get any traction.
The Townsville Bulletin is already the Courier Mail with a sprinkling of local stories to give the impression it is local.
When they eventually scrap the print edition and go 100% online, they’re going to need to lift their act or find someone who knows the difference between this week and last week. This morning around 10.30am I checked the website to read reports on the NRL games played yesterday. The nearest I could find was a story about the Storm v Rabbitohs game played the previous weekend.
The Opinion section is even worse. Over the past few weeks the 3 News biased opinion pieces have been up to 2 months old.
I also note that while they are charging more than $2 for their weekday papers (I used to be able to buy the weekend paper for that), they have reduced the size of the paper from 40 pages to just 32 pages on some days. Take out the Harvey Norman ads, the 3 day old world news stories, and the content from other News Ltd pubications and you’ve got barely enough paper to cover the bottom of a cockies cage.
They will pay the price eventually
Macron was right … and now we too don’t just think, now we all know.
https://youtu.be/OBKN1DYlNuk
While I am on a roll here some other things to ponder.
I seem to recall that in the 2020 local government elections it was stated somewhere that each candidate would be stumping up $10,000 towards to campaign coffers.
Why then did Rehbein, Cook, Soars, and Molachino each tip in the required $10 k each yet Ryder, Walker, Greaney, Batkovic and Mooney all get a free ride?
Also why did Team Jenny Hill return a $7,000 donation from the Transport Workers Union? Was it agreed before the donation that it would be returned? Was there an issue with Team Hill being able to meet it debt obligations?
Who knows…anyone?
Sports quote of the week (sponsored by Les Walker).
“You can have a knee replacement, a hip replacement but there’s nothing you can do about your chin.”
Jeff Fenech sums up the farce of AFL thug Barry Hall being knocked out in the first round of his fight with Sonny Bill Williams.
Nickster, you are both right and so wrong.
When I sign my name or add my RPEQ number to something, I am very careful and circumspect, but here in the Magpie’s playpen we can all exercise our best endeavours without that confinement.
But, you are correct. I did put only my Sunday morning brain in gear in that post and used the name GHD which is working on the Big Rocks Project, rather than SMEC which is working on Hells Gate. Thank you for correcting me.
And GHD was always Gutters, Holes and Drains in my day anyway, Barely.
Still is Russell. Just like BMD is Big Mob of Dickheads. Can always count on tradies to elaborate on the acronyms.
GHD? We always thought it meant “guess howits done?”
Barely Engineers .BMD Bloody More Delays
So this makes DGH – Drains, Gutters and Holes
Interesting link Magpie. And it supports your comments from more than a week ago, of which many of us also support, that Kitchings so-called political bullying was not the cause of the heart attack. Yes she was under stress in the workplace, but a lot of that stress was self inflicted due to her being an attack dog and playing high stakes political games. Who knows what other issues played a hand in her fatal heart attack.
I’m always getting bullied and I have t had a heart attack. I hate this town.
Umm, I ask this with kind intentions. Why do you hate this town? Is it the bullying, or that the bullying is ineffective to bring on your heart attack?
( ) the space is for a deep and meaningful message of encouragement and hope for Ibp but at the moment my thoughts are as empty as my wine glass.
I must leave now for the refrigerator. Ibp, take care.
JDM are you telling me that Anals Angels, that is the Mean Girls are pure? Three of the most dangerous people to ever get into parliament, heaven help Australia if they succeed, one called KK, her best friends are in jail.
Old Tradie, your comment is silly. I never even intimated that the 3 females that you mention are pure. They are the opposite. But they and their ilk, including Kitching, were/are all pieces of nasty political work. I don’t believe for a moment that the 3 evil ones are the sole contributor of Kitchings heart attack. The woman is dead, and that is not a nice thing by any means. But to solely blame the 3 evil politicians for the heart attack is drawing a long bow. I may be convinced otherwise if someone can produce evidence that shows that the axis of evil caused the heart attack.
Well, hasn';t that been the falsehood all along? Or haven’t you been reading the blog?
Mr Magpie I am like a 5 year old kid with Christmas anticipation already commencing before easter that only a late wet season torrent can dash. With the Ross River dam at 50% the anticipation and excitement will build over the coming months. If I am a good kid Santa may even give me my present early with Water Restrictions.
I will be laughing so hard on the inside as I watch all three levels of government blame each other. I get to watch nincompoop councillors who promised to fix the problem 6 years ago starting to shit themselves. A CEO, who made it untenable for anyone that knew anything about water to stay, reach for his IT mates to come up with instant answers like portals so we don’t need pipes, or a virtual water supply.
