MAD KATTERS/ MAD HATTERZ / MAD AS HELL/ MAD MOMENT IN SENATE FORUM CONFRONTATION

Snake  Gully  Influence  in  Queensland   Politics  

Three  serious looking Katter's Australian Party  hombres, Big Daddy Bob Katter (in Marlboro Country hat and sunnies, a  grim High Noon shootout expression on his face  ) , his  son , Bob  ( with tie ) ,  and   former  law officer , Shane  Knuth, make  life  tough  for  the minority  Palaszczuk ALP  government  in  Queensland  which  hangs  on  by  a  nylon  thread .

 Because of  this  precarious position,  the ALP often has long discussions with the only  two  KAP members in Queensland state politics-Shane Knuth  and   Bob  Katter Junior -on various matters , seeking  their  support .

However , just  when it looks as if  the duo  agree on  an issue , their stance  changes overnight  because in  the morning  Katter the younger  announces he has  discussed the  issue with  his dad  and  he is not  agreeable,  not  happy .

This situation  has been labelled  as  the  Dad and Dave of  Snake Gully  influence  on  Queensland  politics. Said one exasperated pollie in Brisbane  : "We know  who  Dad and  Dave are , but  will  there  be  a Mabel ?" Good question, as Joy Marriott , one of  the Knitting Nannas , a protest group which campaigned against  coal seam gas and  other  exploration and mining threats  to   land  and  water , is  standing for KAP as a Senate candidate  in  Queensland . Describing herself as an "ethical green" , commenting on proposed new  land clearing regulations  , she  said : "Until we can work out how we're going to  grow carrots  or produce in the fork of a tree , clearing land is essential for farmers."


She recently claimed  at a media conference that Cairns  federal government  pollie   Warren  Entsch told her to f**k off  at a  forum  on  the  proposed new  Queensland land  management laws .   He laughed off  the matter and claimed she had "stalked him " with  flyers . Snake Gully sure  has changed.

 

Apart  from  being  difficult to deal  with , believing they virtually have the government  at  the  point  of  a gun because of  the numbers , the KAP two play hardball . As well as making life difficult  for the ALP,  the KAP two  expressed disappointment  at  the successful challenge to the leadership of the LNP  leader  Lawrence Springborg   as  they had  an agreement  with him about their place in   a  change of  government , and  did not  like  the  replacement , Tim Nicholls ,  treasurer  in  the  Newman  government.

It is irksome that  the  only  KAP  member  in  the  House  of  Representatives, the Sombrero Kid, in effect calls the  shots in  the Queensland parliament .This has  caused impolite  muttering  in Brisbane , on both sides ,   about the "Mad  Katters" .

 Recently, one  of  this  blog's roving  rural reporters ,  running about on the Atherton Tablelands , spotted  Katter  senior , the Member for Kennedy , neatly kitted out ,  striding  along  at the  large Yungaburra  market , above ,  followed  by  Shane  Knuth, the  latter  armed  with  a  twisted  potato  on  a  stick .

Distracted by stalls offering books ,  our reporter lost track of  the  Katter deux  and  the spud on  a  stick   when  his attention was   grabbed by a book on Hitler's personal library,  which  he  bought ; there are two good  bookshops in the  town .

The  KAPs in  cowboy hats had  seemingly disappeared...Searching for them in the  large  crowd , our  scribe  spotted a place where they could be hiding -the  nearby   Mad Hatterz Whimsical  Tea  House  .   

 

 Peering  through  the  windows  like a thirsty  March Hare  , no  sign of the KAP duo   could  be seen , just  happy  people swilling  tea,  so  he  headed  for  the 1910 built  Yungaburra Hotel , also known as the Lake Eacham Hotel , for   light refreshments  and a  look  at  the interesting Federation architecture  interior features made  from  local timber, there being  a large street   painting  nearby depicting  tree felling .  

