News & Discussion: Adelaide City Council

[[Shuz]]

No doubt Yarwood would run in state politics if he loses the Lord Mayor role.

[mshagg]

Well for what it's worth David, you got a big #1 from me for area councilor. Let's hope that's far from the last set of notes.

It's an important election and the city stands to lose much of the momentum gained in recent years with the likes of Hamilton gunning for the LM's robes. Perhaps this is why I've felt more engaged with the local govt election than ever before - hopefully I'm not alone in that regard. We can sit here and point at specific developments and strategies, but heading into my ~5th year as a CBD resident, what strikes me is the overall change in the feel and mood of the city. Ive been off work for the last few weeks and start each day with a constitutional pedal to a cafe somewhere in the city for breakfast - swinging past recent developments, areas where activation has been a focus - it's hard to put one's finger on but it's like a little bit more of the March buzz lingers around every year.

[Llessur2002]

A few days old now so you may have already heard it but here's the link to the 5-way Mayoral debate on the ABC:

http://blogs.abc.net.au/sa/2014/10/who- ... mayor.html

Not sure Goers is the most impartial of hosts (read: horrifically and unprofessionally biased) and some of the views aired by certain candidates are quite depressing but it's worth a listen...

[Shahkar]

Martin Haese is new Adelaide City Council Lord Mayor

BUSINESSMAN Martin Haese is Adelaide’s new Lord Mayor after beating incumbent Stephen Yarwood in a tightly fought contest.

Mr Haese, 49, won by just 218 votes following the distribution of preferences.

It was the second narrowest victory in recent council history.

After a dramatic day of counting, which saw almost 36 per cent of the city population vote, there was mounting speculation that Mr Yarwood had done enough to win.

But by 7.15pm on Saturday night, Mr Haese prevailed with 3423 votes to Mr Yarwood’s 3205 votes.

The result denied Mr Yarwood, 43, a second and final term in office.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/messenger ... 7116988653

[Nathan]

Not only is Yarwood out for Haese, but it doesn't look David will be returning to council either. Moran and Wilkinson have been returned as area councillors to further rub salt into the wounds. All in all, a pretty bad day for our city.

[jk1237]

Pretty depressing day for our city. Yarwood got the most votes by far, but the 4 conservatives preferenced each other so one would get in. How boring. I guess Haese or whatever his name is, is the least worst of the senile candidates.

Anyway the Adelaide establishment maintains its control of keeping Adelaide as dull and conservative as possible. Was a positive few years though

[Will]

From the ABC:

Businessman Martin Haese elected as new Lord Mayor of Adelaide, ousting Stephen Yarwood

Updated about 2 hours agoSun 9 Nov 2014, 5:01pm




Adelaide City Council Lord Mayor-elect Martin Haese says unifying council and engaging the business community will be his top priorities in the job.

The Adelaide businessman ousted Stephen Yarwood last night in a close mayoral race, winning by just 218 votes.




We need to just look at how the Adelaide City Council is geared in terms of its debt and its overheads, but in the same breath there is still plenty that can be done.



Mr Haese said he felt honoured to have been elected.

"It was a close election result, undoubtedly. I'm very very appreciative and humbled to soon be here, so to speak," he said.

"It was councillor Mark Hamilton's preferences which came my way late yesterday which ultimately determined the result."

As well as working to unify the council and engage with the business community, Mr Haese said he would now look at the internal efficiencies of the Adelaide City Council and the basic infrastructure needs of the city.

"We need to just look at how the Adelaide City Council is geared in terms of its debt and its overheads, but in the same breath there is still plenty that can be done," he said.

"There's a lot of basic infrastructure work around the City of Adelaide, just like the roads, rates and those types of things, which are fundamental to local government, which have probably been neglected a little bit.

"So we just need to turn the focus back to those, but at the same time, we need to engage the people, we need to engage the business so that we can build some prosperity. Once we've built prosperity it makes things a lot easier to be paid for as we move forward."

