From a purely political point of view (is there any other?), Smiley probably wasn’t all that dumb to make no move on our destructive mayor. Labor at every level loves leaving ticking little time bombs for those who defeat them. And this one is a doozie – it poses an uncomfortable choice for Premier Crisafulli.
Do News Corpse headline writers ever actually think what they’re saying? David Crisafulli become our new Premier and is promptly and prominently dubbed a loser by some well lubricated sub (or editor).
Ma Greeney on the make? If she wants to get back in our good books after the Strand parking meter misadventure, she needs some professional spin advice after a clanger in the Weekend Astonisher … and during the week.
Pizza The Hutt’s big payout … former LGAQ boss now columnist and radio presenter Greg Hallam wins a half a million dollar judgement, which is a cautionary tale for internet trolls.
And two US immigrants set to turn on their own, as America the Crazy marches towards a looming disaster.
It is at this point that The Magpie usually rattles the begging bowl each week for the Nest, but this time around, he has finally got around to updating the permanent blurb that has been unchanged for a decade. A preview … and please forgive the royal ‘we’.
The Magpie’s Nest is now heading into its 15th year and remains an independent alternative voice for Townsville. To stay that way, we do not accept advertising, and we are forever free. Over the years, we’ve managed to break a quite a few stories that others preferred to remained hidden – and we always have laugh along the way. The weekly warble is a labour of love and takes a lot of time to put together – and naturally attracts recurring associated costs. So if you like your weekly Nest’s load of old cobblers enough, you can help keep it aloft with a donation, or even a regular voluntary subscription. Paypal is at the ready, it’s as easy as … well, easy as pie
Our Nightmayor Becomes Crisafulli’s ‘No Upside’ Trap
If ever there was an example of Labor’s failure to govern in the interests of the people, it was Miles refusal to move on legal advice and clean our accidental mayor out of Walker Street, permanently or otherwise. When Thompson bombarded them with 35 pages of no doubt utter amateurish bullshit arguing against his show cause notice , the legal panickers claimed they were slow readers. Then we had an election .
Now it is a matter for the LNP, and politically, the choices are unpalatable.
In a nutshell, choice one is to suspend the mayor – even on full pay if necessary, a legal type of thievery – while the CCC strolls leisurely through an investigation between tea breaks and putting practice on the carpet. That means he’s gone for a year, but at our expense.
Choice two is to sack him outright, and face whatever legal backwash that creates …. again at our expense. What the hell, it;’s going to cosr us one way oir another.
BUT WHAT IS NOT AN OPTION IS ALLOWING HIM SOMEHOW TO REMAIN IN OFFICE. Crisafulli has himself said this on several occasions, particularly describing the situation as ‘untenable’, and acknowledging the damage this egregious dishonest self-seeker has inflicted on our civic reputation, and our future. That’s a hard judgement to walk back from now that our former deputy mayor is in power, and he would be well aware that the usual buffer to cushion unpopular decisions – i.e. time to the next election – doesn’t apply here.
Here’s why.
People will not forget, let alone forgive, for the simple reason that Thompson and whatever damage he has further inflicted on the city will still be here around the next state election cycle. The Kid also well knows we wouldn’t forget a failure that amounts to the biggest broken promise possible. The media would not be able to remain silent, even those who support the LNP. News Ltd has already signalled it will be scrutinising every little detail, let the big issues like this one. They’ve started already (the ministerial reshuffle) and while its early days where editors direct that molehills become mountains, and many such faux beat-up sensationalist issues will fade and dissipate, Troy Thompson being allowed to continue to drag down Townsville’s reputation and future will not.
The Magpie’s Issues Management experience tells him that the best way forward is to sack the mayor outright. Since whichever way this falls in the end, it’s going to cost a motza, but it’s worth putting the legal ball right back in his court. If Thompson wants his grifting payout, let him work through the courts … and there are ways that can be drawn out longer than a CCC investigation. Not to put too fine a point on it, the government could bleed him, all the while reminding him that he may swell not win in the end.
The only thing that’s cheap about this whole sorry saga is talk … and Thompson cheap morals.
Over to you, Kid.
But One Hopes The Idiot Who Thought This Up Is Wrong.
So David Crisafulli is a loser?
So David … yes, that is DAVID … is a loser, eh?
Newsflash from the sports desk: Goliath nil David 1. It was a KO.
But whoever thought this sounded clever although totally, 100% nonsensical, showed that Goliath wasn’t the only one stoned.
And Speaking Of Payouts … Great News For The Star Wars Franchise.
October 30, 2024 at 1:44 pm (Edit)
IT’S OFFICIAL: Greg Hallam IS NOT Jabba The Hutt. George Lucas Greatly Relieved.
Former LGAQ boss Greg Hallam
The former LGAQ boss and former Townsville Council executive has been awarded more half a million dollars in a judgement handed down by a court in Cairns this morning. He has also been granted a permanent injunction against the lead defendant ever publishing the same or similar material about Mr Hallam again.
The case involved an unrelenting attack on Hallam by four social media commentators, and included mashed-up cartoons of Hallam as the Star wars criminal character Jabba The Hutt. (Although the cartoon appears by necessity in the judgement, The Magpie declines to publish it and further publicise the grubby attack and exacerbate Mr Hallam’s genuine distress.)
And while The Magpie couldn’t resist a silly head line joke, when one reads the details of the defamation, it is no laughing matter, and the award is more than merited.
It was way bigger than a weak jest about a Star Wars character, Hallam was repeatedly accused by his social media attackers of running an organised crime syndicate, having people bashed up, drug dealing, money laundering and re-homing paedophiles. As he dryly observed recently ‘Clearly I’ve been very busy’.
The 71 page judgement can be found here…
https://jade.io/article/1105286/
… but this is the guts of it.
And this is the official outcome.
%20CEO%20Greg%20Hallam%20AM.%3Cbr%20/%3EThe%20LGAQ%20Board%20unanimously%20decided%20in%202018%20to%20support%20Mr%20Hallam%E2%80%99s%20action,%20as%20the%20Association%20takes%20its%20duty%20of%20care%20to%20its%20employees%20seriously.%3Cbr%20/%3EThe%20LGAQ%20Board%20accepts%20and%20respects%20the%20Judge%E2%80%99s%20ruling%20and%20thanks%20the%20Court%20for%20its%20time.%20%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAnd%20Greg%20Hallam,%20now%20a%20newspaper%20columnist%20and%20radio%20presenter,%20says%20this%20is%20the%20only%20statement%20he%20intends%20to%20make%20on%20the%20matter.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EI%E2%80%99d%20like%20to%20thank%20my%20legal%20team,%20and%20the%20LGAQ%20Board%20for%20its%20unwavering%20support%20throughout%20what%20has%20been%20a%20particularly%20difficult%20time.%3Cbr%20/%3EI%20accept%20and%20respect%20the%20Judge%E2%80%99s%20ruling%20and%20would%20like%20to%20thank%20the%20Court%20for%20its%20time%20and%20consideration%20of%20this%20matter.%3C/p%3E%3Cdiv%20class=)
Here is the comprehensive story from the ever reliable ABC.
