State Government deliberately delaying new RAH to ‘cover up’ EPAS medical records failings, builder claims

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/subscribe/news/1/index.html?sourceCode=AAWEB_WRE170_a&mode=premium&dest=http:%2F%2Fwww.adelaidenow.com.au%2Fnews%2Fsouth-australia%2Fstate-government-deliberately-delaying-new-rah-to-cover-up-epas-medical-records-failings-builder-claims-in-800-million-lawsuit%2Fnews-story%2Fd2fe19a6a61004e4149a332c0c63e549%3Fnk%3D67af2ef40472147b5cbd6eb63859b88c-1480471330 State Government deliberately delaying new RAH to ‘cover up’ EPAS medical records failings, builder claims CLAIMS the State Government has deliberately delayed opening the new Royal Adelaide Hospital to “cover up” failings in a troubled-plagued computer system crucial to its operation are the basis of an... #newsADL bit.ly/2fISwNK South Australian ALP State Govt flawed EPA system & should've design of NRAH with initial temporary paper medical records storage State Government deliberately delaying new RAH to ‘cover up’ EPAS medical records failings, builder claims @theTiser and builders using cheap materials and taking short cuts to make a bigger profit on projects so id say cover ups on both sides

For the first time, Saudi Arabia is being attacked by both Sunni and Shia leaders

What, the Saudis must be asking themselves, has happened to the fawning leaders who would normally grovel to the Kingdom? Robert Fisk | @indyvoices | Thursday 22 September 2016| 22Kshares Click to follow The Independent Online hajj-5.jpg Iran boycotted the Hajj, the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, this year after rising tensions between the nations AP The Saudis step deeper into trouble almost by the week. Swamped in their ridiculous war in Yemen, they are now reeling from an extraordinary statement issued by around two hundred Sunni Muslim clerics who effectively referred to the Wahhabi belief – practiced in Saudi Arabia – as “a dangerous deformation” of Sunni Islam. The prelates included Egypt’s Grand Imam, Ahmed el-Tayeb of al-Azhar, the most important centre of theological study in the Islamic world, who only a year ago attacked “corrupt interpretations” of religious texts and who has now signed up to “a return to the schools of great knowledge” outside Saudi Arabia. This remarkable meeting took place in Grozny and was unaccountably ignored by almost every media in the world – except for the former senior associate at St Antony’s College, Sharmine Narwani, and Le Monde’s Benjamin Barthe – but it may prove to be even more dramatic than the terror of Syria’s civil war. For the statement, obviously approved by Vladimir Putin, is as close as Sunni clerics have got to excommunicating the Saudis. Although they did not mention the Kingdom by name, the declaration was a stunning affront to a country which spends millions of dollars every year on thousands of Wahhabi mosques, schools and clerics around the world. Wahhabism’s most dangerous deviation, in the eyes of the Sunnis who met in Chechenya, is that it sanctions violence against non-believers, including Muslims who reject Wahhabi interpretation. Isis, al-Qaeda and the Taliban are the principal foreign adherents to this creed outside Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Read more Saudi Arabia cannot pay its workers or bills The Saudis, needless to say, repeatedly insist that they are against all terrorism. Their reaction to the Grozny declaration has been astonishing. “The world is getting ready to burn us,” Adil Al-Kalbani announced. And as Imam of the King Khaled Bin Abdulaziz mosque in the Saudi capital of Riyadh, he should know. As Narwani points out, the bad news kept on coming. At the start of the five-day Hajj pilgrimage, the Lebanese daily al-Akhbar published online a database which it said came from the Saudi ministry of health, claiming that up 90,000 pilgrims from around the world have died visiting the Hajj capital of Mecca over a 14-year period. Although this figure is officially denied, it is believed in Shia Muslim Iran, which has lost hundreds of its citizens on the Hajj. Among them was Ghazanfar Roknabadi, a former ambassador and intelligence officer in Lebanon. Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, has just launched an unprecedented attack on the Saudis, accusing them of murder. “The heartless and murderous Saudis locked up the injured with the dead in containers...” he said in his own Hajj message. A Saudi official said Khameni’s accusations reflected a “new low”. Abdulmohsen Alyas, the Saudi undersecretary for international communications, said they were “unfounded, but also timed to only serve their unethical failing propaganda”. In pictures: Protests around the world over Saudi executions   7 show all Yet the Iranians have boycotted the Hajj this year (not surprisingly, one might add) after claiming that they have not received Saudi assurances of basic security for pilgrims. According to Khamenei, Saudi rulers “have plunged the world of Islam into civil wars”. However exaggerated his words, one thing is clear: for the first time, ever, the Saudis have been assaulted by both Sunni and Shia leaders at almost the same time. The presence in Grozny of Grand Imam al-Tayeb of Egypt was particularly infuriating for the Saudis who have poured millions of dollars into the Egyptian economy since Brigadier-General-President al-Sissi staged his doleful military coup more than three years ago. What, the Saudis must be asking themselves, has happened to the fawning leaders who would normally grovel to the Kingdom?

