Is The Hive Development On The Rocks Again? Seems So.

A bit of property news around the place that hasn’t made the Bulletin despite some serious ramifications for one major project, and another that spells a kick in Jimmy and The Twins from the TCC for those planning to build a home.

Is Joe McCabe signed up for year after the TCC’s latest secret squirrel meeting during the week?  And did the meeting also include a panicked rethink about the greedy, unjustified plan for Strand and Mater Hospital area parking meters? Maybe, since the chief council shiny bum who designed the plan was in the secret meeting.  The Magpie has a go (again!1) at cracking the Hermit Kingdom’s cone of silence.

An astounding admission by the Bulletin’s editor Cas Garvey that she is willing to twist the truth on certain issues … well, she does work for News Ltd, after all. The admission came in the wake of the Burdekin Council refusing to rename a creek that some found offensive.

Everyone has gone quiet on the issue of our accidental mayor TwoNames Thompson, awaiting a judgement from a very gun-shy CCC. But he got one stinging reminder this week about his lame duck status.

And is Kamala Harris the goods for the US Presidency? Why ask if you’ve had a look at the alternative? Trump has been bewitched bother and bewildered that he now faces a literate, articulate former criminal prosecutor, and the American cartoonists are having a field day now Biden has quit the race.

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Hillbilly Accountability

The brave new world we promised ourselves by getting rid of Jenny Hill has evaporated in a welter of same old, same old secrecy, councillors total disdain for taking the public into their confidence and an agenda that can only be described as ‘Jenny Lite’.

Apart from a laughing stock mayor threatening councillors with legal action to further exacerbate a hostile atmosphere,  councillors are locked into that familiar political polka of seeking power and position which totally distracts them from a new regime of consultation and inclusion.

If this meeting was about whether to extend Joe McCabe’s position to a years contract, why not say so. By all means, keep the meeting, discussion and votes behind closed doors, but enough of the finger to the public of nervous euphemisms after the event like ‘it was about employment issues,’. What Astonisher reporter Chris Burns did manage to winkle out of a couple of councillors was that any decision was deferred and the meeting was adjourned because a couple of councillors were unable nto attend.  But it was like pulling fucking teeth, and so unnecessary.

Spooked that their every move might be threatened by legal action from disaffected colleagues (and not just Thompson, The ‘Pie is hearing) over arcane rules, it seems we now have a council run entirely by bureaucrats. many of whom have no stake in the amenity or social aspects of this city. A few dollars chucked as some arts program, outdoor film nights or some ill-thought out bread-and-circuses distraction don’t qualify. And the councillors seem ready to take the line of least resistance, kiss the PS ring, and fuck the citizenry in general.

The looming social fracturing that will accompany the installation of parking meters on the Strand now does not look like a one-off in ignoring clear community desires. It is to be feared that it is an attitude that will be brought to other matters. Despite the overwhelmingly clear desire for this Strand/Mater Hospital issue to be revisited, at the moment there appears to be no chance of real consultation undertaken and choices offered – a small percentage rate rise might not be popular or acceptable but at least it is an option that could on the table. And so might other savings elsewhere, and all of them will have some sort of downside, we’re not uneducated idiots with our hands out – and we don’t like being treated as such by two faced money grubbers who seem to be singing a version of the old ditty The working class can kiss my arse, I’ve got the bosses job at last.

As one Nester Mike Douglas pointed out:

Just how much debt is Council in ?

Instead of cutting expenses they are doubling card holder concession admission to Council Pools and if you want to swim at Tobruk after 9 am another $2 hr if meters proceed.

This council is raising infrastructure on new residential builds and if you want to split a block and infill, there’s a  $30 k bill from Council .

Even when Council get a $60 mil shovel ready cbd outskirts the Councillors cant approve it.

And the arcade in the Flinders Street CBD (where the the cobbler and record shop were) is now boarded up with an ugly unpainted hoarding for long overdue and much needed repairs . Can someone let the Councillor know as she is rarely seen in the CBD. Unless there’s a good truck around.

No government of any level can rule by referendum,  we can’t have. a poll on every issue – nor do we want to.  We want intelligent, people in-touch with the community to be elected to represent our majority views.  But some issues occasionally demand proper community consultation, and if this hasn’t occurred,  then the matter should be revisited. The Strand meters are one such issue. And no one should care if a shiny bum Scrooge McDuck like Matt Richardson gets his financial nose out of joint  when one of his schemes is rejigged against his financial imperative as versus the amenity for all of one of this city’s greatest asset.