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Muddled Messages From She Who Would Be Mayor
As an ambitious woman, the hustling and bustling Clr Ann-Maree Greaney has decided to lift her profile in, she hopes, a positive way. She’s been out and about in the Astonisher a couple times in the past week … and on both occasions, showed she needs some professional PR advice. This from the Weekend Bulletin.
A couple of quotes are just silly, one that would appear to seek some sort sympathy considering the confused political situation in Walker Street. Quote:
:Townsville councillor Ann-Maree Greaney is fuming about the damage across her division, some of which she describes as “politically motivated”, continues across a six-day streak and with no way of seeing it stopped.”
And just what was the political content that alarmed her? This.
A councillor in a regional city that has a large university is drawing a long bow with this attempt at outrage. And now you’re one thoughtless statement away from stepping into a totally councillor-irrelevant issue,. And it’s an issue which, if you let yourself be drawn into it, the Strand parking meters will be like a picnic with butterflies and cucumber sangers. Best advice: of course, decry vandalism, but leave the ‘politically motivated’ tosh to others. And if you’re going to splash yourself in the media, have a well crafted statement about an action plan beyond ‘report anything you see’. FFS. And also, avoid simply rude and ‘well duh’ statements like this: “Council does not take this destruction of public property lightly, and neither should our community,” she said. That suggests the community DOES take it lightly – only you and the council do, and we’re letting you down.
Earlier in the week, you jumped into that silly ‘deck chairs on the Strand’ nonsense, where you demonstrated that you were not willing to stand up for council staff doing their jobs.
Brief background: The Spirited Goat business on the Strand put some deckchairs on the grass across the road from their Strand business, using the excuse that they weren’t exclusive to their customers, they were for everybody to use (yeah, right) . It was patently obvious it was a too clever by half attempt to circumvent council regulations and fees. (They would never admit this, they are no newcomers to Townsville hospitality rules, and anyway, they’ve got heaps of publicity out of this.) In the eevent,, someone … business or individual isn’t known … complained to the council, the council quite correctly ordered the chairs be removed, and the incurious Bulletin went all sensash with some dullards knee jerking against a ‘stupid council’ ‘need to get a life ‘ blah blah etc. This from Friday’s Nest comments.
The MagpieIt is worth pointing out that the decision came from the buttock-clenching letter-of-the-law shiny bums, not the elected councillors. And two things that haven’t been considered .. the complainant may have been under the impression that the deck chairs were for the exclusive use of the business’s customers. And if that was the case, the complaint and the council are fully justified, such use of public space is strictly controlled for reasons beyond revenue raising, and charged for by council’s everywhere in Australia, not just Townsville.
The second matter to be factored in is the impossibility of passing a satisfactory law that allows such ‘donations of community spirit’. It is easy to imagine the arguments about appropriateness and then there is the insurance matter. What happens if someone is injured by tripping over inappropriately placed ‘private’ furniture in a public place (or a chair collapses and injures a hand or finger – no joke, as The ‘Pie can ruefully attest). It is highly likely insurance claims and confusing ‘whose responsible’ cross claims is the reason for the council’s decision. Therefore quite correctly, the decision was a ratepayer protection in this nanny state’s litigious society. And to top it all off and complicate that issue, the chairs were across the busy Strand road. … and anyincident at the nearby crossing and roundabout would be a lawyers picnic.
Revved up by the paper’s normal hyperventilation, the whole ho hum was stirred up with adjectival outrage before the story endedwith a very reasonable ‘nothing to se here’ council explanation of its position.
But the Strand’s divisional councillor Ma Greaney raises a slightly different question when she tangles herself up trying to appear on the side of the businesses when she told the paper: “But you know, I’m happy and willing to talk to any business about that down at The Strand about it if they’re willing to put out deck chairs and what they’d like to do, and council has been in discussions about how we are going to activate the Strand more.
‘Activate the Strand more??!?” But … but …. Councillor, we all thought there was too much selfish activity on the Strand, like people staying too long while ‘activated’ – which is why you in particular wanted to install parking meters along the Strand.
Councillor Greaney, The ‘Pie will be more than happy to cast an eye over your next foray into the media before alerting our investigative friends. No charge.
Hmmm … an ideal candidate? Maybe. But how would we know … and we’re entitled to.
Lieutenant Colonel McDougall has given long and great service to our country, and The Magpie discovered for himself, he is also a man who thinks strategically about all things Army, being a contributor to Australian Strategic Policy Institute with several thoughtful articles.
But perhaps TEL would have the courtesy to let us know – since they are recipients generous annual ratepayer support … why they decided to recruit L/C McDougall. What caught their eye, what specifically does Mr McDougall bring to the table?
Bumping across from the closely regulated world of Defence to the somewhat more free-form ‘corporate civvy street’ doesn’t always translate to a successful transition Remember the excellent soldier the council put on a lucrative contract to clean up kiddy-crime and how that turned out to be a massive waste of ratepayer money? So what relevant skills does he offer?
Now before those who go red faced and spluttery, yelling ‘give the bloke a bloody go’, you are as usual missing the point. This not some sneering attack on a clearly intelligent bloke, it is yet again a question about Townsville Enterprise communications with the public. And recruitment processes.
Previous defence/civil transitions have shown adjustment problems and there is always the Fallacy of Transferred Authority theory … which in plain language, the false assumption that someone good at one thing will be good at something else. They well might be but it’s not a given.
So, a basic statement of aims, ability and even (although highly unlikely) some KPIs from the TEL non-communicators mob would be appropriate and courteous.
Or in fact, why not from the man himself … he can obviously write.
Which will make a nice change from the likes of “Nah, it’s Townsville”.
Well, Yes, We All Know That …
… but are too well mannered to bring up personal history. Why mention it it at all after all these years?
The ‘Pie will bet a Lansdown lease to a Hive hotel that that headline was no accidental whoopsie.
Anybody Got A Spare Jawbone Of An Ass Handy?
Sampson of biblical legend would have a field day if he was in America right now. He could greatly increase his score of a a thousand dead Philistines with his imaginative weapon, there being more Philistines per square metre in the US today than ever there was back then. No shortage of asses either.
Today we teeter on the edge of a catastrophe, as record numbers of American line up to vote, joining record pre-poll voters. And the fact that voting is not compulsory, the legislators down the years have made sure elections are not easy events for the punter. Even when one gets through the roadblocks thrown up by corrupt Republican state officials, for instance, it is surely no mistake that the national poll is on a Tuesday. That really must be the most difficult day of the whole week to try and entice someone out to put their X to their least worse choice.