But if I am a really really good kid it might be a real Christmas pantomime and I can shout “he’s behind you!” as the floodgates of outrage from all those on the stupid standard plan wash over the councillors and CEO as they will be paying for water they cant use.
I am laughing so hard on the inside already. Being in the middle of the Walker street toxic swamp watching will be so enjoyable for a change. The more I think of Iit and the possible pleasure. Maybe a torrent of customer complaints as the system can’t deliver on a two day a week roster. Maybe a wet season torrent in Febraury just to make the sewers overflow. Oh the joy!
Sorry pie I have to stop as I am laughing too much already. and it’s only April. Another 6 to 8 months of eager anticipation before the Pantomime begins.
The CEO only works part time, so he won’t be present when the abuse starts. Besides, by the time the abuse does start, Dear Leader Kim Jong Ralston will be out of here and flying south to safer pastures. He might be lazy, but he isn’t stupid. He now holds second place in the ‘fucking up Council stakes’. He has done it twice now, my my two bites at the cherry. But Jenny Hill keeps first spot for having fucked over Council staff for over a decade. The only water fit for her and Ralston is golden water, if you get my drift.
CPA,
I too have been following the dam levels.
Last water restrictions I purchased are large diameter garden hose, connected it to the first tap and bingo, good pressure and volume. Out of sheer bloody mindedness I hosed for every second of the time allowed morning and evening. The garden and lawn thrived.
The lesson? A large diameter garden hose and a pox on those who have conspired to create the so called, water shortage.
BFD pipeline? What pipeline? Hells Gate Dam gravity fed water for Townsville? What gravity?
Furthermore, Red Jen the Mullet will care not about 2022 / 23 water restrictions, dying gardens and foul tasting brown drinking water due blue green algae in the saucer shallow Ross River Dam. The next elections are March 2024. Plenty of time for a turn around, Senate nomination, or withdrawal to Malta.
But we can hope for a failed wet season and hope to see the panic in trying to get the pipeline finished. And haveing to finish it rather than play games. What fun!
Before you get to drive under the spillway in the dry season , you have to follow the Burdekin Falls Dam Rd from the boat ramp park. When you do this you drive under the other Dame wall , which is a rock reinforced bund wall between the natural high ground. It’s obvious that this is a problem if you are going to raise the spillway. Most of the people commenting have never been there so here is a quick google satellite map https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ravenswood+QLD+4816/@-20.6342416,147.1401269,15z/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x6bd6b2d44c39cd13:0xb1a2708ae05ba74?gl=au
Kelso D, please do not mention Jenny Hill escaping to Malta again.
You’re getting me very excited and the people of Malta very nervous.
Sorry.
Tenancious D, can’t publish that unless proof provided. How come you know this at 10.45 on a Sunday night … this council has enough trouble working during office hours.
Shit, you miserable old sod Magpie. Print my comment.
As The ‘Pie said before, show some proof .. a pic saying closed or a TCC document. Your unprinted comment claims a business has been forcibly closed … if it’s not true, and maybe you’re just a disgruntled fuckwit (are you?), it would be very damaging if untrue.
Perhaps you’d like to try FB? Twitter?
I did NOT make this comment, I would never address the Pie in such a tone, I have my scource and understand the Pies comment requiring better evidence then hearsay.
I am working on providing that, however this is my second attempt at relaiming my handle, or do I now have to make up a new one?
Mr Pie
Today i learnt that an action is not reportable until successful prosecution is complete.
I apologise
Well, yes and no. If the business mentioned really is closed, then it most certainly is reportable, that part of the job for us here in The Nest, although the reasons for the closure would have to be from a publicly identified source and very carefully worded, if used at all. Otherwise the reason should not be a matter of speculation, the fact of an actual closure would be more than enough, and people can make their conclusions if there is no official reason given.
Sorry old boy, have to agree to disagree.
Why?
THAT IS NOT ME!!!
After consideration, The ‘Pie will publish comments under whatever name, but will cut back on personal ping-ponging between various readers – most of which neither, funny, relevant or entertaining. Commenting on issues themselves will continue as it always have done. Simple fact is that if The ‘Pie doesn’t know the real identity of commenters, people can hardly complain if their imaginary moniker is pinched by some juvenile-minded disruptor. Just think of a new name to make a point, and let’s get on with it.
OK … and this is your last chance … what do YOU think The ‘Pie should do about it? And How?
The biggest issue in Australia this week totally under stated in all the media and here was the Solomon Islands and china. this is the elephant in the room no one wants to talk about. why so quiet ?
