Your views: on hidden cultural treasures, GM crops and chopping city trees
Today, readers comment on the indigenous cultural treasures stored in a leaky Netley warehouse, lifting SA’s GM crops ban, and axing century-old North Tce trees.
Photo: Tony Lewis/InDaily
Commenting on the story: The suburban Adelaide address that could be the nation’s most important cultural site
I am a proud Aboriginal Elder of the Peramangk mob of South Australia, and I read with some degree of horror about the sad state of the South Australian Museum site building at Netley with water ingress.
This culturally significant site houses many of my ancestors’ relics, and they are being left to slowly degrade.
The building is in a sad state of disrepair and could do with an overhaul.
If this was ‘white fellas’ relics the building would have never got into this disgraceful condition.
I see the first thing the ‘white fellas’ did was to get an Eora man’s club and make it into a whip. Mind-boggling stuff!
South Aussie politicians and South Aussie museum staff, get off your collective backsides and fix this.
Ignore it long enough and it will all be gone. – Merryl Chantrell
Commenting on the story: State Govt moves to lift ban on GM crops
The South Australian ban on commercial Genetically Manipulated (GM) canola until 2025 has broad public and farmer support. It should remain in place as parliament intended.
The present Select Committee Inquiry into SA GM-free should be allowed to run its course and report to the parliament before any proposed changes are made to the moratorium.
The SA government’s plan to end the GM ban by amending regulations would betray the parliament and the people of the state.
The winners from lifting the GM-free ban would be foreign seed and agrochemical companies and the losers South Australia’s farmers and shoppers.
Keeping Kangaroo Island GM-free so it can continue producing GM-free products to earn premiums is clear proof of tangible GM-free benefits.
Exempting an island from GM canola so it can reap the benefits of GM-free cropping also confirms that GM poses contamination threats to neighbours and supply chains.
That’s why Tasmania’s Liberal Government announced last week that their island will remain GM-free till 2029.
Farmers who choose to grow Roundup herbicide tolerant GM canola will pay more for seed, segregation and shipping their product, and it will be discounted.
The discount for GM canola vs GM-free varieties in WA last week was $105/tonne, and GM-free premiums of up to $50/tonne are also paid in Victoria and NSW.
Canola is just 2% of all revenue from the SA’s broad-acre crops, so the profits claimed for growing GM are grossly inflated.
The state government should stay GM-free and get behind farmers and food businesses to earn substantial GM-free premiums in Australian and overseas markets.
We encourage all South Australians to say no to GM canola during the Minister’s consultation, and back the parliament’s decision to stay GM-free until 2025. – Bob Phelps, Gene Ethics
Commenting on the story: Century-old North Tce trees set for axe in Lot 14 works
From what I have read, it seems that the current 100-year-old trees are presenting an unsightly view into the site, so therefore, they need to come down and other, less messy trees planted in their place.
The other comment I read is that they do not allow for correct placement of tiles on the footpath. I was astonished when I read this.
I would have considered that the trees, while presenting a challenge, should be able to be celebrated for their history and place for over 100 years providing welcome shade on this part of the North Terrace boulevard.
A clever young landscape architect should be able to incorporate them into a design – why are they simply disposed of because they present with a little untidiness.
Take on the challenge, celebrate them! – Rochelle Woodley-Baker
I agree with John Tons; “For a start, they spoil the view – who wants too look at trees when we can get an uninterrupted vista of concrete, brick and bitumen?”
Look, I genuinely love Adelaide, always have, but I’m sorry SA, I’m an outsider in NSW but to me your City Council and the State Government both look like they’ve lost the plot.
It’s almost like Shed 26 all over. These pollies are supposed to serve the public, but they’re not doing a very good job of it. – Richard Forbes
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