Commenting on the story: Amber light speed warning for SA drivers

I hope this also means stricter conditions for vehicles that seem to be displaying flashing amber lights when they have nothing to do road safety issues. – Kerrie Smith

Possibly a bit of clarity needed on this law.

All lanes must slow on the same side of road as the vehicle. Every service vehicle displaying a flashing amber light, including the garbage truck going down Marion road at 8am, or the council truck stopping outside Macca’s to grab lunch?

The similar rule in other states seems better – every vehicle to slow their speed to 50 per cent of the area limit. So most metro areas would be 25kph but on country roads doing 80 or 100kph it becomes 40 or 50 to avoid rear end accidents if a car stops quickly. – Greg Keep

Commenting on Notes on Adelaide: No, Festival Plaza will not be Adelaide’s ‘Federation Square’ 

David Washington writes that there is nothing ‘grown up’ about the appalling process resulting in the destruction of the Festival Plaza, nor any similarity with the creativity that made Melbourne’s Federation Square.

Politicians pandering to a private developer of public land resulting in two overbearing square ‘obelisk-type’ structures casting a pall over a character filled historical Parliament, and a peoples’ plaza and cultural centre is appallingly crass.

Private developers will do what they can get away with in their private interests; many see that as ‘their job’. But public policy, politicians, and public servants are there for past, present and future public interest.

Frankly, it is difficult to reconcile the proposal with any electoral mandate, nor the maturity, creativity, transparency, and public value that should underpin productive city planning.

“Growing up” does not require “dumbing down”, “pollie-pillaging” of public land and open space, or paucity of public participation. Wisdom would be welcomed. – Elbert Brooks

Commenting on the story: SA researchers aim to get the dirt on backyard chemicals

Given the widespread use of PFAS chemicals in a variety of household items such as clothing, gloves, plastic bags, sun protection products and so on, the risk of cross contamination and coupled with the laboratory reporting limited in parts per billion, the risk of false positives is real.

It is beyond the technical abilities of homeowners to provide adequate QA/QC controls to give any confidence that the data is valid and fit for purpose. This is a specialised field that requires appropriately qualified and experienced personnel. Sounds as though someone doesn’t want to do the leg work for their PhD. – Alistair Ray