Hello and welcome to the blog...and a very brief Sunday edition made up of bits and pieces...I'll do the Transport Plan post tomorrow because I haven't been right through it yet...
Suffice to say that I don't need to read it to know that the Rann/Weatherill Labor government have thoroughly rooted South Australia's Transport system, and their continuing focus on trains and trams is retrograde and self defeating...rail is a must for freight transport or suitable for long distance travel, but not appropriate for public transport in a vastly spread out city like Adelaide...and bloody trams, don't get me going about bloody trams...(he's having a go at the trams now-Ed).
There are also some major omissions that I am already aware of, eg, no money for the South East Drain System Bridges that are drastically in need of maintenance and even replacement...I have heard varying amounts quoted for this extensive works program, ranging from $50million up to $80m...there has been almost no maintenance of these bridges in the 50+ years since many were built, and given the economic value of the South East to the entire state, these bridges are crucial state infrastructure...more tomorrow.
In The Border Watch Friday 8th November 2013 Graham Greenwood has his usual article, this time about "high-profile orthopedic surgeon" Barney McCusker under the heading "No challenge too great for community crusader". I don't take issue with Graham's general praise of Mr McCusker, wouldn't really know much about most of it, and I refer to my previous posts re the Indoor Covered Pool, the role that Mr McCusker has apparently played in pursuing that pool, and my apology to him for my unfounded criticisms over the issue.
I was however interested to see this comment about Mr McCusker;
"A regular letter writer to the editor to this newspaper, The Australian, and The Advertiser
(which refuses to run his letter), Barney has tackled issues from improving health services,
to retaining the Royal Adelaide Hospital, and of course local political matters."
I find this amusing if somewhat slightly annoying in that I am currently refused any column space in The Border Watch, and The Advertiser for that matter, and I also find myself heavily involved in many political issues, not least of all the ones that are listed by Mr Greenwood, and many more beside and to boot...I can't wait for Graham's piece about me titled 'He's not actually a complete bastard'...the cheque is nearly in the mail Graham...(I wouldn't post it just yet-Ed)...yeah, fair enough...
I note that Mr Greenwood has just enough time in his glowing exposition of the might and power of the One-Man Barney Army, to toe the Council party line on why we're not getting a covered swimming pool, and as per usual it's the same justifications/complications that Council has chosen to ignore on projects they as individuals do support, the cost.
For example, Council don't give a damn about what people want or think re The Main Corner, and then added millions to the cost for a commercial kitchen that nobodies allowed to use, and lights and dodgy movies, etc, without any Public Consultation...doubled their borrowing capacity earlier this year even though repeatedly asked not to during alleged Budget Public Consultation...(and then raised rates as well-Ed)...continue to spend millions, borrowed millions, demolishing buildings and needlessly ripping up rail lines and replacing pavers in The Main Street, etc, etc...
Couldn't help but laugh when Ms Stephenson of the Riddoch Art Gallery, in amongst the assorted collective whingings and posturings about how the Riddoch needs heaps more money from Council, etc, made some highly disparaging remarks about the Main Corner and how the gallery is effectively 'hidden'...(I believe that Ms Stephenson referred to the Main Corner as looking like 'the entrance to a government building that no-one goes into'...a paraphrase but close to a quote-Ed)...
You are quite right Ed, and yet another irony in that so many people in Mt Gambier consider the Main Corner to be nothing other than a grandiose front entrance for the Riddoch, not least of all because it doesn't appear to actually have any other purpose...(well, of course, other than to use ratepayer's money to set up Councillor Des Mutton's son Lachlan in a 'free' function facility in competition with local providers-Ed)...quite...(dirty, grubby, selfish, corrupt-Ed)...indeed...very, very corrupt...
But even then there was absolutely no reason to do the 'Annex' nightmare Front Door thing jammed incongruously into the side of the Kings Theatre...the actual kitchen, etc, are all inside the main Kings Theatre building...and let's not forget of course that the other 'Tender' for the Main Corner was Mayor Steve Perryman...
More than $10million of ratepayers money unilaterally poured into a pointless, unnecessary project and it gets given to Cr Mutton's son just ahead of Mayor Perryman...if anyone's got a more accurate description of that process than 'rabidly corrupt' then I'd love to hear/read it...all I've got is dirty, stinking, corrupt...
I note that the 'Lease' for the Main Corner Function Facility has been transferred to an associate of Lachlan's, but I don't know exactly what the current conditions and agreement are...but I do know that Council continues to push events through there, and ratepayers are paying for a good deal of the associated catering, the electricity, the security, all of it...to the tune of $600,000+ per year...
But I digress, that's not why we're here today, because today, November 10th, is the birthday of my close personal friend Martin Luther, founder of Lutheranism, born on this day in 1483 (I think) and named after St Martin whose day it is in someones calendar...just not mine...(How ironic that Luther acted genuinely to remove the Church as a conduit between God and Man, ie, originally Lutheranism was about a persons direct connection to God...establishing his Church was in effect an act of rebellion against the Catholic hierarchy-Ed).
Yes, ironic in so much as the Lutheran Church is now very much a law and/or justification unto itself...It has become exactly the sort of self-obsessed, insular, bigoted monster that Luther originally rebelled against ...(Ironic that he went so off the rails in his later years too, and became personally involved in persecution of and/or bigotry against those who opposed him and even more ironic that many Lutherans moved to South Australia during the 1800s to escape persecution in Europe-Ed)...yes, fascinating...but you know what's really interesting?...(what?-Ed).
Well, Luther is a Scorpio...(yeah-Ed)...well we Scorpios don't start religions...(no?-Ed)...no, we don't start religions, we start cults...(classic-Ed)...
Tomorrow: The Transport Schmozzle
I mean plan, the Transport Plan...(no you mean schmozzle, stick with that-Ed)...
I am Nick Fletcher and this is my blog...cheers...
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