CANBERRA RESPONDS TO TOWNSVILLE WAR MEMORIAL NEGLECT

As a  result of  this  blog  highlighting  the   long running neglect of  war  memorials in  the garrison    city of  Townsville , the  Australian  War Memorial  in  Canberra   was informed . The response would  make an interesting  story if  any  Townsville reporter  takes   the  time  to  contact  the   War Memorial  , perhaps  speak to Brendan Nelson   for  a follow up to  find out  what  he  thinks  about  the  situation  in  the Queen City of the North .

 It  seems the AWM  feels  the  Townsville City Council  , obviously , one would think ,  should  play a  part  ,  and even  points out  how it  could  apply for    funds to carry out  regular   care   and  maintenance   of  memorials .   This  info  was  fired into  the TCC .  Our  S(h)ipping Reporter   recently  reported that  at long  last  the Victory in the Pacific  War Memorial Fountain    in   the  Railway Oval   is    working,  in   a  reduced  fashion , although  thirsty birds are  delighted  it  is  pumping  water   during  the  heatwave .  

Today , however, the old ticket office in  the  nearby  Townsville Railway Station , which  houses  the  large  WWl  railway roll of  honour, was , as usual , in need of   a  sweep , a  woman's  abandoned  shoe  under   a   bench  seat .   

 The large   clock  on  the Townsville  travel centre exterior  at the railway building , a large part of which was  refurbished at a  large sum ,   is still not  working  and   has not   done so for  years .  

AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLIES DECLARE COALITION GOVERNMENT DUNCES



Adani  coalmine featured  in signs outside  Parliament House , Brisbane.

The massive demonstration  by schoolchildren  across   the nation  expressing their deep concern about  climate  change, the  future   and   government inaction  should  have  shaken  the   inept, self  serving   National  Liberals to the core .  Instead, it  drew a typical   smartarse comment  from Senator  Canavan   about the  pupils  only  learning  to   line up for the  dole ; as you would expect ,  going on the modus operandi of  the PM , he was  also  dismissive  of  the  School Strike  for the Planet  .

Another message  from Victoria  for PM  and   Coalition. 

 It came on a day when  large parts of Queensland  were  afire in a  heatwave,  there  were  warnings  of  another  imminent   Barrier   Reef  coral  bleaching  episode,  bats and birds were dropping   down dead   out of trees, Adani  announced  its intention  for a n almost  pre Xmas  start  to   a scaled  down  coal   mine  which   leads to the  firm  suspicion that it was timed to  influence  the  outcome  of   the   federal election  in  the  vulnerable  Sunshine State   seats .     

Demonstration in Darwin outside  parliament ; longtime residents  say the so called front door to Australia  is  hotter than  ever  due to  climate  change .

The   incredible  insensitivity  of  Adani  making  its  announcement   on  a day when  Queensland   was  reeling  under  the heatwave  and   life threatening  fires  attracted  condemnation . However, the  cargo cult mentality of much of the    Queensland  media   gave  the  illusion  that   streets  in  central and northern  parts of  the  state, due to Adani ,  would  soon be lined with   jobs and gold  rather  than  burning embers  .   It  seemed   valid  questions about  dubious aspects  of  the  Adani  proposal  were  raised  on  The Drum , ABC television , but   failed  to  get  a  mention  elsewhere . 

 

 The "striking " schoolkids  displayed and carried  a   wide range of  signs and placards :  THERE  IS NO PLANET B ; THIS IS WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE ; STOP  BURNING OUR FUTURE  .  Some wore anti- Adani earrings  .  The   inner  circle  of   the   Coalition  also  came under  attack in Sydney :

 

 

The  slow learning Coalition  government  should  realise that  while it may mock the "strike" , claim it was   organised by lefty teachers, those  kids have parents   who , polls show, are  deeply  concerned  about  climate  change, a definite   factor in  the  Victorian election , Wentworth  byelection . 

OWL AND GERMAN PUSSYCATS IN PAINT STRIPPING HEATWAVE

Another  S(h)ipping  Reporter Scoop

Prowling about the  Townsville  waterfront , that region of the city where  local  reporters  do  not   go because of  the deep   fear they will be devoured by the dreaded   ABC  Kraken monster  ,  our brave nautical scribe, the only one north of  Hobart ,  came across  a  swag  of  hot yarns  .There was a cargo ship with  the  catchy name , Owl .  What  can   you associate with an  owl ?   

 

The  answer , dear  sunsmart  reader ,   is   revealed  thus . While travelling on a  ferry from Magnetic Island to Townsville,  the restless , recently refurbished  S(h)ipping Reporterand other passengers  were  confronted by  two German  pussycats , one  said  to  be wearing a  G-string .

 The ferry almost became an  underwaterboten  as  passengers stampeded  about   taking photographs , a  red faced SeaLink  crewman forced to  pose  with   the  two travellers who had  stripped   down   to   cope with  the searing  Queensland   heat . He was  informed on  the spot that the shot  had   gone  viral , muttered  something like :" Gawd , what will  the missus  and  the rest of  the crew have  to say ? "    

Nobody took any notice of a wrecked yacht on the breakwater  wall  and  a crazed looking  ancient  mariner  , in a loincloth ,  down on his knees , feebly  waving  a  battered   pith  helmet  for   help .  

