Your Views: Letters to the Editor
This week, readers were concerned about everything from golf courses in the park lands to councils behaving badly to sinking submarine deals.
Responding to A fairway too far
Yes, indeed Smitho. Neil Crafter put out in a submission some four or five years ago under another Lord Mayor and led the idea and charge only for the tender process to give it to Graham Marsh from interstate. Norman should or could be completing this in conjunction with or in association with Neil Crafter. This would also provide a quintessential SA-centric link which our Premier should endorse. Neil has recently upgraded Barwon Heads and is currently working with Glenelg Golf Club in association with Bob Tuohy (a SA golfing legend and hall of fame) – Tony Martin
Responding to State govt golf course move a ‘complete surprise’ to council
It is worth pointing out that golf has been played in the Adelaide park lands since 1892. It is the original home of the Royal Adelaide Golf Club. The park lands core purpose is recreation and although some golfers would disagree, golf is still one of the most popular forms of recreation. It is already a golf course, so what is the harm in making it a better one. – Peter Joy
Responding to What are the chances of a Santos buyout?
While you are on the subject of energy, why not ask the question why do we not have any oil refinery capability in Australia? Will it take a war in the Middle East to cause critical fuel shortages in Australia to get us thinking about this? Time to lift our sights and thinking past the Santos share price and start thinking about critical energy supply in Australia. – Robert Ferguson
This is a rather incomplete opinion piece! I totally agree that a buyout of all of Santos will be rejected but the concept of approving the deal on condition of divesting the Australian assets to various Australian entities, should have been considered in the article. This would then ensure that the Australian assets are managed more effectively for the good Australia and all Australians. I say “managed more effectively” because, when the Oil Search production of 2020 is considered, Santos’ production dropped 26 per cent in the four years from 2020 to 2024 (ie 118 mmboe down to 87.1 mmboe). That is surely “value destruction”, and Australia’s assets would be in better hands if they were removed from Santos and divested to more effective Australian operators via this XRG takeover. I sincerely hope the various authorities have the foresight to consider this possible option … and approve it! – John Hughes
Responding to Vacant seats: why councils are losing elected members
Respect for Council, Councillors and The Mayor has to be earned by leading with transparency, dignity and financial accountability. This is not happening in any Council I have ever known. – Craig Ottman
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Great article. Robert is spot on with his observations and comments. – Michael (Bim) Lange OAM
Responding to Where does ‘America first’ leave Australia?
AUKUS is Morrison’s brainchild, the man who always put self-interest first. Getting out of a controversial backstabbing treaty for only $800,000,000 is probably a much better option than another X amount of payments with no guarantee of an end result. Seeing America can’t keep up with their own submarine renewal program, there is no way they will let go of their own, and who needs second-hand subs with a use-by date delivered years later at higher costs? There is no way America would give up Pine Gap, so the chance of being isolated is limited. Time to stop clinging to the USA’s aprons. – Peter Ramm
If I remember correctly Trump was elected by every day Americans to govern America and not the rest of the world. When he came to power America was in a mess due to the inept and downright stupid decisions of Biden and his woke flunkeys. It amuses me that you woke people love to denigrate America but when things get tough you all start whingeing that America won’t support you. My suggestion to the wingeing wokes is to open your eyes to reality and accept that your message is dying a deserved death. – John Koch
A biased and very one-sided article that appears to be written by someone with a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome. – Paul Venables
