Hughes Gallery Exhibition: A Lace Space

This one looks worth a look especially if you are into art and craft with a contemporary twist. New Exhibition Coming Soon to Hughes Gallery A Lace Space Sylvia Piddington 4 July – 27 July 2014 Open Mon-Sat 10am – 4pm

Exhibition of Contemporary Lace and Basketry artwork by South Australian fibre artist Sylvia Piddington. Sylvia experiments with the idea of space as the shapes are formed between the threads and the spaces within sculptural forms. A wide range of materials are used, techniques explored, altered and expanded with passion – sometimes with quite surprising results. OFFICIAL OPENING: Friday 11 July, 6pm Guest speaker: Rosemary Shepherd OAM HUGHES GALLERY Fullarton Park Community Centre 411 Fullarton Road, FULLARTON SA 5063 Ph 8372 5180 Open: Mon–Fri 10am-4pm,           Sat 10am-4pm (artist gallery sitting) For more information visit our website atwww.unley.sa.gov.au/hughesgallery

Clarence Park station beatification

Clarence Park Station before the electrification

Given the loss of the trees in Canterbury Tce and the ghastly gantries along the newly electrified Seaford line Clarence Park station is now exposed for all to see and a little worse for wear.  A small group of people will be holding a public meeting at Clarence Park Community Centre on the 20th July (2pm to 4pm). They are hoping to get together a small group of individuals who want to work hard and work together to develop a submission to DPTI for funding and then to implement the ideas in the submission.  Please come along if this sounds like you, or send me an email to pass on to the organiser of the meeting. Homes near the station will get a flier in the next week or so with details.

Council Purchases Land

Towards the end of 2013 council was offered a parcel of land in Catherine St, Fullarton. This 2,600 square metre piece of land was eventually purchased (under Confidentiality) for $2.2 million. The land was formally used as a nursery that had been run by the Grimes family for many years. This purchase has been included in the 2014/15 budget as borrowings and will be in loan repayments for many budgets after this one.
However, given the small amount of open space that Unley has and the location of the land the purchase seemed ideal. The community will be consulted to determine what facilities are required and then funding will be sort from outside agencies in the following year.

Footpath Acceleration Programme In Action

At the beginning of this Council term it had become obvious that the footpath replacement programme was lagging behind. I wasn't going to take forever to finish but is was going to take until at least 2034 which seemed like nearly forever for those streets that were still waiting. These streets were probably last bituminised in the 1970s (if they were lucky). We have been reassured by staff that we are still anticipating the completion of the acceleration programme in 3-4 years. It was my efforts, with the support of Don, that saw this happen. The streets to be done 2014/15 are Cromer Pde, Hammond St, Birkdale Ave and Lynton Ave. Those that remain to be completed are Kelvin Ave, Cowper Rd, Laught Ave, Winifred Ave, Hill Crt, Eglington Ave, Gray St, Selkirk Ave, Hachett Ave, Ellesmere Tce, Irwin Ave and Argyle Ave.

Arundel Ave and Cromer Pde landscaping ready to begin

Residents in the above streets have been letter boxed this week that the proposed landscaping was about to begin. Hopefully, there may be an additional tree or two that has the potential to become significant near the southern end of Arundel Ave. DPTI have contributed about $30,00 to the landscaping and Council. There are still significant and justified concerns about the graffiti management and the already deteriorating condition of the new black lattice plastic screen. The management of all of this is DPTI's, they will not allow Council workers or volunteers inside the fences to remove graffiti. If you want to see it removed you need to call and call often  the police and email to https://www.adelaidemetro.com.au/Contact-Us . If the graffiti is on Council land then take a photo, send it to me, I will send it to staff who will get the volunteers to remove it in a day or two. 

Millswood Station renovation gets started

Now its starting to look as if it is really going to happen!

Push for forced dog and cat desexing

The Local Government association and the Animal Welfare League are calling for compulsory indexing for all domestic cats and dogs unless the breeder is registered. This is an attempt to ensure responsible pet ownership and reduce the  operation of back yard breeders and puppy farms. The argument continues that desexed animals tend to be less aggressive to both humans and each other. My concern for this is that it may put ownership of these pets out of the reach of many as the so called bitsas are no longer available.

Council purchases land

Late year Council was offered a piece of land in Catherine St, Fullarton that had been used as a nursery for a long time. Unley has the lowest amount of open space than any other Council. Council agreed to purchase the land more amount over $2,000,000. This is in the 2014/15 budget at borrowings. Even though it will take a long period of time to pay for, Council thought this to be a valuable purchase as tracts of land this big rarely come onto the market. The land will be developed as a park. What do you think?

