Mayor4Unley

What a great NRL match last night with the Eels thrashing the Broncos in Brisbane. A great release after so so long without any footy. A fast and furious game. It’s a pity that one of the 3 major sponsors (Hisense TVs) with their logo splashed across the ‘oval’ was a foreign company (China). I would have preferred to see only Aussie companies sponsoring the match. I enjoyed the game, but I won’t be buying a Hisense  😷

An Australian first in #Unley !! The first basketball court mural painted by local artist Matt Fortrose  ️ Go and see the Unley Colour Court  at Page Park (corner of Cross Road & East Avenue, Clarence Park). This is the first of Unley's six Arts In Your Space projects. View the video  https://youtu.be/9Rxm0IHID08 Vote 1 BOB SCHNELL #Mayor4Unley Your #BestChoice4Unley I will fight for funding for more of these small & exciting projects that inject vibrancy into our local parks! #Mayor Written and authorised by Bob Schnell, 10 Halmon Avenue, Everard Park 5035

Unley Cr Mike Hudson posted the following on his blog ... It may be drawing a long bow, as the saying goes, but …in this current climate of alleged  graft and corruption at third-tier Government level…could not complimentary tickets to (say) footy matches hold an inherent threat? Or are they regarded as a necessary aid for  Councillors to mix and mingle? Where do you draw the line? Sounds crazy? It isn’t. In the current burgeoning, over-zealous bureaucracy, anything goes!!! I posted the following comment ... Mike, this also bothers me. Freebies always get paid by someone. Invariably it’s those who can least afford it. At Council functions including lunch before the football, it’s paid for by the ratepayers. Free tickets for the football are paid for by either the Council or the Club; ultimately paid for by ratepayers or Club members. It’s a personal dilemma that we all need to resolve. Surely if we go to the football then we can buy...

What a turn out at Unley Oval on Anzac Day! Nearly 8,000 people were in attendance to watch Sturt thrash Port Adelaide. It was a great day and a great game (and a great outcome). #Dublas #Unley

I talked with a Greek mate today and he surprised me by raising the issue of the ball tampering scandal of the Australian Cricket team. I was surprised because normally we talk soccer. This issue has touched all Australians. It’s damn embarrassing to be called cheats at cricket. Heads must roll; in the team and in the cricket hierarchy. There must be a change of culture. Those who were aware of the plan to tamper with the ball must be banned for life; never again to play for Australia. Yes it will hurt Australia’s prospects for a couple of years, but life bans must be applied. Unfortunately our reputation as cheats will linger for decades. I’m annoyed; just so annoyed. Let the heads roll ...

The community consultation on the new grandstand @ Goodwood Oval has commenced. Unley Council had sent letters to local residents and information has been placed on Council’s website. Also information is available at council facilities.  Public notices will also be placed in the Eastern Courier and at the oval.   Have your say about the new grandstand This consultation is open to all residents in Unley. The consultation will close on Friday 16 March. A report will be presented to Council in April.

A big crowd #onKWR last night at the #UnleyGala in #Unley for the #TDU. Sturt Double Blues supporters were there in force. Long time Sturt supporter Cr Mike Hudson lined up for a photo with Sue and Jason from Sturt FC. I've never seen Mike so happy.

I must admit to being surprised that Labor's Jayne Stinson had secured $2.5m to build a new 2 storey grandstand and club facilities @ Goodwood Oval (in Unley and in the electorate of Badcoe, formerly Ashford). Badcoe is a seat that Labor must win to retain Government. It was almost too easy. Normally treasurers put up a harder fight. But when the Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis visited the oval 2 weeks ago in his white car, I knew (in fact I was told) that funding was in the bag; all secured providing Unley Council coughs up another $1m. I had been in deep conversation with Jayne about the urgent need to get new change facilities to cater for the growing number of females in our local cricket and football teams. Everyone else seems to be claiming credit for cracking a deal with Jayne, so I thought I should also lay claim. Whatever, whoever (is not important) - what is important is the outcome. I'm delighted that the SA Government has committed to immediate funding of $2.5...

Fantastic news about the Socceroos qualifying for the World Cup. Absolute golden glory for Australia. Top players and a top coach who deserves a bit more respect; a lot more respect. We did what Italy couldn't - and won the qualifying match.

A fantastic win by Storm last night @ rugby grand final. Yes I was supporting the Qld Cowboys, but we all knew the Storm would win. There were hopes (for the Cowboys), but they were just that; hopes. It was a thrilling 34 vs. 6 win for Storm. It was a master display by the best oiled NRL team; the best team ever.

Football is a funny game, as they say. A team is on top and playing well one week and then fails to perform a week later. The Crows went down today, big time, against the Tigers. They started as favourites and lost the AFL Grand Final. They started well in the first quarter, but then went down hill. Commentators continually said that they were spooked and gave away so many frees. Yes they did, but why weren't the Tigers equally spooked. Both teams were new to a Grand Final. Maybe the Tigers had better prepared mentally. On the day, the Tigers were the better team. A much better team. They played a fast and disciplined team game. The Crows just lost their mojo; and looked spooked, mentally shattered. Given what I saw, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Tigers (Richmond) return next year for a gig at the AFL Grand Final. As a Crows supporter I was devastated. It wasn't just the team not winning; they let us down. It's probably time for a change of managemen...

