Mayor’s budget decision seems stuck in the pipeline

HERE are some tips for the Cowboys on how to play and win.

Jason Taumalolo ( pictured) must learn how to side step, pass the ball and offload, being a wrecking ball is not being a footballer, as footballers win games not wrecking balls. Watch a video replay of Sam Burgess when he was at his best about five years ago.

JT must allow other players to see the ball more often as the Cowboys’ game is so predictable. JT is the best in the game and the defence know this so are ready for him which makes their task much easier to defend. More variation is required.

Instead of doing the same passing plays all the time in every game, change it and confuse the enemy. Switch the attack more often and all players please offload the ball at every opportunity plus get the ball out to the wingers quickly, also more often.

When I am sitting in my lounge chair having a cold XXXX we see so many times players out wide scratching themselves when they should be receiving the ball.

This can be very frustrating as most of the time they are unmarked and desperately waiting to have a go but often the players decide to run down the middle where four defenders are ready and waiting for them and the attack ends.

Remember the ball is there to be used, so use it. Keep it moving and make the opposition tired of chasing you.

I know I am too late for last night’s game but perhaps next game you can give it a go. Can’t do any harm, can it. M. WARREN,

Townsville. POLITICS is about decision, indecision and motivation.

Populist politics often sees a great deal of talk but one thing we desperately lack in many elected representatives is follow- through and making decisions.

When we have decision it is important to establish motive.

In March 2016 Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill said there was no urgency to gain water security. Several months post re- election our mayor became a champion for water security.

Recently, after our mayor’s request for pipeline funding to be brought forward failed, we saw her express her disappointment in her state Labor counterparts. She stated her concern that the ratepayer would have to cover the short- term future construction costs of the pipeline until funds become available from the State Government.

Our mayor a while back enunciated her commitment to the pipeline being completed by December 2019. A decision was made without all required pieces of the puzzle.

Now people need to consider the Mayor’s motivation to try her best to deliver her commitment for the pipeline construction. It is for the people to decide whether it is right for the Townsville ratepayers to again be burdened and whether people believe this may or may not cause further rate rises.

Our mayor has a choice of working within the budget constraints established by the Queensland Government or to “interim” burden the ratepayer.

Pride may suggest, in light of the next local government election being due in early 2020, that motivation is more based on brownie points for reelection than it is for working within set budget time frames. STEVEN ISLES, Bushland Beach.