Councillor Don Palmer Providing Local Leadership & Working for You

What Sort Are You?

Yes, when it comes to sorting rubbish, I ask what sort are you? The Unley Council has a long history of addressing the need to be vigilant over where we send our rubbish. We were one of the first to introduce multiple bin collections, as evidenced by our use of the...

Council is all talk, no action on tree canopy

Council is all talk no action. That is what I heard one woman say recently about our tree canopy strategy as I watched multiple regulated trees being removed from a house property adjacent to the Clarence Park Rail Station. I heard her say this as she passed me to...

Why no Unley Australia Day event?

You may be asking why no Unley Australia Day event next year. And that’s fair enough. As reported in the media, Unley Council has decided not to run an event on Australia Day 2024. In so doing we have alienated some in our community. The truth is, on this topic, we...

Roads, Rates & Rubbish.

Are roads, rates & rubbish the limit to Council’s jurisdiction? Recent ongoing media dialogue about Councils getting ahead of themselves prompts this question of whether roads, rates & rubbish should be the limit of the responsibilities of Councils. This...

How you can Shape the T2D project

To help to shape the T2D project, the Government seeks your insights to better understand local access requirements.   They are doing this because you have previously indicated that loss of connectivity is a major concern. They are now seeking insights to better...

Cat By-Law Curfew.

Informal discussions in Council this week about cat management I believe has led to a cat by-law curfew. Unlike the acceptance in society of laws governing dog ownership similar controls over cats evokes polarised views. Cat lovers have oft resisted moves at Local and...

A Focus on Stormwater Management has commenced.

Another one of my election promises, for a focus on stormwater management, is taking shape after a briefing of the Council earlier last week. Stormwater may not be as sexy as building new clubrooms at Goodwood Oval. Likewise, the Millswood Croquet Club or (those...

No Queensland Box …. no more

No Queensland Box trees will be planted in the future in Unley. My Motion on Notice at last Monday night’s full council meeting has confirmed this. Many of you expressed concerns after observing several Queensland Boxes have been planted since the previous Council...

Carbon Zero or Carbon Credits

Should Council’s focus be on Carbon Zero or Carbon Credits? That was the unanswered question debated by Council last night. Can one be achieved without the other? Cr Jack Gaffey, one of our new Councillors, has hit the ground running, moving several motions on notice...

2023, the Year of the E-Scooter.

2023 may well be the year of the Rabbit but here in Adelaide (& Unley) it may well be the year of the E-Scooter. This, with both the State Government and the Opposition focusing on the absence of laws governing their use.   Likewise with the Adelaide City...

Street Tree Species Guideline

As I have indicated in many a blog post including the last one, I have been waiting for Council to implement a pallet of suitable street trees- a street tree species guideline. The selection of suitable trees for our streets was the subject of conversation resulting...

Queensland Box concerns growing in Clarence Park Ward

Queensland Box concerns have been one of the perennials that City of Unley Rate Payers express. Since the recent local government election, I have seen these Queensland Box concerns growing in at least the Clarence Park Ward. Many ratepayers have expressed concerns...

What the other elected members are promising

I observed during the recent election campaign what the other elected members are promising. While there are and must be differences and there is evidence of this, I was warmed by the similarities.   Most (but not all) promoted a need for financial responsibility....