Bushfire threat upgraded for southern parts of Australia

30 Nov 2016 - 9:55am Authorities have upgraded the bushfire threat for southern Australia after a wet winter and spring. (AAP) NSW Rural Fire Service firefighters fight a fire near Port Stephens NSW Rural Fire Service firefighters fight a fire near Port Stephens NSW Rural Fire Service firefighters fight a fire near Port Stephens Hide Grid Image 1/ Video Audio . Southern parts of Australia face a heightened risk of bushfires this summer, after a record wet winter left a high fuel load. . Source: AAP 30 Nov 2016 - 9:42 AM UPDATED 56 MINS AGO Tweet The bushfire threat has been upgraded for much of southern Australia after a wet winter and spring fuelled strong vegetation growth that could feed blazes over summer. A hotter- and drier-than-average December is expected to dry out that vegetation, leaving behind a high fuel load as summer kicks in. More areas are now expected to experience above normal fire conditions, including the bushfire-prone states of Victoria and NSW. The heightened risk follows Australia's second wettest winter on record and then a very wet September that broke rainfall records in parts of NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Queensland. "Further rainfall is expected to be average to below average in most areas," the Bushfire and Natural Hazards Co-operative Research Centre said in its November update, released on Wednesday. "When this is coupled with summer temperatures that are forecast to be average to above average, more areas are now expected to experience above normal fire conditions." Grassland areas in Victoria and NSW are particularly at risk, with high rainfall creating ideal conditions for growth. But the wet conditions leading into summer mean all states and the ACT are facing an increased risk of grass fires. In fire-prone Victoria, most of the state is facing an above normal bushfire season, with West and South Gippsland possible hot spots for both forest and grass fires. Heading south across the border, prolific grass growth means most of central NSW, along with southern border regions, are also facing an above normal fire risk. In the ACT, hotter, drier forecasts for the months ahead means there's some potential for wildfires but probably not before January. In Queensland, the likelihood of a dry, hot summer, particularly in December, means the bushfire risk for the southeast is also above normal. South Australia is expecting normal levels of fire activity over the summer, but there are some exceptions. Parts of the Upper South East, Murraylands and Riverland, are likely to see an above normal fire risk because they've been so dry in recent years. In Western Australia, a normal fire season is expected in the Gascoyne, Murchison, Goldfields, Central West and Desert areas. But the risk level is above normal in the Western Pilbara, and the Eucla and South West regions. In Tasmania, a normal or below normal fire season is expected, with November rains reducing the threat level. But dry conditions expected in early summer mean that could change in grassland areas from February onwards, as the vegetation dries out. The update did not provide a snapshot for the Northern Territory.

Giuliani will follow Clinton’s war policy with Russia in Syria: Scholar

Giuliani will follow Clinton’s war policy with Russia in Syria: Scholar Fri Nov 25, 2016 7:30PM Home / US / Interviews PressTv User If former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani is appointed the US secretary of state he will probably follow on Hillary Clinton’s war policies with Russia in Syria, and will try to undermine the Iran nuclear agreement, an American scholar and political analyst says. James Petras, a professor emeritus of sociology at Binghamton University in New York, and adjunct professor at Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Canada, made the remarks in an interview with Press TV on Friday. According to reports, a battle has erupted in Trump's camp over his pick for the secretary of state, with loyal supporters seeking to block the appointment of Mitt Romney, a fierce critic of the president-elect during the 2016 presidential campaign. The debate over selecting the head the US State Department has led to an internal dispute in Trump’s team between supporters of Romney, those favoring Giuliani and others who believe Trump should keep searching for candidates. Professor Petras said, “Romney is less bellicose at least in his rhetoric, and probably and much more in line with the general outlook of the Conservative Republicans. “ “However, I think that it’s a question also of how Romney will interpret his appointee. If its Romney, he will have to pressure him to begin relations with Russia, and perhaps to negotiate a settlement with Syria,” he stated. “He will also probably continue with the agreement with Iran, but he will try to modify some of the sanctions, which will be very provocative to the Iranians, even though he will support the Romney appointment,” the analyst said. US President-elect Donald Trump (left) shakes hands with Mitt Romney after their meeting at Trump International Golf Club, November 19, 2016 in Bedminster Township, New Jersey. (Photo by AFP) “If he goes with Giuliani he will have to make adjustments to Giuliani’s violently pro-Israel line, which would push for breaking that agreement despite the fact that five other countries will not follow on it, and it will isolate the US,” he noted. “Probably Giuliani would follow closely on Hillary Clinton’s war policies with Russia in Syria and will continue to encircle China,” the scholar explained. Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council -- the United States, Britain, Russia, China, France as well as Germany --started implementation of the deal, dubbed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), on January 16. Under the JCPOA, all sanctions imposed on Iran by the European Union, the UN Security Council and the US have to be lifted as Iran limits some aspects of its peaceful nuclear program. It seems Trump’s election as the next president of the US has allowed Republicans to take a more aggressive stance against Iran. Trump said during his election campaign that he would “dismantle”, “tear up” or try to renegotiate the terms of the nuclear deal if elected president. Iranian officials have warned the US against walking away from the nuclear agreement, stressing that any US president is bound to honor the deal as it has been endorsed by a United Nations Security Council resolution, which makes it effectively an international law.