Orphanage Park Creek Upgrade

Following the drop in last Saturday the Council has now added this consultation to the website . It can be found at; http://www.unley.sa.gov.au/page.aspx?u=2126

There is a lot of informative material including the detail and pluses and minuses of the options I have captured.
If you have an interest in this then please take the time to  'Have Your Say'. All the material that was on display last weekend has been uploaded, it is useful and interesting.

Please note that the close off date for feedback is Friday, 4 July.

Goodwood Oval Reference Group minutes

http://www.goodwoodoval.org/gorg-minutes/9-gorg-minutes-june-2014
The link above will take you directly to minutes of the most recent meeting for this group. While the Improvement Plan was discussed the detail is still not available for public comment.

Mullighan's view of Millswood Station

This is what was discussed in parliament last week regarding Millswood Station. This is taken directly from Hansard. Not hard to see where the inspiration for the Yes Minister series came from!
Bolding has been added by me.

Page 902 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY Thursday, 19 June 2014

MILLSWOOD RAILWAY STATION 
Mr WINGARD (Mitchell) (14:37): My question is to the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure. With 1 July looming and no sign of any upgrade of the work at the Millswood train station, will the minister confirm that Millswood station will reopen by 1 July, as promised before the state election?

Want to be a graffiti removal volunteer?

Husband and wife Wayne Hooper and Libby Robertson were so sick of seeing ugly graffiti tags in their neighbourhood that they decided to do something about it. “We contacted the council about removing some of these tags ourselves, and they were fantastic. They provided us with excellent training and removal products - and since then, lots more people have become involved,” explains Wayne.The “Tag Team” now includes 18 local residents who all look after their own “patch.”
“We aim to remove the graffiti as soon as possible after it’s been reported which discourages reoffending. It’s working as there’s much less graffiti around now than when we started,” 

Full Council Meeting: June 23rd 2014

The most important item on the Agenda this month is the Annual Business Plan and Budget, hopefully all the items that have gone in for Goodwood South will be funded.This includes a rate rise in 4.95%. Other items include;

• Review of the fees and charges; most fees are rising by approx 3%. PASSED
• Call for nominations for a variety of positions; Schools as Community Hubs Action Group, Audit and Governance Committee, Centennial Park and Risk Management Committee Membership, Dog and Cat Management Board  PASSED
• Goodwood Rd Pedestrian Overpass-Unplanned Expenditure;This has been the subject of several blogs. The shock is that the cost has escalated to $140,000. The question as to who is ultimately responsible for this cost is still unclear, however, as the work must be done Council had proceeded with this and will hopefully recover much of the cost from DPTI. PASSED with an assurance that DPTI will pay at least half and all of the costs if it is found to be their walkway.
• ERA Economic Development Action Plan;The reports calls for this to be endorsed by Council.PASSED
• Appointment of the Development Assessment Panel; it is suggested that the current term of the independent members be extended until early 2015; this would allow the Council DAP members  and the CEO to interview for the new positions directly after the election in November.  A panel  of all one sex is not best practice. The premise of this is fundamentally flawed as the current Council DAP members may not even  be elected members at the time of choosing the new DAP and therefore no longer members of the DAP. Choosing the elected members before the independents always causes enormous anxiety to male members of Council as at least one person on the DAP must be a woman. Therefore, of the 3 Council members one must be a woman (or man) and not out of the 7 members in total. An interesting debate!! PASSED but I seemed to be almost a lone voice!
• CEO's Performance Review; CONFIDENTIAL

The full agenda can be found at; http://www.unley.sa.gov.au/webdata/resources/minutesAgendas/Council%20Agenda%20June%202014.pdf

Newsletter this weekend

Most of you should now have received the June Newsletter. My apologies for the lateness and the date of the meeting for the DPA, we had hoped to get it out last weekend. Once again, take the time to catch up on the stories and then go to my blog and get the details of each if you have time. also take the time to discuss the issues with your neighbours and give me feed back on as many issues as you can.
The Brown Hill Creek ( through Orphanage Park) consultation was held this afternoon and over 100 people had looked at the displays and had their say by the time I got there. It was difficult to get any feel of a preferred view from the conversations that I had with a variety of people.