But when collating this week’s US gallery of ‘toons, one in particular seemed to demand a bit of attention. With the hot button issue of illegal immigration high on the campaign list, this particular image nailed an generally overlooked point.
The Shovel as usual nailed the egregious involvement of Musk, himself an South African yarpie who came to the States via a stay in Canada, in the affairs of state through the weight of his immense wealth. The absurdity and gullibility is neatly summed up.
But Musk is a relative newcomer and it is Murdoch who has played a long and insidious role in foisting the Trump era on both America and the world. His media reach is different but just as damaging as Musk’s. There was a good example of the manipulation in this past week, even here in The Australian.
When a ‘comedian’ at a Trump rally told the crowd that Puerto Rico was floating island of garbage, Trump stood approvingly by with his usual oafish grin of the mentally absent, and the News Ltd reporter briefly mentioned it without comment or condemnation. It was well down in the story, at the bottom of the first column, Just a passing comment that it hsd caused a bit of a ripple.
But when Joe Biden was asked what he thought of the comment and he suggested the only garbage he could see were Trump supporters, a judgement far more plausible that Puerto Ricans being garbage, this is how that was reported in the Australian, front page no less.
This is an excellent example of how News Ltd … and particularly The Australian … employ this long standing editorial policy of comment in the news columns, without actually lying. Locally we have seen this policy at work in the Townsville Bulletin under many editors during the Hill years.
But the cartoon funsters have themselves taken a hefty dose of sarcasm and irony as the Armageddon clock ticks down.
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Other Stuff. Guy Alert! Gut Alert! Guy Alert!
The ‘Pie was mightily amused during a visit to the supermarket where he spied a oman in a t-shirt that said ‘Don’t make me go all Beth Dutton on you.’
Some mnight not get it, but for those who do, the latest season of Yellowstone is back later this month.
Paedophiles Big Night Of The Year Has Come and Gone Again
Of all the copycat cultural cringes originating in America and promoted by rapacious commercial interests, here in Australia commercialised Halloween tops the list. Unlike Mothers’ Day and Fathers’ Day (both manufactured yankee hokum conceived in the cash register, Halloween carries no message of love, gratitude and family values. There is not even any real religious significance and its moral is extortion works, threaten something unpleasant unless you get a sweetener (literally in this case). Actually, thinking about, maybe there is a religious connection after all, despite it’s medieval magical origins in Europe.
The main damage here seems restricted to kids’ teeth.
But it is so embedded in US culture that fortunes are spent on once a year costumes for the dimwitted little snots to annoy the shit out of the neighbourhood.
And now, the houses themselves are being brought into the act. At least they offer some wit and imagination to an the otherwise dreary commercial dross.
And Finally, The Magpie Is Not Making This Up,
One of the daily Magpie chores is to get the regular ‘Word of the Day’ emails from the Merriam Webster Dickshunary peeple.
Thought one word worth checking out for an exact meaning … but it was the example that had The Magpie wondering if the American-based Merriam Webster has been following Townsville politics. Promise this is not photoshopped or titified up, it’s the real deal.The ‘Pie laughed himself silly, – which should explain a lot.
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Enough for this week, we now await Tuesday (Wednesday our time) to get the outcome of what one candiodate has promised will the last election America will ever have. Have your say in comments anytime, its free and anonymous. And if you’d like to lend a hand with Nest costs (bit of a tech bill landed during the week) , the donate button is below. Thanks.
Halloween at least reminds us of the need for fluoride in our drinking water…
Comment of the day so far. LMAO.
Halloween evolved from a pagan ritual practiced by the celts to celebrate the harvest and welcome in the winter and the dark. Like all well loved pagan celebrations, the Christian church tried to modify it, into all souls day. It was originally a 3-6 day festival of drinking and bonfires.
Big first week Premier Crisafulli canning $12 bil hydro near Mackay and the “truth telling enquiry ” . Add sacking DG Premiers department Mike Kaiser first day with a further 9 DG,s going that week . 50% of his Ministry are from Regional QLD . Ex Qld tourism / TEL Ceo Patricia Ocallaghan picks up DG tourism , science , innovation , environment . Voters wanted a change so contrast the with Townsville Council . Other 50-60 staff who excited after Team Hill lost Council still has the same bumbling bureaucrats who convinced Councillors on paid parking and acted on one anonymous complaint but ignored petitions with 20,000 + signatures . Can anyone confirm that Councillors ( putting on their big boys pants ) signed off on a 51 % increase infrastructure fees new resi builds effective January 1 st 2025 on the suggestion from Council bureaucrats ? .
Yes, they wanted an action man, and so far, The Kid has delivered, and the new attitude to crime ‘adult crime, adult time’ bill will be law before Christmas.
But where does that last bit about a whopping increase in council charges come from, Mike? The ‘Pie seems to have missed it, and so does the Astonisher. Can’t find anything. When did this all happen, and what is your source? (Not doubting, just asking.)
Leaks from Council behind doors discussions ( Lansdown , Nth rail yards , Council debt ) . Some of the in-depth comments especially Councils cashflow and how many days Council can operate in Magpies Nest has seemed very reliable in the past year .
OK, fair enough. So now it needs to be a direct question to your local councillor if they did vote for that. Let’s know what they say, The ‘Pie will be happy to run with this issue, because it goes to the heart of the opaque notion of council’s deep financial strife.
And we’re not alone. Is this Townsville next move?
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-11-01/bundaberg-council-community-halls-beachside-properties-for-sale/104542872?utm_medium=social&utm_content=sf275264676&utm_campaign=tw_abc_news&utm_source=t.co&sf275264676=1
Hi Mike, you are spot on with the word from council and its eye-watering infrastructure increases starting on 1 January 2025.
The infrastructure charges in the document link show 2 periods – current being 1 July 2024 to 31 December 2024. And future being 1 January 2025 to 30 June 2025. https://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0030/238863/2024-25-Infrastructure-Charges-Resoluation.pdf
Here are some of the figures:
– Vacant lots of 400-499m2 going from $30,464 to $33,874 (11% increase).
– Homes on the same block size are going up the same 11%.
– 2 bedroom units going from $15,825 to $22,225 (40% increase).
– Short-term accommodation increases ranging from 23% to 64% increases depending on the type of accommodation.
– Long term accommodation labelled “Community Residence” is increasing up to 248%.
– Retirement facilities are increasing 40% across the board.
If the Mayor hanging around isn’t scaring developers off, these infrastructure charges aren’t helping.
Has anyone worked out what “adult crime” actually is yet? Other than a catchy slogan?