Well, dunno about you but The ‘Pie seems to have the basic outline of that story, and there have been several commentary pieces on it. Nothings been signed yet, has it? Just be patient, the media will get around to frenzied hysteria when the other news goes into a lull.
ok good point but you know it made Asio and ADF drop their sxxt? someone should interview them
DR – two years ago I visited the Solomon Islands, where, as previously mentioned, I grew up. I saw and was told some very concerning things involving China. Immediately upon my return, I sent an email to Phil Thompson, expressing my concerns and including photographs. No response.
you are so right. this is the most understated issue in australia and no one is mentioning it. we should be on a war footing. I cant help thinking about the build up before ww2 and how unprepared Britain was.
I thought that the biggest issue in the media this week was the return of Buddy’s Ball?
On a local front.
Who comes to your mind when the word ‘Dictator’ is mentioned.
The person reading out a press release to a Townsville Bulletin reporter.
Now, I am no Engineer but I would add my concerns over the Hells Gate Dam or any Dam on the Great Divide being used for a Bradfield type scheme. My understanding of the Bradfield plan was that Bradfield based his plan on the river flow that irrigated the Great Plains of the USA and that he saw our western plains as a great food bowl to be irrigated by storing water and diverting it towards the west.
The difference is that the Rivers of the Great Plains are replenished by an annual snow melt that guarantees water each year. North Queensland can go a decade without meaningful rain. If one uses Tinaroo Dam as a microcosm, as it was built to feed the Mutchilba/ Dimbulah farming region then problems may occur. 3 times in the last 30 years, Tinaroo has been down under 20% and if another failed wet season occurred, there would have been real issues.
I do believe a dam should be built and if it opened up farmland around that Dam, all the better. However, irrigating the Black Soil plains west of Hughenden, I think is a pipe dream.
No surprise that the State Government will fall short on their pledge to hire extra 1,450 Police officers in 5 years . The Commitment hits it two year mark June 30 th but nett increases are only delivering 183 officers a year well short of the 290 nett a year to meet target and Aaron Harpers glossy pamphlet .
Strong rumours that Mayor Hill thru Council will close Townsville Business Development Centre Vickers Rd Condon , selling the land , tipping out tenants and merging it with Smart Precinct NQ of which she is a board member .
TBFC was commenced 1995 and currently ex Councillor Verena Coombes is GM and is supposed to service the Burdekin – Cardwell -Charters Towers .
TBFC is funded by Townsville City Council, but the dollar amount isn’t clear .
The question is how much ratepayers funds are going to TBDC + Smart Precinct ? Something has to give as Jenny now wants $300,000 of ratepayers dosh for Spark NQ .
When are we going to come to the bottom of Jenny’s bottomless pit?
If Townsville ratepayers money is propping up this venture, that’s fine, but what’s this business about ‘servicing Burdekin-Cardwell-Charters Towers? Is this typical grandstanding by Mayor Mullet, who fancies herself as Empress of the North? TBFC isn’t necessarily a bad thing – although we only hear marginally more in terms of performance than TEL – but do Townsville ratepayers have any business subsidising out-of-town businesses/ Be OK if we were the rich bastards sucking the life out of the surrounding countryside, but we have enough financial problems of our own than to be posturing like this.
Someone care to enlighten Nesters?
Just to clarify, the TBDC is self funded. It does have the benefit of a peppercorn rent and has so for over 20 plus years.
The TBDC is the oldest running Business Incubator in Qld and was as creation of Parkside Developments and Les Tyrell. That may provide the first clue as to why the Mullet hates it so much.
A few years ago (during Adelle’s reign of terror) the TBDC and TCC went to war over the TCC refusing to renew the lease so that they could sell the building to try to fund trading. TCC had to back down after being publicly shamed about abandoning small business. Clue two.
The TBDC has about 30 tenants that it provides cheap rent to so that they can get established and then move out into the real world.
It will be interesting to see what the TCC will be doing with the current tenants who will have as much interest in moving into the CBD as the rest of the business community.
No one hates like Jenny Hates.
Good info, thank you, CJ (Citizen Journalist),
TBDC has a history of delivering on the promise of getting startups out on their own. Which is daylight more than TCC has delivered (yep, the council that can’t even deliver a rate notice WTF). It’s been run on a shoestring but with a succession of committed Boards and reasonable working relations with the TCC Councillor reps on that board.
It would be a travesty if Hill was allowed to shut it down. And to consider doing it before cutting TEL loose shows utter contempt for Townsville.
For example, if there was no TBDC, there would be no Bounce Coffee. As I said … a travesty.
