Mount Barker Courier - 6 August 2025
Mt Barker’s missing roadmap — and the detours it creates.
Commencing countdown, engines on.
Processing the latest telemetry from the Courier's 6th August release.
Let's sort the signal from the noise.
For maximum cynical effect, the online version comes highly recommended.
Click the header image to open.
First up:
Just Between Us Courier Readers...
Well, here we go — you're hearing it here first.
After a lot of thought, I've decided to throw my hat in the ring and run for Councillor in the Mount Barker District Council.
This isn’t a grand career move. Truth is, I never pictured myself doing this. But like many of you, I'm tired of watching council lose focus — rates up, roads crumbling, and the basics getting sidelined for the latest shiny distraction.
So rather than just keep pointing out the issues from the sidelines, I figured it was time to step in and attempt to make a difference.
If elected, I’ll bring the same approach I take to everything else — practical thinking, straight answers, and a strong voice for the townships. Especially Hahndorf, which has been my home for over 20 years. I've raised a family here, run a local business, and spoken up more than a few times when things haven't made sense.
I’ll be standing on a platform of:
Getting back to basics: roads, rubbish, real services
Pushing back on waste and nonsense to keep our rates down
Continuing the work to address traffic and parking issues in Hahndorf
Advocating for infrastructure improvements (particularly roads) in Mount Barker
Speaking plainly, voting wisely, and listening properly
No spin, no party lines, no interest in climbing the political ladder.
Appreciate your support — and no doubt your scrutiny too. Let’s see what comes of it.
Restore transparency and common sense in decision-making
Preserve the unique character of our communities
It’s time we returned to fundamentals. That’s what I stand for, and that’s the kind of Councillor I intend to be.
If you happen to live in South Ward Mount Barker or know someone who does, tell them to Vote 1 Darren Kelly.
Now, onto the paper.
Mt Barker's Missing Roadmap
P1, 9: Mt Barker roads gridlocked
Another report. Another headline. Another slap of bureaucratic jargon admitting what every local already knows — the roads around Mt Barker are a mess.
To her credit, Cr Rebecca Hewitt is one of the few on council actually fighting to get this issue addressed — and this latest report wouldn’t exist without her motion. She's been a strong and sensible voice, and I’m grateful for the support she’s shown as I put my hand up to run.
But still — a three-stage network modelling project? Really? You don’t need to model when the issues slap you in the face every time you try to cross town during peak hour.
You can’t fix a traffic jam with a flowchart.
The problems are obvious: inadequate turning lanes and arterial roads pushed well past their limits. Meanwhile, ratepayers are expected to sit tight while the consultants get paid to confirm what we already know.
Mt Barker is growing fast, and that means practical, immediate infrastructure upgrades need to be front and centre. Not buried in stages of analysis.
Digging for Solutions
P1 & P8: Cultivating Food Security
Growing your own food. Sharing with neighbours. Reducing waste. Building community. These are the kinds of grassroots initiatives that actually make sense — simple, tangible, and good for the soul.
So why does it always have to come wrapped in UN branding?
According to the article, backyard veggie patches now serve the United Nations 2030 sustainability goals. Who knew growing a tomato was a geopolitical act?
That’s not a swipe at the local effort — in fact, it’s refreshing to see something practical getting attention. The Grow Free movement is doing what government programs rarely do: empowering people to solve real problems, one garden at a time.
But it’s curious how the UN manages to insert itself into even the most personal parts of daily life — food, transport, energy, education. Always guiding. Always “partnering.” Always present.
Here’s a radical thought: maybe local solutions don’t need global supervision. Maybe what really works is letting communities do what they’ve always done — grow, share, and look after their own.
Smoke and Mirrors — or the First Step Toward Regulation?
P3: Smoke Tainted Air
Mt Barker’s winter air quality is under the microscope, with wood smoke flagged as a growing concern. Fair enough — burning wet or unseasoned wood does create excess smoke and health risks. But let’s not pretend this is just about neighbourly awareness.
We’ve seen this playbook before — highlight a problem, stir the stats, then nudge toward restrictions. It starts with awareness campaigns and ends with regulation.
Gas cooktops, anyone?
With firewood prices through the roof, many households are just doing what they can to stay warm. The real solution isn’t more monitoring or guilt campaigns — it’s education on proper firewood use, and tackling cost pressures that lead people to burn whatever they can get.
If there’s a genuine desire to reduce smoke, let’s focus on practical support — not policy overreach. And in the meantime, let’s keep the home fires burning — responsibly.
Behaviour Strategy? More Like Behavioural Surrender
P4: School behavior strategy concerns
It seems the State Government’s one-size-fits-all behaviour model is failing — and no one wants to admit it. The Berry Street approach might look good in theory, but when schools are “imploding” and six-year-olds are attacking teachers, we have a problem that needs more than trauma-informed theory.
