News & Discussion: Adelaide City Council

[Waewick]

I agree, over summer especially

saying that - it would also be good in the new look riverbank precinct.(if that happens)

[david]

Deputy Lord Mayor David Plumridge - Notes - Issue 62

- Donatelife Week - Organ donations.
- Pets in the City
- Green Star Ratings for Communities.
- The Footprint of a pair of jeans
- Motor Sport Board appointments

Decisions from recent DAP and Council Meetings

David

Notes from Councillor Issue 62.pdf

(205.9 KiB) Downloaded 112 times

[shiftaling]

David Plumridge, "smoke free outdoor eating and drinking places" - so where are we meant to smoke? Hasn't this gone far enough, it's not like there aren't enough smoke free zones these days.

[metro]

so where are we meant to smoke? Hasn't this gone far enough, it's not like there aren't enough smoke free zones these days.

smokers should only be allowed to smoke in booths like these:



that way us non-smokers dont have to put up with second-hand smoke when we want to sit outdoors to eat/drink.

[shiftaling]

Well make indoors a smoking zone and you can get all the fresh air you want. Me, I like a cigarette with my beer and I think the balance is right as it is

[shiftaling]

Happy to smoke in a booth as long as they serve booze in there!

[david]

I thought readers of Sensational Adelaide might be interested in a Council initiative to increase choices for affordable housing in the City. This is a great idea that has come from our Administration and which is aimed at supporting our Residential GrowthProgram

Cllr David Plumridge
Deputy Lord Mayor

Innovative Housing.doc

(83.5 KiB) Downloaded 137 times

[AG]

David Plumridge, I'd be interested to know how much affordable housing stock has been constructed within the City of Adelaide in the past 3 years and how much is currently planned or under construction. Other than the high costs of land, construction and financing issues, do you believe that there are any other issues that are potentially restricting the provision of affordable housing in the City of Adelaide?

I am supportive of the provision of affordable housing in central Adelaide. My thoughts on the subject can be read here.

[AtD]

Your paper talks about carrots, what about sticks?

Adelaide has a lot of empty land, empty buildings and makeshift car parks. Are there avenues where Council can increase the cost of holding idle or underutilised land?

I know Council are exploring ways to force land owners to keep their properties presentable. Are there any other ways of imposing penalties for holding idle land? Methods I can think of include:
- Higher rates or penalties on empty land or vacant buildings
- Higher rates on car parks

This would give land owners an extra incentive to develop now, rather than the 'wait and see' approach that seems all too common. The combination of your carrots and these sticks might just see a few more developments aimed at the lower half of the market.

[Will]

I know the following topic is not politically correct, but I feel it is important to discuss it. I feel that we have a problem with homeless people, particularly Indigenous ones.

Late last year I took a couple of visitors from overseas to the Japanese garden on South Terrace and we were abused and threatened by such people. And last week, me and some mates decided to have dinner at the refurbished Arab Steed hotel. Following dinner when we were walking back to our cars we were asked for money and when we refused one of my mates was spat at. This behaviour is disgusting and giving our city a bad reputation.

At the moment, particularly with the large number of visitors we have in our city, I feel the council should actually do something about this and remove their camps and get them to move on.

I am grateful that the Advertiser has decided to print the article below as it brings this problem into the mainstream. I think most of us think it, but are too scared to talk about it for the fear of being branded racist.

Parklands squatters abuse hospital staff

Police Reporter Ken McGregor From: The Advertiser February 26, 2011 12:00AM



Indigenous people congregating in the South Parklands near St Andrews Hospital. Picture: Dean Martin Source: The Advertiser

A GROUP of Aboriginals who fled violence have abused hospital staff amid claims of camp violence.

South Tce business owners say violence within the group regularly spills on to the front of their properties. "We saw a man chasing a woman with a bottle, while another man started pelting her with rocks," a receptionist said.

The group, from Yuendumu - a community 300km out of Alice Springs - fled their homes after 50 people started fighting on the streets and torching cars and houses after a man was fatally stabbed.

It is understood the group is no longer fearful of returning home but some have decided to remain in Adelaide. The State Government arranged housing in the northern suburbs. Some have now returned to the NT, while others moved into the parklands.

Police were unable to confirm or deny the claims of violence when contacted by The Advertiser yesterday.

St Andrews hospital staff, who often have to walk to their cars early in the morning or late at night because of shift work, say they are concerned for their safety and are often yelled at as they walk to and from work.

The Adelaide City Council has begun daily monitoring of the group after several recent fires

[Waewick]

Your paper talks about carrots, what about sticks?