 

 

 

In a surprise development, a  Townsville  economist ,  Colin Dwyer  who had unsuccessfully  stood  for the LNP in  a  Queensland  state election , announced  he would  saddle up  for  KAP in the federal seat of  Herbert  against  Ewen Jones (LNP).

 

His entry was announced at  a  media conference where Dwyer sounded  like the angry  TV station   news   anchor   in   Network , Australia's own Peter Finch ,   the  academy award winning  l976  movie, in  which  he famously urged  viewers  (couch potatoes ) to  get  up , go to  windows , stick  out  their  heads  and shout out that they are  mad  as hell  about  the  state of  things  and are not  going to  take  it  any  longer .

(This scenario , of course , is repeated   in  our own  ABC TV   Mad as Hell  series anchored  by   oughta   be  certified  and  gonged   Shaun  Micallef.


 In print , on TV  and over  the  radio , Dwyer, obviously mad  with the LNP , spread the  message  that  he is  standing because  he is  very angry  about  what has    happened  to  the  Townsville economy  and  that  the city needs  a  voice  in Canberra ,  not  Canberra's  voice  in  Townsville .
 

This  expression of anger and the need for a voice in the holy city was  repeated in  campaign  adverts , and other media interviews . It could be prompted by the fact   that  during  one of the  Question Time  sessions  in  the House of Representatives , shortly  before the double dissolution election was  called , Bob Katter  senior  got  up  and  did  not seem to be seeking  information ,  more  like making  a  rant.  The government  responded  by  saying   Katter had  been in  parliament  long   enough  he  should  know   how  to  word  a  question.    

STOP  (SHOCK )  PRESS :   KAP expressed support for the Queensland budget because  of  provisions for  regional  parts of  the  state . 

ANGRY TROOPS MARCHING ON TURNBULL GOVERNMENT

 

AT SEA : Ewen  Jones  pointing  out  incoming ( angry )  mail and  extremely noisy  flocks of  Magnetic Island  flying  fish  to  PM  Turnbull , Mrs Turnbull ,   Environment  Minister  Hunt . 

 

There  are  clear  signs   that  members of  the Australian  Defence  Force   in  the  garrison  city   of    Townville    are   angry  with  the  Coalition  over  their   paltry  pay  increase , cuts  to allowances  and   the  increase in  Defence   housing  rents, which  could  see   incumbent  MHR  for  Herbert , Ewen Jones, meet  his  Waterloo , despite  distant  pundits   saying  otherwise. 

 

One  interesting  pre-polling  observation  is  that  troops  coming in  to  cast a vote often  walk  up  and  take  an ALP  how to vote . A seasoned   ALP  campaigner  in  Townsville  said   that  in  the  past  ADF members were  more likely to march straight  in , not  make  a  clear display that they were  supporting one party or  another , although it  was  thought  many voted  for  the  conservatives. 

 

This is attributed  to  anger  in  the ranks  over  treatment  from  the government and   the  performance of   Ewen Jones   who , to use what  sounds like a military expression but  which  is actually  slang ,  is  on  the  bugle .

ALP  doorknockers   report    this   dissatisfaction  over  pay and   rent   has    often  surfaced  in  Defence   housing  areas  of  Townsville .

The outspoken  ,  now   independent,  Tasmanian senator , Jacqui  Lambie , ex Army , lambasted the   government for the mean  pay increase offer .  She made  a hit  in Townsville on  Anzac Day when  she  played  two  up . Not  only  disgruntled   troops   are  massing   to   march  on  Jones  at  the  ballot box . Just the  other day ,  there was  something of a minor  confrontation when unionists   were   handing  out  how to  vote cards  which  put   Jones last and a  Jones supporter   became   angry .   

 

This dissatisfaction  among  the  troops   and  organised  unionists  will  also feature  in  the battle for the federal Northern Territory  seat  of  Solomon ,  held   by  Natasha  Griggs , again  challenged  by  the ALP candidate , Luke Gosling , an ex Army man with leadership roles in  Parachute Infantry, Commandos, Defence Cooperation Programs, the Territory’'s Norforce, as well as overseas service in PNG, Malaysia and Timor-Leste.