Still your bleeding heart, my little quacker, let Uncle Magpie explain it to you.
It is more than a catchy slogan, it goes to the core of the kiddie crime wave, and the grubs just might get the message. It means … listen carefully and do try to keep up, Ducky … it means that crimes that attract certain sentences for adults … car theft, gbh, murder, manslaughter et al … will now apply to a lower age group. This new law recognises the inalienable fact that one of the basic reasons for the crime wave is that these anti-social arseoles know they will get away lightly their criminal antics because of their age, although the damage they do has precisely the same effect as if committed by an adult. It also recognises that in this day and age, 13 or even younger is the new 18. And we’re being played for suckers.
Crisafulli is putting the victim front and center, which is exactly where they should be in any civilised society. We’ve had more than a decade of the ‘poor misunderstood youth are also victims’ bullshit. That may in part be true, but those they killed are still dead, those they injured still carry the physical and mental trauma of their wounds, and the financial loss to ordinary law abiding people remains a massive and underserved setback in life. And we’ve had more than a decade where just about everything has either been tried or blocked … various ‘on country’ ideas by Uncle Whatever and Auntie Who have been abysmal failures, police have been held back by skewed priorities (no police chases, a rule the main result of which is massive disrespect and contempt for police) and they have been badly let down by the judiciary, particularly magistrates with no accountability to the community and a tilt towards the perpetrator as victim.
Mandatory sentencing comes with great dangers of injustice – not allowing for genuine extenuating circumstances, not allowing each case to be judged on its own merits – and we certainly don’t want to reach the heinous point of the American ‘three strikes and you’re out’, where life sentences have been handed down for the third shop-lifting offence. But those dangers are preferable to those faced by law abiding victims not getting any justice at all.
Got it now? Of course you haven’t, and your heart will bleed dry all over your Guccis, and you will rail and rage in your one-eyed fury.
You have our thoughts and prayers.
“It also recognises that in this day and age, 13 or even younger is the new 18. ”
So I’m assuming we shall all be enthusiastically campaigning for the voting age to be lowered to something ambiguous like “13 or even younger ” as well?
Ingenuous and ersitic as usual. Pffft!!!
And Ooh lookey here…maybe I’m not the one that requires re-education…
The Queensland Law Society thinks its a bad idea. Whodahthunk!?
https://www.qls.com.au/Content-Collections/News/2024/Queensland-Opposition-s-youth-justice-policy-will-
Here’s another one..
“The proposal to treat children as young as 10 years old – the majority of which are First Nations – in the same way as we would sentence an adult, flies in the face of all evidence about how to successfully combat crime and puts our international reputation as a modern democracy at stake,” McDougall said.
https://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/newlaw/40176-adult-crime-adult-time-policy-will-not-fix-the-problem-lawyers-argue
I can find plenty more research showing that this approach WILL fail. Oh well…
But therein lies the problem when you say ‘I can find plenty more research showing that this approach WILL fail.‘.
Much of what you call research is in fact opinion based around limited empirical evidence. Re-offending can be caused by many things, and not necessarily incarceration per se … but incarceration without rehabilitation is a waste of time and yes, leaves released offenders swinging aimlessly in the wind. But they must be compulsorily be kept from society while given the opportunity to become independent through work when they leave.
And such approaches as you quote have been tried and don’t work. It is a sad fact that one of the basic problems is the lack of parental control and lack of a family respect, but making society pay for a symptom not of their own making (spare us the sociopolitical babble, please) is not just. A regime of compulsory programs -both practical and emotional – to go along with ‘adult time’ is necessary; for the youth cohort, sentences, more generous remissions can be earned if professional courses take hold and start to make a difference, including trade and even uni courses while they’re inside (these kids aren’t all dumb). But voluntary projects simply don’t work. Can you honestly say you would volunteer for anything if you were one of these kids?
As The ‘Pie said before, in this new information age, 13 is the new 18, and these kids are whip smart about the laws that govern criminal responsibility. This should be a big wake up call that their victims require justice and safety.
The ‘Pie has long advocated that those in juvenile detention in Queensland should pay at least one visit to an adult prison, the tour structured to make sure they see the more unpalatable parts of what is a bleak existence anyway. And just for the record, 10 is way too young and unfair to be locked up, but certainly shoukld be the subject oif other interventions.
So maybe you actually are the one who needs to stop the knee jerk reaction to this ‘complex problem’.
Ultimately, time will prove you are wrong.
Well, one of us.
Eersitic. Pie, I had to admit to looking it up, gold love it it’s DN to a T,
Hey DN – have you tried the marvellous new invention called Google on the “internet” it is the real Ducks Nuts. If you simply type in what you are looking for you will get many answers, opinions and everything.
Heres what you get when you type in “LNP Adult Crime Adult Time policy”.
The tough on crime policy will form part of the LNP’s Making Queensland Safer Laws and focus on serious crimes impacting victims including:
Murder
Manslaughter
Serious harm like wounding
Home and business break-ins and robbery
Stealing cars and dangerous operation of vehicles
The policy adds to the LNP’s previously announced changes to the Youth Justice Act which will be rolled out before year-end, including, removing “detention as a last resort”, and enshrining in legislation the rights of victims ahead of offenders’ rights.
Yeah. I’m fully aware how Google works. The legislation is a load of shit and the LNP is trying to rush this legislation through without proper due diligence and the investigation of unforeseen consequences. This is poorly thought out, popularist policy.
A Crisafulli trademark.
A trademark, eh? Any actuakl examples you’d care to share?
Yeah, didn’t think so.
Magpie,
Council reviews fees and charges as part of the annual budget. I was quite surprised that more wasn’t mentioned about this in any of the reporting on the 24/25 budget. One example that comes to mind is the application fee for a new driveway, which increased from around $195 to over $400. There are plenty of other examples.
You can access the full fees and charges for 24/25 here: https://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0035/238589/Full-list-of-Council-Fees-and-Charges.pdf
It seems they have removed the 23/24 fees and charges from the website.
Bucky
MD, is the infrastructure fee being charged to developers? If so, might be an explanation for why upcoming land releases are $10-$15k more than same size block in the same estate earlier this year.
This is a pretty serious change, and it would be a public service if someone could point it down for us. And it is as reported, no wonder the council wants to keep it quiet, it points to a greater malaise in our city’s finances than anyone is letting on … and all indications that we do have don’t look too fladsh.
Hey, Leighton, do you you reckon you co … oh, forget it.
White mouse / Uncle Buck thanks for those details of those Council increases . Gouging in a cost of living / housing crisis is deplorable . Isnt it enough the highest rates in Qld and renters paying up to $60 extra week here after Team Hill approved differential rates a few years ago . Is Liam Mooney replacing the 3 stooges for comedy relief ? . Page 5 Astonisher ” wedgewood artists collection ” let them eat cake cementing Townsville as the North Queensland capital of arts and culture .
