1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:03,480 Speaker 1: From the Adelaide City Council councilor Henry Davison the studio. 2 00:00:03,520 --> 00:00:05,320 Speaker 2: Henry, good morning, good morning, thank you for having me. 3 00:00:05,400 --> 00:00:07,880 Speaker 1: Good to have you in. Now. You sent through some 4 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:12,200 Speaker 1: info about rates increasing by ten million dollars annually. This 5 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:16,239 Speaker 1: is for city rate payers CBD. It's generating one hundred 6 00:00:16,280 --> 00:00:19,200 Speaker 1: million in additional revenue over the next decade. Obviously, but 7 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:22,759 Speaker 1: the deficit for a nwles for respirational plans the council 8 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:26,920 Speaker 1: has for main street upgrades. If all were put into place, 9 00:00:27,040 --> 00:00:28,160 Speaker 1: the council would go broke. 10 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, well that's right. 11 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:32,600 Speaker 3: So we were previously looking at a massive deficit of 12 00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:35,480 Speaker 3: about three hundred and fifteen million dollars. Wow, well, well 13 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:39,120 Speaker 3: over our credential borrowing limit, and that was forecast back 14 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:41,599 Speaker 3: in May this year. Now we've just considered our long 15 00:00:41,680 --> 00:00:44,559 Speaker 3: term financial plan a revised thing which kind of tweaks 16 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 3: at the issues. At the main thrust of the matter 17 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:51,680 Speaker 3: is that we simply cannot afford to deliver what we're promising. 18 00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:54,880 Speaker 3: And essentially what we're now going to do is we're 19 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:56,960 Speaker 3: going to let the city degrade to the tune of 20 00:00:56,960 --> 00:00:58,360 Speaker 3: fifteen million dollars a year. 21 00:00:58,600 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 2: Fifteen million dollars a year. 22 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:02,040 Speaker 3: Now, if you think of like a main street upgrade, yeah, 23 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:03,520 Speaker 3: you know, I think everyone around the city has seen 24 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:05,880 Speaker 3: those types of things. That's about how much they cost, right, 25 00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:08,680 Speaker 3: So the city's going to look that much worse in 26 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:11,200 Speaker 3: places around the city. And the approach to fix that 27 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:13,880 Speaker 3: is a squeaky will approach. That will be the official policy. 28 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 3: So what they are going to do is if anybody 29 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 3: complains about the city degrading, well they'll go and fix 30 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:22,240 Speaker 3: that so that you know where there's the hot spots. 31 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:25,000 Speaker 1: But if so, the squeaky wheel that makes the noise 32 00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:27,800 Speaker 1: is what you say. That's the current policy at the moment. 33 00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:29,479 Speaker 1: How the projection. 34 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:31,840 Speaker 3: Going forward, but fifteen million dollars a year underspend, so 35 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:33,080 Speaker 3: it's thirty million dollars over the. 36 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 2: Next two years. And that's a really really big deal 37 00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:36,080 Speaker 2: because if you. 38 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:38,399 Speaker 3: Think about, like to put it in context, like a 39 00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:41,440 Speaker 3: main street upgrade like kindly will be about a thirty 40 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:43,959 Speaker 3: million dollar total spend or a fifteen million new So 41 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:48,120 Speaker 3: it's basically a beautiful looking street, but the negative of 42 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:50,320 Speaker 3: that degrading in the rest of the city. So we're 43 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:53,120 Speaker 3: going to make some part parts look great and other 44 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:54,920 Speaker 3: parts you know they're not going to be fixed. 