Yes, OK, broadly agree with all that, but so far, solid info is sketchy, and if we’re lucky, it will only be a move of venue ad perhaps a similar set-up will be created elsewhere. But wouldn’t count on it.
Mike Brennan and his Liberal mates used to make up the board of TBDC, which is possible why Jenny refused to renew the peppercorn lease at the time.
They were cleared out and replaced by Labor monkeys and boom, lease all sorted.
So much for the joint being apolitical.
Re TBDC. If unreliable memory is accurate, the land for this was donated to TBDC by Peter Tapiolas for this purpose. Council has managed to shift it to their ledger at some point, and the gossip around the water cooler is that our beloved Pric is looking to sell it to improve the balance sheet. What becomes of the organisation or the small businesses isn’t really a concern, just as it wasn’t when he gutted TCC.
OK, good idea. Of course, you realise the only problem there is that the you might be the fake Plucka having another jolly wheeze. But let’s have punt and see if it works.
Whoever it is, when they post they show up in my blog, as awaiting approval- wondering how they do this? Have I been hacked? Be interesting to see if the code works, or they hack that too!
The department of agriculture, water and the environment are panicking over the return of cruise liners. The Townsville manager for the department (bald headed chain smoking fool with goatee) is under the pump and treating people like shit. Word has it that there is a nationwide shortage of maritime staff and the cracks are opening wide. Let’s hope imports aren’t held up as a result of these losers not being able to manage their operation.
Snot Mason, who lasted only 6 months at TCC, is off to Longreach Council as acting CEO. His ego and Prince Ralston’s ego clashed heavily. Two conceited wankers. Anyway, Snot has worked as CEO at Barcaldine and Emerald, so he is probably better suited to working in a tin-pot town like Longreach, rather than a metropolis like Townsville. It’s a pity he can’t take the Mullet or Ralston with him though. Bye bye.
Scott Mason is professional. Always has been. Probably why he clashed with Ralston. Seems like you really are full of shit.
Told yesterday by a visiting tradesman that fuel prices at the moment are getting ‘serious ‘. A couple of truck owner/operaters he knows are no longer accepting work from the Council. The rates of pay no longer covers the cost of fuel used, let alone other costs or a modest profit. Council told to use their own trucks.
‘Getting serious’? Where’s your man been for the last two months?
Listening to his truck owning mates I expect.
Be interesting to see if tonight’s election-oriented federal budget promises anything new to Townsville. Having more or less emptied the $195m pork barrel resulting from redirected Haughton2 pipeline funding, any new money now would surely represent a panic attack over the security of the still-marginal Herbert electorate. If there’s even a dime for Lansdown then Phillip Thompson will have ALL the explaining to do and Jenny Hill will be laughing. If there’s no new money then Thommo might be on wood.
‘Still marginal electorate of Herbert’? Held by 8%? In your fondest wet dreams, boyo. What’s your definition of ‘safe’, or even ‘formidable’?
Add to that that Thompson is running against Labor’s third choice candidate when two sitting Townsville councillors turned down the gig (because they were clearly smarter than you), a candidate who has failed to make any impression and has all but been abandoned by party back-up.
And what a wonderfully whacky wedge you are suggesting … the government gives more money and they’re panicking, but if they don’t, they’ll be punished at the ballot box. Just silly, juvenile even.
If Thompson loses this seat, it will be because of one reason and one reason only … Scott Morrison.
I agree that the problem is not the candidate – in the case of both the major parties. But I expect that there will be more money for the Herbert electorate because ScoMo’s political life depends on seats like ours. If there’s money for Lansdown (on top of the empty promise of Hells Gate dam) then ScoMo is desperate and the mayor will be laughing.
Why is Hells Gate dam an empty promise when a full business case has been done by professionals, it doesn’t need any state money, all it needs is a rubber stamp from the worst state government that has ever been unfortunately elected in Queensland, as for BFD2, mind you it has to be built by the State government, the figure of $410 million is a joke as it only raises the wall 2 metres and once that is done the whole system is kaput, just like the Paradise dam in Bundaberg, built by Labor using cheap concrete, knocked down by Labor and now has to be rebuilt by the Feds. You don’t let Labor/Green anywhere near a cash register.
Tradie, please supply a reference for the “full business case” that you claim has been done by professionals. I don’t believe there is such a thing in existence. I understand it is yet to come. So if the “full business case” does not stack up, if it falls short or is so vague and waffly even Bob Katter rejects it as bullshit, then it can be said to be an empty promise.
Interesting article about Hillsong. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Hillsong pulled in “tax-free revenues of nearly $80 million in Australia” in 2014, and “more than $100 million internationally.”
