[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Adelaide was Re: [SA] Incredible article in Advertiser today





Ben Scaro wrote:

> > Well I left over 20 years ago wishing for something like this, believing
> > that Adeliade needs this big time, and it comes from The Advertiser - what a
> > shame. A shame it's written up in there and a shame it will never happen in
> > the foreseeable future.
> >
> > Ivan
>
> I agree.  But South Australia is one state, like Tasmania where I am
> from, where everything is always a 'shame'.  You hear it so often . .
> . . shame this or that didn't happen.
>
> But 'this or that' is often enough a hugely expensive pie-in-the-sky
> scheme that is never going to happen.  In the meantime, as we hang out
> on the jetty waiting for the ship carrying that 'big project', *real*
> incremental improvements that could have been made to existing
> infrastructure are not made, and the infrastructure continues to
> decline, or gets a band-aid, so that it can die more slowly and with
> less electoral impact- case in point, the Overland.
>
> In Tasmania, where I worked for a couple of years as an industry
> development officer, we'd gone a bit more po-mo with the concept.
> Instead of just ruing the fact that things weren't happening, we'd
> moved on to ruing the fact that we had such a negative attitude !  I
> guess at least that's one step towards recognising the problem.
>
> I love Adelaide.  As a place, I think it has so much potential. It has
> good weather, great natural beauty.  It's the right size, one million
> or so . . . big enough to feel like a city, small enough to be
> manageable.  It has culture, good food, and I don't need to mention
> the wine.  It's relaxed.
>
> But like Tasmania, it needs to cheer up a bit and just get on with
> what can be done.
>
> I think the SA government should just bite the bullet and close the
> rail lines one line at a time to standardise or convert to light rail.
> Surely it can be done incrementally- it is a fairly small system.  And
> everyone knows which lines need to stay heavy rail, and which need to
> go light rail.
>
> For the main line to Melbourne, why not just work in increments ? -
> work on straightening out two or three curves and a couple of grades a
> year.  A few years of that and an hour will be lopped off train times.
>
> That's my rant . . .
>
> Ben

I agree with Ben's sentiments - there was a time when you could say that Brisbane,
Adelaide and Perth were similar in population and outlook - but definitely not
now!

Some say it was the recession which hit in the early 90s and never finished - the
State Bank SA collapse was same in monetary size as the State Bank Vic but compare
populations - Vic nearly 4 million, SA a bit over 1 million to carry that debt

But I reckon is a rot that has set in deeper in the psyche. Why are the overseas
students giving Adelaide the flick (recent report to SA Premier)? One
word...Boring!
Are the churches still strangling the life out of Adelaide - preventing a culture
from developing? Also not enough risk taking - maybe because of the bank collapse.

They also need to clear the decks and get rid of Olsen and the Libs (no matter
what side of politics you are on, you can see they look tired and without ideas).
They need to embrace the dynamic of fast change - sure identify their strong suits
(wine, parkland etc) but get rid of the ridiculous shop trading hours and other
outdated ideas.

I always feel better in Brisbane (which is still missing a soul, but still looks
like a modern city and is comfortable) and Perth (not quite as much, but getting
there).

Most of the rail lines would be ideal for light rail - only Gawler and Noarlunga
should keep a more "commuter" or even "interurban" style of operation. I love the
H-class but these are definitely for museums and special operations only. Adelaide
not only has pathetic rail transport, but also road and air - I think it is just
being neglected by both tiers of government.

RC