Factbox: Facts about Cuba's Fidel Castro

Sat Nov 26, 2016 | 2:30 AM EST Factbox: Facts about Cuba's Fidel Castro Cuba's former President Fidel Castro (R) and President of Portugal Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa (L) meet in Havana, Cuba, October 26, 2016, in this handout photo provided by Cubadebate. Courtesy of Cubadebate/Handout via Reuters Cuba's former President Fidel Castro (R) and President of Portugal Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa (L) meet in Havana, Cuba, October 26, 2016, in this handout photo provided by Cubadebate. Courtesy of Cubadebate/Handout via Reuters Factbox: Facts about Cuba's Fidel CastroX The following are some facts about former Cuban leader Fidel Castro. * Fidel Castro led Cuba for five decades and was the world's third longest-serving head of state, after Britain's Queen Elizabeth and the King of Thailand. He temporarily ceded power to his brother Raul in July 2006 after undergoing intestinal surgery. The handover of power became official in 2008. * In his last years, Castro occasionally appeared in public and in videos and pictures usually meeting with guests. He wrote hundreds of columns for the official media. Stooped and walking with difficulty, Castro was seen in public twice in 2012 and twice in 2013. He was seen in public on Jan. 8, 2014, at the opening of a cultural center, though photos of visiting dignitaries at the Castro home appeared after that. * Castro holds the record for the longest speech ever delivered to the United Nations: 4 hours and 29 minutes, on Sept. 26, 1960, according to the U.N. website. One of his longest speeches on record lasted 7 hours and 30 minutes on Feb. 24, 1998, after the national assembly re-elected him to a five-year term as president. * Castro claimed he survived 634 attempts or plots to assassinate him, mainly masterminded by the Central Intelligence Agency and U.S.-based exile organizations. They may have included poison pills, a toxic cigar, exploding mollusks, and a chemically tainted diving suit. Another alleged plan involved giving him powder that would make his beard fall out and so undermine his popularity. * Despite the plots, a U.S.-backed exile invasion at the Bay of Pigs and five decades of economic sanctions, Castro outlasted nine U.S. presidents, from Dwight Eisenhower to Bill Clinton, stepping down while George W. Bush was in office. * Castro used to chomp on Cuban cigars but gave them up in 1985. Years later he summed up the harm of smoking tobacco by saying: "The best thing you can do with this box of cigars is give them to your enemy." * Time Magazine in 2012 named Castro as one of the 100 most influential personalities of all time. * Castro had nine children from five women. His eldest son Fidel Castro Diaz-Balart, who is the image of his father and is known as Fidelito, is a Soviet-trained nuclear scientist born in 1949 out of his brief marriage to Mirta Diaz-Balart. Daughter Alina Fernandez, the result of an affair with a Havana socialite when Castro was underground in the 1950s, escaped from Cuba disguised as a tourist in 1993 and is a vocal critic. Castro has five sons with his common-law wife since the 1960s, Dalia Soto del Valle. He also has a son and a daughter born to two other women with whom he had affairs before coming to power. (Reporting by Marc Frank and Daniel Trotta; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)

