A number of people, passionate about their neighbourhood have increased their lobbying recently, at least toward Unley Councillors, including obviously myself.
Residents who might be impacted by culverts down their street, or who have the creek running through their property are increasingly incensed that the dam option appears to have been eliminated in favour of the above options. Certainly information out there, or that may not be out there are giving justification to these concerns.
News that West Torrens Council is thinking of withdrawing from the partnership after news the Federal Government is unlikely to provide a level of funding, likewise that Mitcham Council were going to consult immediately and only with 30 residents whose properties border the creek only on no dam options feeds these misgivings.
It was never my understanding that in exploring no dam options that the dam would no longer be an option.
Unley Council, or at least myself, has always tackled this very important project from the view that we have to look at ALL options and determine what is the best of these or the best mix of these. That means looking at dam options and no dam options.
This is the approach, as a small business man, I have taken my whole life on issues confronting me.
That is the only correct approach. There has never been room for politics in my decision making. Find the best solution and to do that you don’t eliminate any before all have been explored.
To eliminate one or more options from the public consultation is quite simply provocative in my mind. It is an insult. It demonstrates a total lack of transparency and reeks of guiding a particular and favoured response.
That is a political approach and I wont have a bar of it.
The Steering committee has delayed providing the 5 councils with the technical report as they recognise Unley’s stance that rushing into public consultation too soon and for the shortest allowable (under statute) consultation time is the responsible approach.
This should not be rushed AND ALL OPTIONS MUST BE ON THE TABLE including mixed options.
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