Choice three, sack the council and have a new election. That’s what they will need to do to cover all bases.
Why? What’s the justification for the government to take such a drastic and unmerited step? The council were elected without lying and distorting their claims to a place.
I’ve explained before that it’s often the simplest solution. The state government can’t be blamed; democracy is upheld, and the issue is passed on to others. That’s likely why they opt for this approach.
Just like the chairs on the strand. Most likely a competitor, anonymous, blamed on safety. Put it in the hands of public safety and well being, rather than tell the competitor to push off.
Everyone does it, the old how to not get blamed chart.
That is simply evasively stupid gobbledegook, doesn’t mske sense and doesn’t address the points made about the issue.
It doesn’t need to address any specific points, which is why they prefer this approach. If David takes this route, he can’t be blamed or accused of anything. He removes the Mayor, upholds democracy, and hands power back to the people. It’s like Pontius Pilate washing his hands of the situation. Plus, the fact that the council faces instant karma over the paid parking fiasco is just an added bonus.
David Crisafulli could be forgiven if suffering some sort of multiple personality disorder, as suggested by various commentaries. In one, he’s Goliath (that’s the bloke who originally lost to David by KO) and now he’s Pontius Pilate, who ‘washes his hands’ of Thompson.
This of course typically ignores that The Kid has to consider the financial detriment to the taxpayer, but that’s a little above your mental pay grade to grasp.
TC. That is exactly what Troy’s Cookery Kooks are baying for. But are unable to provide a single rational reason for doing so.
Rational has nothing to do with governance. Its all can they blame me?
A great “burn the books” attitude by taking a single problem with a simple solution and piling every real and imagined slight on top and lighting the bonfire.
I don’t see many losses for The Kid in this. If he sacks him it looks strong to most people as well as providing a great long list of opportunities to drag the story up as the courts dismember TwoNames. If he suspends him with the option of recovering the wages paid while spuspended and lets the CCC at him we get the same result but without the ongoing media. The only fail is to squib and do nothing which leaves the Troyster free to hammer The Kid and his new MPs all the way to the next election.
Is Bob Katter still sticking by his false claims as to his own military history? And can we force him to resign as an MP ?
What’s good for the mayoral goose is %1000 good for the goose stepper.
Care to explain what that’s all about?
Interesting stuff, I wonder what came of it
https://littledarwin.blogspot.com/2016/06/article-challenges-katters-war.html
If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck … Perhaps the Kat in the Hat and TwoNames could be tried together in a two for one deal. Both used the same ploy of “greatness by association” to increase their profile and when the facts are researched the claims are found to be false. Bob and his kin have never let a fact or the truth stand in the way of their stories.
My inkrish not great, but as I read it the allegation is not around Bob’s service but that of his Father and Uncle?
Click through on the scanned article
Ripper Headline
GOD SAVE THE KING????
Just for Jenny. You are a fake. You are as big a fraud as Troy Thompson. You are an intellectually dishonest wannabe. Your typical “got to have the last say” comment late yesterday was almost completely AI-generated. Almost the entire post was word-for-word plagiarism. I have a Texas Planning Court decision that says you are a posturing goose. And I couldn’t have said it better myself. Oh, and fuck you and the horse you rode in on. (that doesn’t sound right without the split infinitive)
Oh, Grumps, you’ve just joined the party, have you?
Jenny has always been an agent provocateur in The Nest, not necessarily espousing her/him/its actual beliefs but just spoiling for an argument, dropping baited hooks with all sorts of morsels to tempt the gullible. Then gum flapping around AI generated stolen ideas of others as original thought.
The Magpie has loved it that he/she/it think we all take he/she/her seriously, and yes, much of the twaddle is AI generated. Jenny is the fire starter to the BBQ grill that is Nest comments.
‘Intellectually dishonest’? No not really, because the thoughts aren’t hers and the Jenny will always maintain that the motivation of mischief always justifies the means.
Now let’s see what AI has to say about that. This is fun.
Can you include a “ I am not a Robot” button?
Nobody seems to see the irony of when successfully doing the ‘human task’, you get a message confirming you are not a robot … from a robot.
Not my quote, but to the point: “the one thing about artificial intelligence is that it is artificial”
TNX Pie,
That pic is a graphic display of a brain fart, gonna use it when I receive BS emails etc.
Maybe it’s time to pass the mantle from “mare” Jenny to this Jenny and crown her Spinning Jenny?
Grumpy, you don’t have a clue how to generate AI and I know even less. Man up; if you want to be a Christian Zionist then own it. It’s racist and ugly and out of control.
Jenny. Apart from being a fucking liar, you really are dense. This is not about Israel or your bizzare twist on history. Its about your deceptive, intellectually lazy posturing. You try so hard to come across as edgy and cutting and oh-so-clever, when in fact you are a sad old copycat. . Do you want me to copy and paste the two AI extracts that my very basic program generated? The ones identical to your post?
Grumpy, you assert you are a committed Christian Zionist? I won’t dispute your religious faith – anyone can call themselves anything they like. But Zionism is an ideology. Its proponents have an objective. What’s your Zionism about? Have you cast your lot in with Zionism central or have you lapsed in disappointment because the zealots have taken over?
Christian Zionists in the USA are the ones who don’t like Jews but support Israel because its existence brings the end times one step closer.
J – nice diversion. As to my faith, it is, of course, none of your fucking businesss, you twat.
Grumpy, nothing to do with your faith, it’s your Zionism that’s in question. You probably think, like so many before you, that Zionism is some sort of benign entitlement of Jews to a place in historical Israel/Palestine – shared in peace with the people who were/are already there. If only. But Zionism has moved on since 1900 or 1948 or the 1970s, even 7 October 2023, and like it or not Israelis have moved into Palestinian territory in the hundreds of thousands, protected and overseen by the IDF with a global praetorian guard laid on by the USA. Despite their protestations that Iran or the Arabs or Islamic State want to destroy Israel it is hardline Zionists in Israel and elsewhere that appear to be intent on displacing all non-Jews from greater Israel/Palestine and now, if you read the weekend Guardian, treating northern Gaza as future real estate. You, as a “committed” Zionist might object to it but other more powerful, more committed, more ideological Zionists do not care about your view. Are you with them or agin them? It’s not a matter of religious faith it’s about ideology. Zionism has gone feral and you know it.