Plea for station picks up steam

Some good news for Millswood Station. Eastern Courier Messenger, Adelaide  by  Emmie Dowling	18 Jun 2014
GOVERNMENT SAYS MILLSWOOD WILL REOPEN ' MILLSWOOD station will not reopen on July 1 as promised by the State Government before the March election. The government says it will keep its promise for a trial reopening, but it has jettisoned the pledge for it to start next month. Leading up to the election, then transport services minister Chloe Fox issued a statement saying "Belair rail services will return to Millswood Station from July 1 for a 12-month trial".But Transport Department spokeswoman Melissa Martin told the Eastern Courier Messenger last week it had "no record of the station opening on July 1". After the Eastern Courier Messenger sent her a copy of Ms Fox's statement, Ms Martin issued a statement. ' Extensive work includes providing disability access, ensuring it is safe for commuters, signalling alterations, fencing, new lighting, platform repairs and new shelter and seating - Transport Department spokeswoman Melissa Martin saying "significant" work needed to be done before the station reopened. "Extensive work includes providing disability access, ensuring it is safe for commuters, signalling alterations, fencing, new lighting, platform repairs and new shelter and seating. Further announcements in relation to timetables, work schedules and other information will be released once all planning is complete," Ms Martin said. Ms Martin assured Millswood residents the government would deliver on its commitment to a trial. The station reopening was a central issue in the Ashford election and the government's promise might have helped Labor's Steph Key hold the seat. Reopen Millswood Station Residents Group member John Gasper wanted the government to recommit to its election promise. But Mr Gasper was happy to wait as long as the station did eventually reopen. "I don't mind waiting a few months longer," Mr Gasper, of Clarence Park, said. The reopening is expected to cost about $400,000 and would need to be included in the State Budget, announced tomorrow (June 19).

Fitness equipment installed

The new fitness equipment has now been installed in Page park. Council has received many compliments so far about the quality and location. reflecting back on how long thins take to get done, this one took just less than a year. The only negative comment I have received is that the contractor was from Queensland. Take the time to check it out or include it in your walking circuit.

Decreased use of public transport..................

An interesting Opinion was given in today's Advertiser that follows closely my blog on the DPA . Kevin O'Leary comments on the fact that in other cities building improved road networks has only lead to more traffic, more congestion and the need for more roads again. Yet when governments spend money on public transport the opposite happens. Unsurprisingly, the result is a revitalisation of neighbourhoods and an increase in property values.  The problem is that Black Forest could well suffer in many ways from the so called South Rd improvements when they may well be unnecessary if the same money was spent on public transport. Why not more trams running more often, more buses running more often? If this will cause delays for cars at the level crossings then either build an overpass or get the people out of the cars and onto the tram/train.
Kevin claims what it is alarming in  the North-South Corridor is that;

• there is no supporting business plan
• no one knows how long it will be effective for
• there has been no public scrutiny on present or future need
• the project conflicts with the state government's 30 year plan
• it is a 60's solution.

School holiday programmes at Clarence Park

Goodwood Road pedestrian walkway

At last a time frame to see these required work completed and the walkway reopened. Hopefully, Council can keep to schedule. Council had always understood that this infrastructure belonged to DPTI, after all they have been collecting the advertising money for years. In the interest of public safety Council is repairing the structure although will attempt some cost recovery from DPTI?

17 June 2014  Media Release


The pedestrian walkway across Goodwood Road (rail overpass – adjacent to Millswood Station), has been temporarily closed by Council. As Council’s primary focus is safety for pedestrians and motorists, this proactive approach has been taken to allow for assessment and repairs.

Inspections by Council and the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI) have confirmed that portions of the concrete structure supporting the walkway decking have deteriorated to a stage where intervention is required.

Council is working closely with structural engineers and DPTI by undertaking an urgent assessment, investigating repair options and determining the timing and location of road closures.

It is anticipated that work to remove the deteriorating concrete sections will be undertaken in the near future, followed by replacement works. Repairs are expected to take approximately 10 days to complete.


MEDIA CONTACTS
Karen Cini 0409 176 135
Annabel Shinkfield 0427 906 115

Let's just start again!

After sitting and listening to dozen's of presentations last night on DPA2 I was so impressed with how heartfelt, well thought through and thorough the presentations were. Each person who spoke had their particular view, the reasons for holding it and some suggestions as to what would be a better solution.
One of the strongest presentation came from a resident who was thinking of the better good of everyone. He compiled statistics showing that the population per square kilometre in Unley is already 27.11: this is double that of Adelaide and West Torrens and 4 times that of Mitcham.  The reality is that these areas of Unley do not need to be carved up for more intense development, Unley is already the most densely populated city in metropolitan Adelaide.
A report will come to the next Development Strategy meeting in August with recommendation to be put to Council. If Council were to attempt to tweak the boundaries then all of the Plan would have to go back to consultation again. Suggested changes were most usually where two zones meet, either suggesting that there should be a transition zone and for zone boundaries to be along the street rather than back fences. The institutions put a good case to enable them to develop their already considerable land holdings into more flexible and modern accommodation for elderly people.  From my observations people seemed a little more sympathetic to aged care accommodation than what  might otherwise have been developed as cheap flats.
Given that we were also told that the government are seeking a Masterplan for the redevelopment of South Rd it would seem to me that government need to design the road in such a way that it will retain the amenity of Black Forest ( consultation should be imperative). Until this is known planning for zones as they were proposed in Black Forest and Clarence Park are simply a waste of time. We should start again, if the state government at the time forces Council to, after the completion of any future works on South Rd. When the speaker, (Tim Horton, a member of the panel), started talking sound walls all I could think of was the few bits of tin that the residents along the railway were told would do and shudder. I hope they can do better, but in the meantime I believe Council should do nothing