Is buying property next to a wealthy suburb a good investment

Nov 22 2016 at 11:01 AM Updated Nov 22 2016 at 5:50 PM Save article Print License article Is buying property next to a wealthy suburb a good investment? Share via Email Share on Google Plus Post on facebook wall Share on twitter Post to Linkedin Share on Reddit Play 0:00 / 1:53 Fullscreen Mute The charm of the Queenslander Nicola McDougall dinkus by Nicola McDougall A common investment strategy is to buy next door to a fancy, or blue-chip, suburb and ride on its profit coat-tails. But does such a simple strategy work - and which south-east Queensland suburbs offer the best prospects for neighbourly love if it does? The ripple-effect, or bridesmaid investment strategy, involves a belief that capital growth ripples out from the most desirable suburbs to the lesser locations in proximity. But while being situated next to a blue-chip suburb with a trendy cafe lifestyle or one with access to water is never a bad thing, it doesn't mean the neighbouring suburb will necessarily produce the same stellar results. Buying property next to a fancy suburb may not always be the way to go. Buying property next to a fancy suburb may not always be the way to go. Glenn Hunt "I understand where people are coming from, but they're totally neglecting the fact that there's probably [a further] 90 per cent of the country, in a completely different city, and they're not even considering those [suburbs]," Propertyology buyers' agent and market analyst, Simon Pressley, says. "They're just focusing on features and benefits of suburbs and it's sort of pot-luck that the city that they live in happens to have a really strong sustainable economy for years to come. That's the most important part of any market." Homebuyers and investors need to consider the specifics of each location and not just rely on its proximity to blue-chip suburbs. This is especially true if the lesser neighbouring suburbs are industrial, flood-prone or too close to the airport, which reduces buyer demand and are situations not likely to change any time soon. Pressley doesn't discount the strategy entirely, but the areas must also have other economic fundamentals to underpin future performance, including affordability. In south-east Queensland, his picks for the best opportunities that also happen to be close to more desirable suburbs include Lutwyche, Wooloowin, Geebung, Kedron, Labrador and Caloundra. According to Domain Group data for the six months to September, the median house price in Lutwyche was $751,000 and in Wooloowin it was $788,000. Geebung recorded a median house price of $519,500 and Kedron was $635,000. "Sunshine Coast renovators might consider older-style properties at Caloundra," Pressley said. "The new Kawana Hospital will be a major employment node and while there is significant new housing development in the vicinity they are further away from established cafe and retail strips. "Labrador's demographic has changed with the improvements in transport infrastructure and major retail improvements at Helensvale and Coomera. It's closer to the beach and more affordable." For the six months to September, Caloundra recorded a median house price of $535,000 and Labrador's was $430,500, according to the Domain Group data. This story first appeared at Domain. Read more: http://www.afr.com/real-estate/residential/is-buying-property-next-to-a-wealthy-suburb-a-good-investment-20161121-gsukqs?&utm_source=social&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=nc&eid=socialn:twi-14omn0055-optim-nnn:nonpaid-27/06/2014-social_traffic-all-organicpost-nnn-afr-o&campaign_code=nocode&promote_channel=social_twitter#ixzz4QjdGYTN1 Follow us: @FinancialReview on Twitter | financialreview on Facebook

