[COM] SAHMRI | $200m

[rev]

How ridiculous. this is another example of political correctness gone mad.

Political correctness has nothing to do with it, they are entitled to have their monitors there..in accordance with the law.

However I then read statements like the following

“And there’s no way we’re going to send two monitors on there with all those trucks going by to be in danger.”

If they aren't prepared to commit to their side of the Aboriginal Heritage act, then why are they causing problems for the development?

[Professor]

What a farce

[Benski81]

Any further word on this? Is this progressing now?

[Xaragmata]

Any further word on this? Is this progressing now?

Apart from work on the access road to and around the rail signal building, there hasn't been much visible change on site for a month or so, or
not that I can see.

[cruel_world00]

Out of a lot of developments going on in the city, in terms of architecture, I'm most looking forward to this building. It will definitely stand out.

[Ben]

What a mess.

From The City Messenger:

New Kaurna railyards challenge looms

26 Aug 10 by Emily Charrison

THE Aboriginal community has vowed to take fresh legal action to assert its rights over land at the railyards site of the SA Health and Medical Research Institute.

Work on the $200 million health hub restarted last week after Aboriginal Affairs Minister Grace Portolesi approved a new authorisation to “damage, disturb or interfere” with the site - an agreement required under the Aboriginal Heritage Act.

The Kaurna Nation Cultural Heritage Association has vowed to appeal the decision.

Consent to start the project, originally granted in January, was revoked last month and works put on hold because SA Health could not secure Aboriginal monitors regularly on site, as required under the authorisation.

The new approval does not contain any conditions about the presence of Aboriginal monitors, with the minister saying there were too many “logistical and safety issues” surrounding the “substantial earthmoving activities”.

Kaurna Elder and association chairwoman Lynette Crocker said the group planned to fight the decision in court, arguing the works would “destroy” one of Adelaide’s most important cultural and archeological sites.

“It might take a while but we will be standing up and protesting against this,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has also dismissed the association’s application for a judicial review, which sought to overturn every decision made by the Aboriginal Affairs Minister on both the health hub and new Royal Adelaide Hospital.

A spokeswoman for Ms Portolesi said the new authorisation required all builders to take a two-hour “induction” about working on Aboriginal sites.

[Nathan]

Has there been any mention to why a site that has been railyards for such a long time, is "one of Adelaide’s most important cultural and archeological sites"? I find it awfully convenient that a lot of these claimed sites are always, as chance may have it, on the exact location of a major project.

[Ben]

Has there been any mention to why a site that has been railyards for such a long time, is "one of Adelaide’s most important cultural and archeological sites"? I find it awfully convenient that a lot of these claimed sites are always, as chance may have it, on the exact location of a major project.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[Xaragmata]

Has there been any mention to why a site that has been railyards for such a long time, is "one of Adelaide’s most important cultural and archeological sites"? I find it awfully convenient that a lot of these claimed sites are always, as chance may have it, on the exact location of a major project.

OT, but related:

http://www.nirs.org.au/index.php?option ... Itemid=112

[The Kaurna National Cultural Heritage Association is considering taking legal action against the South Australian State Government following the approval
of the Seaford Rail Extension.]

[Mants]

oh seriously...this is a project which will potentially save thousands of lives. build a bridge and get over it please.
is there anyone out there that actually cares?

[Nathan]

Has there been any mention to why a site that has been railyards for such a long time, is "one of Adelaide’s most important cultural and archeological sites"? I find it awfully convenient that a lot of these claimed sites are always, as chance may have it, on the exact location of a major project.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

You're probably right unfortunately. It's quite sad really - I'm sure there are legitimate title claims by aboriginal communities out there, but get ignored because of other groups crying wolf whenever there's a major project to to be done.

[Will]

It's interesting how the government seems to locate their major infraestructure projects at 'sacred' Aboriginal sites. Think the Hindmarsh island bridge, the Seaford rail extension bridge and now this.

This is obviously another cash grab.

With the exception of the lands rights for gay whales people, do people genuinely believe that somehow a site which has been an industrial/ abbatoir/ tannery and rail yards could really be one of the most significant Aboriginal archeological sites in the state? In fact, I think any archeological dig would have more chance of uncovering artefacts of early European settlement as oppossed to Aboriginal artefacts.

[crawf]

You can include the Mt Lofty transmission towers aswell, this is going back decades though.

[monotonehell]

oh seriously...this is a project which will potentially save thousands of lives. build a bridge and get over it please.
is there anyone out there that actually cares?

An interesting turn of phrase... considering...

[iTouch]

/facepalm