Wellbeing Plan ready for consultation

The Cities of Unley and Mitcham are working together to prepare a Regional Public Health and Wellbeing Plan for their communities.
Based on feedback from the initial community consultation in January 2014 and research undertaken, the draft Living Well Regional Plan for Health and Wellbeing for the Cities of Unley and Mitcham (Living Well Plan) has been developed and we are now seeking your further feedback and input to assist us in refining the plan prior to finalisation.

Unley's  Living Well plan is aimed at ensuring that both Councils provide every opportunity for a "Healthy Community" - where each community and the region overall is active, connected, safe and equitable and embraces healthy living and wellbeing.

The Living Well plan provides an overview of the project, an assessment of our regional "State Of Health" and outlines the proposed strategic directions for promoting health and wellbeing in the Cities of Unley and Mitcham.

The plan is aligned to the requirements detailed in the South Australian Public Health Act 2011 and State Public Health Plan - SA Health: South Australia: A Better Place to Live.

Have your say by visiting our online discussion forum and reading the Living Well plan:  yoursay.unley.sa.gov.au/living-well-unley-and-mitcham  You can also contact our Customer Centre on 83725111 and request a hard copy feedback form and summary Fact Sheet.

Feedback will be received until close of business Friday 4th July 2014, and will be considered by the Project Team in finalising the Plan.

For further information please contact Pam Hocking on 83725108

Public Hearing tonight

Please remember to attend the public hearing tonight regarding the Development Plan Amedment. It will not be an opportunity to debate but rather to speak (if you have nominated to speak) or to listen to the views of others. There will be one session from 5pm to 6pm and another starting at 7pm. The meeting will be held in the Civic Centre.

Council rate rebate honoured

Today the state government offered to make  good the short fall left by the Federal Government budget. Many pensioners currently qualify for a rebate on their Council rates, and now still will. This should make a real difference for many residents  as the Council rates notice gets closer to their letter box. Council will be voting on the budget next week, with a proposed rate rise of 4.95%.

Girls on Track

I spent a pleasant afternoon yesterday supporting a resident who has taken up the cause of supporting this prorgamme. This is an outreach programme run by the Girl Guides.We cut and sewed all afternoon to take small toiletry bags for girls who are nominated for the programme.  But these girls aren't living in some remote or poor part of Africa, they live in Adelaide: the poverty they were born into is so often invisible in our society. I certainly was not shocked, as others were about the level of disadvantage that so many suffer. I see this  in my work where I hear stories of abuse and neglect everyday, often from the students one would least suspect. Hopefully, my support in this project, even in such a small way will help to make a difference.

Wall art looks good!

This image comes from the corner of Aroha Tce and East Ave. The shop looks quirky and interesting although I have so much stuff I've tried not to be tempted by even more stuff. I think the art/murals on what would otherwise have been a blank wall adds character and looks great.

East Ave looks a treat!

On my travels today I took the time to have a look at the new surface on East Ave. The pot holes are gone and the fresh, new surface looks great. I'm still trying to ascertain if DPTI really did pay for the resurfacing as they should have been duty bound to do. Hopefully, it will be a while before it needs to be done again. This has also reminded a few people that their own streets are looking a little tired and I've had a few enquiries about when other streets might get to be redone. Remember, if there is a pot hole, or similar in your street just take a photo of it and send it to me, I'll let staff know where it is and the repair can be added to the maintenance list.

