Adelaide: Decline and Fall

[mking]

Article now at

http://indaily.com.au/opinion/2014/08/1 ... line-fall/

[[Shuz]]

I was a bit disappointed that InDaily decided to publish that article and give it unwarranted airtime and further attention. We don't need any more of this sensationalist negativity in our media. The Advertiser already does that job, unfortunately.

[Will]

Article now at

http://indaily.com.au/opinion/2014/08/1 ... line-fall/

Well, I hope you are proud.

The people here are inherently negative. Hence your article will generally receive a positive response as people will accept anything that is negative about Adelaide as truth, as it simply reaffirms their pre-existing views.

Once again, what is your objective?

[monotonehell]

Assuming that the not reading the comments rule doesn't apply to inDaily; the winner of best comment goes to Missy S:

I feel completely offended that people would even relate Adelaide to Detroit. Our techno scene is nothing like theirs.

[Aidan]

Article now at

http://indaily.com.au/opinion/2014/08/1 ... line-fall/

Well, I hope you are proud.

The people here are inherently negative. Hence your article will generally receive a positive response as people will accept anything that is negative about Adelaide as truth, as it simply reaffirms their pre-existing views.

The people here are inherently argumentative, so an article is more likely to receive a negative response whether it's positive or negative. Even if there's an overall negative bias, it won't be based on the same things.

[Brucetiki]

I was a bit disappointed that InDaily decided to publish that article and give it unwarranted airtime and further attention. We don't need any more of this sensationalist negativity in our media. The Advertiser already does that job, unfortunately.

Sadly InDaily are heading down the sensationalist garbage track. There's this little gem about a guy who needs to leave his place on South Rd (as part of the Torrens-Torrens project), who's been given 4 months free rent, who has ignored all communication with the DPTI, yet InDaily are carrying on as if the DPTI are these big evil government people throwing people out on the street.

http://indaily.com.au/news/2014/08/21/g ... -eviction/

It's crap like the OP and this article that will ultimately destroy InDaily as a genuine alternative to The Antagoniser.

[Aidan]

InDaily will never be a genuine alternative while their website's so flaky! No matter what content they have, their way of making their articles float above a darkened background is slow to load and jumps around as it does so, making it hard to start reading. It also tends to lead to browser crashes.

[Wayno]

Malcolm could (and should) claim the purpose of his article is to provoke thought & discussion. Mission achieved if taken from a pure sense - we are talking somewhat about the content, but unfortunately mostly about his method.

One things for sure - Malcolm cannot claim his message will benefit or stay with the populous. He knows how 'recency' is king and next weeks news, no matter how trivial in comparison, will overshadow last weeks. A good journalist should endeavour to achieve 'stickiness' with his/her writing and MUST keep top of mind the function that news plays in the lives of people.

I score this article 4/10 on the grounds it is borderline 'yellow journalism'.

[Maximus]

Off topic, really, but out of interest -- Aidan, what's your setup for viewing InDaily? I generally read it at work using IE9, and by and large it's very smooth for me. Certainly never had a browser crash.

[Aidan]

The one I use most is Safari for iPad, but I've tried it on Browser+ for iPad and the same thing happens. It's more stable on a Mac, but still slow loading and not at all smooth.

[wll6568]

I agree that SA has missed up lots of things, i.e. population growth, mining booms, hence we have second slowest growth in the country...but what bugs me most is the old, scare-of-change people, the boomers who just so like to stay the same, afraid to change, and keep complaining about everything. Just move to the country or go to tassie.

[PeFe]

From In Daily

10 lessons for SA from Port Adelaide’s revival

Port players in front of a sparse crowd at AAMI Stadium - the gloom turned around quickly.

Comment | South Australia is to the nation what Port Adelaide is to the AFL – the Power circa 2012 that is.

Broke, a laughing stock, no credible game plan, no future – but a proud history and supported by a legion of rusted-ons who aren’t going anywhere.

But back to Port Power.

In 2012, the team endured tiny crowds, a terrible game style, and barely any marketing to speak of. It was reliant on handouts to survive, and topped it off with a humiliating loss to Greater Western Sydney.

South Australia today is shaking an empty piggy-bank, the rest of the nation enjoys having a chuckle at our expense, and we’re struggling to stay in front of that other perennial struggler Tasmania on economic indicators.

Port Adelaide managed to turn things around very quickly – can the state as a whole do the same? Maybe not, but these lessons from Port’s revival can’t hurt.

1 Play the kids

Port Adelaide has the third youngest list in the AFL – South Australia as a whole has a disproportionate number of people who still remember button-up boots and drop kicks.

Just as the coach’s belief in kids like Chad Wingard and Oliver Wines has provided the energy at the heart of Port’s resurgence, South Australia needs to take a chance on its dynamic younger generation (and attract the brightest from elsewhere).

2 Build a Portress

The boost in crowds and esteem caused by the opening of Adelaide Oval has fed beautifully into the club’s revival.

Maybe Liberal leader Steven Marshall was on to something when he proposed that state infrastructure investment needed to be guided by an independent board and rigorous cost-benefit analysis.

Having said that, when we build something let’s not skimp. No more one-way freeways.