The article also reported on the bonking elite of the so called church.
https://www.thecut.com/2020/11/why-was-carl-lentz-fired-from-hillsong-megahurch.html
The state government have purchased a two storey house at 39 Casuarina Dr to be converted into a ‘bail house’ with 4 full time supervisors. A public meeting was called on Sunday at 11:00am where a petition was circulated. Les Walker was too busy to attend as he was at Wulguru Park with his furry friends.
Councillor Suzy Batkovic had already arranged an event in Marabou Park for the reopening of the playground that was burnt to ground last year. Fingers were pointing towards the residents of the halfway house on Yolanda Dr.
Looks like this will go the way of other public outcries and nothing will change the government’s mind.
Apparently sources say that the property was purchased by NT Government and a private company is involved. If so will have to go through council approvals.
Umm, what? Why would the NT government buy a building in Townsville to turn it into a bail house? Where did you get your info (general description only of course). Sounds a bit sus so far.
Not sus Dear Pie. 1788 onwards British sent prisoners to the penal colony at New South Wales. 1950s-1970s British sent unwanted children to the care of the Catholic church in Australia (poor bugger, from frying pan into the fire). 2022 NT sends the worst of the worst to Townsville where they will be right at home with their house breaking, car stealing kin. It is a long established trend of relocation from genteel communities to dumping grounds. In this case Townsville is a …….. ….. ……. .
So let’s see, and we’ll assume you are being serious, because if not it doesn’t even make the grade as satire. You are suggesting an interstate government exports juvenile offenders who committed crimes in the NT to serve bail – imposed by the NT justice system – in Queensland? Specifically, Townsville? And be looked after by people paid by the Queensland taxpayer?
Occasionally, Dave, to use the vernacular of a later generation, you prove to a ‘real loose unit’.
Remember when they said that they would close down the bail houses as they were not working, well guess what, the one on the corner of RRRd and Gulliver St has been going full bore forever and still going, you can certainly rely on the pseudo boxer, the can of Harpic and Private Cupcake.
Information just in:
Re alleged house purchase by whichever government..39 Casuarina Dr Annandale.
Property sold Feb 2022 and settled end Feb 2022 for $485,000 (very quick 21 day settlement)
Advertised as 5 bed, 3 bath, ample living area plus inground pool (gotta’ have some luxury) so perhaps ideal halfway house.
Interestingly, no new owner name/identity indicated on records yet which smells like a possible Gov Dept/Church etc new ownership.
Legal Description issued by Titles Office March 2022, says Owner Code: Private Person
If owned by Qld State Gov ownership usually indicates same, i.e. Housing Commission
So, we give billions away to the Solomon Islands, basically because they are a third world outfit that can’t care for its own, and what do they do – sign a security pact with China. What a bunch of ungrateful asswipes. Let’s hope that Darth Dutton makes sure that the funding taps are turned off. The fucking nerve….
Between a Rock and a slapped face:
This bloke has saved The ‘Pie a lot of words …
And the winner for the biggest bunch of fuckwits on the planet award goes to………
Will Smith and all of Hollywood.
Followed closely in second place is Hillsong with the Morrison Government picking up third place. Seriously, this world is completely rooted.
The readers and contributors to the Nest, if nothing else should retain a level of decorum that amoungst other things reflects respect for its very existence, the freedom of expression available in here and the time, effort and i expect cost that the Pie has for many years continued to apply and provide unwaveringly.
It has been a forum for championing challenges to many unsavoury matters and by and large presents a balanced expression of views in each weeks subject matter .. views expressed by a seasoned journo, commentator
I dont think anyone thinks the Nest is intended to or needs to be a mutal admiration society which it is definitely not but personally I believe a level of self control is the very least that bloggers can apply as i say out of respect for the opportunity to engage and for the Pie as the facilitator of the forum
I know some will not see it this way .. and will probably respond in the same negative overtones that are emerging from disrupters and possibly opponents to common themes that occur in here that bring to task the failing TCC and its broadsheet
For mine its a vote of thanks to you Pie for the weekly missive and the opportunity of freedom of expression on a range of issues ,, some far and some near
Thanks.
Lots of whinging from the State Government about the cost of living yet they fail to do anything on the costs they control, here’s a friendly list to help those State Pollies who drop by the nest.
– Cut State Car Rego,
– Cut State Payroll tax,
– Cut Property Stamp Duty,
– Reinstate Diesel Fuel Rebate,
– Cut compulsory dividend from State Owned Electricity Generators and Retailers,
– Provide free public transport on all state funded buses.