SAVE  THE  CHOOK'S NECK :

The  NT Library in  Darwin's parliament house  has sent out a  call  for election brochures and flyers to be sent in to add  to its  large historical collection . In  one  item  Chookie  urges  the voter to   SAVE  MY  BACON .

 

THE ART OF WALKING ON WATER

 

While attending the recent  Cairns ECOfiesta in the Cairns Cruise Liner  Terminal ,  Little Darwin came across  a  demonstration of Flyboarding  which wowed onlookers. The exhaust from the  jet  boat driven  up the  tube elevated the  rider  who delivered a  spectacular  performance ; taking  a  dive , he emerged  from  the water  holding  a  selfie. The  festival , with more than 100 stalls , brought  together  the environment , community and   the economy  in  one special event . In attendance  were representatives  of local   wildlife attractions , organisations which take action to protect the environment, information on   better water  usage ,  prevention of  the spread of noxious weeds . New products were displayed and  food samples offered .   One  stall  was  run  by  the  ALP . Recently the  Labor   Environment  Action  Network  (LEAN) ,  which  is increasing  activities  in  North  Queensland ,  opened a new  branch in  Townsville . 

INSIDE NEFERTITI'S TOMB : CURLEWS AND POLITICIANS

Looking all the world like  painted  hieroglyphs on  an ancient  Egyptian  temple  wall , the resident  Little  Darwin  Curlews  lead  us  to  speculate  that  the  embalmed  body of  a  revered  and  worshipped  King  Curlew   ( Big Bird )   will  be  found inside  a  secret  chamber behind the  walls of  King Tutankhamun's   tomb, in  which it  is speculated could  contain  the  mummy  of   Queen  Nefertiti . When   our  Curlews  were  quizzed  about  this  fanciful possibility , shortly after  sunrise , they  just  sat  there  and stared back  Sphinx-like,  sending  me a telepathic message to  shut up , take  my  medication ,   and   feed  them . 

 

STOP  PRESS :  Spooky things have happened  since  this  item was  posted ...In the first instance , during the night , there was a  rumbling in the sky and up spake tenants of the Valley  of  the  Kings , passing down  the  wisdom  of  the  ages to  mere  mortals .

Then, in  a flash of lightning , a  giant  white Curlew, above ,   descended to  earth on Magnetic Island  and  held up   a  corflute  for  the ALP candidate  in the seat of  Herbert , Cathy O'Toole , who  it has been  remarked has  curls like beauteous  Queen  Nefertiti .

Just    across the road , the poster   for the Herbert incumbent  turkey , Ewen Jones,  collapsed under  the  X-ray glare of  the giant Curlew  from the  netherworld  .  Another dazzling  flash , and  a conventional sized  Curlew   from the  Temple of  Thebes  appeared  next  to   a poster of   Cathy  O'Toole ,  seemingly  gazing  back  across the  centuries  to  ancient  Egypt  and  Syria.

 

 

It  has hardly stopped raining ever  since these astonishing events  and  with any luck  this  rain  sent  by  the Pharaohs  will  fill  the  nearly empty  Townsville  dam so that we will no longer have  to  bathe in  sour  donkey voter  milk ,  as  did  Cleopatra  to  exfoliate her  wrinkles . 

QUESTIONABLE USE OF ANZAC DAY FOR POLITICAL PURPOSE

In Townsville , it seems it is okay for  the  MP  for  Herbert,  Ewen  Jones (LNP) , with no military credentials  ,  except  foolishly  tossing a  hand-grenade  about  at  Lavarack  Barracks  during  a visit  by  PM  Malcolm Turnbull  , providing what was termed "comic relief",   to use Anzac  Day  for  political  purposes, yet distinguished  former  serving  military men standing for  election have been told by the  ADF not to use photographs of themselves  in  uniform in  political  billboards  and   posters.   

