Mount Barker Courier - 16 July 2025
Transmission partially restored — filtering spin from substance
Ground Control to... well, you know who you are.
We're back on comms, and processing the latest telemetry from the Courier's 16 July release. Let's sort the signal from the noise.
First up:
Roads? — Apparently we don’t need them
P1: Council left doing the heavy lifting
Mt Barker councillor calls for urgent arterial road upgrades... and rightly so. If one was to take guidance from the State government, Adelaide’s fastest growing urban region doesn’t need major arterial roads — or decent public transport for that matter.
Cr Rebecca Hewett deserves credit for calling out the mismatch between growth and infrastructure, but this story also reveals just how much government inertia the council is up against.
The State's $40m roundabout band-aid doesn't begin to address the bottleneck at Adelaide Road. And if the best Transport can offer is 'indirect' benefits, then it's no wonder congestion keeps worsening.
Mayor Leach’s dismissiveness about the motion is telling. Residents are not interested in inter-council turf wars — they want action. Residents don’t need more reports to identify the issues. What’s needed is funding, fast-tracked planning approvals, and State-Federal pressure to deliver.
P2: Opinion - Growing Problems
The Courier editorial finally hits a rare note of realism. It stops short of naming political names, but the message is clear — Mount Barker’s infrastructure is running years behind its population, and neither tier of government can afford to fumble the next phase.
What’s missing is accountability. Who failed to act when the warning signs were obvious? Who approved subdivision after subdivision without securing funding for arterial upgrades?
👉 We don’t need more reports — we need political will to act on it. Without that, this will become just another well-phrased article collecting dust while the gridlock worsens.
Adelaide Hills Council By-law Changes
P1, 2: Cock-a-Doodle Don’t
Here we go again. Another by-law and another reach into the lives of ordinary residents. The more we normalize government approvals for simple lifestyle choices, the more we invite intrusion into the rest of our lives.
You can chalk this up as another government a Cock-up.
Your View
Page 6
This week’s letter spread is a reminder that not all critical thought has gone underground. The community isn't asleep. It’s just been shouted down.
Climate madness: → A nice mix of irreverence with historical data 🙏
No opposition: → Sadly, these sentiments are spot on. Mr Tarzia has a massive challenge ahead if the Libs want a shot at the next election. Right now, there’s no evidence of meaningful opposition at all.
Fade to silence: A letter from yours truly that raises flags over the collapse of dissent and the rise of narrative policing. 👉 Read the full post here on Ground Control.
Councillor Exodus
P11: By-election to replace councillor (MBDC) | P11: Vacancies open ward positions (AHC)
Mt Barker and Adelaide Hills Councils head to the polls again.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out our councils are in real trouble. And the 'toxic culture' is just the beginning. Constant by-elections, resignations citing bullying, and infighting over pay rises all point to a broken culture that no amount of procedural gloss can hide.
It’s clear that ratepayers are footing the bill for all of this dysfunction — $55,000 per election — and getting little in return. The steady churn of councillors also raises serious questions about leadership, morale, and whether anyone in these chambers is focused on long-term service over short-term scuffles.
If local government can't even hold itself together, how is it meant to tackle the issues that really matter such as infrastructure, housing, or community support?
Smokey and the Band-Aid
P7: Police raid tobacco outlet
Whatever you think of tobacco, this isn’t about smokes. It’s the stench of process erosion and State overreach if you ask me. Granting the State power to bypass courts and crush livelihoods is a slippery slope. Today it’s vapes — tomorrow it could be something far more political.
Renewables Strikes Again
P18: Battery power storage plan for Strathalbyn
This article is a textbook example of a project that sounds sensible — until you start asking questions the Courier didn’t.
– Why 4.99?
Funny how these projects always come in just under the 5 MVA threshold. That’s not an accident — it’s the cut-off point for triggering more intensive environmental and planning oversight.
– Who’s backing it?
Lunio Energy is name-dropped without background. Are they a serious operator or a shell for a larger play? What's their track record on safety and delivery?
– What’s the lifecycle cost?
Battery storage is often pitched as clean and green — but lithium iron phosphate still has embedded energy costs, supply chain concerns, and future recycling issues.
– And who benefits?
Does the community actually see a reduction in grid pressure or prices — or is this just a grid-level export with Lunio Energy receiving the benefits?
– And who’s paying?
Silly question. We all are — courtesy of the Federal battery subsidy scheme.
This is nothing more than subsidies in disguise.
Control Tower
Transmission clearing. Now we’re back to real-time scanning, with no static and no lag.
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.