Add these up and there is a huge help for struggling families.
A couple of thoughts on that list.
Can anybody out there explain in simple terms the justification for a payroll tax at all? Isn’t it simply a tax for employing people?
And rather than cut state rego, pass an oversight law that makes it compulsory for all such revenue to be used for road infrastructure … it doesn’t appear to earmarked in such a way at the moment.
And there should be a registration tax of say $10/$20 a year on all bicycles ridden by anyone over the age of 16 on a public road. Fines apply. This money could be used to build a comprehensive network of cycleways … there is no logical reason that those who drive vehicles should subsidise infrastructure for the mainly yuppy, virtue signalling or sporting minded fitness folk who put themselves at risk of injury and the motoring public at risk of unfair litigation and emotional trauma. That a cyclist also drives a vehicle is no argument, the fuel tax used for roads if for that vehicle. And it is also reasonable to believe that very few people have been forced by financial circumstances to use bicycles as their nonly available means of transport. One would hazard a guess at zero percent.
As for some sort of Gold Star for the forehead for cyclists emitting zero emissions, it is reasonable to believe that the average cyclist releases at least the equivalent in methane on every outing … they wouldn’t pass the sniff test. If farts were fog, all traffic would be down to a crawl.
Classic Murdoch Dog Whistle “Cyclists vs Cars” looking forward to reading the predictable pile on.
As you point out the State has many ways to reduce costs, taxes direct and indirect as well as removing the creeping layers of bureaucracy.
OK, but The ‘Pie notes you haven’t actually voiced an opinion … there’s splinters in them thar fences, and they’re likely to nick you, Nickster. And you clearly don’t understand the meaning of ‘dog whistling’ – The ‘Pie didn’t hint, infer or imply, he put forth a clear although debatable opinion. Had no idea that Murdoch had cornered the market on this issue.
I have a simple alternative, remove all State Taxes and Levies and increase GST to 15% with no exemptions for Churches, Foreign Companies etc. Big Companies and Rich people spend more therefore pay more tax and poor people don’t.
Do you mean no car rego?
But yes, agree with your no exemptions list, but you’ve completely lost me with the weird last line. The conclusion being?
Getting more people on bikes is a net positive in many ways. They should be subsidised not charged registration.
The most unsurprising response from our favourite social engineer. What utter greenie bilge … especially in a country like Australia.
Feeble. “Everything is social engineering that I don’t like!”
Trite. But unwittingly true, only a political motivated buffoon would accept many of the daft Greenie left agendas … like cycling on high speed roads in a country with vast cities is somehow socially desirable and environmentally responsible. Which attacks those who intelligently argue the obverse.
Social engineering refers to the idea that people can be manipulated into social structures.
Onya bike Steve/Stevie, back to the BG Laundromat for some reflection!
We all have been told of the dangers of a woman scorned, but this is something else again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pHTadA7h_U
Phew! But for some brilliant comic relief, go right to the end for the The Greens Senator Whish-Wilson’s deadpan invitation. A Gteenie with a sens oifn humour … whodda thort?
NSW Liberal Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, long a savage critic of Morrison, was the victim of a Smirko-engineered pre-selection coup last weekend, so she didn’t miss him with her farewell speech in the Senate last night.
To paraphrase Dylan Thomas’s most famous line, she
‘did not go gentle into that good night,
She burnt and raved at close of day;
Raged, raged at the lying of the right.
Concetta Well’s vitriol was award winning in its content. Some will say it was sour grapes. And I have no doubt that there was a dash of that. But to unload on your boss in that way, is truly epic. And calling Morrison out for supposedly being a man of God while in fact he is an untrustworthy liar and a bully with no moral compass pretty much sums up Smirko perfectly. The LNP are imploding and it is simply marvellous to watch. Unless Albo is caught with a Donkey or commits murder, the ALP are coming back.
Caught with a donkey Mopsy? More information please………
No, that’s quite enough info, thank you.
Good riddance to her, a great friend of Turnbull’s.
So we are to assume you rate Turnbull worse than Morrison?
Just read the best comment on twitter referring to CVW……
“She is a qanon George Christensen with lipstick”
True or not its very funny
Mr. Pie, Morrison’s $250 “vote for me” bribe for pensioners is pathetic.
If he and his government, and Labor as well, really wanted to help pensioners, all the barriers hindering, penalising or preventing them earning extra dollars should be removed.
It really is a no-brainer as the following evidence demonstrates!