45 00:01:55,080 --> 00:01:57,720 Speaker 1: Is there an argument to make your most used parts 46 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:01,920 Speaker 1: look great and what isn't used as much doesn't get 47 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:04,400 Speaker 1: the high traffic can sort of fall by the wayside 48 00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:06,600 Speaker 1: a little bit. No, there is no argument for that, right, 49 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:09,000 Speaker 1: So where's the city council have an obligation to maintain 50 00:02:09,040 --> 00:02:09,480 Speaker 1: our city? 51 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:09,640 Speaker 3: Right? 52 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:10,240 Speaker 1: Okay, all of it. 53 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:12,400 Speaker 3: You know, if there's a pothole on the road, we've 54 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:14,080 Speaker 3: got to fix it. Essentially, what we're looking to do 55 00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 3: is fix nine out of ten. 56 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:18,000 Speaker 1: Potholes, or one out of ten or nine out of ten. 57 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:18,480 Speaker 2: Nine out of ten. 58 00:02:18,639 --> 00:02:20,880 Speaker 3: So we're just going to leave one okay, right if 59 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:23,720 Speaker 3: you're if you see it and you scream about it, 60 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:25,120 Speaker 3: then they'll go and fix that one. 61 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:26,720 Speaker 2: But that means that they won't fix somewhere else. 62 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:29,000 Speaker 3: So they're going to find places where you know, people 63 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:30,679 Speaker 3: aren't as active, and they're going to let those parts 64 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 3: of the city degrade. Now what that does is you 65 00:02:33,639 --> 00:02:35,200 Speaker 3: still they've still going to fix it at some point. 66 00:02:35,639 --> 00:02:36,480 Speaker 2: So we're going to. 67 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:38,960 Speaker 3: Do this for the next eight years. Okay, next eight years. 68 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:42,560 Speaker 3: So over the next eight years the city I put 69 00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:44,600 Speaker 3: this administration, I think they generally agree it's going to 70 00:02:44,639 --> 00:02:49,200 Speaker 3: be in deficit by about eighty million dollars of unfunded 71 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:52,840 Speaker 3: renewals that we haven't done, so we're gonna not maintain 72 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:54,720 Speaker 3: the city for the next eight years. That is now 73 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:56,320 Speaker 3: like an active decision of council. 74 00:02:56,480 --> 00:02:57,919 Speaker 2: How has it come to this. 75 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:02,480 Speaker 3: It's wanting to do every everything and not having the 76 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:06,760 Speaker 3: forward planning and the responsibility to think about how to 77 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 3: do it. So we're doing all these great things. So 78 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:11,560 Speaker 3: we're doing all these major street upgrades. Hut straight, Gourgea Street, 79 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 3: O'Connell straight, Heinley straight, Melbourne Yeah, Melbourne Street. 80 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:15,240 Speaker 2: Right. 81 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:18,200 Speaker 3: So we're doing all these great things. But the problem 82 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:21,360 Speaker 3: is that the City Council hasn't properly thought about the 83 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:24,880 Speaker 3: cost of it, and they're still promising new things like 84 00:03:24,919 --> 00:03:28,360 Speaker 3: we've just been. They're now promising Light Square, which is 85 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 3: not in the long term financial plan, which will never 86 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:32,760 Speaker 3: be delivered in my view. They don't have an allowance 87 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:35,119 Speaker 3: there for the actual capital spend. They won't even tell 88 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:37,520 Speaker 3: me how much it costs, so I think it's going 89 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:40,560 Speaker 3: to cost thirty million dollars right for Light Square. They're 90 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:43,520 Speaker 3: raising points of order, screaming at me saying it's misinformation. 91 00:03:43,600 --> 00:03:45,320 Speaker 3: I said, well, you tell me how much this thing's 92 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:47,400 Speaker 3: going to cost. So we're out to consultation now for 93 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:49,720 Speaker 3: his brand new, amazing thing in Light Square, which I 94 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:50,840 Speaker 3: don't think we'll ever be delivered. 