What the fuck are you talking about? “Hundreds of thousands” of Israelis have moved into Gaza since October 7? That’s an outright lie – and you bloody well know it is. Israel displaced Jews from Gaza when they handed it over to Palestinians in 2005. Hamas (and Iran and its agencies such as Hezbollah and Houthis) have declared that Israel must be destroyed and consider Jews fit only for extermination. What do you think “from the river to the sea” really means? I’ll give you a clue – genocide. Yet you seem to suggest that Israel is the unprovoked aggressor. Even though it is none of your business, my view is that Israel is justified in prosecuting this war. The grossly exaggerated civilian death toll is down to Hamas and their vile tactics. You really are an antisemitic Jew-hater. And, typical of your ilk, you disguise it with pathetic attempts to assume moral superiority. “I don’t hate Jews, I hate Zionism” You disgust me.
Grumpy, in your spluttering outrage you can’t even read plain English. I wrote: ” . . . and like it or not Israelis have moved into Palestinian territory in the hundreds of thousands, protected and overseen by the IDF . . “. Which referred to the half a million or more illegal settlers in the West Bank. The word “Gaza” did not appear in the sentence.
I don’t have anything against Jews or Judaism or any other faith. I have a problem with ideologies like Zionism (Jewish, Christian, Atheist or whatever) which hides in the shadows crying foul about ‘anti-semitism’. Zionism is driving Israel (steadily becoming Greater Israel) into something resembling a caliphate.
Caliphate? Where are you getting this nonsense? “The rule or reign of a Caliph or Muslim leader” ? You try so hard to be clever, but your ignorance is out there for all to see. Remember this thread started over you being called out for plagiarism. You don’t appear to have an original thought in your head. Just hatred for Jews.
I can see the resemblance to a caliphate, Israel is turning increasingly into a religious and ethnic autocracy.
Interesting, didn’t the Magpie complain about Troy Thompson for not removing comments relating to this matter…
Troy Thompson endorsed racist comments on a fb page identified as ‘Mayor of Townsville’. So your point is?
Ma Greaney is certainly yearning to wear the mayoral robes but as usual she hasn’t bothered to do any community consultation. Like, would she be seen to have contributed to the city’s massive debt? And would her support of paid parking on the Strand (and the millions wasted buying the meters before council approval) put voters off? And how would she explain the massive waste of ratepayers money on white elephants in her council division? Like the $6 million Flinders Street boardwalk from nowhere to nowhere, the $4 million sheds on Castle Hill, the waste of space called Flinders Lane, the empty Palmer Street alfresco precinct, and her North Australian Festival of Arts financial flops.
And most importantly would the good people of Div 3 be prepared to embrace a Jenny Hill clone?
Food Trucks Greaney is toast next vote time; folks won’t forget the Strand Parking fiasco in her division, or her connection to the Hill/Ralston mess. She needs to shut up and ‘enjoy’ what’s left of her gravy train ride and not stand next time.
Io, how many times do you have to be told that the Flinders St boardwalk was not a massive waste of ratepayers money because it was paid for entirely by the Queensland government.
Could be wrong but think it was Hill who help choose the project to fit in with overall decades-hence dream of connectivity, so there is some responsibility there. but you’re correct, it was a waste of ‘taxpayers’ money, not ratepayers.
How much was the soldier paid to NOT clean up crime
Weird comment of the day. As Pawlean would say ‘please explain’.
Magpie, glad you posted that article about Bundaberg Council desperately selling off assets to stem their ongoing financial losses. Townsville has a reduced operational ability to meet operational costs on a monthly basis yet what is being done about it? Are the state of our finances another reason why John Oberhardt was shipped in to keep an eye on things? As for food trucks Greaney, she is part of the financial legacy issue we now see ourselves in. She might have her eye on the Mayoral prize, but she supported Hill for many years and we are now reaping the results. Will the astute McCool come clean on the real state of councils finances anytime soon? Team Hill and Ralston have left behind an unraveling shit pile. Pox on them.
There is a lot of people on the island that would not vote Greaney in as mayor.
I personally think she is a two faced scammer.
Be careful what you wish for. In the unlikely event that Troy Thompson is entirely removed from office and a new election for mayor (only) held, I wouldn’t be surprised if party political campaigning re-emerged in Townsville. The mayoralty would be ripe for the taking, only limited by the amount of money available for a campaign.
Our AI Queen – And what’s so wrong with that? At least political candidates are vetted and compete for selection.
All one needs to do is drive around her division to see how much IS NOT done, this goes to prove that she is far more focused on becoming mayor then caring about her community
One of the last few good things that Townsville has going for it is fluoridated water and now Twonames, pushed by the MyPlace crazies, contemplates removing it from our water supply.
How is it that gutless councils across QLD have been so cowered by a few hundred petitioners, go against all medical advice to follow this practice? That bastard, Twonames claims he wants to do this as a cost saving manner and who knows which way our flip flop councillors will eventually land.
It seems the days when governments at all levels acted in the interests of the majority have long gone.
This will never happen, and we need pay it no more attention.
Absolutely ???? correct
The small amount of fluid in our water has saved tens of thousands of children from pain and tooth ach over the decades
Once again a tiny minority cause these issues
Sick to death of so many of these tiny minority trying to stop common sense
Orange NSW
It’s important that TwoNames remains contemporary so that he is held accountable for all he has been called out for! For the sake of humanity, he should never be allowed to just fade away, his face needs to be well known because he will change his name and continue to grift and con his way through life!
All our new Premier has to do is change the law back to what it used to be that , is make it compulsory for all councils in Qld to put fluoride in their water. After all they have a majority in parliament so they can do what they like.
Don’t agree, Wallo, each community should have the right to decide what additives go into their drinking water.There is nothing wrong with fluoride, removing it is not removing some unscientific ‘threat’ no matter what the whackos say, but it a matter of choice. And therein lies the most reasonable argument against fluoride.
The ‘Pie well remembers the row back in the 60’s when Australian cities and towns were debating the subject, that is reasonably argued that being forced to ingest an unnecessary additive by order was a step too far and if people wanted to use fluoride, tablets were available without prescription. It’s a debatable point about freedom of choice versus scientific measure for widespread public health.
Pie, I take your point but there are many instances where we don’t have freedom of choice e.g. when I fill up my car or I order a beer the excise is included in the price and I have to pay it whether I like it or not and when I get my pay packet and there has been x amount of tax deducted the gov. doesn’t give me the option to pay it or not. I See the fluoride as a public health issue and you have only got to go into Coles and see the pallets of bottled water everywhere so the people that buy it already have freedom of choice if they don’t like fluoride. If there are any Dentists on your blog they might like to comment. I am living proof that fluoride is working because since I got my full dentures I haven’t had one tooth decay…HA! HA!
he ‘Pie was agreeing with the notion, just pointing out the in how view, there is only one arguable point, and it’s not the faux whacko pseudo scientific one. However, you’re on shaky ground with your argument because equating putting petrol in your car with ingesting something into your body is not comparable to the point of the debate. Nor is the cost aspect. But the vast majority of Australians willingly put alcohol nto their bodies, so fluoride is hardly a problem, eh?