Infrastructure & Capital Projects

Last night this committee met to discuss a number of items. As the committee is less formal than others a discussion is a more appropriate word than debate. Nevertheless, the issues are important. Council is developing an Environmental Sustainability Plan that is in line with the more recently developed Community Plan. However, while the document was well on it's way to articulating a vision it has been sent back to staff for further work before being brought back the the committee and then Council. Trevor Stein has done some important work is developing a Tree Strategy that should result in better management of this important resource and a better plan for the renewal of this asset.
The new waste management contract will soon be discussed by Council and let to the best bidder. The committee discussed the tender process so far and the parameters by which they are being assessed. The committee had hoped for some innovative improvements in service and what these might be was also discussed. Council has also negotiated with Onkaparinga Council on the sale of kerbside waste material to be processed in  a new nominated facility. This  will save the Council a considerable amount of money over time. The agenda can be found at;
http://www.unley.sa.gov.au/webdata/resources/minutesAgendas/ICP%20Agenda%20June%202014%20iPad.pdf 

I've Read the Submissions

Now I have had time to read and digest the submissions, yes all 285 of them ,they come into some very broad categories. Of the submissions 120 came from Black Forest and only from the regeneration area and those in other streets who have the potential to be affected by them. This is nearly every household!! Other submissions came from Clarence  Park (11), Everard Park (37), Fullarton (29), Myrtle Bank (17) and small numbers from other suburbs and interest groups.

• There was a definite push from aged care providers to build age appropriate residential apartments and care facilities in Unley, ostensibly to meet an ever increasing demand from people to 'age in place.'
• People in Clarence Park (west) wish to retain the larger 350 square metre block and not have this reduced to allow for smaller block sizes.
• People do not accept that the homes in areas of Black Forest targetted are near the end of there useful life
• The trams are full , so what transport will the increased population use
• The area has character and is worth protecting
• Loss of a way of life that will be regretted
• Boundaries between zones should be down the middle of a street not along fences.

Interestingly, there were no submissions from the areas of Black Forest that would have the block size increased and reduce individual opportunity to subdivide. This theme was evident in the eastern areas of the city, especially Fullarton.

There was general misunderstanding that some areas had been targeted and that development would be better suited elsewhere in Unley. Unley Rd and Greenhill Rd are already zoned between 5 and 10 stories, the Unley Shopping centre to 14 stories, Fullarton Rd, South Rd and Anzac Hwy were included in this DPA and Goodwood, King William are next to see zoning changes proposed.

Community Wildlife Project Thursday 26 June 2014

Sounds like something interesting to do!

Thursday 26 June 2014

6:00 – 7:30pm

Goodwood Primary School, In the Performing Arts Centre (behind the Church Hall)

140 Goodwood Road, Goodwood

How to attract native wildlife to your garden

•   learn how you can attract native wildlife to your backyard with James Smith, Zoologist and founder of fauNature
•  student guest speakers from Goodwood and Black Forest Primary Schools will tell you how they are helping to reduce the impacts of habitat loss in their local community

Please call Lisa Earl to RSVP and for further info, on 1300 443 198 or 

email lisa.earl@sa.gov.au 

Orphanage Park;Managing Stormwater Flow

Council invites you to come along and give us your feedback on
initial options for enhancing the creek and managing storm water flows in Orphanage Park.
Drop in anytime between 12 noon and 5 pm on Saturday 21 June MEET HERE:
Tabor College
Refectory
Goodwood Road
As part of the Brown  Hill  Keswick  Creek  Stormwater  Project,
we  are  investigating  options  to  manage  stormwater  flows
through  Orphanage  Park.  This  also  provides  opportunities  to
rehabilitate  the  creek,  recognising  the  importance  of  the
heritage  listed  stone  lining  and  the  natural  ambience  of  the  area.
Information will also be posted at http://www.unley.sa.gov.au/ from June 23, 2014.
For further information, please contact Unley Council on 8372 5111

East Ave to be Resurfaced

From 10th June 2014

The Traffic Guys will be closing East Ave Millswood between Mills St & Victoria St on behalf of The City of Unley on the above date.

Fulton Hogan Industries will be carrying out the road surfacing treatment of East Ave Millswood. Duration of works four days (Weather permitting)

Please note the following:

•  Access to your driveway may be restricted for approximately one hour.
• Vehicles can not be parked on the street during the day. Please arrange off street parking
•   The Health & Safety of workers & general public is a prime concern. Please be alert to involvement of personnel, heavy machinery, and very hot products during the process. Please ensure all members of your household, particularly children, are well clear of all work.

 Local Traffic signs will be placed at each end of the site to allow residents access to their homes. Parking restrictions will apply.

Your co-operation is much appreciated and for further information contact:

The Traffic Guys (Peter)    0401 270 30  Fulton Hogan (08) 8443 2000

                                                                                                         

285 submissions !!

I received a copy of the submissions this afternoon from those people who wish to speak at the public meeting on June 16th. Of the 285 submissions there are 68 persons who wish to speak. If everyone wants to speak for 5 minutes the event will last over 5 hours. 25 of these are from Black Forest, 4 from Clarence Park, 9 from Everard Park and the remainder mostly from Highgate and   Myrtle Bank. When I have digested them I will further update the blog.