95 00:03:50,880 --> 00:03:52,440 Speaker 1: What do we need to do in Light Square? I mean, 96 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:53,240 Speaker 1: what's wrong with it? 97 00:03:53,320 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 2: Well? Yeah, exactly right, So what is the priority? You know, 98 00:03:56,040 --> 00:03:59,040 Speaker 2: how many you know, hundreds of thousands of millions of 99 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:00,240 Speaker 2: people attend Lights. 100 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 3: Square every year? Is that really the priority? Or should 101 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:04,680 Speaker 3: we be fixing all of our potholes making sure the 102 00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:07,440 Speaker 3: city is maintained. But the problem is we're going out. 103 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:09,839 Speaker 3: The city is very good at this spin. I think 104 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:13,120 Speaker 3: it's it's very good at telling people what you know. 105 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 3: I said, there's a dominant faction there and then they're 106 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:18,440 Speaker 3: telling everybody what a great job they're doing. But a 107 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:20,960 Speaker 3: lot of people are going to miss out on the 108 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:23,800 Speaker 3: costs of that. And the fact is that rate payers 109 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:25,880 Speaker 3: are going to be have to paying that now and 110 00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:26,880 Speaker 3: in the future. 111 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:29,200 Speaker 1: Okay and forever probably because well that's right, I mean, 112 00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:31,760 Speaker 1: projects will have to come and you know, maintenance will 113 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:32,680 Speaker 1: left to continue. 114 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:35,599 Speaker 3: It never ends lately exactly, So look at Hot Street, right, 115 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:38,240 Speaker 3: we're going to be putting twelve million dollars into a 116 00:04:38,279 --> 00:04:41,720 Speaker 3: new revitalized Hout Street. That's great, but hold on Adelaide's 117 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:44,520 Speaker 3: City council. In ten years time will be two hundred 118 00:04:44,839 --> 00:04:46,919 Speaker 3: about two hundred and twenty million dollars in debt. The 119 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 3: interest on that is ten million dollars a year. 120 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:50,400 Speaker 2: Well, right, so it's a. 121 00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:54,720 Speaker 3: Main street upgrade every single year. Now, my biggest gripe, 122 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:56,719 Speaker 3: and you know, I can't just sit here and criticize, right, 123 00:04:56,720 --> 00:04:59,560 Speaker 3: I've got to provide solutions. But my biggest gripe is 124 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:02,240 Speaker 3: that Vake can see rates in the city are so high. 125 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 3: They are extremely high, and instead of trying to get 126 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:10,359 Speaker 3: people into the city, this council has cut funding to 127 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:13,000 Speaker 3: get people into their So we buy about a million 128 00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:15,320 Speaker 3: dollars so we have the community impact grants and we 129 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 3: also had this commercial events which is like ebonyes and 130 00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:20,440 Speaker 3: night markets, cheese Fest. We're trying to get people into 131 00:05:20,480 --> 00:05:22,880 Speaker 3: the city. They've cut that funding and why do people 132 00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:24,480 Speaker 3: come in They come in for events or why do 133 00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:26,560 Speaker 3: people want to work in the city because they can 134 00:05:26,600 --> 00:05:28,440 Speaker 3: go out afterwards, have a drink, go to cheese Fest, 135 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:31,320 Speaker 3: go to the markets, enjoy the city afterwards and they've 136 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:32,040 Speaker 3: cut that funding. 