Mr Haese paid tribute to Mr Yarwood's work over the past four years and said the outgoing mayor has been instrumental in bringing vibrancy to the city.

"Stephen has done an instrumental job in tipping Adelaide in a new direction and that new direction really has been a city that welcomes vibrancy, a city that engages with youth, and a city that has a very different tone to it," Mr Haese said.

"On those measures I absolutely congratulate Stephen Yarwood. I tip my hat to him, he's done a great job, he's worked exceptionally hard."


Stephen Yarwood has 'no regrets'



In a statement this morning, Mr Yarwood said while he was disappointed over his loss of the position, he had learnt a lot over the past four years and would look forward to spending time with his family over Christmas.

"It has been a privilege to serve the community, I have learnt a lot and worked hard to make a positive contribution to the city we all love," Mr Yarwood said.

"I've dedicated my professional life to the liveability, sustainability and productivity of cities and this passion has not been dented by the result.

"I will apply what I have learnt to cities and towns nationally and internationally to make the world a better place."

Mr Yarwood thanked his family, and in particular his wife, his friends and supporters for standing by him over the past seven years.

"Regardless, I know many people are proud of what council has achieved in the last four years. The city is a better place and I have no regrets," he said.




Regardless, I know many people are proud of what council has achieved in the last 4 years. The city is a better place and I have no regrets.



"I wish Martin Haese all the best in what is a demanding role."

Electoral commissioner Kay Mousley said Mr Yarwood was several hundred votes ahead in first preferences.

"It was only when they've gone through the full distribution of preferences that the tables have turned and that is what is provisionally been declared as the outcome at this point in time," she said.

Six other new mayors have been provisionally elected including Angela Keneally in Charles Sturt Council who replaces Kirsten Alexander, and councillor Stephen Patterson who will take over from Ken Rollond as the Mayor of Holdfast Bay.

Sam Johnson has been provisionally declared elected for Port Augusta and Jim Pollock has been provisionally declared elected in Whyalla, returning for his fourth term.

[SRW]

It's a pretty devastating loss, not just because Yarwood's first four years deserved the validation of reelection, but that we'll miss out on what he could've achieved across four more. My only hope is that the passion he has inspired in Adelaideans is deep enough to stay the course, and that the agenda of change is one the council feels compelled to continue pursuing. And perhaps Yarwood will find another position from which he may keep pushing forward Adelaide's revitalisation.

And David, if the worse comes to be and you are not returned, thank you very much for your service and your engagement. Truly, you have demonstrated the best of what local government can and should be.

[Nathan]

And David, if the worse comes to be and you are not returned, thank you very much for your service and your engagement. Truly, you have demonstrated the best of what local government can and should be.

I'll echo that. Thank you for your service to the City of Adelaide, David. Whilst I no longer live in the CBD, you were approachable and helpful when I was, and your engagement with us on the forum along with your dedication to the betterment of our city should be applauded.

[mshagg]

I would echo the sentiments of the previous posters - thanks for your service to the city of Adelaide, David.

As for the election of Haese, Im not sure what to think - because during the campaign he really shared little with us in the elecorate about what his plans are and still seemingly not keen to show those cards, despite being named lord mayor elect. On the positive side he's not as outwardly negative as the man whose preferences got him the job, and has rightly praised Yarwood for what has been achieved over the past 4 years.

Of concern is that a "pro-business agenda" in adelaide is typically synonymous with preferencing cars and car parking ahead of all other interests... and you'd have to be pretty nervous as a food truck operator, too.