The above advertisement  for  Anzac  Day services throughout the  Townsville  area  in the Townsville Bulletin  shows a  beaming  Jones, under a  large  slouch hat , delivering   a  royal  we  personal  message.

Running along the bottom : Authorised  by  Ewen Jones MP, Ground Floor ... clearly  an  opportunistic   advertisement   for   Jones. 

A number of people  believe the  Townsville Bulletin  should have run the  local services  information  as  a  matter of  normal public service , maybe the RSL,  not  Jones in an advertisement  clearly  using the  slouch hat and Anzac Day for   a   political purpose.

In the WA seat of Canning, Andrew Hastie (Liberal )    was sacked by the Army reserves for refusing  to take down billboards that showed him in his uniform.  Hastie  told   the  West Australian that former Army Chief , retired Lieutenant-General David Morrison, had "politicised the ADF long before I ever put my mug on a billboard". He added that the now Australian of the Year had "hastened my exit from the Army into politics".

 

The  Brisbane  Labor candidate  , Pat O'Neill , a former  Army major , is  also facing dismissal  from  the reserves for failing to meet  his promise to take down similar billboards . A Defence spokesman said  administrative action could be taken  against  him.

The Labor candidate in Eden Monaro, Mike Kelly, has used images of himself in uniform  in pamphlets but on the inside pages, not on billboards or posters. A former defence materiel minister, he is reported as  saying : "I have always complied with ADF requests and  instructions  in  relation  to  campaign  activities … It  is my understanding  that  using photos of myself with no other ADF members in low-key material amongst a mix of photos is perfectly acceptable."As a member of  the standby reserve, he said he  would comply with any Defence instructions. 

BIZARRE ATTACK ON QUEENSLAND POLITICIAN HOT / COLD CASE

 

The many travellers who stop at the  Rex  Lookout , a  jumping off  point for hang gliders ,  on  the Captain Cook Highway ,between Cairns and  Port Douglas , which  affords  magnificent  views  of  Trinity Bay ,  do not know that it  was the scene of a mysterious  oxyacetylene    torch    attack  on  a  Queensland state  politician .

 

Little Darwin  discovered this   strange situation when  our chauffeur made a  pit stop  at the  lookout  and  we  noticed  the  name of a  politician-subsequently found to be  Martin Tenni , the Member for Barron  River - had  been   obliterated   on   the  memorial  plaque by a person or  persons  obviously extremely   hot   under   the  collar .

 

Furthermore , a  visiting  British Liberal Democrat  activist , Paul Walter ,  taking in the sights of North Queensland in 2012,  informed  readers of  his blog, Liberal Burblings ,  that  he  had been intrigued  to learn an oxyacetylene  torch  had  been  used   to  remove  Tenni's  name  from  the brass   plaque at  the lookout. He posted the details following  discussion over  "denaming " memorials on which  appeared  the  name of  evil  knighted  BBC star , Jimmy Savile , who sexually  molested  so  many  people.

 

Walter, part of the editorial team  since 2011 of  the Liberal Democrat Voice website   said   Tenni's  "sin" seemed to have been due to the fact that he been  investigated in the 1987-89  Fitzgerald Inquiry into corruption in the  Queensland  government  and police force , resulting in the "deposition " of a premier, Joh Bjelke-Petersen , two by-elections , the jailing of three  ministers  and a  police commissioner who  was  jailed  and  lost  his  knighthood. An erroneous statement was made about this leading to the end of  32 years of National  Party rule .

 

The  2012 view of  the  plaque  as snapped by Walter .

" So now we know what motivated someone to go all the way to Rex Lookout to melt a name off  a  plaque,"Walter  told his  readers. "It seems doubtful that the name melting was  officially  sponsored. It looks like the plaque has been subject to  other  vandalisation, now rubbed off."

