Mayor4Unley

Came across this quote today … To succeed in life we need the willpower to outsmart our desire for instant gratification. The expectation of instant gratification is a growing problem. Today, people want everything now. I found this in an opinion interview with psychologist Walter Mischel (New Scientist, 27-Sep-2014).

SAPOL has just released a high level report on the crime trend in Unley over the five years, 2008-2012. The downward trend is comforting. There is a 16.3% reduction from the previous year. 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Total offences 3,578 3,436 3,067 3,089 2,584 Further information is available via this link … http://www.ocsar.sa.gov.au/region_files/LGA%20Unley%20(C).html A personal note: Given that all of the information is readily available in a SAPOL database, why does it take almost 1.5 years to publish the information? The information made available is dated June 2013.

More and more people are getting on their bikes and pedalling to work or just doing it for recreation. It’s best to keep off the main roads and stick to designated cycle paths. Here’s a link to a cycle journey planner. It looks good. Give it a try. Cycle Instead Journey Planner

Unley Councillor Mike Hudson has blogged about the huge number of women on Holdfast Bay (Glenelg) Council compared with just one woman on Unley Council. Here's a link to Mike's blog and the comment I left ... http://grumpyinunley.wordpress.com/2014/11/18/holdfast-bays-historic-eight-some/

Kids must learn to swim. Enrol for a Swim & Survive VACSWIM course @ Unley pool. Below is an extract of an advertisement for VACSWIM. Summer is nearly here, are your kids ready for a safe holiday season? Enrolment for the 2015 SA Water VACSWIM program is filling fast! As summer’s scorching heat arrives ahead of schedule, it’s imperative that our children not only know how to behave, but also know how to react in and around water. VACSWIM SA aims to deliver a fun, enjoyable, safe and most importantly an educational program to young South Australians. For over 60 years, the SA Water VACSWIM program has provided water safety education to school aged children across the state. *The number of drowning deaths in the 12 month period from July 2013 to June 2014 has seen a 9 per cent reduction on the 10 year average. Although this statistic is welcomed, the figure of 266 drowning deaths in Australia is still too high. VACSWIM SA and its partners YMCA of South Aus

The landscaping at the corner of Leah Street and Aroha Terrace (Forestville) is finally progressing. Holes are being dug to seat the big rocks that have been ordered. They should be there soon. Also, when the SA Government completes the realignment of the fence along the tramline corridor, there will be more shrubs and bushes planted near the fence at this intersection. A pity that we can’t have a few taller trees, but it will be better than the waste-land that was there.

The results of the recent Unley Council election have been finalised. There was no election for Mayor or Councillor in Clarence Park Ward. No-one else nominated. As a result Mayor Lachlan Clyne and Councillors Don Palmer and Jennie Boisvert were elected unopposed. Below is a break-down of the results for the other 5 Wards ... Ward Total Votes  Quota Ward Vote % Name Primary Votes Vote % Received Quota Goodwood  1,069   357 24.05 SCHNELL, Bob 465 43.50   Yes (+108) SMOLUCHA, Luke 355 33.21  No Unley  1,182   395 25.46 HEWITSON, Michael 614 51.95   Yes (+219) SALAMAN, Rufus 283 23.94  No Fullarton  1,373  458 28.28 HUGHES, Peter 387 28.19  No LAPIDGE, Anthony 348 25.35  No Parkside  1

The Council election is over. The results for Goodwood Ward are: Eligible voters = 4,429 Formal votes = 1,069 Voter participation = 24.14% Quota = 357 votes Bob Schnell 465 votes (Elected 1) Luke Smolucha 355 votes (Elected 2) Ben Holland 136 votes Tom Jones 113 votes

Back on 9th October (blog title Ho Hum) I forecast a lower turn-out of voters for the Council election in Unley. I forecast a maximum of 25% with some Wards in the low 20s. At close of yesterday, the votes received were an average of 21.74% across Unley. One Ward higher, most in the low 20s. By Friday when voting closes, the average will not exceed 25%. That's my forecast. Is it apathy? No, just representative of the inclination of the wider community. Is it a lack of care for Local Government? No, just little interest. Should we respect the wishes of the people. Yes. Absolutely. Should we oppose the push by the mayors of Prospect and Adelaide for compulsory voting? Yes. Absolutely. They are totally out of touch with what the people want (on this matter). Leave it as it is. I fully support voluntary voting. Perhaps it should be extended to voting in Federal and State elections. The LGA (via its President and Mayor of Prospect) should not be advocating for compulsory v

Fred is a Sulphur Crested cockatoo and lives in an animal sanctuary in Tassie. He's just turned 100 years. He was born way back when the young men (and female nurses) of Australia were heading off to fight in World War I. Fred's birthday hit the news big time because he received a congratulatory letter from the Queen. This is her custom, but usually she doesn't write to cockatoos. Cockatoos can live up to 40 years in the wild. In captivity (as pampered pets) they often live to 60-80 years. There was a huge party for Fred and he had a few words to say after devouring a sunflower seed pie. He enjoys the company of humans and detests the company of other cockatoos, especially galahs. Fred seems to be in good health and will probably enjoy another 10-20 birthdays. For more information, Google Fred cockatoo

I love this photo. Reminds me of a few scenes at Council meetings and the current election tussle. It's an exhibit in the Australian Geographic ANZANG Nature Photographer of the Year now on show at the SA Museum until 30 November.