High-Rise at Everard Park 😡

 High-Rise Everard Park

Yesterday I attended a gathering of Everard Park and Black Forest residents organised by local Badcoe MP Jayne Stinson. There were about 150 people in attendance. The meeting was to review concerns about the proposed 4 storey aged care facility on the Life Care site, bounded by Norman Terrace, Fourth Avenue and Ross Street, Everard Park.

So many concerns. The same as what was voiced at the public meeting held by Unley Council. Unley Council dismissed the voice of the residents and approved the development. It has now been approved by the State Minister for Planning. A final step (and probably just a formality) is consideration by a parliamentary committee. Jayne will be addressing that committee and presenting the residents’ concerns.

Now, back to yesterday’s gathering in the park ...

Unley Mayor Michael Hewitson (who had voted for the high-rise) was there. However after 20 minutes he must have figured that he was not welcome and he hopped on his bicycle and pedalled off.

To her credit, local councillor Emma Wright was there. (At the Unley Council she and co-councillor Nicole Sheehan had both voted for the high-rise.)

Emma stayed to the end and was asked if she wished to address the group and explain why she voted against the wishes of the residents.

What she said was staggering.

She said that she was inexperienced and was told ‘how to vote’. She mentioned ‘I was told’ and ‘We were told’ how to vote. She explained that if Council had not approved it with 4 storeys then the State Government would have a free hand to decide on the height and may have opted for higher eg. 5-6 storeys.

I was staggered by the confession and revelation that she had been told how to vote.

The question is, who at Unley Council told her (and others) how to vote?

I reckon that it wasn’t the Council Administration. They know the rules and simply would not have made such a statement.

So, who was it that told a councillor (and probably others, remember that Emma said ‘we were told’) how to vote.

Such action is I believe illegal and warrants formal investigation.

The Council decision should be set aside and the matter debated again.

If you think that I’m making this stuff up, ask any of the other 149 people who were there.