Councillor Don Palmer Providing Local Leadership & Working for You

The headlines online today from the Eastern Courier read “Residents to hold meeting tonight to protect crossing at Millswood.”

This was in response to DPTI finding out only after the Belair trains were back in operation that their redesigned turn out bay to allow Belair trains travelling in opposite directions to pass have cut the line of sight for pedestrians crossing the corridor from Arundel Avenue to the Millswood Reserve. This means it is not safe for pedestrians to use the crossing.

This is a direct result, as I have oft claimed in the ongoing saga of the various rail revitalisation projects, of DPTI simply not having the resources to complete the projects in the time requested by the State Government. The State Government have their own agenda of course and that appears to have stuff to offer the electorate as examples of what they can do ready for the next sate Election. This may well backfire on them given the amount of angst along the rail corridors.

The problems we (residents) have experienced and their (DPTI) lack of consultation with affected residents can be simply attributed to this. They could not consult over that they were not aware of until ready to construct or have constructed (as in this case).

And again as I have been saying all along, the method of project management that DPTI use ….”Design & Construct” …. leaves little room to consult anyway because how can you when you don’t know what your doing before you do it.

Back to Millswood. Residents rightfully are aggrieved at yet another broken promise and more so when met at the meeting with verbal advice from DPTI that “they will not rule out closing that pedestrian crossing” which flies in the face of brochures at the crossing from DPTI saying “they have no plans to close the crossing”.

I congratulate residents on their civilized and considered presentation to Liberal Candidate for Ashford at the next election Terina Monteagle, Liberal member for Unley David Pisoni and Deputy Leader of the Opposition Vicki Chapman. A number of good observations have been made about how to solve this State Government created malaise.

Vicki and Terina will be taking these to DPTI management and we all thank them for that and await the results.

In the meantime I have a suggestion for DPTI’s management. If something has gone wrong and it will affect residents:

1   Don’t hide it from them. Admit it. Let them know as soon as the problem is discovered with a commitment to work with them to solve it.
2   Offer to go away and look at solutions that can be bought back to the residents, noting the need to recognise such essential things as safety etc.
3   Provide multiple solutions and seek input from residents on those solutions.
4   Implement the best option, after that process has been completed.

That may or may not be what residents prefer for sound engineering reasons or for safety but at least they will feel they have contributed rather than being lied to.

This is an approach I have long held in my business dealings. I have found that not only does it cost my business less in the long run but your client appreciates your integrity, which has other positive influences on your bottom line, repeat business or favourable references. Gee they stuffed up but you know before I could pick on them they had fixed it.

This is an approach I am actively seeking Council to adopt. We (Council) indeed have matter coming before us shortly that I will be speaking to in like terms.

It may be fair to say people in the past could not care but we are a new breed now. We do care. And while there may still be a lot of people out there who simply want the government to make decisions and get on with it, they are more who want to feel they are contributing and that the Government cares for them and how a project may impact on them.

The 21st Century solution as it where.