March 28th, 2008 by Kris
At a public meeting I organised today, residents overwhelmingly supported a motion opposing a proposal to build a Scouts Hall on the Old Reynella reserve. About 30 residents attended the public meeting held on the reserve at Old Reynella.
While residents recognised the need for the Scouts to find a new home, most are adamant they don’t want 2,000 square metres of their local reserve consumed by a hall and car park.
Onkaparinga Council’s Services & Facilities Committee recommended the Old Reynella reserve as the preferred site for a new Scout Hall. A number of residents plan to attend the Committee’s next meeting on Tuesday 13th May to let them know what they think of the Committee recommendation.
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March 26th, 2008 by Kris
Free recycling of household and small business computer waste. Limit of three PCs per vehicle.
Saturday 29 March 9.00am-3.00pm
Torrens Parade Ground, Victoria Drive, Adelaide
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March 25th, 2008 by Kris
The Rann Government could eliminate WorkCover’s unfunded liability – more than $1 billion – without cutting worker entitlements.
In his report, Alan Clayton admits that WorkCover was working well throughout the 1990s with a deficit of only $22 million in 2000. One of the many management issues in the last decade that has contributed to the blow-out has been the policy of severely limiting payouts to get permanently-incapacitated workers off the scheme.
This was done to save money. And it certainly did. In 2000 WorkCover had just $50 million in cash and investments. By 2007 this had gone through the roof to $1.4 billion!
The only problem was that workers weren’t accepting the mean payout figures WorkCover was offering to get them off benefits. That’s when WorkCover’s problems started. Its unfunded liability had blown out to more than $1 billion by the end of 2007.
Instead of dumping injured workers on the dole, the WorkCover Board could get injured workers off the scheme. This has the potential to wipe out the scheme’s unfunded liability and, in turn, reduce employer levies in 2008.
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March 18th, 2008 by Kris
It was clear from the community forum I organised on the future of the Mitsubishi Tonsley site that locals are keen on developing renewable energy technology on the site, possibly in connection with ‘green’ vehicles. Another proposal was for a road /rail interchange using the Tonsley rail line. Such a transport link would take pressure off South Road and provide a handy transport option for locals.
The reaction of Council and State Government representatives at the forum was that Mitsubishi land is “too valuable” for anything but industrial use. However, I think we can have the best of both worlds here – clean green manufacturing and a first class link to our public transport system.
Following are notes taken at the forum:
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March 12th, 2008 by Kris
A Bill introduced by Independent MLC Ann Bressington won support from both major parties in the Upper House. The legislation bans the sale of pipes, bongs and cocaine kits. While supporting the legislation when it came to the Lower House, I argued that traditional Middle Eastern hookahs, narghiles, shishas and ghalyans should not be listed as drug paraphernalia. I agree that bongs are sold solely for the smoking of dope. However, traditional Middle Eastern smoking pipes are not. They are mostly used for smoking fruit-flavoured tobacco.
Posted in The Big Picture, State Issues | 2 Comments »
March 10th, 2008 by Kris
Why are we forcing horses to run the Adelaide Cup in 40 degree heat? Surely the threat of rain over a May long weekend is preferable to this cruelty. It’s time we moved the Adelaide Cup holiday back to May. The decision to change it to the second weekend of March was made by the Rann Government in 2004, without consultation, as many of their decisions tend to be.
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March 8th, 2008 by Kris
I will be chairing an injured workers forum on Saturday 8th March (9.30am to 1pm) at the Enfield Community Centre, 540 Regency Road, Enfield. Organised by the Work Injured Resources Connection Inc the forum will allow speakers to explain the impact of the State Government’s WorkCover legislation.
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March 6th, 2008 by Kris
Two weeks ago Premier Mike Rann claimed Labor is committed to a WorkCover scheme that is “fair” to workers. Last week, he signed Labor up to legislation that would gut WorkCover and force thousands of injured workers into poverty.
Rann’s proposed WorkCover changes would slash weekly payments by 20 per cent where injured workers are unable to return to work after 13 weeks. For workers on average weekly earnings, this would leave them out of pocket by nearly $200 a week. The average family cannot afford a financial hit of these proportions. It’s like slugging them with a 20 per cent injury tax!
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