“According to the Department of Social Services, only 2.9% of pensioners (74,000 of the 2.6 million) receive income from employment. With key sectors, such as home care, hospitality, agriculture and tourism, struggling to attract and retain qualified staff, we need to tap Australia’s large resource of mature workers.
However, for every $1 work income over $480 per fortnight ($12,480 pa), a pensioner loses 50c of their fortnightly pension. With pension income also taxable, many question why they should bother working.
This situation is acute among pensioners with limited savings. They can only work one day per week without penalty. In contrast, pensioners with adequate savings (whose pension is determined by the assets test) can work more without affecting their pension.
The present income test penalises those with the most to gain from ongoing workforce participation.
And this…
“In New Zealand, pensioners are not penalised for earning additional income. If Australia had a participation rate of over 65s similar to New Zealand’s 24.8%, it would result in an additional 450,000 available workers.”
And this…
“A single pensioner who earns $75,000 in addition to their $25,000 pension would have a taxable income of $100,000 and pay $25,000 in tax. They would have paid for their pension by working and would have $7,500 in additional superannuation to fund their retirement!”
Works for me! I rest my case!
No arguments here from this old bird.
I gave up trying to do the right thing 7 years ago, you know, be retired yet still try to do a little bit of honest work for a good days pay. It didn’t work and the political grubs penalised me financially. So now I do everything for cash – gardens, house cleaning, small engine repairs, a bit of painting, all sorts of little jobs. I don’t tell the tax man, they can get fucked. These governments make it impossible for you to actually do the right thing. So, no problems, I keep the lot.
Thanks for the information Elusive Caterpillar. If you’re eligible for the 250 you can always send it back, or donate it to this blog!
I’m sure you’ll spend your $250 wisely Mr. Plucker.
Maybe a tutorial on how not to be a wanker on Internet blogs!
Shoot me the link Elusive Caterpillar, you’ve obviously done the ‘course’ as you are recommending it to me. Thank you!
It is you, not I, who will benefit most from this token Liberal payout. I do not need the cash supplement as I am financially comfortable in my life. You, on the other hand………
EB, There is a new edict comic from the labor party.
All paid up members of the ALP/Greens when they die, can now be buried vertically. So they can keep there hands out.
Elusive Butterfly , quoting one part of N.Z.s policy without mentioning the Country has a cost of living crisis ,with Rates in Auckland and around N.Z. rising over 60% . Auckland now considered one of the Worlds least affordable Cities . Enquiry launched by N.Z. Human rights Commission failure on affordable and community housing , escalating rents . The $420 tax write off available July 1 st and pensioner / welfare $250 will be about $50 mil in Townsville alone . What has the State Government and Council done on Cost of Living issues ? .
Ahhh Mayor Jenny weren’t you going to bring something similar to this wave park to Clownsville. Looks like FNQ won on this one. Also note in this article the link to the Douglas Shire Council website and to the report on this project that was submitted to Council, isn’t this something called transparent and accountable decision-making something that Mayor Jenny has forgotten about.
https://www.tropicnow.com.au/2022/march/29/catalytic-300m-surf-park-development-approved-by-douglas-shire-council
Applications for money from the GoFundMe launched amid recent Brisbane floods are now behind a password-protected section of the Defence Minister’s LNP-branded website.
We can trust Dutton, cant we. He is an Ex Qld Policeman with a personal fortune in the hundred of millions.
Re Herbet being “marginal” a T’ville Bulletin online poll last week had Thompson at 69%, Ring at 15% and Dowling bringing up the rear on 2%. The only thing marginal is Dowling’s future in politics.
You people who try to construct personalised number plates by using a combination of numbers and letters to supposedly construct words or names as close as you can get but not quite making sense are truly wankers.
That you actually walk in to a transport office and pay extra for it is an even greater example of polished knobbery.
A cop can pull you over on suspicion you know , and your plate is either evidence you were suffering from the effects of substances that impaired your cognitive abilities and there may be some on you or at home or in your system, or that you weren’t all there in the first place and may not be a proper person to hold a licence.
So you obviously sold your personalised number plate “WANK3R”?
The ‘Pie has often wondered about vanity plates, but they do offer the occasional laugh. Behind traffic at the lights on Fulham Rd a while back, was behind none of those humungus RAM crew cab utes/trucks. Being in a medium hatchback, The ‘Pie’s eyeline was directly to the number plate as the rest of the vehicle towered above. The number plate? BIG EH.
And another that invited speculation about a mistress or a divorcee … a pricey swisho European marque with the plates KEPT.
Every day I see lots of driver-descriptive plates on Toyota 4WD’s ….. Pajero’s (Si Señor?)
