Commenting on the story: Private rental option to house homeless

I helped a relative who has been on NewStart for several years to find a rental property a couple of years ago.

At the time, she didn’t qualify for Housing SA, but they eventually stumped up the bond and 2 week’s rent when we found a place in the private rental market, only because I have signed as her rent guarantor.

On returning to Housing SA, they agree she meets their criteria of ‘living in an unsustainable rental’ and is now a Category Two client – waiting time, approximately 20 years.

She lives in constant fear of having her lease terminated or not renewed, despite always paying on time and looking after the property.

The irony that she rents an ex-Housing SA maisonette in the northern suburbs is not lost on either of us.

Good luck to any rough sleeper who can get into either Housing SA or the private rental market. – James Peterkin

Commenting on the story: Marshall’s plan to make Adelaide a “magnet” for under-40s

Perhaps if Steven Marshall is serious about attracting dynamic under forty year olds to SA, he could start by giving the incredibly talented under 40s in the State public service permanent contracts instead of 12 month contracts.

Why would you try to buy a house or have a family here if there is no job security even at this most important level?

Our state depends on the nurses, teachers, River Murray and environmental specialists, but we don’t recognise their worth. – Sally Mclean

Dear Premier, I am over 40 so would not qualify for this invitation. However, I see that the overall intention that you have is to bring young people to Adelaide.

I would like to give my honest view. I live in Brisbane now, but I lived one year in Adelaide (2018 to 2019) trying to establish myself there.

I tried very hard. And ended up leaving.

Two things were a problem: Lack of jobs. Lack of city development to make it the beautiful city it can be.

The second reason, if fixed, would allow Adelaide people to enjoy Adelaide as a city that embraces them. 

For example, why there is no social recreation areas around the river? For example, here in Brisbane we have walks and bridges up and down the river with bbq and gym facilities all around. 

Also, I found Adelaide lacked suburb hubs with basic restaurants and shops. Leaving no option than driving to a shopping centre.

Hope my feedback is useful. – Angeles Quiroga

Commenting on the story: Virus elimination strategy would crush economy: PM

Sorry Mr Morrison but clearly you haven’t been paying attention to the terrible financial impact to Victoria and the rest of Australia of this second go-around with COVID19.

The only way to avoid further economic disasters is clearly an elimination strategy. 

We are lucky enough to live on an island and to have very tight control of our national borders. We’ve learned the lesson now of how quickly COVID19 can get away from us again.

The only useful strategy is elimination. Nail it hard once – not softly, multiple times! There madness lies – economic, social, emotional, psychological madness. To the whole population.

I’m delighted to live in SA where an elimination strategy is being practised and where we can live relatively normally while continuing to be fully engaged in minimising the risks especially during this very high risk period. 

Would that all of Australia was in the same happy position. Not only would the Australian economy recover much faster, but we in SA (and WA and NT and TAS and QLD) could resume normal contact with our interstate compatriots. – Ingrid Vogelzang 

This claim, also reiterated by the Commonwealth Health Minster, reveals that they don’t know what an elimination strategy is.

It does not mean completely closing the borders. It means (a) effective and stringent quarantine arrangements at the borders and (b) strong action to eliminate all transmission within the community – strategies that have been adopted successfully by five of the eight jurisdictions in Australia (also, incidentally adopted in New Zealand which is now reaping the benefits).

It does not mean, for example, that people would not be able to return to Australia – simply that to do so they will be required to undertake quarantine.

The Prime Minister and the Health Minister seem to think that elimination of the virus means that it does not exist in Australia – this is rubbish.

We need to have an elimination strategy along the lines mentioned above, otherwise we will continue to see outbreaks like in Victoria – and then the economy really will be crushed. – Robert Fletcher

It is disingenuous of the PM to suggest that a bubble and elimination as a strategy mean we can’t import anything into Australia, even, according to him, medical supplies.

Apparently he wants us to believe that NZ has no imports because it has a bubble.

It is a crying shame that the PM and the Federal govt weren’t on board from the start with the idea of elimination, but the epidemiologists are increasingly saying it’s the way we should go. – Cathy Chua

Commenting on the story: Big hit to SA economy if pandemic payments cut

I’m not sure how people can survive on $560 a fortnight, which was the previous payment before Covid. 

I had a back injury back in late January and lost my job. I’m a single 60yr old female, renting on my own. I was put on JobSeeker payment in February and now receive the additional $550. I honestly don’t know how I’m going to survive, paying rent, food, petrol and bills if JobSeeker goes back to normal.

Not much left for bills (phone, electricity, water, gas and insurance), even though I’ve cancelled my private health and car insurance and lessened my life insurance. Food will be bought sparingly.

 If the payment goes back to the normal payments, I have no choice but to break my lease, and find someone to take me in. How degrading.

I’m not sure if anyone will hire me now, at the age I am, and with multiple back problems. I’m sure there are countless people in the same if not similar position.

I hope this helps with some understanding of what regular people live like in the real world. – Raelene Paterson Hughes

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