137 00:05:32,279 --> 00:05:35,280 Speaker 1: Okay, so it's no reason for people to stay and 138 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:39,359 Speaker 1: eventually live and all the rest of it is getting 139 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:43,080 Speaker 1: the numbers of people residing in the city up key 140 00:05:43,160 --> 00:05:44,920 Speaker 1: because obviously rates come from. 141 00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:46,520 Speaker 2: That, right, So yes it does. 142 00:05:47,279 --> 00:05:50,920 Speaker 3: However, there's also additional costs for that, so you've got 143 00:05:50,920 --> 00:05:55,400 Speaker 3: to really look at the per person cost. So if 144 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:57,920 Speaker 3: you have a house, then the city's got to pick 145 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:00,120 Speaker 3: up the bins, and then it's got to maintain that 146 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:02,680 Speaker 3: amount of verge and that amount of road et cetera, 147 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:05,640 Speaker 3: et cetera. So higher density generally would give you a 148 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 3: pretty good bang for buck, but then you've got to 149 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:08,919 Speaker 3: put on more events and all this kind of stuff. 150 00:06:08,960 --> 00:06:11,080 Speaker 2: So there will be a sweet spot. 151 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:14,160 Speaker 3: Now, this city is telling everyone that it's going to 152 00:06:14,200 --> 00:06:17,000 Speaker 3: have fifty thousand people by twenty thirty six. The state 153 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:19,599 Speaker 3: government is saying that, I don't think that's going to happen. 154 00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:23,080 Speaker 3: You know, some of the assumptions around the West Terrace 155 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:26,680 Speaker 3: car yards for example, being developed here. No. And the 156 00:06:26,760 --> 00:06:29,760 Speaker 3: other thing is the council has you know, gotten rid 157 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:32,840 Speaker 3: of these things called like these zones where if you 158 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:36,400 Speaker 3: had land large enough it would you know, you can 159 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:39,279 Speaker 3: develop higher the city Council has not done that. They're 160 00:06:39,279 --> 00:06:42,720 Speaker 3: not progressing development heights. They're not looking at the infrastructure, 161 00:06:42,880 --> 00:06:44,719 Speaker 3: like how many flushing toilets are you going to need? 162 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:48,840 Speaker 3: You're going to need to double the amount of flushing toilets, sewage, electricity, 163 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:51,800 Speaker 3: all of these essential services across the city to cater 164 00:06:51,880 --> 00:06:55,160 Speaker 3: for this population, and then parking and then traffic, and 165 00:06:55,200 --> 00:06:56,960 Speaker 3: the city plan doesn't really look at that. 166 00:06:57,200 --> 00:06:59,840 Speaker 1: Well, having the expirational aim of cutting lanes on with 167 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:01,120 Speaker 1: terrorists for goodness. 168 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:01,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's right. 169 00:07:01,480 --> 00:07:02,760 Speaker 3: So they're going to cut down track, they were going 170 00:07:02,800 --> 00:07:05,719 Speaker 3: to cut down in lanes on potentially Hut Street and 171 00:07:05,760 --> 00:07:08,080 Speaker 3: things like that and make everything harder to get around. 172 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 2: And yet they're going to now increase the numbers. The 173 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:11,920 Speaker 2: number it doesn't make sense. 174 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:14,600 Speaker 1: No, Hey, Ian on the phone just before said, what 175 00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:17,640 Speaker 1: is taking so long on Frome Street, the by clane 176 00:07:17,640 --> 00:07:19,640 Speaker 1: that has been put in there. It seems that one 177 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:23,320 Speaker 1: final block has taken the whole length the whole amount 178 00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:25,400 Speaker 1: of time, the whole length of frame street took. 179 00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:27,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, basically it's unreal. 180 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:28,720 Speaker 1: Every time I drive by the middle of the day, 181 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:31,440 Speaker 1: mind you, but I only see two people working there. 