Anyway, if The ‘Pie’s information is correct, this week’s secret meeting (‘closed‘ is such a weasley euphemism for cop-out) all but confirmed Joe McCabe’s CEO gig for a total of 12 months instead of 3 to 6, it is set to sail through when the full council gets together again. His decades in the public service would indicate he will be back his bureaucrats against the people anytime. At least he might still be willing to reveal the real financial situation of the council, and more importantly, how the hell it got there.

And a final question: what was the rush that an extra secret meetings was needed – couldn’t it have waited until the next regular meeting that could go into closed session. Perhaps reporter Burns might like to put that question, but to whom … they all just about shit themselves when some media bod hovers into sight

Hey, Guess Who’s Missing?

Townsville will be a hotspot for damaging climate change emissions late next month, when this pointless hootenanny rolls into town. But gosh,  figure out who is notable by his absence…..

No Mayor TwoNames!

Wouldn’t have happened in Mayor Mullet’s day, she be top row, within kissing distance of  Albo.

But surely the crowning insult to our conman accidental mayor is that our favourite hole in the air Claundia ‘B-S’ Brume-Smith is not just there in the very top row, but mixed in with Albo, Muttonhead and Smiley.  No doubt placed there to ensure a rush of people with a fistful of 50s wanting tickets. Even our next premier doesn’t rank as highly, which tells us two things … the Courier Mail has lost touch with reality,  and Troy Thompson now knows that he is definitely not on News Ltd’s Christmas card list.

What an insult it is to Thompson personally to not be included..  But nowhere near as big an insult to Townsville if he had been.

 David To Goliath – “Shove It”

This is one of the perennial issues we are allowed to enjoy from time to time = what to do about place names that may offend some people. The merits of the either side of the argument The ‘Pie will leave to others but it certainly encourages leaps of credulity. In this case,  Burdekin Mayor Pierina Dalle Cort went a bridge too far when she said in the absence of any proper records of where the name came from said with a straight face ‘ It could be referencing the name of a drink, yellow gin, which was distilled by early pioneers as a form of inexpensive alcohol.’  One would need a drink or two to swallow that patent and unsupported rotgut, but it was her throwaway summation ‘you can’t change history’,  that brought forth an amazing admission from Bulletin iditor Gas Carvey in her iditorial  on the issue..

After a lot of sanctimonious halo buffing,  philosopher queen Garvey ended with this:

Now we know that waxing lyrical in her amusing little missives leads Mr Garvey down some interesting linguistic rabbit holes , but that is a corker … an open embracing of alternative facts and that its OK to print lies (she works for the right company then). Troy Thompson is a prominent exponent of this theory of changing history is to suit.

Ms Garvey allow The ‘Pie a question or two.

Why should we not understand your statement that we’ve always been able to change history, and if we don’t like some bit of history, let’s go for the latest more palatable model to suit our modern sensibilities? Mistakes are one thing,  manufactured facts are an entirely different matter. And while history can be expanded, added to and better understood by new research,  delet” Righting the past’ may involve a change in attitude but it can never mean a change in facts.  And if you go along with the accepted facts that our white forebears were utter bastards to the locals, why should their descendants be able to’ drive through our region without being reminded of the scars of the past’? It would make more sense for offensive names to remain as a reminder of the brutal nature that founded our current prosperity. One would’ve thought indigenous people would insist on it, they go on about it enough and they don’t want us to forget. Understandably.

For a newspaper editor to say that yes, you can change history, add, delete and manufacture it at will,  i.e. ,make things up to suit your situation,  is a startling departure from the universal policy of all serious news platforms.

But I guess that explains that.

And Good For One, Good For All

The woke outrage and offence industry isn’t restricted to indigenous matters, and knows no bounds.

So The ‘Pie has started a little list.

If there are those who object to the Robert Towns statue on the grounds that he was a heinous ‘blackbirder’ then The Magpie wants Castle Hill renamed Castle Mount. It should not remain as reminder of the most destructive figure who did more than a decade of damage to the city’s reputation until she was toppled in a democratic coup.

And John Melton Black Drive out to the airport should be named something else, anything, because there will be some sensitive souls who believe it was not a person but a cruel fire torture against aborigines by early settlers.

And then there’s outrageous matter of Hugh Ryan Drive. Few will know it is named in memory of a much loved member of the local church, and when it is spoken but not read, it could lead to unpleasant misunderstandings. As when The Magpie arrived in town those many years ago and heard it is conversation, he thought it was some marvellous new way to power motors using personal waste water.

But it has to go … because others will just think we’re taking the piss.

Hived Off? 

It’s taken almost 12 months  but it looks like yet another Magpie prediction has come to pass …There are strong indications that the Queens Hotel sale will not go through, and with it, the current bullshit plans for the Hive development, with flash harry former Gold Coast spiv Mark Tonge apparently in all sorts of strife.

Remember this from the Magpie’s Nest of October 7, 2023.