What a buzz it was at Adelaide Oval yesterday to watch the Sturt vs. Port SANFL Grand Final. A huge crowd of 38,000. It was a fantastic win by Sturt by just one point (50 vs. 49). The first 2 quarters went well for Sturt. Port couldn't kick straight and spent more time going for the man rather than the ball. In the 3rd quarter Sturt could have done better. They lost momentum. The 4th quarter looked more like a 27 minute rugby scrum with very little ball movement and Port increased their attacks on the man. All up, it was a great win by Sturt. We must have an Unley Council function to recognise and celebrate the win.

Surprise, surprise ... Unley has been awarded a start in the 2018 Tour Down Under (TDU). It coincidentally 😉😉 was announced soon after the budget rate rise was endorsed by Council. Unley has been awarded the Stage 2 Start, from King William Road up to Stirling via the long way, a distance of 148.6km. Stage 2 will be held on Wednesday 17 January, 2018. The Gourmet Gala street party on King William Road will be held the night before. For the record, I oppose hosting this event for the 18th time at a cost of $266k. This equates to a cost of about $14 per household, funded by a rate rise of 2.9%. At Council, I opposed this budget expenditure. In my chats with residents, there seems to be little support for the huge cost of hosting this event. Most people would prefer a smaller, cheaper and more family event eg. like Unley Way to Go, like what we used to hold on Unley Oval. I doubt that Unley will host the event in 2019. The money saved can be used to pay off some debt.

Got home just in time; only missed 10 minutes. Damn. The Blues were up and it was their half. But in the second half the Qld Maroons did their mighty come-back; and won. Glorious. The final Origin match in 3 weeks will be on Qld turf. Here's hope that the Maroons win and send the Blues back over the border without a trophy. I know they will.

Here's a letter to the editor, published on 16 February 2017 ... I am outraged by the behaviour at Onkaparinga Council with the highly paid CEO being paid almost $7000 for golf club membership (The Advertiser, yesterday). It was total stupidity for the Council's elected members to approve this in secret and then keep it secret. Residents in Onkaparinga missed out on $7000 being spent in their streets.

I was staggered to read in The Advertiser (25 January) about the SA greyhound trainer caught fiddling with a male dog just prior to a race; and the episode was broadcast live on TV. The offence was termed 'stimulating' and he was found guilty by Greyhound Racing SA; it was deemed that his actions were improper and an offence under Greyhound Racing Rule 86(o). Racing experts are still unsure if the stimulation would have made the dog run slower or faster; opinion tended to favour a slower outcome. Animal welfare groups had never before encountered such behaviour and were unprepared for professional comment; other than saying that animals must be treated with respect and not subject to indignity or ridicule. The Greyhound Racing body did not give public consideration to the possibility that the trainer had performed the act for his own gratification. Talk about fiddling a race! Absolutely disgusting!!

I've been watching a bit of cricket lately. So much; Test and Big Bash. Sometimes whilst reclined on the couch; sometimes just watching on and off as I pass the TV. During a promo in a break I was staggered to hear the voice of cricket commentator Richie Benaud promoting Channel Nine's wide world of sport. But wait a minute, Richie died a year ago. Maybe he had an ongoing contract with Nine. It must have been a good contract" A bit wierd!

The number of people who drown each year is totally unacceptable; especially very young kids in home pools. Years ago, kids were taught how to swim at school. It was part of our culture; learning to swim. That culture needs to be restored. So, get your kids booked in a learn to swim program this summer. In Adelaide, the SA Water VACSWIM PROGRAM runs from December 2016 to January 2017. Kids will learn water awareness, safety, confidence and skills. For more information and bookings visit vacswimsa.com.au It's a must for every kid.

What a fantastic interview with Sue Dewing, CEO of Sturt Football Club. She was the driving force behind the glorious Double Blues SANFL Premiership in 2016. Well done Sue !! A fantastic turn-around for the club. Here's the interview ... http://online.isentialink.com/adelaidenow.com.au/2016/10/02/203091cd-af51-4a75-ab4f-c85198e8fd05.html

A fantastic and huge plug for Sturt Football Club in today's Advertiser newspaper. The plug is for the book 'The Old Double Blues - Celebrating the men of Sturt', written by Sturt tragic supporter Angel Fernandez. It's nearly 700 pages and was compiled by oral interviews over the past five years. The history of the club spans seven decades. History spans from 1950s club stalwarts Wally May, Tony Goodchild, Dennis Rattigan, Bill Kutcher, Bob Marshall and Gus Hunter, to Brant Chambers, Greg Whittlesea, Brodie Atkinson, Damian Squire, Tim Weatherald and Jade Sheedy, and includes club legends such as Rick Davies, Paul Bagshaw and Peter Motley. Contact the Sturt FC to get a copy. Link to Sturt FC