182 00:07:31,520 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, well, I drive past that every single morning. There's 183 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:39,040 Speaker 3: a lot of traffic control. But yeah, of course I 184 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 3: don't see a lot. Yeah, I can't say that. I've 185 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:45,360 Speaker 3: seen it the most busiest website ever. So I drive 186 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:47,280 Speaker 3: past it every day. I don't know the exact reason 187 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:49,760 Speaker 3: why it's taking as long as it has, but it 188 00:07:49,800 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 3: certainly does seem to have taken a long time. I 189 00:07:52,120 --> 00:07:55,040 Speaker 3: drive past there, you know, for the last six months, 190 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:57,760 Speaker 3: according to it at six months. Yeah, it's one block 191 00:07:57,960 --> 00:08:00,200 Speaker 3: for a footpath there. Yeah, I can see why people 192 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:00,960 Speaker 3: would be frustrated. 193 00:08:01,160 --> 00:08:03,600 Speaker 1: That's sound real. I mean, get on with it. There's 194 00:08:03,640 --> 00:08:05,840 Speaker 1: a lot of that around the city though, Henry. Look 195 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:08,280 Speaker 1: just very quickly, we've only got a minute or so 196 00:08:08,440 --> 00:08:11,880 Speaker 1: left Australia Day next year. What's the council's position on this. 197 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:14,520 Speaker 3: Well, right now we haven't made an official position, you know. 198 00:08:14,560 --> 00:08:16,560 Speaker 3: I think it'll generally be on the twenty sixth. Last 199 00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:18,040 Speaker 3: year we talked about I think it was on your 200 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:20,960 Speaker 3: show actually about it being the day before. Yeah, you 201 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:23,000 Speaker 3: know what, I'm actually fed up. I'm fed up, Matt. 202 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:26,280 Speaker 3: I think, like the Wokis, they want to destroy this day, 203 00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:28,320 Speaker 3: they want to create it as a day for division. 204 00:08:28,640 --> 00:08:29,440 Speaker 2: I'm done with it. 205 00:08:29,560 --> 00:08:31,960 Speaker 3: I want a day where everyone can come together, everyone 206 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:34,200 Speaker 3: can feel proud to celebrate Australia. 207 00:08:34,240 --> 00:08:34,880 Speaker 2: We need that. 208 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:38,600 Speaker 3: I think the woke and the left they thrive when 209 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:42,040 Speaker 3: they divide us, and the right, more conservative, we thrive 210 00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 3: when people are united. And that's the two things. So 211 00:08:44,679 --> 00:08:46,959 Speaker 3: look my current position. I think last year I said 212 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:49,120 Speaker 3: hell no, we're not moving the date. But look I've 213 00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:49,439 Speaker 3: come a. 214 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:50,000 Speaker 2: Long way on that. 215 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:52,360 Speaker 3: I think actually maybe it's time to change the date, 216 00:08:52,720 --> 00:08:55,120 Speaker 3: take away this divisiveness and have a day where we 217 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:58,640 Speaker 3: can truly celebrate Australia. What should it be someday where 218 00:08:58,720 --> 00:09:02,080 Speaker 3: nothing happened. Okay, no one signed anything, no one did anything. 219 00:09:02,120 --> 00:09:04,400 Speaker 3: Everyone just had a day off and there's nothing to 220 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:07,400 Speaker 3: winge about. That's the day, Because can I say, the 221 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:10,280 Speaker 3: biggest problem right is where is the best place to 222 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:16,400 Speaker 3: celebrate Australia Day. Indonesia in Bali, there's flags everywhere, everyone's 223 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:18,920 Speaker 3: having a great time, everyone's a massive party. And here 224 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:22,320 Speaker 3: we're so worried about offending someone or you know, not 225 00:09:22,400 --> 00:09:23,800 Speaker 3: celebrating or something that went wrong. 226 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:24,440 Speaker 2: Look, I want a. 227 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:27,160 Speaker 3: Day that we can wear pluggers, a bucket hat with 228 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:30,240 Speaker 3: Australian flag, pork and zinc on our cheeks and have 229 00:09:30,280 --> 00:09:30,680 Speaker 3: a snatch. 230 00:09:30,679 --> 00:09:35,000 Speaker 1: It's like Festivus and Seinfeld. It's neat all right, Henry, 231 00:09:35,040 --> 00:09:37,000 Speaker 1: great to seeing you today, Thank you for coming in. 232 00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:37,400 Speaker 2: Thank you. 233 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:40,640 Speaker 1: It's Henry Davis, Counselor Henry Davis from the Adelaide City 234 00:09:40,679 --> 00:09:41,079 Speaker 1: Council