TATTERED PIRATE FLEET OFF QUEENSLAND

S(h)ipping   Reporter's  Border  Security Scoop

Lurking off Townsville, in  Cleveland  Bay , this pirate vessel was snapped   along with  several other  invading  sailing ships , their  cutthroat  crews   intent on  sacking the  Queen City of the North- if anything is left  after showing clear signs of having already  been  plundered  by  a horde  of  barbarians , now   plagued by strolling  fortune tellers , three  dollar  bill  vendors , counterfeit  international   currency  printers ,  a  snoozing   local  media . 

QUEENSLAND ON FIRE

Bushfires  and extreme heat have produced  fiery sunrises and haze in the Townsville  area providing spectacular  photographs  for  early morning  walkers up  Castle Hill , missed by the  local media . At times  Magnetic Island has  been almost  invisible  or a small  peak suddenly  emerging   out  of  a wall of  smoke like Mount Fuji , without snow , naturally .  In turn , Castle  Hill  has been  invisible from  the island , with smoke evident in  various parts of the  island . Much of Cleveland  Bay has been blanketed  . The  hottest reported temperature  in  Townsville  was  just over 45C on  Mount  Stuart  . Sunsets also dramatic .

One of our correspondents travelling  by train from Townsville to Cairns reported signs of  fires and   storm  damage   nearer  Cairns.Townsville and Magnetic Island experienced electrical  storms which blacked out part of the city and  brought  down trees  in  the CBD . 

Storm damage south of  Cairns

ROGER DAVID CLOSURE REVIVES CHAMPION BOXER'S LINK

The  closure of the Townsville  branch  of the long established  Roger  David nationwide  menswear  chain   brings to  light   the  involvement  of  an Australian   boxing  champion , Max Carlos ,  with   the  company   and   his strong   connection  with   Townsville   and   nearby   Magnetic  Island .

 

At the age of 14 , Max Carlos , son of a  Spanish merchant seaman , trained as a tailor with  Roger David  in Victoria.  By  20 , having won more than 50 fights ,  he represented Australia  at the  l956 Melbourne Olympics .The   first  bout  was  against highly rated   American Joe Shaw , tipped to  take out  gold .  It was a  fierce encounter , Shaw winning on points. However,  he suffered  a broken rib and  a badly cut eye  in the  fight and had to withdraw  from  further  involvement .

During the  finals  match, Carlos   watching ringside, was tapped on the  shoulder  by   the  injured American boxer, who   said :  " Hey Maxie . Look at these two bums fighting  for our  medal ."    

 When  he won  the   Australian Lightweight  Championship in  l958 , the  Roger David  company  had  the  above  special  belt made  for  him  from  crocodile skin.

 

Known as a  never  give in fighter , Carlos  took part in epic  bouts  against  George Bracken , above , in  Melbourne's Festival Hall , also known as the Festival of Pain . Born on Palm Island of an Aboriginal mother and Indian  father, Bracken is said to have  received  early  fight  experience   with the Jimmy Sharman  Travelling  Boxing Troupe   in Townsville .

 

During one of the   fights  Carlos entered  the ring wearing  a Footscray  Aussie Rules  jumper  and  Bracken  sported  one  for  Geelong.

 

On leaving boxing , Carlos  had a  Roger David  store in Shepparton . Twenty three years after his last fight  he underwent an operation for  a brain tumour  which  left  him  with  severe  double vision and  droopy eyelids.

 

He and wife, Yvonne, had  a  time share on  Magnetic Island . On visits  Max liked to play blackjack at the Townsville casino. He attracted  much attention because his eyes were  kept  open with surgical tape  and he was slow making bets. 
  

Before  heading  north for  the island once more , he received medical advice that the cancer   had  returned .  After  a lucky night   at the casino  , he returned to the island with about  $1000 ,  collapsed  soon  after,  eventually   flown  south  to  Victoria  where  he  died .    

DISAPPEARING PM IN SECRET MEETING WITH FEMME FATALE

MELBOURNE: It can be exclusively revealed the   reason why  Prime Minister  Scott  Morrison failed to be seen  anywhere   on   election day  in  Victoria  is because he  was engaged  in   top secret talks   with an influential American  female  strategist  who  has many friends in the  Washington Swamp .  She  is  none other  than  that  cute  grunter  from  Iowa , Miss Piggy , star of the Muppet Show , upon which the Australian  Coalition  government is modelled  

 The  highly popular porcine person  is shown whispering into the PM's shell  pink  strong   advice   for  the  looming federal  election  campaign  to prevent  the  government being reduced to pork  belly futures rejects .  She  was able to get closer to  ScoMo  than  Pamela Anderson  ever could  while  he was  drawing up plans for  Operation Oink  to stop Bill Shorten  from bringing home the bacon and onion  bedded  democracy  sausage  next  year .

 

 During  the vital tete-a-tete  , she explained she  is a sensitive  feminist  pig   who  likes to use French swear  words and  deliver karate  chops  on people  who annoy her, get  in  the way of her  plans  to  become  a  star , grab centre  stage . According to a  leak , it is said  Miss Piggy  asked the PM if  there are any male chauvinist  pigs  in the  Liberal  Party she  should  meet to discuss election plots to muddy the  election   issues .


 Once  described as  a truckdriver  wanting to  become a  woman , Miss Piggy  secured a promise from ScoMo   that   she  can drive his bus during the  federal election . While at the wheel , she   would try and  avoid running over   frogs and cane toads   while zooming along the Bruce Highway in  Queensland , because while her husband,  Kermit, is a happily married   frog , he  can't stop himself  hopping from  one   pond  to  another , risking  roadkill  in  the  process.