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sweetlifetownsville · 6 years ago

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Memo Mayor Mullet: Being Seen Through Is Not Transparency. The TCC Culture Of Secrecy Continues Apace.

Meetings behind closed doors to commit an undisclosed amount of ratepayer money to a vague notion of (yet again) attracting an international airline, and just what is the deal with that City Deal now, has it all been scuttled? The scurrying and squeaking behind the political skirting boards is getting more frantic. Think were being taken for a ride at the ballot box? youd be right, with the system revamped to hoodwink the majority of voters. But The Pie to the rescue with an explainer. The Pie spots some glib sayings during the week, which are simply wrong, wrong and wrong. Also, an unexpected moment of clarity from our council, .while off-shore, our regular weekly visit to the Trumpistan gallery. But first The Campaign Caravanserai Grinds On Across The Landscape, Stirring Up Apathy all Around There has been enough said elsewhere about the triviality of the weeks campaigning, and the totally unedifying leaders debates, which have offered about as much probative value as that smugly orchestrated outrage on Q&A. Candidates from both sides are dropping like flies, all caught out by some ancient un-PC social media posts, giving the finger waggers a field day. Makes you wonder who does the background checks for the parties and what it says about their social media competence to begin with. Our resident toonist Bentley is still sceptical of many issues from both sides, but one in particular he thinks is utter tosh.

Why is this even an issue in this election? Actually, come to think of it, its not, just a wish list distraction. But our bright spark wannabee PM has the right power connections, when it comes to other sensitive issues, like his franking credits swoop on super funds. The very best advice is on hand for him, 24/7.

This is a campaign is search of a universal issue, a cross-generational punch-up starter. As it stands at the moment, the rampant glad-handing emptiness underlines the rampant disenchantment with big party politics The Pie is tipping a balance-of-power parliament. Fear And Loathing At The Ballot Box So youve listened to the pleadings, wheedlings and horror stories until your ears bleed, made what sense you can of it all (or simply believed whichever fairy tale you want), and now you stand in the pre-polling booth, wanting to get your duty over and done with, clutching two ballot papers roughly the length of War And Peace (more characters, but less plot). Youre ready to make your mark for your choice of who you want to lead this country. Or are you? The House of Reps seems to be a doddle

Hmmm, seems relatively straightforward. Licking the pencil with a tentative tongue, you number the boxes, starting with 1 for your first choice, and then number on down in gradients of disgust until all boxes are filled, from most wanted to least wanted. Whew, not so hard after all. Now lets just knock off the Senate vote and head to the pub. As you unfold the Senate ballot paper, you think back to the puzzling advice from the polling officer Please watch your language sir, there are children around. Then you open it.

WHOAAAA!!! WTF, YOU MUST BE FKING KIDDING!! But wait, theres more

Welcome to our loopy democracy at work. But hang on, it seems simple enough, if you vote above the line you just number at least 6 boxes, your first choice being number 1). But if you vote below the line, you must number at least 12 boxes, with the same priority of choice. Note the at least, as though that 12 isnt enough. But no, you can spend a merry hour or two and number the whole lot if you want, you old academic, you. But Heres The Thing A Trap For The Unwary HOWEVER, what you do not do with your senate vote is replicate the voting preferences as you did with the Lower House, where your enter your descending order of disdain. In the Senate, you vote 1 to 6 above the line, or 1 to 12 if below the line,for the candidates you most want to see in the Senate. Its like naming a team you want to take the field for you. Because if you vote further down for a candidates you least want, YOU ARE ACTUALLY CASTING A VOTE FOR THEM. So wonder no more why we end up with fruit loops like Malcolm Roberts and Fraser Anning et al having the power to block laws decided by the peoples place, the House of Reps. Researching all this, The Pie was particularly taken with the practice sample provided on line by the AEC: he wonders if the imaginary names given arent actually pretty good description of the real parties in this election. You choose whos who.

In Passing Couple of polar opposites in names way down the list in the Senate paper caught The Magpies eye.

Bravehearts founder and champion of child protection Hetty Johnston is having another tilt at public office, numerous previous attempts being unsuccessful. The Pie has met Ms Johnston on several occasions when he was taking Ruperts shilling, and was impressed with her sincerity, compassion and commitment to her cause. And oh what might have been Hettys most recent foray into the political arena was in 2015, when she ran for mayor of Logan City, but had to withdraw to care for her elderly mother. Oh, just think what heartache and public expense might have been avoided had she won. But then (sigh) as they say, if my aunty had balls, she wouldve been my uncle. And at the other end of the zealots stable we find one Kim Vuga, of the Love Australia Or Leave Party. On all evidence, Ms Vuga, a simplistic vulgarian which, as her party name suggests, campaigns on issues based on racism, packaged up as bogan-style patriotism, but is actually an attack on free speech; she is from the Malcolm Roberts School of foam flecked shouty single issue nuisances. But accidents happen and Roberts undeservedly actually did fall into a Senate spot before being turfed out on grounds of nationality he was found to be a Martian. But you can bet a vote for Ms Vuga will be a vote for an old BBF of hers.

All of which is just one small example of the fruit salad of candidates from which we can choose to govern us. A T-Shirt For The Times

Our mates at the wonderful piss-taking publication the Betoota Advocate reckon the ladies of their local CWA have created the ideal T-shirt for this election campaign and no argument from The Pie about that.

And one Magpie reader has come up with a re-cycling idea which is sure to make hasten the associated activity.

