The Committee for Adelaide has floated the idea of returning horse racing to Victoria Park. I’m not in favour of this proposal. While I support more events in the city, I don’t want to see a return to horse racing and think we should look to the future rather than the past. I shared my views with Channel 7 news. You can watch the story here.
My motion for Council to develop a policy banning animal circuses from the Park Lands was narrowly defeated on Tuesday night. Instead Council asked administration to prepare a report investigating the implications of any prohibition. I plan to move on the issue at a future meeting and hope to win support for a ban before the 2016 circus season. It is clear that community opposition to animal circuses in Adelaide is continuing to build…
The RSPCA says Adelaide City Council should develop a policy to prevent live animal circuses on the parklands. I agree and plan to move on this at a future Council meeting. Read my comments to the ABC here.
Two circuses using live exotic animals are coming to the parklands later this year (photo: The City). When this came before the Economic and Community Development Committee I expressed concern for the welfare of the animals involved. I plan to initiate policy change to deal with this issue at a future meeting. You can read more about the debate in The Advertiser.
The State Government has approved Council’s request to extend the dry zone trial in the parklands. I opposed the request for an extension on the basis that this law and order approach is not addressing the root causes of anti-social behaviour and is simply displacing vulnerable people. My concerns were reported in The Advertiser.
Last night Council’s Infrastructure and Public Space Committee voted in favour of a recommendation to extend the Dry Zone for a further 6 months. The matter will go before Council next week. I opposed the recommendation as the preliminary report (page 30 of Agenda) stated that the Dry Zone is simply displacing anti-social behaviour to other parts of the city and not addressing the root cause. In particular, I am concerned that this law and order approach may be further marginalising vulnerable people. Some of my comments were reported in The Advertiser.
After we received advice of significant unmet need, at Committee I argued that Council should work to ensure adequate provision of accessible parking for the city’s big events. My comments were reported in The Advertiser.
Robert Simms 