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Your views: on child protection, interconnector, motor racing, JobSeeker and more

Today, readers comment on staffing for children in care, energy infrastructure, Adelaide car racing, life on welfare, public health rules and motorcycle rider training.

Feb 05, 2021, updated Feb 05, 2021

Commenting on the story: Children in care looked after in govt offices amid staff shortage: union

Sadly, this has been happening for years, not an exaggeration. Department for Child Protection and Families SA staff have been required to work overtime, care for children in their offices and work around the clock caring for kids in emergency care for many years. This is not a new challenge these staff take on. 

As a former Department for Education employee, regular contact with DCP staff was required and I was shocked at the turn over of DCP staff and saddened that great communicating, hardworking, caring staff left prematurely, burnt out by the system, emotionally stretched to their limit. And the kids in their care were then handed to yet another worker who had to build their trust and rapport. 

The job requires hardened people who care and are empathetic, intelligent, good communicators. Not a job for the faint hearted.

Rachel Sanderson took on one of the most complex ministerial positions, I think. No one (media) wants to know about what positives are going on in DCP until the proverbial hits the fan. 

DCP has been in absolute turmoil internally. Possibly spending more time managing themselves in-house than actually supporting the at-risk children they are employed to be supporting. – Sam Lawrence 

Commenting on the story: Taxpayers could be exposed as interconnector finances savaged

This is what the feds should be investing in, not gas pipelines or new coal-fired power stations. – Leonie Ashman

This should guarantee that we keep the title of the “state with the highest electricity prices in the world”.

It is a pity – all the right rhetoric but no fundamental common sense. Every step we have taken since selling our power distribution system to foreign interests seems to take us further down this track.

Maybe time to pause, consult and consider what the consumers of South Australia really need and want – and how it can be economically delivered without further degrading our environment. – George Hobbs

Commenting on the story: Nation’s top banker calls for permanent lift to JobSeeker rate

This last year, for the first time ever in my working life of over 40 years, I needed government help, and I am so very thankful for it, but honestly, why else did I pay all those taxes for so many years?

Well, to give help where it was needed and to get help when it was needed. I would love any politician to live in my shoes at the moment – my five-year-old shoes as I can’t afford new ones!

I have never lived on the poverty line like this – actually 40% under the poverty line when the Covid supplement stops. All our savings are gone and not much left on our emergency credit card, and we are the luckier ones as we don’t have children to support or feed!

How can any politician on their ridiculously inflated wage understand how terrible we feel, how overwhelming it all is! – Chris Coles

Commenting on the Your views, Thursday February 4

Looks like Philip Groves like many of his ilk that believe that they are the majority when it comes to commenting on the Adelaide 500 and that they can make confident statements as to the deleterious effects that motorsport in Adelaide (even electrically driven Formula E) without producing any facts, figures and comprehensive polls as justification of their position or opinion.

It appears that Philip unfortunately has not actually used his eyes and ears when the Adelaide 500 event is run, as he may notice how much trade is being conducted in city cafés, restaurants and shops as well as hotel accommodation and out of state visitors in the streets. If this is deleterious to Adelaide then perhaps he and his wowser fraternity ( Marshall Government included) can ask that all festivals be banned as they are obviously very energy wasting and leave a huge carbon footprint in their wake.

If Philip and co succeed then the image that the eastern states have of Adelaide as “Sleepy Hollow” may well be in our powers to achieve.

I and my ilk will be in the park lands sitting on a bench in slippers and pyjamas waiting for the grass to grow. Now that is exciting!Sozo Nikias

To correspondent Phillip Groves on car races – well said – I couldn’t have put it any better. – Fred Driver

Commenting on the story: Fruit bans and QR codes a test of public messaging and trust

It’s a total invasion of privacy. I now feel as if I am living in a strict communist state. Freedom is totally undermined. – Mary Gill

Commenting on the story: ‘Harry’s Law’: Grieving mum lobbies for better motorbike training

Having an on-road component of the motorbike training and licensing scheme is the bare basics of what is needed.

Other countries do it far better, and SA will soon be the only state that does not have a graduated licensing scheme where riders are taught on the road under normal and varied conditions.

Surely it’s not too much to ask that the level of training matches the 85 hours required of car drivers before they are given a licence? – Ann-marie Taplin

Having been through the training myself recently, I can say that the instructors unequivocally stress the need for riders to be safe, to be aware of their surroundings, to give themselves space and time to react – but ultimately, like everything in life, responsibility falls to the user.

Anyone on or near the road, be they pedestrian, motorist, cyclist must take care of themselves and others around them first and foremost. All the training or experience in the world won’t protect you from a kangaroo leaping out in front of you with no notice, other than to take evasive action. Accidents do happen from time to time, sometimes through no fault of our own – it’s called living life.

We cannot continue to have the mindset of making up rules and legislating for every possible scenario or possibility that could occur to endanger life – motorcycling (accidents), surfing (sharks), playing sport (concussion) etc.

It is always sad when someone is taken before their time or seriously injured, but the rules are made for the majority. Assessing your own personal risk and accepting responsibility for one’s own actions is the remedy. If there is too much risk involved then don’t partake in the activity. – Luke Harrington

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