Adelaide has a lot of empty land, empty buildings and makeshift car parks. Are there avenues where Council can increase the cost of holding idle or underutilised land?

I know Council are exploring ways to force land owners to keep their properties presentable. Are there any other ways of imposing penalties for holding idle land? Methods I can think of include:
- Higher rates or penalties on empty land or vacant buildings
- Higher rates on car parks

This would give land owners an extra incentive to develop now, rather than the 'wait and see' approach that seems all too common. The combination of your carrots and these sticks might just see a few more developments aimed at the lower half of the market.

I hope your not white skinned....otherwise


your a racist*


*not actually calling you racist - this is what I was called when dicussing this issue

[SRW]

I know the following topic is not politically correct, but I feel it is important to discuss it. I feel that we have a problem with homeless people, particularly Indigenous ones.

Late last year I took a couple of visitors from overseas to the Japanese garden on South Terrace and we were abused and threatened by such people. And last week, me and some mates decided to have dinner at the refurbished Arab Steed hotel. Following dinner when we were walking back to our cars we were asked for money and when we refused one of my mates was spat at. This behaviour is disgusting and giving our city a bad reputation.

At the moment, particularly with the large number of visitors we have in our city, I feel the council should actually do something about this and remove their camps and get them to move on.

I am grateful that the Advertiser has decided to print the article below as it brings this problem into the mainstream. I think most of us think it, but are too scared to talk about it for the fear of being branded racist.

Parklands squatters abuse hospital staff

Police Reporter Ken McGregor From: The Advertiser February 26, 2011 12:00AM



Indigenous people congregating in the South Parklands near St Andrews Hospital. Picture: Dean Martin Source: The Advertiser

A GROUP of Aboriginals who fled violence have abused hospital staff amid claims of camp violence.

South Tce business owners say violence within the group regularly spills on to the front of their properties. "We saw a man chasing a woman with a bottle, while another man started pelting her with rocks," a receptionist said.

The group, from Yuendumu - a community 300km out of Alice Springs - fled their homes after 50 people started fighting on the streets and torching cars and houses after a man was fatally stabbed.

It is understood the group is no longer fearful of returning home but some have decided to remain in Adelaide. The State Government arranged housing in the northern suburbs. Some have now returned to the NT, while others moved into the parklands.

Police were unable to confirm or deny the claims of violence when contacted by The Advertiser yesterday.

St Andrews hospital staff, who often have to walk to their cars early in the morning or late at night because of shift work, say they are concerned for their safety and are often yelled at as they walk to and from work.

The Adelaide City Council has begun daily monitoring of the group after several recent fires

The camp is a few hundred metres away from I live, and I have to say that I walk by it by it nearly every day and have not personally been harassed (though I have had trouble further down outside the Hutt Street Centre). But I am appalled at the state of the parklands surrounding the camp -- it is strewn with waste and litter, and I find that wholly unacceptable. I wouldn't even mind the camp so much so long as the campers weren't making a tip out of the parklands.

I did notice the police and council workers clearing out the area last week (on the 14th, I think), but it was reoccupied within the day.

[Mants]

this sort of activity should not be allowed within the cities boundaries. especially when it jeopardises the safety and comfort of others.
it is irrelevant that these individuals are indigenous. they could be white, black, brown, red, yellow or bubblegum pink, and i'd still feel the same way.

[mrblackrooster]

well put...its the behavior not the RACE that needs to be focus

[jk1237]

well put...its the behavior not the RACE that needs to be focus

in an ideal world, but in the case of the aboriginals I believe its different. They need to be handled differently, and I believe people calling it racist when we have direct govt intervention, is doing more harm than good to the aboriginals, and is actually creating more racism. A huge proportion of the aboriginal population are completely lost in our western culture and have nothing to do. The alcoholism and violence is so widespread I think its more racist to sweep it under the carpet instead of implementing specific programs. The scenes we see in the parklands further cements the divide in the community between aboriginal and non aboriginal culture. Aparently Alice Springs is seeing theft and violence on a scale that is unprecendented in the last year. Most of it is due to the vagrants that have been kicked out of the local communities because of their violence, that all end up in Alice, sucked in by the bright lights. When you travel to central Aust you realise many aboriginals are completely embarrased by the drunken and violent ones, and want them disciplined as it just wrecks the image of aboriginal culture. Many were so receptive of the army moving through central Australia, but unfortunately the media will seek out a white social worker from an office desk in Sydney who will say its racism to treat them differently, and pressure the govt to end the intervention, and we get nowhere again, infact we go backwards.