Carmakers haven’t had much luck with Spanish names … the Chevy Nova just wouldn’t sell in Mexico, and then someone twigged … no va in Spanish apparently means is ‘No (doesn’t) Go.’
And that new – is it Suzuki? – called a Juke could to with a bit of historical research. Jukebox got its name from the fact that there was popular music played in brothel reception areas, which were known to black Americans as ‘juke houses’ … the ‘juke’ being descriptive of the basic purpose of the establishment.
Pajero in Spanish is ‘Jerk Off’ apparently………
Masturbator, it is said. Wrong vehicles … should be reserved for the RAM range, which has ‘next step’ connotations.
And what’s your number plate Steve/Stevie? ‘DRYR’?
I see that Lamabie and Hanson have also taken a few potshots at Scotty from Marketing over him being a bully and a misfit. Hilarious shit. Plus, you know your PM is hated when he gets booed at a state funeral!! Pastor Scott copped some booing at Warneys funeral. I don’t think any amount of Budget bribes, I mean money incentives, are going to see Scotty re-elected.
I’ve never been a big fan of the Qld Police Force ( and they are a force) as they have only cost me money for menial traffic offences (never endangering anyone), the worst display of blatant revenue raising was a stationary radar Police Force vehicle parked in a overtaking lane last week when traveling back from Brisbane . I see in in the media, all of the quotes state the officers in the Police Force are doing a great job, my view is that is their job, anything less, is that they are a failure. I spoke to a lawyer friend last week and I might add he gave no instance where corruption has occurred, but he did say that a Fitzgerald type of inquiry is needed into the Qld Police Force. This comment is sure to get a few for and against.
I was told that the best thing you can do is flash your headlights to earn other drivers, put signs up further down the road warning others that there is a revenue raising camera hidden up ahead, or throw glass marbles at the van windows. The marbles shatter, and so does the windscreen, and their is no evidence/finger prints left behind to identify you. Just sayin…..
… and all those actions – all of them … are illegal if the cops can prove you were warning other drivers. The last one is simply bogan stupid, which will involve several other charges, probably including reckless endangerment.
I’ve just received my land valuation and its gone up 19.5 % since 2020 . This normally means they can put up the rates .
It’s a debacle alright.
Can’t wait to see how Jenny spins this one as she slugs us to save her debt-ridden arse.
Let me tell you about the rate setting process.
1. The Council decides on how much revenue they want to raise from rates. This is usually last year’s revenue plus a percentage.
2. They add up the total valuations in the city from the Lands department.
3. They divide one into the other to arrive at dollar rates per dollar valuation.
4. They send you a bill.
That means that the increases in valuation are almost irrelevant to your rates, unless your valuation increased more than everyone else’s increased.
.
If everyone’s valuation doubled then the rates bill for each would stay the same plus the percentage increase that Council decided.
The only impact is that if your valuation increased more than the average valuation increase you would be paying more rates. Which would by definition be balanced by someone else paying less.
Clear? Mmmmhm.
Pie , re Townsville and Magnetic island Land value updates its just another kick in the guts from the Palaszczuk Government and a wake up call if Albo becomes PM . Labor say one thing and do another ” there will be no carbon tax under the Government i lead ” and the Minister in charge of Qld Valuations ” Scott Stewart ” . Should be an interesting day in Scotts electoral office whilst his electorate pass on their appreciation cbd +29.9% / North Ward +40% / South Townsville +44.2 % , Nelly Bay +52.5% , Picnic Bay +42.9 % , Florence Bay +272 % . Les and Aaron havnt been left out with +20 % in some of their suburbs . On average 10 % + across Townsville so will Council just flat fee 10% in rates increase vs the large % in certain suburbs ? . How do they sell that to suburbs with non increase and a few decreases ” commercial in confidence ” .
Mike,
I would love to understand their machinations.
Florence Bay 272% when it is all National Park ???
Sheesh !
A good portion of the rates increase will go towards funding the part-time CEO’s $600,000 salary package. Then you have the mayors ridiculous salary plus all of the other inept councillors salaries. There are trips away for the councillors and executive team, education/training jollies for them, and the list keeps on going. Somebody has to pay for all of that, it seems like it would be us.
It’s a sad day for the future of Australia when Karl Stefanovic runs rings around Albo.
Looks like Tax increases are on the way.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/the-killer-question-anthony-albanese-refused-to-answer/ar-AAVJd9x?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=7783574d683048ecac8014fb8ed189d7
funniest tweet of the week … if you don’t get it, don’t worry, just laugh, take Ten ‘Pie’s word for it that is the best squelch ever.