What we’re seeing is the hollowing out of authority in the classroom. Teachers and principals no longer have the tools — or permission — to deal with serious behavioural issues. Decision-making has been hijacked by bureaucrats pushing ideologically approved solutions instead of practical ones.
This isn’t just poor policy — it’s a systemic failure to protect students and staff. When education becomes more about appeasing policy writers than equipping teachers, everyone suffers.
Housing Crisis? Try Planning Crisis.
P5: Council to explore housing solutions
Another strategy. Another consultant. Another report.
Mt Barker Council is now “exploring housing solutions” after overseeing the fastest growing suburb in the state — without the infrastructure or planning to match. 715 new lots in 12 months, but somehow we’re only now acknowledging the lack of affordable housing, crisis accommodation, and basic services.
To be fair, the State Government did designate Mt Barker as a growth area — they just forgot to fund the growth and plan the infrastructure. So if Council wants to use this strategy to finally drag some money out of Adelaide, that’s not the worst idea going.
But let’s not pretend this is a fix. Until we get planning that actually anticipates demand — not reacts to it five years too late — we’ll keep patching holes with glossy PDFs and consultant buzzwords.
Signals from the Letters Page
Page 6: Your View
👉 If the solution to every problem is lentils and the UN, the letters page didn’t disappoint.
Proud of Our Scientists: Myrana Wahlqvist returns this week with a passionate defence of “the science” — dismissing dissent as anti-reality, anti-science, or worse, conspiracy.
She writes that there is “no UN-led conspiracy for worldwide domination” and “no worldwide cult of climate change” — which, oddly, weren’t claims anyone had made. But it’s a neat trick: exaggerate opposing views, and declare them unworthy of debate.
She also mocks those that believe “global agendas are quietly shaping local policy”.
Meanwhile, Australia recently signed the WHO Pandemic Treaty and failed to reject the UN & WHO-led International Health Regulation (IHR) amendments. Oh, and we're still going full tilt for the UN-led Net Zero agenda
— but sure, nothing to see here.
Let’s be clear — scientists deserve respect. But that doesn’t mean institutions are beyond scrutiny, or that policies based on “the science” are automatically just.
It seems clear, Myrana trusts the system absolutely. The rest of us have seen too much mission drift, politicisation, and outright manipulation to do the same.
Lettuce Pray: The letters from Padma Chaplin and Alice Shore this week read like a sermon from the Church of Climate Veganism. Calls to shut down meatworks and transform them to pump out plant-based meat, all in the name of “kindness” and “the greater good.” It’s the usual rhetoric — less beef, more beans, and a moral pat on the back for complying. My reply: pass the steak.
Peter Spalding offers the rare voice of reason — pointing out the absurdity of governments spending hundreds of millions on climate plans while ignoring basic stormwater upgrades. He's right. If we can’t even fix drains after a known flood risk, how can we pretend to control the climate?
More Targets, Less Logic
P12: Mt Barker Council sets new climate targets
The Mt Barker Council has officially signed up to its own miniature version of Net Zero — pledging to slash CO₂ emissions from 234,000 to 164,000 tonnes by 2035, and halve its own output by 2050. How? With a 28-page strategy, a $60,000 report, and enough vague commitments that are ultimately meaningless.
All this while the rest of the world is heading in the other direction and the momentum against Net Zero is finally gaining traction within Australia.
Let’s be clear — this isn’t about cleaner streets or smarter planning. It’s about chasing abstract emission targets, riddled with assumptions and enforced through bureaucratic creep. Because nothing says “sustainability” like pushing ratepayers to foot the bill for climate assessments, recycled water audits, and tree canopy quotas.
And what exactly is an “acceptable level” of climate risk to council operations? That’s never defined. But rest assured, another review is coming in five years — and annual progress updates will be provided (whether you asked or not).
Meanwhile, the roads are crumbling, parking is impossible, and essential infrastructure remains underfunded. But sure — let’s cut emissions from council mowers.
This isn’t governance. It’s virtue signalling with a grant application attached.
In all honesty, it’s outcomes like this that have inspired me to stand for Council.
Politics, Power, and the Public Purse
P13: Local couple sues Premier for $2.3m
I know nothing of this story — but my Spidey senses sure are tingling.
A former Labor MP sues our golden boy Premier Peter Malinauskas for $2.3 million, alleging he sabotaged her career to bury claims of bullying and harassment. Meanwhile, she was found guilty of blackmailing him — but never sentenced. Charges dropped. Suppression orders in place. Everyone walks.
I’m sure there’s more…
Comic Relief
Control Tower
Hope you’ve enjoyed this week’s commentary.
Ignorant nuisance — over and out.
Disclaimer:
All views expressed are the personal views of Darren Kelly. They are independent of any official role or organisation and reflect an ongoing commitment to open discussion and democratic integrity.
Well done, Darren, for throwing your hat in the ring to run for council to affect change.
Wishing you all the best. 💪