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Your views: on Le Cornu site, social housing, not just footy, Crows and Fumbles

Today, readers comment on the generational wait for action at a prominent site, seriously tackling homelessness, sports coverage, a Crows move and Port commiserations.

Oct 20, 2020, updated Oct 20, 2020
Photo: Tony Lewis/InDaily

Photo: Tony Lewis/InDaily

Commenting on the story: After 30 years, a longer wait to see plans for vacant Le Cornu site

This is why SA is ridiculed and continually overlooked in terms of developments by our more astute and competitive neighbours. 

Who spends over $1m on a block empty for 30 years with nothing to show for it? The Adelaide City Council. – Maria Russo

Ms Verschoor was present as a supportive councillor when former Lord Mayor Martin Haese announced the city council’s apparently brilliant decision in January 2018 to spend $24 million on buying the former Le Cornu site.

She, like her colleagues, had read the confidential 2017 ‘Risk and treatment plan’ about the proposal to buy the site (only released quietly on the council website on 27 April 2018, but not widely read at the time).

Thirty-three months after the purchase, despite a global search, only one developer is at the council table, but only present under a non-binding agreement.

Clearly, council paid too much (despite independent valuations at the time); the “opportunity cost” was too high, and the timing of the “investment” badly wrong. The developer now knows he has got the council over a barrel. What a mess.

On the 2017 plan’s observed risk that the “opportunity cost of purchasing land has a flow-on effect to other strategic projects – affects the Long Term Financial Plan and long-term borrowing costs”, its 2017 consequence rating was described as “catastrophic”, its likelihood rating “almost certain” and overall risk rating “extreme”.

To mitigate this, the advice was: “Confirm an exit strategy around two year on sale of property, which reduces impact after the first two years.”

The Lord Mayor needs to front up and spell out the exit strategy. A full explanation to the city’s 26,276 ratepayers is now well overdue.

Repeatedly extending the “announcement” date, and making administrators do the explaining, is not an exit strategy: it is an avoidance strategy. – John Bridgland

Commenting on the story: It’s simple: lack of low-cost housing is root cause of homelessness

If the State Government really cared about providing social housing for all, they would begin by selling off the outdated three bedroom houses and use that money to construct more appropriate housing solutions for their clients. As most people seeking social housing are single, a two bedroom apartment would be ideal.

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The Government already has access to large allotments of land throughout Adelaide. In addition, constructing apartment blocks with gardens and communal areas would also assist with social isolation and homelessness.

As well, the selling of the existing three bedroom Housing Trust homes would provide cheaper homes for young individuals and couples to purchase, which is a win-win situation. – Shona Clippel-Cooper

Commenting on the story: Not JUST the footy scores

Loving the ‘Not JUST the Footy scores’ sports coverage. – Leah Cassidy, Sport SA

Commenting on the story: Crows should join SANFL at Thebarton: footy league boss

Great move. Thebarton oval is a good oval in a top location. Local and a good investment. – Peter Smith

Commenting on the story: Touch Of The Fumbles: Consolation

Thanks so much for your touching words of consolation on Port’s elimination from the finals.

I would also like to pass on words of consolation to you for the Crows’ first wooden spoon, which regardless of the shortened by COVID season, the AFL has duly noted in its record books now and forever, amen. – Angelo Mazzei

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