Just confirming, did the mayor actually say he wanted to remove fluoride, or was the petition submitted and the council are investigating it as they do for all petitions.
Enjoyed my bike ride this morning and while cooling off I thought I would check in with the magpies nest. So even though Mayor Thompson has been quiet all week, he still makes a headline appearance in the near. Hilarious. You guys are so desperate. Get a life
Thank you for your input Stephen.
Unfortunately, the story was more about Crisafulli’s dilemma, we don’t need to say anything more about your criminal cult hero.
PS Still waiting for your follow-up on the concerns notice … haven’t slept a wink since receiving it.
“Citizen”? Sovereign perhaps?
Bugger it. I’m turning the tellie on.
Baldy, you should trying riding your bike with the seat on it. You will go much faster.
Awww, you’re no sport, boys just wanna have fun.
LTC
Let’s say there’s a cyclone, or another emergency that requires your man to stand up and deliver leadership or gawd forbid, stand up a response – would you trust him to actually be able to manage that?
Asking for a friend.
Yeah, I thought so. Big gulp. Anyone left that knows what the heck they’re doing in a weatherly shit show?
I understand that Councillor Andrew Robinson is the ‘new’ disaster coordinator? He was interviewed about this on the local news a while back. He was wearing Mullets white vest at the time, with controller on the back.
Horses for courses …
Good old Food Trucks. I want to line up for the job of repainting the Maggie Skate Park for $20,000 a time as stated by our little princess. An hour or so with the paint roller and it’s fixed so I reckon that would equate to a daily rate of about $160,000 (so the price is obviously set through LocalBuy and they fly a specialist in from Brisbane to do it).
Sorry, the figure made public was $15,000 a shot to repaint the skatebowl so it’s a measely $120,000 per day. My bad.
Dont forget the qbuild 15% loading
The Troy Thompson debacle is a major issue!! But considering the amount of rubbish that has been discussed at TCC meetings ie: failed paid parking on Strand and the Hilton Hotel fiasco (a lot behind closed doors?!) I wonder if the entire council should be sacked and people of Tsv go back e vote again. Some new blood and perhaps councilors who have had business experience/knowledge would be more beneficial to the people of Townsville. It never ceases to amaze me how the council so quickly consumes its revenue without delivering real value to its shareholders, we the community of our town.
Has Cupcake, Harpic, or Messagebank got themselves a new job yet? Centerlink has programs for disadvantaged people to find them meaningful employment. Hopefully Troy Thompson will join them.
I notice that Harpic still has MP after his name on his website.
Roger, I hear three former stooges are considering entering the product endorsement business:
Private Cupcake is considering an offer to be a Jenny Craig Ambassador, Harpic is considering an offer to endorse a new line of toilet disinfectant and Messagebank is considering an offer for a new line of boxing training bags!
(sigh)
Wasn’t last Saturday a fantastic start for the next 10 days
Out with state Labor comprehensively
Labor here and democrats in America are on the nose ???? as they should be with woke diversity divisive crap ????
It had to happen the people are waking up to the lies and bribes these leftist socialists governments try every election
Back to common sense government
Next the race
Personal dog food and glue but if an event can stop a nation
Then the 47 President Trump
Only massive corruption by the democrats will stop the march to save America
Finally February
Out with this incompetent lying pathetic corrupt albosleezy Labor government and giving ???? China CCP billions for crap solar and wind turbines
We must welcome nuclear, gas and coal
24/7
Last Saturday was fantastic , as will Wednesday to start the come back to the centre
S88
The Orange Ejit is going to have his ass handed to him. Women’s health is a “woke” issue because a Trump appointed Supreme Court made it an issue. Set aside the highly emotive abortion word, women have been arrested and thrown in jail for having a miscarriage at home after being turned away from hospital. Women are dying because doctors are too scared to perform a D&C on a non-viable ectopic pregnancy. Various states are already looking into whether they can pregnancy test women travelling out of state and then arrest them if there is no baby registered months later.
Women and good men who love their wives, daughters and grand daughters are going to make sure that women’s health rights are restored by President Harris and Vice President Tim “Mind your own damn business” Walz.
Were you born in 1988 or using the 88 as code for “Heil Hitler”? You support Trump so I suspect the latter!
I’m reading a lot about “Adult time for adult crime” but not much about what the LNP is going to do with the entitled untouchables that do the break and enters, steal vehicles and then drive them dangerously on the roads, hijack vehicles and other crimes that are most common in Townsville and other cities and that would not be classified as adult crimes.
Does anyone have more detailed information on what the LNP is going to here. Hopefully any changes for these crimes will be introduced as a priority as the summer school holidays are nearly here.
Perhaps more to the point, the LNP needs to define what they classify as adult crime … B & E and car theft are NOT little boys being naughty.
The kids throwing rocks at the tourist train in Cairns hit a 5 year old child on the head.
They are currently on bail.
Who will they injure tonight ?
I thought you said they had defined it? Are you telling me it’s still not defined you don’t actually know what it means, and yet you voted for it and defend it?
The ‘Pie isn’t aware that he said anything was defined. In English (stick with me here Ducky) ‘adult crime’ can only mean crimes committed by adults. In English (still with us there, Ducks?) ‘juvenile crime ‘ has only ever meant adult crimes committed by those not yet of age. It is only the penalties that have changed.
But the LNP appears to be going to have. a little Nanki Poo list of naughtiness to fit this legislation,
And although its none of your clot-headed business, The ‘Pie didn’t vote FOR anything, he voted AGAINST a lying (see pumped hydro cost story today) and inept Labor government, which showed during the covid years that it didn’t know its SARS from its Ebola.
Once again, just to help Duck Shove, here is the list of “adult crimes” which will see all perpetrators treated equally:
Serious crimes impacting victims including:
-Murder
-Manslaughter
-Serious harm like wounding
-Home and business break-ins and robbery
-Stealing cars and dangerous operation of vehicles
It isn’t bloody complex. Just read the published material.
Aaron Aaron where are you? Your 2 to 3 anti LNP memes per day has suddenly gone quiet! C’mon mate, why the silence? If you were so worried about Crisafulli you would still be posting about him. Do t let an election loss stop you.
If Steve 88 is so keen on living under a Trump dictatorship, perhaps he should move to the USA.
Hope he’s not a journalist though, because they’re going to be shot.
Well, there’s a twist on the line that got Pawlean into trouble ‘ If you don’t like it here, go and live in America’.
Adult crime is fairly well-established and universally understood. Adult crimes are absolutely being committed by children as young as 10-11 years.
The concept of ‘Adult time’ is fraught with issues and most which will land on the lap of taxpayers.
