Is an apology coming? We're not holding our breath....
MINISTER's FRESH ATTACK HEADED OFF AT THE PASS
Lord Mayor, Martin Haese and Greens MLC, Mark Parnell. THANKS!!!!
The Minister for Planning, John Rau, last year succeeded in getting all "Infrastrcuture" in large parts of the Park Lands classified as "complying" development. The effect is that new roads (including the O-Bahn) schools, and who-knows-what-else (even sewerage works) can be built in the Park Lands without any opportunity for public consultation. However, at least these projects must go through proper development assessment.
Not content with that, the Planning Minister was recently trying something even more radical. He placed before Parliament, in the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Bill 2015, amendments to allow him to bypass even the Development Assessment Commission or the Adelaide City Council for anything he wanted in the Park Lands. If these law changes had gone through, the Minister himself would have been able to exempt almost anything from proper development assessment on the basis that the Minister declared it to be "major development" or "Crown Development" or "impact-assessed development".
Future generations of South Australians owe a debt of gratitude to the work of the Adelaide City Council, Lord Mayor Martin Haese and Greens MLC Mark Parnell who together (on 25 February) managed to persuade a majority in the Legislative Council to knock out these provisions.
Although the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Bill 2015 is still before Parliament, the Lord Mayor says he has received "a personal assurance from Minister Rau that he will accept this outcome and will not seek to recommit these provisions for further debate."
The last legal hurdle in the way of the O-Bahn trench through Rundle Park and Rymill Park has been cleared away.
The Development Assessment Commission in February played a predictably compliant role and has given the Transport Minister Stephen Mullighan approval to plough a massive trench through Rundle Park and Rymill Park - at a cost to taxpayers of at least $160 million.
More than 1,650 signatures on APPA's petition have not given the Minister enough reason to think again. It is clear that most people don't realise what is planned. Many news reports mistakenly call the proposal a "tunnel" and simply ignore the fact that the partially-roofed trench will require destruction of 61 trees in heritage-listed Rymill Park, and the busway will emerge to ground level next to the historic Rymill Park lake, forever shattering its tranquility.
The Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure has already started work on Hackney Road, with the first stage of "removing the central median including vegetation." The first cut for the trench on Dequetteville Tce ("sheet piling") is due to start on Sunday 3 April. Details at this link.
There's no date yet for the vandalism to begin in Rundle Park and Rymill Park, but it can't be far away.
What can you do about it? First share this newsletter with your friends. But please do more than that. Sign our petition if you haven't already and then write your own email to Transport Minister Stephen Mullighan. Follow this link to find out how: http://www.adelaide-parklands.asn.au/current-issues/
YOUR LAND AND YOUR MONEY - A HEIST MOVIE
One of these groups wants to take your money and your land, to give it to their mates.
Many people seem unaware that the Festival Plaza is still gazetted as Park Lands, but we wouldn't want you to forget about this. The story on Today Tonight last year was excellent reporting and should get a new audience now.
APPA agrees that the current Festival Plaza is very uninviting and in need of improvement. We think it would look great with irrigated gardens, trees, water features etc. But not with an office tower, shops, more concrete and a casino extension.
MANAGEMENT STRATEGY - MORE CAR PARKS, MORE BUSINESS?
Whatever else you think of the Adelaide City Council and its management of the Park Lands, you cannot criticise the thoroughness of the public consultation process that has been undertaken, to get feedback on how the Park Lands should be managed over the next 10 years.
From May 2015 to the end of February 2016, the City Council provided many opportunities for everyone to speak up. The Council reports there were:
On the same evening, APPA secretary Shane Sody attended a public meeting of The Adelaide Park Lands Authority which heard from 17 different groups and individuals. Each submission was limited to no more than 5 minutes. Here are Shane Sody's speaking notes.
Consultation is now closed and we await the final version of the Park Lands Management Strategy which will guide the City Council's management until 2025.
PARK LANDS ART PRIZE - COUNT DOWN TO EXHIBITION OPENING
59 art works that have made it through the first round of judging for SA's richest Art Prize - the $31,000 biennial Adelaide Park Lands Art Prize are being packaged up for delivery soon to the Festival Centre Art Space. http://www.parklandsart.com/congratulations-finalists/
We're not allowed to show you the finalists' art works. They're all under wraps until the final judging and opening of the exhibition at the Festival Centre Art Space on Friday 15 April - (invitation only). Then all 59 finalists will be on public display the following day and for six weeks thereafter.
But we can show you some 'teasers'! What you see below are two partial glimpses: "detail" sections of two different art works from two different finalists.
For more information about the competition and the exhibition, visitwww.parklandsart.com
Detail from finalist works by Joseph Bond (left) and Keturah De Klerk-Zacchaeus (right).
BOOST YOUR SENSE OF WELL-BEING. IMPROVE YOUR RESILIENCE
Studies have shown that your personal wellbeing and resilience can be improved through what has become known as PERMA+
PERMA+ is an acronym for:
Positive emotion,
Engagement,
Relationships,
Meaning and
Accomplishment
Getting involved with APPA (being part of our team protect the Park Lands) can help you in all these areas.
It will give you more positive emotion in your life as you learn to appreciate what we've got here in Adelaide.
You can be engaged with, and build relationships with your fellow APPA members and our supporters.
It will certainly add meaning to your life, as you focus on the legacy we will leave to future generations, and
You will get a feeling of accomplishment as support for APPA's objectives spreads through the SA community.
The research shows that you can improve wellbeing if you improve your PERMA+.
The time to take action is NOW. APPA's Annual General meeting on 10 April (see the next item, below) gives you the perfect opportunity to put up your hand to improve your PERMA+ For suggestions on what you can do, see www.adelaide-parklands.asn.au/take-action/ especially No 9. "Put Your Skills to Good Use"
AGM - SUNDAY 10th APRIL - MEET FELLOW PARK LANDS SUPPORTERS
APPA tends not to focus on social events for our members and supporters. We're an advocacy group, and we like to think we're getting better at advocacy, but we could always do more!
Our Annual General Meeting is usually the only time during the year when you get the opportunity to meet fellow Park Lands supporters. Although it includes a formal meeting, there's also an informal element, and you don't need to be a financial member to attend. Voting, naturally, is restricted to financial members. As an aside, if you'd like to join (so you can vote at the meeting) here's how!
175 The Parade Norwood (entrance off George Street)
At the AGM, tea, coffee and biscuits are provided! But more importantly, you will get to:
hear a summary of our activities during the year;
meet members of the Committee (outgoing and incoming);
offer your support in person for any APPA old or new activities;
hear our guest speaker, Dr Huade (Walter) Guan, Associate Professor in Hydrology School of the Environment, Flinders University. The role of the Adelaide Park Lands in mitigating the Urban Heat Island effect; and
enjoy a slide show of hundreds of Park Lands photos
a) River Torrens & Elder Park, Tarntanya Wama (Park 26)
b) "Gluttony" at the Adelaide Fringe, Rymill Park/Murlawirrapurka (Park 14) including a doomed tree directly on the route of the Government's O-Bahn trench, where excavation work is soon to start
c) Kuntingga (Park 7) near Mann Tce
d) River Torrens, Bonython Park /Tula Wardli (Park 27) photo credit: Mary Jose e) Woimen's fitness class, Mirnu Wirra (Park 21W) off Goodwood Rd
The Park Lands 'photo of the day' series has been running for more than 21 months, and the collection of Park Lands photos now numbers more than 700. We maintain (and gradually grow) 37 separate albums for each one of our 30 Parks, six squares (and one album for 'Alienations'). To browse the photos follow the link below to 'Our photos on Flickr'.