Tsunami hits Japan after strong quake, nuclear plant briefly disrupted

Mon Nov 21, 2016 | 7:08 PM EST A traffic jam is seen as people evacuate after tsunami advisories were issued following an earthquake, in Iwaki, Fukushima prefecture, Japan, in this photo taken by Kyodo November 22, 2016. Kyodo/via REUTERS A traffic jam is seen as people evacuate after tsunami advisories were issued following an earthquake, in Iwaki, Fukushima prefecture, Japan, in this photo taken by Kyodo November 22, 2016. Kyodo/via Reuters Tsunami hits Japan after strong quake, nuclear...X By Yuka Obayashi and William Mallard | TOKYO A powerful earthquake rocked northern Japan on Tuesday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said, generating a tsunami that hit the same region devastated by a massive quake, tsunami and nuclear disaster in 2011. The earthquake, which was felt in Tokyo, had a magnitude of 7.4 and was centered off the coast of Fukushima prefecture at a depth of about 10 km (6 miles), the agency said. A tsunami of up to 1.4 meters (4.5 feet) had been observed around Sendai, about 70 km (45 miles) north of Fukushima, following the quake, which struck at 5:59 a.m. (2059 GMT Monday), public broadcaster NHK said. Television footage showed ships moving out to sea from harbors as tsunami warning signals wailed, after warnings of waves of up to 3 meters (10 feet) were issued. "We saw high waves but nothing that went over the tidal barriers," a man in the city of Iwaki told NTV television network. All Japan's nuclear power plants on the coast threatened by the tsunami are shut down in the wake of the March 2011 disaster, which knocked out Tokyo Electric Power Co's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, spilling radiation into the air and sea. A spokeswoman for Tokyo Electric Power, known as Tepco, said the cooling system for a storage pool for spent nuclear fuel at the reactor at its Fukushima Daini Plant had been halted. A spokesman said the cooling system had restarted soon after. ADVERTISEMENT No other damage from the quake has been confirmed at any of its power plants, although there have been blackouts in some areas, the spokeswoman said. Only two reactors are operating in Japan, both in the southwest. Even when in shutdown, nuclear plants need cooling systems operating to keep spent fuel cool. Tohoku Electric Power Co said there was no damage to its Onagawa nuclear plant, while the Kyodo news agency reported there were no irregularities at the Tokai Daini nuclear plant in Ibaraki prefecture. One woman suffered cuts to her head from falling dishes, Kyodo news agency reported, citing fire department officials. Japanese Minister for Disaster Management Jun Matsumoto told reporters about three hours after the quake that there had been no reports of significant injuries so far. Earthquakes are common in Japan, one of the world's most seismically active areas. Japan accounts for about 20 percent of the world's earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater. The March 11, 2011, quake was magnitude 9, the strongest quake in Japan on record. The massive tsunami it triggered caused the world's worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl a quarter of a century earlier. The U.S. Geological Survey measured Tuesday's quake at magnitude 6.9, down from an initial 7.3. An Iwaki city fire department official said there was smoke or fire at Kureha's research center in a petrochemical complex in Iwaki city at 6:17 a.m. (2117 GMT Monday) but it was extinguished soon after. Other details were not clear, he said, but no other major damage had been reported in the city so far. Japan's famous Shinkansen bullet trains were halted along one stretch of track and some other train lines were also stopped. Footage from Kesennuma, one of the worst-hit cities in 2011, showed a deserted fish market with what appeared to be fish lying on the floor. One hotel in Ofunato, also badly hit by the 2011 quake, initially told guests to stay in the facility but later bussed them to higher ground. Japanese financial markets were little affected, with Nikkei futures recovering after a brief fall and the yen up a touch against the U.S. dollar, although still near a five-month low hit earlier in the session. (Additional reporting by Chris Gallagher, Jon Herskovitz, Osamu Tsukimori, Aaron Sheldrick and Elaine Lies; Writing by Lincoln Feast; Editing Richard Balmforth and Paul Tait)

Bayswater: refugee teen reaps rewards with nomination in WA Youth Award

November 21st, 2016, 04:00PM |Written by Kristie Lim |Eastern Reporter | News Ali Raza Yusafzai has been named as a finalist for the WA Youth Awards 2016. Picture: Andrew Ritchie www.communitypix.com.au d461798  Ali Raza Yusafzai has been named as a finalist for the WA Youth Awards 2016. Picture: Andrew Ritchie www.communitypix.com.au d461798    A BAYSWATER teenager who came to Australia as an asylum seeker from Pakistan has overcome cultural differences to be nominated for a WA Youth Award. Ali Raza Yusafzai (19) witnessed terrorist attacks and bombings in Quetta throughout his childhood before his parents decided to send him to Perth three-and-a-half years ago. He is now a photographer and has volunteered for the annual Walk Together Perth event, the Youth Advisory Council WA’s (YACWA) Shout Out program and the Annual Youth Sector Summit. MORE: Danikka blazes a trail at WA Youth Awards He has also participated in programs dedicated to refugees, such as the First Hike Project and First Home Project. Mr Yusafzai said he was happy to be nominated for the positive achievement award. “I am proud to be a finalist because so many people in Australia think about asylum seekers in a different way and being nominated for this award challenges the stigma I have felt from being an asylum seeker,” he said. Mr Yusafzai said it was difficult to grow up in an unsafe and fearful environment. “We always thought that when we were to leave the house, they were going to kill us next,” he said “When I arrived to Perth, I felt so good because I was living in a beautiful, safe environment and I felt like I was born again. There were no people sitting in the street with no arms or no legs, and for a few minutes I thought I was in heaven.” Mr Yusafzai said his parents had not visited him and he could not return to Pakistan because he was processing his Australian visa. He said he struggled to understand the Australian culture until he first did volunteer work with Red Cross. “I was living so far away and didn’t have any friends who spoke English, and I couldn’t speak or understand English, it was really difficult for me to communicate with people,” Mr Yusafzai said. “This was the point where my life definitely changed… from there I started doing volunteer work for different organisations and people, and as I am Muslim I started going with them to church to respect their religion. “No matter which colour skin you have or religion you have, inside our blood is all red; I know from the outside we look different, but from the inside we are all the same.” He said he gradually made more friends who helped him with his English and to deal with racism. “I also am involved with a special group that runs a program with Murdoch University and UWA that runs events for refugees, such as picnics and all-day events to encourage connection of friendships between asylum seekers and the university students,” he said. The WA Youth Awards 2016 winners will be announced on November 25.