[metro]

Of concern is that a "pro-business agenda" in adelaide is typically synonymous with preferencing cars and car parking ahead of all other interests... and you'd have to be pretty nervous as a food truck operator, too.

from what I've read about him, I'm guessing Haese comes from a fairly wealthy family and I think they own a fair bit of CBD property - If true would explain why his posters were in almost every shop/cafe/restaurant/hotel. Definitely a little concerned about his "pro-business" and "back to basics" agenda, exactly the same as what other conservative (Liberal Party?) candidates around Suburban Adelaide were proposing, plus he's a motoring enthusiast and does not support any further protected cycleway development. Could see the end of most food trucks under his leadership, Victoria Square will remain half done as he stated he's not keen on anymore big public space projects. One positive is that he said he wont reverse some of Yarwood's changes which means hopefully the Frome St cycleway will remain, Rundle Mall will be finished, also speed limits will be reduced and light sequences will be improved. But I guess Adelaide will slowly return to how things were under Harbison.

[Nathan]

Of concern is that a "pro-business agenda" in adelaide is typically synonymous with preferencing cars and car parking ahead of all other interests... and you'd have to be pretty nervous as a food truck operator, too.

from what I've read about him, I'm guessing Haese comes from a fairly wealthy family and I think they own a fair bit of CBD property - If true would explain why his posters were in almost every shop/cafe/restaurant/hotel. Definitely a little concerned about his "pro-business" and "back to basics" agenda, exactly the same as what other conservative (Liberal Party?) candidates around Suburban Adelaide were proposing, plus he's a motoring enthusiast and does not support any further protected cycleway development. Could see the end of most food trucks under his leadership, Victoria Square will remain half done as he stated he's not keen on anymore big public space projects. One positive is that he said he wont reverse some of Yarwood's changes which means hopefully the Frome St cycleway will remain, Rundle Mall will be finished, also speed limits will be reduced and light sequences will be improved. But I guess Adelaide will slowly return to how things were under Harbison.

He actually backed the Rundle Mall project (he was head of Rundle Mall Authority for a while). Frome St remaining as it is isn't a good outcome, as it's not yet a full solution. There were more stages planned which would have completed a proper North/South route through the entire city.

[metro]

He actually backed the Rundle Mall project (he was head of Rundle Mall Authority for a while). Frome St remaining as it is isn't a good outcome, as it's not yet a full solution. There were more stages planned which would have completed a proper North/South route through the entire city.

I knew he was head of Rundle Mall management for a while, wasn't sure he backed redevelopment tho.. I agree on the Frome St situation, I'd sure love to see the protected cycleway extended right up to the zoo, as well as an east-west protected cycleway either down Pirie/Waymouth or Flinders/Franklin, but I doubt it will happen now unless state govt build it or something

[Will]

With Yarwood, the vibrancy cat was most definitely let out of the bag. There is no way it is going back. The change of pace from now-on may not be as fast, but I highly doubt we'll return to the old Adelaide.

[david]

Thanks to all those posters and others who have acknowledged my time as a Councillor which was brought to an unexpected end at the recent Council election.

It is hard to know what led to my demise - perhaps I was too closely aligned to Stephen, I was outrun by Sandy Wilkinson who transferred to Area Councillor or perhpas there was just too much party politics in the campaigning.

I enjoyed my time on Council and I can feel a sense of satisfaction with the part I played in what Council achieved over the last four years. I also make a thing about communicating my thoughts on Local Government and what the the Adelaide City Council was doing by producing my regular Notes

Martin Haese as the new Lord Mayor and comes with absolutely no experience of the way LG works. He will have to learn some very quick lessons, not the least of which will be that Mayors have no executive powers and can only promote their agendas with the support of the majority of Councillors (and the support of the Administration!) I wish him good luck and I take some comfort in the knowledge that most of what Stephen and the team achieved cannot be easily torn down without sound advice and serious consultation with the community.

And let's hope that the media actually gets around to some fact-based reporting on such issues as the Council's debt-levels (which are way below its prudential limits) and the so-called backlog of asset maintenace. Any shortfall in that area (and there is a need for more funds to be spent there) is more a result of poor planning and under-funding by Councils back in the 1990's and has very little to do with Council undertaking major city-building projects such as Victoria Square and Rundle Mall.

Again thanks for your good wishes,

David P