Readers of this blog in the Northern Territory have scoffed at some of the goings on in the North Queensland city of Townsville . When the Townsville Bulletin , a Murdoch paper, drew up a list of the 50 most powerful local people , the number one spot went to Johnathan Thurston of the Cowboys . Some people sniffed that if a footballer was the most powerful hombre in town , it did not say much for the rest of the populace . Dems fighting words.
Furthermore, it was pointed out that the Northern Territory News, another in the Murdoch stable , had a list of powerful people running to 120 , an Aussie Rules footballer, Cyril "Junior Boy " Rioli #18. Tracy Hayes, CEO of the NT Cattlemen's Association topped the list ahead of the new Chief Minister Michael Gunner , Chinese billionaire Ye Cheng who was given the crazy 99-year lease of Port Darwin , Gina Rinehart , intent on buying the Kidman empire. Pretty powerful pussycats .
Another arty , uppity Territorian asked if Townsville is becoming a cultural wasteland after reading about the Townsville City Council sacking curator and manager of galleries , Perc Tucker and Pinnacles, Shane Fitzgerald , causing angry benefactors to threaten to cut off hefty donations .