Islamic Schools in Melbourne

Saad Malik ▶ ‎Melbourne Muslims

https://mbasic.facebook.com/groups/382235225212683?view=permalink&id=816871641749037&_rdr#817252305044304

salam i am moving to Melbourne from sydney. can someone please suggest a good suburb in west melbourne, with a good school. thanks 22 hrs · Melbourne Muslims Save · More Like Comment You and 3 others reacted Ilyas Mohammed Tarneit, Trugnina and melton. They all have Islamic schools. Edited · Unlike · 1 person · Reply · Report · 10 hours ago Arslan Zafar Janjua Endeavor Hills, Narre warrn, cranbourne Unlike · 3 people · Reply · Report · 10 hours ago Amoun Haych Brookfield has a new islamic school and its away frm the city life Like · 1 person · Reply · Report · 10 hours ago محمد مروان زهرة Broadmeadow sity of Melbourne 😂 Like · 2 people · Reply · Report · 4 hours ago Mahjabeen Khan If you want an Islamic school then icom in Tarneit has a good reputation. Otherwise m Alamanda state college in point cook. Unlike · 1 person · Reply · Report · 2 hours ago Abdullah Tan Dandenong, Broadmeadows. Good mosques and schools but avoid bad/druggo areas. Unlike · 1 person · Reply · Report · 1 hour ago Write a commen Assalamoalikum, does anyone know any government preschools in a Muslim area in Sydney , like there's one in Sefton

Suicide bomber attacks worshippers at Shia mosque in Kabul

| Mon Nov 21, 2016 | 4:13am EST Pakistan's powerful army chief begins farewell visits left right 2/2 left right Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Army Chief of Staff General Raheel Sharif attend the inauguration of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor port in Gwadar, Pakistan November 13, 2016. REUTERS/Caren Firouz 1/2 left right 2/2 left right 1/2 By Asad Hashim | ISLAMABAD Pakistan's powerful army chief Raheel Sharif began a round of farewell visits on Monday, his spokesman said, damping speculation he might receive an extension when his three-year term ends this month. The general has been immensely popular among ordinary Pakistanis, who see him as having effectively tackled crime and corruption, besides carrying the fight against Islamist terrorism to unstable tribal areas. Sharif, who is due to retire on Nov. 29, had never said he would seek an extension, but speculation of such a move has recently been rife in the media and among politicians"Army chief kicks off his farewell visits beginning from Lahore today," military spokesman Lieutenant-General Asim Bajwa said on social network Twitter, adding that Sharif would meet soldiers on the visits. "Accomplishment of peace and stability no ordinary task," he added. "Our sacrifices and joint national resolve helped us in offsetting all odds." The army has ruled Pakistan for roughly half its 69-year history, and tension with civilian governments - including that of current Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif - often runs high. Sharif himself was ousted from power in 1999 by a military coup. Pakistan's last two army chiefs, including Pervez Musharraf, who led the coup against Sharif, were both given extensions. Prime Minister Sharif has until Nov. 28 to name his choice of a replacement for the retiring army chief. Typically, the military provides the prime minister the dossiers of three or four contenders from which to choose. Contenders this year include Lieutenant General Javed Iqbal Ramday, Lieutenant General Zubair Hayat, Lieutenant General Ishfaq Nadeem Ahmad and Lieutenant General Qamar Javed Bajwa, three of the prime minister's aides told Reuters in September. The succession will also be closely watched overseas. With nearly 10,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan fighting the Afghan Taliban and other militant groups, Washington is losing patience with what it calls Pakistan's failure to hunt down insurgents who launch attacks on Afghanistan from Pakistani territory. Pakistan denies this. Also In World News Iraq Shi'ite paramilitaries close to cutting Mosul supply route Suicide bomber attacks worshippers at Shia mosque in Kabul India has also ratcheted up rhetoric against Pakistan, alarmed at an escalation of violence in the disputed region of Kashmir, where an attack on an army base killed 18 soldiers. Islamabad denies accusations it was behind the raid. At home, military operations under Sharif have targeted Islamist militants, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, in 2014, besides a crackdown on crime in the southern port city of Karachi, Pakistan's largest. Overall violence has fallen since, but large-scale attacks have surged recently, with at least 185 people killed in three major attacks since August. (Writing by Asad Hashim; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) ==================================== Mon Nov 21, 2016 | 4:26am EST left right 2/2 left right Afghan security forces keep watch in front of a mosque where an explosion happened in Kabul, Afghanistan November 21, 2016. REUTERS/Omar Sobhani 1/2 left right 2/2 left right 1/2 By Mirwais Harooni | KABUL A suicide bomber on Monday killed at least 27 people and wounded 35 in an explosion at a crowded Shia mosque in the Afghan capital Kabul, officials said. The attacker entered the Baqir ul Olum mosque during a ceremony, the interior ministry said in a statement. Fraidoon Obaidi, chief of the Kabul police Criminal Investigation Department, said at least 27 people were killed and 35 wounded when the explosion tore through the worshippers There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Although Afghanistan has not suffered sectarian violence comparable to that experienced by many Middle Eastern countries, the attack underlines the deadly new dimension that growing ethnic tension could give to its decades-long conflict. In July more than 80 people were killed in an attack on a demonstration by the mainly Shia Hazara minority that was claimed by Islamic State militants. (Reporting by Mirwais Harooni; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Simon Cameron-Moore)