UN conventions on the rights of children, youth criminals will need to see out sentences in youth detention not with adult criminals. They will need to be educated, provided with healthcare and given the opportunity to engage in programs to assist them to reintegrate. Making them wards of the state for significantly extended periods will cost us dearly.
13-year-olds today are biologically exactly the same as 13-year-olds 50 years ago. Impulsivity and poor decision-making are classic traits. Family support, moral guidance and goal setting play a huge part in establishing right from wrong decisions probably more so than the threat of consequences. None of the former being available to today’s young offenders. Do the 13-year-olds committing these crimes even understand or value the concept of freedom? I guess that they aren’t thinking ahead to next week. Human evolution does not happen over a decade or two and the pre-frontal cortex has not suddenly developed due to the digital age. In fact, social media has probably delayed development in many cases. It will be interesting to see if the average juvenile offender has the capacity to make the right choices and “look around corners” (as Dr Phil would say) based on the possibility of a long stretch in detention. Will this help stem youth crime and assist at-risk youth in making good choices? Will it satiate the community’s need for punitive justice and harsh punishment? I doubt it but am hopeful it may help a few. The other huge consideration will be the capacity to staff youth facilities to meet the needs long-term of young offenders. Lessons to be learned from the Royal Commission into institutional abuse. What type of person will be drawn to work in detention centres? How well will they be screened, trained etc? As it is now, staffing is a major issue and some very dubious characters have ended up working in youth detention. Some people may say they don’t care, lock em up and throw away the key and let what happens to them happen ….etc but will this result in another redress situation decades down the track? Finally, finally..apologies for quoting Dr Phil, probably the only compelling quote he has ever made but has helped me understand my own teenage boys over the years.
There are reasoned arguments to be had on so many points, and no doubt others will take up some of them. But The ‘Pie will make just a couple of observations.
First, worth noting you have not a single thought about the trauma – almost always on-going – for the victims of these children/teenagers. What is their due? Blaming parents for their children’s behaviour is a reason but not an excuse. Most of them know better, and callously think what they’re doing is a bit of a lark. They need to learn differently.
While holding perpetrators to account is a basic tenet of our society, is there actually a widespread sentiment for ‘harsh punishment’? From some victims perhaps, but in the wider community, one imagines just removing them from where they can’t offend is probably what most want … cruel and vindictive punishment towards kids would certainly be counter-productive, and it’s reasonable to assume is not the desire of most. But neither is holiday camp atmospheres either.
More like compulsory and highly regulated live-in boarding school/TAFE. Your points about the requirements of education, health care and guidance programs are paramount and one way of viewing that is that these kids are placed in a situation where they cannot be truant and can be encouraged to become goal-oriented. And they are not subject to the often destructive home life which forces them onto the streets.
And it’s hoped the legislation when finalised will leave open the opportunity for carrot and stick outcomes. The extra sting of the stick will be the overwhelmingly crushing time meted out to a young person, and the carrot will be genuine reward for showing rehabilitation. Time remission can be a goal that most if not all will make an effort to achieve, but they will need to demonstrate a readiness to make good use of the opportunities and assistance they will receive on release.
The phrase carrot and stick has an overbearing tone, but it works if the carrot is the right kind.
As to cost … that’s why we pay taxes, in part to ensure we can live safely. And it probably wouldn’t be any more than the current cost of the side effects across society that allowing these crime wave to continue.
All this said, it will be interesting to see how the judiciary views these new laws and if they’re left any wriggle room – mitigation – in sentencing.
I imagine it will be a case by case approach esp in utilising mitigation. An oversight in not acknowledging the distress and trauma of youth crime on victims to an already lenthy comment. In no way am taking a bleeding heart approach. Really considering less emotive aspects eg potential significant cost (we pay for this what do we sacrifice elewhere?) also risk and biology. Hopefully there has been due consideration and modelling done to ensure adult time is not just papering over the cracks.
The Agenda for this Wednesday’s TCC meeting is up on the website. Plenty of Reports on finances and funding plus non-details of confidential stuff (North Yards for example). A report into the development of a childcare centre at North Shore gives a very enlightening insight into issues of ‘red tape’ – be it traffic, noise, storm water, local objections etc. – that councillors have to face up to.
Jenny , Growing Townsville 2023/24 Annual report is now in the agenda . Page 44 Councillors hospitality , printing and advertising , conferences + facilities provided . ( emailed to Pie ) . Pages 146-147 NQ spark + railyards . All up 170 pages .
Crisafulli doing well, pineappled 10 rusted on Labor directors, pulled the pin on the $37b Mackay dam. I’m loving this. All the Labor acolytes are sooking and crying over the LNP kicking goals. Great stuff.
That white unmarked Embraer jet with the repeated decompression issues came in again at 3.15 pm today
Mayor in waiting, Food Tricks Greaney, is very disappointed in vandalism done to public shitters and taps. She is within her rights to be pissed off. But the $200k in damages is nothing compared to the overall level of Council debt, of which she has contributed to over a number of years.
https://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/about-council/news-and-publications/media-releases/2024/november/vandalisms-high-cost-to-community
Hope you have an alibi, Jenny. Seems about your level of inanity.
Well doesn’t the oxygen thief, otherwise known as TwoNames, once more have egg on his face!
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/claims-of-misconduct-against-townsville-councillor-dismissed-by-watchdog/news-story/c39a22faa71e4eec71b397ec2ed26360?amp
Hypothetically, if a councillor went to dinner with someone who applied for an executive position that they had to vote on…wouldn’t that seem to be a conflict?
Yes. Definitely if it was a tete-a-tete, bad look even in a group. What prompts your pretty obvious question?
I don’t know TwoNames, would it?
Just listened to an Australian commentator on the radio note that the Republication voters in the US were generally long term Republication voters who would vote that way again because Trump hadn’t really done enough to upset them ! WTF, these people must have been living in a cave for the last eight years or so to miss the damage that this deranged egomaniac fool has done.
I guess this voter attitude partially exists because of the the non compulsory voting system over there thus not forcing voters to take a hard look at the performance and/or damage clowns like Trump undertake.
Commentator also noted that he can’t even speak about or consider the damage that the orange headed fool will embark upon if he loses !
Better strap ourselves in !
MEDIA STATEMENT: Pioneer-Burdekin Pumped Hydro
Get all the info here including a link to the report. Oh wait… nope.. you can’t. Crisafulli’s media advisor Greg Thompson, formerly of Sky News, has managed to provide a link to his desktop (file://min.internal/min/home/Thomsg/Desktop/PB003_PB%20DAR%20Executive%20Summary_Redacted%200411.pdf)
https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/101593
That’s a good announcement. The ALP were reckless with spending and $30b is a ridiculous cost to the taxpayer. Ducks Nuts, you are a fool.