Rail walkway Update

Contrary to the first information that Council received, it is the walkway parallel to the train that has been closed at Goodwood Rd. This structure is attached to the rail bridge and a much more fragile structure, hence the train can pass on it's bridge but the walkway is unsafe. Water has been able to rust the internal wire structure of the concrete blocks and it is this concrete that has fallen onto the road below. The danger presented is to the cars passing under the structure and not for pedestrians using it. DPTI and Council have been in discussion about who is responsible for maintenance and repair, and it would seem that even though DPTI have been using the structure to display advertising that they would have been handsomely rewarded for they believe that an agreement exists (lost in history) that will cause Council to have to bear almost all of the cost of repair. This has been conservatively costed at $60,000. Council will be working to get the repairs done as quickly as possible and, hopefully, by July 1st. In the meantime additional signage will be placed at the closure and at key locations warning of the closure and suggesting alternate routes.

Goodwood Oval and Millswood Masterplan Update

 Extensive community engagement is now complete with the findings of this engagement informing the development of the draft improvement plan.  A first draft is with Administration for consideration and is currently subject to change.  The document will include project and site background information; considerations, profiles and analysis;  key findings and an improvement plan for each site including a series of recommendations, indicative costing and concept plans for Council’s consideration.

The improvement plan report is anticipated to be presented for endorsement at the Council meeting on 28 July 2014.  If endorsed the next stages of this project will include detailed design and further engagement with the community and user groups.

I would like to say a little more than this but reassuringly there were no surprises and I will be surprised if anyone is upset with the proposed outcomes.

$500,000 to investigate traffic woes

This made a great heading in the paper this week and was definitely the number staff said the traffic studies will cost. I couldn't help but feel  a little glad that being proactive had paid off in this instance. As you are probably aware  the Traffic Management Plan for Black Forest is complete and funds are in place to implement the recommended changes. You should see some of these in the near future. Repairing the paving in Parker Tce is about to begin and should be followed by tree replacement. The next study to be done is north of the tram line and will include Leah St (this should have been done before the devices were installed). After that it will be Goodwood (east of Goodwood Rd)

What matters to women in South Australia?

Calling all women! We are inviting you to have YourSAy on shaping the future for women by sharing your thoughts on what matters to you!

The Premier's Council for Women wants to hear from South Australian women of all ages on what they think matters. Do you have thoughts on health, employment, family and safety. What matters to you?
The role of the Premier's Council for Women is to provide quality, independent advice to the South Australian Government and to advocate for improved opportunities, wellbeing and services for all women in South Australia.
To help shape the future for South Australian Women the Council is seeking your input. Join in on the survey and share your thoughts on important matters for women. The survey will be open until 13 June 2014.
By taking part in the survey you will help the Council understand what is important to South Australian women and will guide its choice of issues to focus on over the next few years.
Prefer to do the survey on paper? You can pick up a copy of the survey from the Women’s Information Service 91-97 Grenfell St, Chesser House, Adelaide.
What next? Results from the survey, including future directions will be posted on this webpage post 30 July 2014.
Further resources: 

• Premier's Council for Women 
• Womens Information Service
• Further enquiries email

COUNCILLORS BACK CALL FOR AMENDMENTS

This story in today's Eastern Courier gives a pretty good account of the current Development Plan Amendment in Black Forest. We certainly have not forgotten the Built Form areas in Black Forest and Clarence Park as suggested by at least one person but rather invited the press to do a story of the worst affected streets, these being in the Residential Regeneration Zones, that have the potential for 5 storey development. Don and I will be discussing all areas with staff and are hoping to recommend changes to the Amendments in these areas as well.

 Emmie Dowling  Eastern Courier

 THE character and charm of a Black Forest street will be ruined under a plan allowing multi-storey developments on smaller blocks, residents say. Dryden Rd residents have called on Unley Council and the State Government to preserve their street of mostly one-storey 1920s and '30s bungalows.
The calls came after the government last year insisted on higher-density housing in parts of Unley as part of its 30-year plan.
he council, forced to adhere to the plan, earmarked Dryden Rd for three-storey housing and a reduced minimum property size of 230sq m, down from 350sq m, as it was close to Emerson railway station. But Dryden Rd resident Rachel Merritt wanted a similar deal to that of nearby Cowper Rd which had a two-storey Rachel building cap and Merritt a minimum property size of 800sq m.
 "No one wants to go outside and be looked down on from someone in a three-storey building," Ms Merritt said. "It'll devalue our houses, ruin our privacy and we'll end up being boxed in and overshadowed." Long-time resident Katherine Kemper would move if a three-storey house was built next to her."It'll cut out the light and we'd be hemmed in, stuck in the middle, if we had two three-storey houses next to us," Mrs Kemper said.
Councillors Jennie Boisvert and Don Palmer have been urging residents to lodge complaints against the changes with the council.
Cr Boisvert said there were similar issues on Emerson Rd, Dunrobin St, Aroha Tce and Hartland, Laught, David, Busby and Eglington avenues in Black Forest, as well as several streets in Myrtle Bank.
The State Government refused to provide a person to respond to questions from the Eastern Courier Messenger. In a statement, it said it was up to the council to come up with a solution.
The council would then put forward a report to the Planning Minister.
A public meeting on the changes will be held at Unley Civic Centre, on Monday, June 16, from 7pm. 