Australia to import LNG? When the illogical makes sense: Russell

Mon Nov 21, 2016 | 12:10am EST By Clyde Russell | LAUNCESTON, Australia Sometimes the seemingly illogical actually makes sense. Take the case of Australia, which will become the world's largest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG), but also may start importing the super-chilled fuel at the same time. Australia is in the final stages of completing more than $180 billion of LNG projects that will see it overtake Qatar as the world's largest supplier by the end of next year. When the last of eight new facilities is finished, Australia will have 10 operating projects capable of producing about 85 million tonnes of LNG a year. Given the huge surge in LNG production in Australia, it would seem extraordinary that it would have to import the fuel to meet domestic requirements, but that is exactly what major domestic utility AGL Energy is considering. The company said on Nov. 14 it would spend A$17 million ($12.8 million) on a feasibility study for an import terminal in the southeast of the country, home to most of the nation's gas-consuming industries and the largest retail market.What AGL has identified is Australia is facing a set of circumstances where economic realities are colliding with geography and politics. Firstly, the economic realities. The building of three new LNG plants in Queensland state, on the country's northeast coast, has dramatically altered the supply-demand balance along the populous eastern seaboard. The three LNG plants use coal-seam gas as feedstock, but they are also capable of tapping into the existing pipeline network that draws natural gas from fields in central Australia, Queensland and from the offshore Bass Strait between Victoria and the island state of Tasmania. These three facilities will account for about 70 percent of east coast natural gas demand by 2018, according to AGL. This means a massive exploration and production effort is required to boost output by enough to meet the demand of the LNG plants. It also means that pricing in the domestic market will become more tied to international LNG prices on a netback basis, which is the cost of the LNG to customers in Asia minus freight, liquefaction and other costs. In reality, this makes it likely that the three LNG plants will suck up natural gas that would otherwise have been available to the domestic markets, creating a potential shortage sometime around 2019. Secondly, the geography part. Although Australia is the world's smallest continent, it's still a huge country and the currently producing natural gas fields in its center are thousands of kilometers (miles) from where the fuel is consumed in coastal cities. This means pipelines are needed to transport natural gas, and these dramatically add to the final cost to customers. It's also far from certain that pipeline investors would be prepared to commit the massive amounts of capital needed to expand the network unless they are guaranteed high rates of return, meaning domestic prices would have to be well above current Asian LNG prices. POLITICS KEY FOR LNG IMPORTS Lastly, the influence of politics. The best solution for easing southeastern Australia's looming shortage of natural gas would be to boost onshore production in Victoria and New South Wales, the two most populous states. However, politicians in both have effectively banned or placed moratoriums on much of the exploration and production sector. This mainly has been done to appease public opinion, which has increasingly swung behind a coalition of rural interests and environmentalists that oppose both producing natural gas from hydraulic fracturing and from coal-seams. Also In Commodities Oil prices climb on expectation of OPEC-led output cut China investors up bets on copper as fundamental picture brightens For farmers, much of their opposition is because of interruptions to their operations from the presence of drilling rigs and associated infrastructure on their land, as well as to fears of pollution of water tables. While a series of independent scientific reports have stated there is little reason to fear contamination or other adverse effects from natural gas wells, these have been largely drowned out by activists opposed to fossil fuels. Politicians from both the centre-right Liberal Party, which rules in New South Wales, and the centre-left Labor Party, which controls Victoria, have found it easier to appease these groups than to make the case as to why exploration should go ahead, and the consequences of higher prices if it doesn't. Enter AGL with a possible solution of building an LNG import terminal in the world's biggest LNG exporter. It would solve the problem of a potential shortage of natural gas in southeastern Australia, introduce competition with existing players, keep prices to at least the level of what Asian buyers are prepared to pay and allow the politicians to keep appeasing noisy pressure groups. Overall, the seemingly illogical actually makes perfect sense. (The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters.) (Editing by Joseph Radford)