 Such a trusting fellow, that nice Mr Leighton Smith, happy to regurgitate the snake oil gurglings of a Gold Coast spiv of doubtful background, and stating it as fact. Not even a the faintest tinkle of an alarm bell. Leighton? So it went on (modesty prevents The ‘Pie from further re-reading of his pearls), but in summary, The ‘Pie had the temerity to cast doubt on Tonge’s claim of a 20+ level hotel.

The ‘Pie then went on to mention that a planned Tonge suburban unit project which came badly unstuck, and when the following appeared, that was enough to take a closer look at Tonge’s made-to-measure misadventure down Pallarenda way, Magnetic Views.

That was surely hokum, they did no such thing, but what may or may not have happened was deposits were taken on lots worth $7.5m. Now the word is that folks (all local millionaires, if spinner Spinelli codswallop is to be believed) want their deposits back, and the whole thing is about to go belly up bigtime. And with it, by the domino effect, The Hive and Queens Hotel as well.

But we can’t say Leighton Smith isn’t on a roll himself … with his unquestioning backing for the dumped Hilton project – he was peevishly insistent that it was a goer and boy, didn’t he get shirty with The ‘Pie who had doubts). that makes his record two hotels that bite the dust within a few months.   Any prospective investor in Townsville accommodation market might be wise to ask Leighton to NOT write about them

Another Property Snippet

Poor old Prins Ralston,  rebuffed by TwoNames and now by buyers in the property market … seems he’s about to to take a hit on his Yarrawonga architectural disaster. He whacked it on the auction market with a reserve around the $2million mark,  but was unceremoniously handed in when no one went close .  Then three weeks ago, listed with agents for a measly $1.75M … but still no takers.  Magpie property mates reckon of he had been reasilitic from the start, would have attracted qualified, well-informed buyers from the outset. They also reckon he’s now going to have make some difficult financial compromises,which a kind of karma, given the difficult financial compromises he foisted on the Townsville ratepayers while snaffling up his $600K salary from them.  Because when spring and early summer roll around, there’s going to be a lot more properties, up for grabs no doubt somewhat more realistically priced, and he may have sit it out even longer in his recently purchased multi-million dollar pile in Brisbane.

But it seems he may have left a nasty little legacy, if a Magpie source is correct –  this is not 100% but we’ll soon find out if councillors have approved an increase somewhere north of 50% on infrastructure fees on new house builds from January 1 next year. Any councillor care to publicly confirm or deny this?

The Magpie is not holding his breath.

No More Ridin’ With Biden, We’re Now Hikin’ With Harris.

The gloves are off, and Donald Trump is in deeper disarray than his normal word salad lunacy. Tp his dismay, it’s a crude slugger against a smart  mover who doesn’t shuffle and knows how to land a killer punch. Who’s going to win this prize fight/ Well, you be the judge about how it’s going after just a few days of Kamala Harris clinching the Democratic nomination. Trump supporters, MAGAaniacs and Rupery Murdoch emplyees were in the throes of desperation, deliciously wrong footed, totally dismayed  by Joe Biden suddenly doing the right thing. One Murdoch man Sean Hannity could only dredge up an old tape of harris cheerfully talking having smoked a weed once when young. And social media was treated to such clever visual commentary that cut to the bone of the contest – like this.

But the lame jokes were pulled up in their tracks to a dead stop when Harris hoisted her fighting colours to the top of the mast, with this show stopper telling Trump she’s got his number.

There will be a lot of exchanges in the week’s to come, but nothing will top this one … or if it is, it will come from Harris again.

And many of the week’s cartoonists quickly picked up that the age issue had completely pivoted, and it was Trump';s problem now.

And The Real Reason How They Got Biden To Resign

From The Shovel.

But another confused candidate is still in there.

As Regular Nesters Know, We Like To End On A Laugh … But This Week, It’s More A Couple Of Sniggers …

First, During his research strolls through the cyber forest, The ‘Pie came across this. Form your own opinion.

Our local bunch of pretties all get more than double the highest paid SCC councillor. Interesting to note that Clover Moore has donated just under a million dollars of her salary over the years to charity.  Our own TwoNames gets almost as much, but The ‘Pie wouldn’t recommend he give it to charity … because then it would go to his  MyPlace cookers. No wonder we’re a national laughing stock.

Hypocrite of the Month, or really the last 6 decades,  goes to Bulletin editor Cas Garvey’s supreme boss, the randy Pickled Walnut. With whom, as we’ve seen, she totally agrees … care to interpret ‘real’ for us, Cas?

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Another week down and Townsville … and The Nest … are still here. Against the odds on both counts,  but hey, get stuck into comments give ‘em what for. Whoever they may be. The button for a helping donation is below.