Election reform call for business

The article below appeared in the Eastern Courier. In Goodwood South despite over 20% of homes being rented , which means both the tenants and the landlord get a vote, their were only 35 names on the Supplementary Roll. There would have been at least 400-500 eligible landlords and businesses. Due to changed legislation, seemingly for no other reason other than to make the turnout improve, eligible people need to re-enrol at each election. They have until August to do this, but why should they net be automatically included? If the ownership of property gives you the right to vote in local government then the additional re-registration should be unnecessary.

Eastern Courier Messenger, Adelaide	04 Jun 2014
LOCAL GOVERNMENT UTOMATIC ENROLMENT SYSTEM BILL ON WAY Meagan Dillon EASTERN councils have backed a bid to change electoral laws so business owners do not have to reenrol to vote before every local government election. Opposition local government spokesman and Goyder state Liberal MP Steven Griffiths will introduce a Bill this month calling for laws to be simplified to make it easier for businesspeople to vote in the November election. He said automatic re-enrolment for business owners would increase voter participation. "It's simple - once you enrol to vote, your name remains on the roll until there is a new owner," Mr Griffiths said.Norwood, Payneham &St Peters Mayor Robert Bria supported the move. "I think it is crazy that the names of commercial property owners fall off the roll and they have to re-enrol," Mr Bria said. "I never understood why those changes came into place." Unley Mayor Lachlan Clyne said the council had been pushing for automatic re-enrolment's reinstatement since it was scrapped in 2009. "I think it's an appropriate and sensible step," Mr Clyne said. "We're just a little worried it won't come into effect for this election." Burnside Mayor David Parkin said changing back to the old system would come at a cost. He said the council had not budgeted for any additional voters and had not investigated how much more it would cost.The council has set aside $143,000 in its budget for the election. The Local Government Association supported the idea, but was also concerned about the cost to councils in the lead up to the election. In a report, the LGA said the SA Electoral Commission charged councils a rate per voter and councils had not budgeted for any additional voters in 2014/15 budgets. Have your say on the important issues in your community advertiser.com.au/local

Chicane: it seems like forever.

I know that it took 20 years to get the extra walk lights on Goodwood Rd, and I'm still not sure how long it takes to fill a pot hole. But I do know that it takes 7 years to get a chicane removed. Last week work began on removing one of the chicanes in Mills St: this was identified as causing extreme difficulty for a a particular property as the residents could not safely enter their driveway. Yet it took 7 years from when Council identified the issue, gained DPTI approval and then actually started the work. The reality is that most things of a remedial nature are done quickly and efficiently but others not only seem to take forever, they actually do!

Development Plan Representations

From today I will be able to view the representations made about the impending Development Plan Amendment that affects all of Black Forest and some of Clarence Park. This will give me an opportunity to form a view before the public hearing on the 16th June. I have also asked to meet with David Brown to discuss the implications that can be drawn from the responses and a way forward that will in some way address the concerns raised. The meeting on the 16th should be of interest to everyone and well worth attending.

How much is a CEO worth?

After reading the article in Saturday's paper this should be a question that people ask and debate. According to the article Walkerville's CEO is costing each ratepayer  nearly $30 ($ 219,601) and Prospect's $11.54 ($241,995). The highest paid CEO is Adelaide with a salary of  nearly $400,000. Their task is quite complex but I always have trouble when calculating how much we should pay our own CEO. As I sit on the CEO's Performance Committee this matter is one I need to discuss and inevitably comparisons are made. We often use Campbelltown as a comparison as it is most similar in size and rate revenue.  I can still remember sitting on the same committee when we discussed paying the then CEO, Ron Green, a salary in excess of $100,000 (nearly 20 years ago), we thought this amount was outrageous and yet we paid it as this is what the market place demanded at the time.