WRONG WRONG WRONG Adani continues to be an on-again-off-again issue in the Federal election, and the heat generated could a handy power source in itself. It also had a variety of people trotting out some banal and incorrect analogies. And the first to get it wrong was this bloke in the Astonisher story. Queensland Resources Council chief executive Ian Macfarlane urged the Government to get on with approving the $60 billion in resources projects in the approvals pipeline.Its great to celebrate the investment secured over the last four years, but no one won a race running backwards, he said. Well, Ian, matey, thats just plain wrong, and will come as a big surprise to this bloke.

Then the Adani issue grew from a thorn to a big rusty nail in the side of The Tool, who has been ducking and weaving on the Carmichael Mine issue because of the confusion in the Short Uns camp about the correct line. From the Astonisher again. Ms OToole re-affirmed Labor had no plans to review Adanis approvals but said the mine needed to go through due regulatory process. That is really important you cant just throw sticks to the ground, put a roof on it and call it a house, she said. Well, in this country, you can actually, dearie. And some are still forced to do so.

Theyre called gunyahs. The Hermit Kingdom Of Jen Kim-un

The closed door culture was at its best with the Townsville City Council this week, when last Tuesdays meeting went into closed session to discuss that item we mentioned last week the ominous sounding International Flight Attraction Incentives Contribution. After the secret session, which decided to proceed with the recommendations of a confidential report, we learned that the council will be in cahoots with Townsville Airport to lobby for direct flights from Singapores Changi airport to Townsville. But things werent too clear in the Astonishers report, when Mayor Mullet was quoted We wont be offering incentives per se to the company. Its really more about what well contribute to a marketing campaign. That of course means paying in part for advertising, which aint cheap. Several questions spring forth like startled gazelles. For a start, which company is being referred to, the QAL-owned Townsville Airport, or the targeted airline (which wasnt named)? And Tony Raggatt neglected to ask what one would think was an obvious question how much are the ratepayers stumping up for this, this time? It may well be justified but we are entitled to know, arent we? And who did the confidential report on which the decision was based , how much did it cost, and when did council vote to commission it, its the first weve heard of it? And heres the biggy on a running issue why is the council doing this, and not Townsville Enterprise, which is laughingly billed as Townsvilles peak marketing and tourism body? (Again we must ask, just what the bloody hell do TEL do, except claim credit for the work of others?) There was some talk that TEL would be involved, which is interesting since the mayor is the vice-chair of the TEL Board to chairman Kevin Rhymes With Gill who is also the head of Townsville Airport. All using public money for this venture. Gotta love this town. And Wither The Much Vaunted City Deal? As The Pie understands it, to get City Deal money, a council development corporation had to be created, which would also hold council land that is deemed suitable to develop in partnership with private enterprise. Why this insistence on yet another layer of bureaucracy which in the wrong hands, is an invitation to corruption, a la Ipswich is anybodys guess, but as it stands as of now, thats all out the window. It would be reasonable to assume that there was no activity, no appointment of new directors, no returns, no report since incorporation. Maybe they just realised is was a dud idea that they were never going to be able to manage. Company Name: TOWNSVILLE EA2 PTY LTD Company Type: Australian Proprietary Company Registered Office: 103 WALKER STREET, TOWNSVILLE, 4810, QLD No. of Current Company Directors: 3 Directors: Name: THOMSON MATTHEW ALLAN Appointed 23/11/2017 Name: YOUNG ADELE CATHERINE MARIE Appointed 23/11/2017 Name: HILL JENNIFER LORRAINE Appointed 23/11/2017 Company Secretary: FINLAYSON GRAEME ROBERT Appointed 23/11/2017 No annual returns or financial reports were recorded by ASIC for this company. And it will be wound up in a matter of weeks. So this company dies from neglect. But there is no explanation as to why all this has happened, especially as it is pivotal to the City Deal worth tens of millions. This May Come As a Surprise, But

The Magpie was impressed with the new TCC CEO Mike Chiodos forthright, plain English statements in todays paper regarding the great news for Townsville that the second stage pipeline looks like being built concurrently with stage one, which is already underway. Compare this with the usual patronising political duck and weave: Mr Chiodo said the council could not wait any longer to ensure the appropriate design was in place for stage 1 but that they would still be in a position to use the design, with some alteration and by moving the pumps to Clare, if a funding announcement was made by late May or early June. The fact that we are proceeding with design shouldnt be construed as anything other than we as an organisation wanting to meet our original commitment and being in a position to facilitate stage 2 should that come through after the election, Mr Chiodo said. The Pie just hopes theres more where that came from doesnt have to be stuff with which we agree, but just so long as we are respectfully informed in plain language. Mayor Mullet, take note. Chewbaccas Last Flight To The Stars Actor Peter Mayhew, best known as the man behind the Star Wars cuddly cult hero Chewbacca, departed our planet during the week. By all reports, one of the good guys in life, Mayhew was lauded from all sides as a funny and likeable bloke. And the man who brought to life one of the most memorable movie characters. But he may be encountering a problem on his final mission, according to the New Yorkers Avi Steinberg.

The Week In Trumpistan Attorney General Barrs toady antics is attempting to shield President Agent Orange from the damning details of the Mueller report has been the focus of attention during the week, along with a shameful milestone for the president.

And

Dessert? The Statue of Limitations

.. Thats yer lot for today, folks, please keep up the erudite, high intellectual tone of the political comments on the blog, heh heh heh and, hey, if youre pretty financially flush just now, a helping hand with a donation would be most gratefully received, the how to donate button is below. http://www.townsvillemagpie.com.au/memo-mayor-mullet-being-seen-through-is-not-transparency-the-tcc-culture-of-secrecy-continues-apace/

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