 

 

The Liberal Burblings  blog included  a photograph  of  the " beautiful ,  nay , breathtaking views , " from the  lookout. Walter  went on  to say  Mr  Tenni  "still  stimulates  anger  to  this  day". 

 

The  Britisher  was  spot on when declaring Tenni  still  angered  people after so many years out  of  parliament . Google revealed  that  very  year , a  satirical  website  called  Hillbilly Watch , strongly  criticised Tenni, then  in his late  70s , for comments he had made relating  to   crocodiles and rangers  , on Cairns  radio  station 4CA, which regularly gave him   time to air his  views  that  obviously  antagonised  / infuriated  some   listeners .  

Posted outrageous comments included  trenchant , abusive criticism of  Tenni , the Joh Bjelke-Petersen government , police  bashing protestors, with whores, pimps, brown paper bags , bookmakers , etc  included  in  a  massive broadside . Tenni was  told  to  SHUT UP  by one poster,  another  would  dance  on  his  grave.The  presenter of  the radio show  , a Cairns Post reporter and others  also received  a  serve  in  the  incandescent  attacks.

 Going on  this fiery response , it is a  wonder the Rex Lookout was  not  hit  with a  bunker buster  bomb  dropped  from  a  USAF B52. 

Tenni, who held  various ministerial  portfolios  ranging from environment   to water and marine services , mines and energy  and northern  development , resigned  in 1989.During his  time in  parliament  a  woman was taken  in 1985   while swimming  in  a  river  late  at  night . One  account  says  about 70 crocodiles  were  shot  over  two  weeks  before  her  remains were  found. It went on to say...The hunting was illegal but sanctioned by the then National Party government: environment  minister Martin Tenni  famously  told  how he hoped his  Barron River electorate  would  one day  be  crocodile-free.

When pressure mounted to save the rainforests of the wet tropics  from development , with  a move to establish the Greater Daintree National Park , Tenni, the environment minister , inflamed the situation by  saying in parliament : "With so many Aboriginal Reserves and National Parks , if we are not careful there will not be enough land left on which to build  a dance hall .  I am sick and tired of listening to Ms Hills from Cape Tribulation  who says that a road cannot  be built through the Cape Tribulation National Park to Cooktown  because a few trees will have to  be destroyed ..."

The online  guide to the nation's monuments contains this listing for the Rex Lookout  plaque:

REX LOOKOUT
    Named in recognition of
  RAYMOND DAVID REX ESQ.
      J.P.,O.B.E.,F.R.C.S.A
Chairman Douglas Shire Council 1933-1955
     and Councillor 1918-1955
Early advocate of the Captain Cook Highway
Which was officially opened on the 17-12-1933.
This plaque was unveiled by (illegible) M.L.A
     Member for Barron River
      On 21st August 1982

 

In a 2011 taped  Queensland Speaks  interview , Tenni touched lightly on  his  career; in relation to the  Fitzgerald Inquiry he said  that when you  appeared before it  you were regarded as  guilty  and   had   to  prove  your  innocence .  This  and  the  fact  that  he  did  not want to be  part of the" smell " of the   affair   had   been  responsible for  him getting  out  of  politics,  growing mangoes , sugar cane and  into real estate .

BUY MORE WAR BONDS

One of  our  runners  in   Asia  who  looks  for  unusual  pieces  of ephemera  for  this  blog  bought  this  WWll  related  item  in a Thai market  , which is a  modern reproduction. He also  obtained  a circa 1920s  business card in  Chinese and English which  then was put  on   his desk to  pass  on  to  us and  now it cannot be found. Recently he found the  passport he had lost eight months ago  in  his house , which had  cost  eight hundred  smackers to replace  and caused a  lot  of  heartburn .  This   situation  has once again  prompted   this  blogger  to  attempt to get  some order on  the desk  which   is  cluttered  with  notebooks, scraps of paper ,  folders  , accursed  biros which  don't  write, umpteen  leaflets and  pamphlets  kept   because  they   make  good  book page  markers , but  sometimes spill onto  the  floor .