Ratepayers sizing up the cost of CEOs
Adelaide Advertiser, Adelaide  by  Miles Kemp	31 May 2014
RESIDENTS in small council areas are paying up to 19 times as much for their council chief executives' salaries, the Land Taxes Reform Association has revealed. The association has used the comparison of CEO salary packages, which in Adelaide range from $398,000 to $216,770, compared to population size to show how badly off residents of Adelaide's numerous small councils are in comparison to larger councils. In Walkerville, the CEO's salary package of $219,601 is the equivalent of $29.89 each year for each of the area's 7345 people, but in Onkaparinga, the CEO receives a $260,000 package, or the equivalent of $1.57 each year for each of the 164,977 residents. The association will within weeks release a booklet which aims to educate electors about council comparisons. "We think it is fair that voters are able to look council by council at where their money goes before they vote," Association spokesman Bruce Pennington said. The association is chaired by independent MP John Darley who was a past ValuerGeneral of South Australia, and has campaigned against large rates increases. Council rates in Adelaide in the last ten years have increased by $251 million more than inflation and $209 million more than the councils' own inflation figures. In Prospect, where residents pay the second highest rates for a CEO salary package, the CEO salary package is $241,995, which is the equivalent of $11.54 for each of the 20,969 residents each year. A range of council revenue other than from residents, such as parking fines and Commonwealth Government grants, means ratepayers and resi dents do not have to pay the entire salary bill, but Prospect Mayor David O'Loughlin said residents of smaller councils paid comparatively more. Residents in all of Adelaide's smaller councils pay comparatively more for CEO's salaries that those of larger councils; in Norwood Payneham and St Peters the equivalent of $6.92 per person each year, in Holdfast Bay $6.66, Unley $6.18, West Torrens $5.17, Burnside $4.90, Campbelltown $4.80 and Mitcham $4.01. "The CEO role attracts a CEO salary to some extent, regardless of the size of the organisation, which is one downside of a smaller-scale enterprise, but there are many benefits," Mr O'Loughlin said. A Walkerville Council spokeswoman said: "Our CEO does not feel it is appropriate to comment - she is on a performance-based contract, which is rigorously reviewed annually.

Call for more women Councillors

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Call for more women councillors

for 2014 Council elections in South Australia

South Australian women are being encouraged to nominate for their councils in this year’s local government elections to give women a greater say in decision-making.

Cr Betty Gill, President of the Australian Local Government Women’s Association South Australian (ALGWA SA ) said” Our organisation wants to encourage more women to run and be successful in getting elected in the November 2014 Local Government Elections.”

Cr Gill said despite that fact that women make up more than half the population, just over a quarter (27%) of South Australian councillors are women after the 2010 elections. Of those, 32% of metropolitan Council Members are women and 24% of rural Council Members are women. There are six rural councils with no women councillors.

To encourage more women to stand, ALGWA SA is holding free Regional Information Sessions at:

Prospect: ​​Wed 9 July, 7:00pm-8:00pm

​     ​​at Prospect Council Chambers, 128 Prospect Rd, Prospect

Marion: ​​Wed 16 July, 8pm-9pm

​    ​​at Marion Council Chambers, 245 Sturt Road, Sturt

Whyalla: ​​Thurs 7 August, 7:00pm-8:00pm

​             ​at Whyalla Public Library, 7-9 Ekblom St, Whyalla Norrie

Murray Bridge: ​Thurs 14 August, 6:45pm-7:45pm

​​​at Murray Bridge Public Library, 51 South Tce, Murray Bridge

Women participants at the information sessions will receiveALGWA SA’s free resource, Getting Elected.

Clarence Park Station may get an uplift

A small and enthusiastic group of local residents have banded together to try to lobby the state government for funds to revitalise the station and to work as a community group to use the funds to make the station look more loved and friendly. A little more like it used to be. Suggestions for improvement include;

• repainting, may be even a mural
• painting some of the light poles
• revegetation, including some edible plants
• painting the existing pots as well as some new ones
• a station book exchange

Offset planting

angophora costata

As you may recall DPTI removed well over a hundred trees during the recent Goodwood Junction upgrade. Some of these were significant and many of the regulated. DPTI has to replace each significant tree with 3 trees that have the potential to become significant and 2 trees for regulated trees. 64 of these locations have now been chosen. It was my hope that since they were removed for near the train line that they would be replaced there. I remember one Community Advisory Group meeting where we were assured that locations like Forestville Res, Goodwood Oval and Millswood Park might  be suitable.
Actually, the trees will be in Soutar Park,Railway Tce, Page Park, Dora Guild Playground, princess margaret Playground,  Forestville Res, Orphanage Park as well as Kings Park Reserve, Howard Florey Reserve and Goodwood Community Centre. I have an electronic copy of the exact locations and species if you would like one.
The reality is that this number is woefully inadequate but better than nothing.