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Your views: on Urrbrae gatehouse, QR tracking, regional jobs, fountains and Centrelink

Today, readers comment on the need to destroy a heritage-listed building to widen a road, public health powers, country industry, CBD attractions and surviving on welfare payments.

Dec 09, 2020, updated Dec 14, 2020
Photo: Tony Lewis/InDaily

Photo: Tony Lewis/InDaily

Commenting on the story: Liberal MPs speak out to save Urrbrae gatehouse: ‘It’s heritage-listed for a reason’

Leave it alone. Go back to bed, all you messers! What benefit is the road-widening program offering individual South Australian taxpayers?

Just nuts, as was the extension to the busway putting it under North Terrace, and the tramway on the eastern end of North Terrace. Concretism out of control. Concrete concrete, damned concrete. – Jim Scammell 

Please, please, please do all possible to save this beautiful building. I am certainly not opposed to it’s relocation, which is, from all reports, feasible. – Gudrun Tamandl

I drive that section of Cross Roads in all traffic conditions. I cannot see the reason for it to be widened.

I agree that the footpath could be redirected through the edge of the arboretum and the existing footpath used if the road must be widened. 

Even then I do not see why the gatehouse has to go. But if it must, relocate it, perhaps in the gap in the avenue of trees leading up to the main building.

SA is a world leader in destroying its heritage. I still have not forgiven Adelaide University for destroying the superb Union Hall. – Robert Warn

So Steven Marshall’s election manifesto stated that the Liberals had been a champion of our heritage, so I won’t list what heritage has been destroyed on a Liberal watch in the past 50 years as that would be too embarrassing.

There are many reasons for saving our heritage, one of which is architectural tourism. I may be wrong but I can’t see too many tourists coming here to see a revamped traffic intersection.

For a bit of fun, why doesn’t the current government conduct a competition where South Australians can submit their favourite heritage listed and un-listed sites for demolition. We could then vote for the most significant site to be demolished and on the appointed time, turn up with picnic paraphernalia and watch it fall. A good time had by all. – Geoff Moore

Why move it? Slip road entry off Cross Road east of Fullarton Road, single lane around the eastern and southern sides of the gatehouse and add a slip lane to merge into Fullarton Road – probably cheaper! – John Bannister

I have heard that DPTI often removes trees that don’t need to be removed. It appears that they just don’t care.

A certain councillor at the City of Marion worked hard to analyse the trees involved in the Darlington interchange construction, in an effort to reduce the number of trees lost, to no avail. I understand that trees were removed to park equipment during the construction process and that the tree removal could have been avoided.

The Oaklands railway project also saw trees removed which could have been saved, had the department involved been willing to change its plans. The outcome would have been the same but some of the trees would have been saved. I am sure that the public would tolerate extended periods of inconvenience, if they know that a number of significant trees would be saved in the process.

I am sick and tired of “commercial in confidence”. Weasel words when being honest with the public is just too hard.

I don’t hold out much hope against this department, even though the public support is very strong to save both the trees and the building. – Alan Burns

Commenting on the story: Restrictions eased from Monday as authorities eye ‘COVID-normal new year’

So the push for totalitarianism continues unabated. 

If we have no cases in the state and if the ‘sneaky’ virus has few if any symptoms, then why had it been decreed that “From Monday, the Government will make it mandatory for retail shops to adopt QR scanning technology.” How long does this nonsense continue for?

Okay, so only the Health Dept has access to the tracking information. It does not take much for a change of government or even a change of heart for such tracking of the population to become a permanent feature. – Matthew Buck

Commenting on the story: SA town wins race for $59m laminated timber plant

A great decision made. I’m old enough to compare this with the decisions made in the past by the then SA government, when the iron triangle was developed by the Playford regime, those now cities have never looked back.

Expansion in the regions should be at the forefront of governments of all persuasions, particularly as all of our major cities have effectually reached saturation point. If they are to keep growing will become so expensive to most, and  unliveable. – John Higgins

Commenting on the opinion piece: Green space and free thinking, not free parking, will rejuvenate post-pandemic CBDs

Back last century before I moved interstate, I suggested to the ACC that they embark on a program of building more fountains in the CBD. I suggested an ongoing annual international competition for fountain design with the annual  winners being built in strategic city locations, be they high profile sites or hidden gems that required their seeking out.

The concept was for Adelaide to become a city of fountains that generated civic pride, tourism and green cool pockets throughout the square mile. Construction could be funded by government, sponsors, philanthropists or combinations.

If this sounds silly in a dry environment then consider the water would be recirculated, possibly solar powered with minimal wastage. If you still think it’s silly, consider Granada and other Spanish cities famous for their use of water to create welcome spaces in hot dry climates. – Barrie Elvish

Commenting on the story: Skipping meals due to low Centrelink JobSeeker payments a ‘scandal’: Anglicare

By the time I pay mortgage (which is cheaper then rent) of $250 a week it leaves me $300 a fortnight. When it reduces down again I will probably be on the streets. – Elizabeth Stephenson

I am on the disability pension and my wife in on JobSeeker, we look after two of our grandchildren, 10 year-old and 6-year-old girls. It is hard to live on the money we get.

After I get my payment I am left with $10 for the fortnight and my wife, once she pays her bills one week we have about $200 and the next week, we have about $100 to live on. So there is a lot of time the wife and I don’t have dinner just so the kids can eat. The wife doesn’t eat breakfast but sometimes has lunch, whereas for me I don’t have breakfast or lunch.

It would be good if the government has a look at the payments that we all get and give us a rise, as our payments haven’t gone up for a long time but the prices of food,  petrol and school fees/uniforms go up all the time. Something needs to be done. – Name supplied

I am on a pension. It’s the same for pensioners, skimping and missing meals. I think most on benefits will know all about this. – Matthew Parr

I was on Newstart for some years before I got the old age pension. I found the job search agency I was attached to was being paid $1000 to find me a job.

For that, they did nothing. The money would have been better in my pocket. What a rort by these agencies. I would’ve complained, but to whom?

The old system worked far better, at least you could pull people out of a line up and offer a day’s work. Young people need to earn an income if only the dole. Choices to pick fruit or road works, mowing, clearing rubbish. Anything that keeps idle hands busy and offers hope at the end of the tunnel.

I lived on the food line, without it I wouldn’t have survived. There is a solution to this. Government needs to stop hare-brained schemes and work for the people. – Jan Crawley

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