3 Clean out the back room boys

As well as bringing in super-coach Ken Hinkley, Port Adelaide totally regenerated its off-field operations. Jay Weatherill has started doing the same, bringing in big name recruits Don Russell and Michael Deegan to head up two key government departments.

He’s now well on the way to an historic agreement with the public sector unions to end tenure in the state bureaucracy. He needs to keep going, and find ways to make the SA public service attractive to more of the best bureaucrats in Australia.

When we have the best backroom team, we’ll get the best results on the field.

4 Mobilise the true believers

Port saviour David Koch has noted that it was easy – in the beginning – to make some progress. From rock bottom, the only way is up.

But the real magic comes when each smaller victory – the securing of credible sponsors, the appointment of a solid CEO etc – starts to build on the previous one to achieve a sense of unstoppable momentum.

Before Ken Hinkley and his boys had won a single game, there was already a sense that Port Adelaide was on the way up. The perception then became reality.

The fact was that Port supporters were primed and ready to go as soon as the club’s fortunes turned.

South Australians are a bit the same: we love positive additions to the city and the state (look at Adelaide Oval). Despite our whinging, we do actually believe in this place otherwise we wouldn’t live here. But we need to string together some victories, no matter how small to begin with.

5 Never, ever, give up

Port Adelaide has always been adept at creating believable mythologies, which then take on at least enough truth to be useful in creating change.

Ken Hinkley looks and sounds more like a salt-of-the-earth cockie than a smooth spin doctor, but his pithy phrases have given his marketing department a production line of T-shirt slogans. “We will never, ever give up,” is genius in its simplicity, its inspirational qualities and that fact that it can’t really be measured or disproved (short of players sitting down mid game). “You get what you deserve,” is another of his favourite sayings. Again, you can’t argue with that and the results – whatever they are – will always fit this version of the truth.

Nevertheless, the power of Hinkley’s catch-phrases are that he actually believes in them – and those around him have also bought in. Rather than lame exhortations to “stick up for South Australia”, our leaders should aim to inspire based on deep conviction.

At the same time, our leaders also shouldn’t be afraid to give us an old-fashioned bake when we get complacent.

6 Use the handouts wisely

In its dark days, Port Adelaide’s survival was dependent on handouts from the AFL. South Australia depends on an unequal carve-up of national resources. There’s no shame in this, as long as we invest the money wisely. Don’t spend the dough recruiting ageing hacks at the ends of their careers.

Port – eventually – spent up on the stuff that helps create a brighter future. South Australia needs to do the same.

7 Neutralise weaknesses

Port Adelaide in 2012 was slow on the outside; ponderous and predictable in game style. New coach Hinkley identified these problems and immediately chased after players that would fill that void.

Modern South Australia is conservative and tends to move slowly: need I say more?

8 Use science to gain an edge

One of Port Adelaide’s sharpest weapons is its fitness coach Darren Burgess, who has used cutting edge knowledge gleaned here and overseas, to create one of the fittest teams in the AFL.

Imagine if South Australia had the best and brightest scientists and innovators working here? The SAHMRI investment is a start, but it contrasts with the state’s stagnating investment in agricultural research and development which has been going on for several decades. It’s time to end that trend.

9 Ditch the tarps and start marketing

Port Adelaide, at its lowest ebb, struggled to find a credible marketing message. The old stand-by of Port tradition (the so-called “creed”) didn’t make much sense when its dispirited team was getting spanked every week. When the crowds inevitably disappeared, it took the near-fatal decision to cover swathes of empty seats with tarpaulins, forlornly decorated in club colours. It was humiliating and served only to highlight the club’s problems.

South Australia tends to highlight our weaknesses in attracting business (the high cost of power and water, for example), while downplaying our strengths (the such as the low cost of land and labour).

We’re not totally behind our competitors in the marketing department. The KI, Barossa and Adelaide ad campaigns have been brilliant and, in the latter case, strikingly weird. More please.

10 Play an attractive game

In 2012, Port’s “game plan” devolved into a competition-wide joke, with confused players chipping the ball around the half-back line until they made the inevitable mistake and gifted the ball to the other team. For the past two years, they’ve played a style of football that even their most fervent haters grudgingly admit is thrilling to watch.

South Australia needs some excitement and pizzazz. The arts, and social and industry innovation have provided that spark for us in the past – they can again.

http://indaily.com.au/opinion/2014/09/2 ... s-revival/

The article is a bit heavy handed with the metaphor of "poor performing football team is just like a poor performing state" but there
are some really interesting points.
South Australia can expect no favours from the current coalition federal government, the people and governments of South Australia will be on their own, and an "entrepreneurial" spirit will have to be locally generated....

[metro]

Having said that, when we build something let’s not skimp. No more one-way freeways.

skimping is still happening here: rail electrification and Adelaide light-rail are two big ones that have just stopped after only 1 rail line electrified and only 4km of new tram tracks.

[Waewick]

Having said that, when we build something let’s not skimp. No more one-way freeways.

skimping is still happening here: rail electrification and Adelaide light-rail are two big ones that have just stopped after only 1 rail line electrified and only 4km of new tram tracks.

yes, leaves a lot to be desired doesn't it.

hopefully with the carpark tax failing, they will re-look at starting the rail electrification.

[dsriggs]

Wasn't the carpark tax supposed to help pay for electrification?