Letter from Qatari prince has no legal weight: lawyers

Zulqernain Tahir — Updated about an hour LAHORE: Prominent lawyers are of the view that Qatari prince Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jaber Al Thani will have to submit ‘required evidence’ and make himself available before the court in the Panama Papers case, otherwise his letter has no legal value at all. “The letter from the Qatari prince in Panama Papers case simply carries no legal weight. He will have to submit the required evidence to the apex court and also make his availability before the court,” eminent lawyer Salman Akram Raja told Dawn here on Sunday. He said the Qatari prince would have to appear before the court in person for cross-examination or a commission (if constituted by the Supreme Court) would have to go to Qatar to record his statement. Read: Revelations made in Qatari letter not a ploy: ministers He said it was the discretion of the court as how it took the letter of the Qatari prince. But, he added, in the eyes of the law “it is just a piece of paper”. Known lawyer and PPP Senator Aitzaz Ahsan has also declared the Qatari prince’s letter a “useless piece of paper”. “The letter of the Qatari prince is a useless piece of paper till he appears in the court in person and gives statement under oath,” he said. Talking to reporters here on Sunday, Mr Ahsan said if the Qatari prince appeared before the court, he would be “trembling” during cross-examination. “After 10 questions he will start trembling,” he added. Mr Ahsan was of the view that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had been in troubled waters as it would not be easy for him to get away with this case. “To me Nawaz Sharif will not find easy escape route regarding his Rs8 billion property,” he said and demanded that Mr Sharif should face the same law which was faced by former premier Yousuf Raza Gilani. “Yousuf Raza Gilani and Raja Pervez Ashraf (two former prime ministers of the PPP) had appeared before the court and now Hasan and Hussain (Mr Sharif’s sons) should also appear before the apex court in the Panama Papers case,” he said. Mr Ahsan, who is reportedly being considered by the Pakistan Tahreek-i-Insaf to plead the Panama Papers case after Hamid Khan dissociated himself from it, denied that he was contacted by the PTI leadership (for taking up the case). “The PTI leadership did not contact me.” However, he added, he would give advice to PTI leaders if they would contact him. Mr Ahsan was in agreement with Hamid Khan over the media’s role in creating a ‘hostile environment’ in this case. “The media has spoiled Hamid Khan’s matter. Not him (Hamid Khan) but the Sharif brothers will have to prove that they had made property through legal means,” he said. The letter of the Qatari prince, who ruled Qatar from 2007 to 2013, states that his father (Jassim bin Jabr Al Thani) had longstanding business relations with Mian Mohammad Sharif (father of Nawaz Sharif) which were coordinated through his eldest brother. “In the year 1980, Mian Sharif expressed his desire to invest a certain amount of money in real estate business of Al Thani family in Qatar. I understood at that time, that an aggregate sum of around Dirhams 12 million was contributed by Mian Sharif, originating from the sale of business in Dubai. Four flats ­— 16, 16A, 17 and 17A Avenfield House, Park Lane, London, were registered under the ownership of two offshore companies, while their bearer share certificates were kept in Qatar. These were purchased from the proceeds of the real estate business. “On account of [the] relationship between the families, Mian Sharif and his family used the properties whilst bearing all expenses relating to the properties, including the ground rent and service charges,” the letter said. The next date of hearing of the Panama Papers case in the Supreme Court is Nov 30. Published in Dawn November 21st, 2016

KALIMNA RD/RESEARCH RD ROAD NURIOOTPA Head-on collision

18/11/2016 07:49 KALIMNA RD/RESEARCH RD ROAD NURIOOTPA 2 Vehicle Accident COMPLETE HEAD-ON CRASH: Emergency services attended a head-on two-car collision at the intersection between Kalimna and Research roads in Nuriootpa just after 7.30am this morning.

The World after Trump's Presidency

At present, a First Home Owner Grant (FHOG) of $15 000 is potentially available to applicants who commence eligible...

Posted by Residential & Commercial Real Estate Investment, South Australia on Wednesday, 2 November 2016

Reports of earthquake felt in Delhi - ANI, NDTV

Chatham Islands and coastal areas between Blenheim and Banks Peninsula are still prone to a marine and land threat

New Zealand Civil Defence says Chatham Islands and coastal areas between Blenheim and Banks Peninsula are still prone to a marine and land threat New Zealand Prime Minister John Key on earthquake casualties: 'We don't have any indications at the moment to believe it will rise, but we can't rule that out' New Zealand PM John Key says 2 people killed in earthquake; sending military helicopter to Kaikoura 1 casualty reported at Elms historic homestead in Kaikoura, New Zealand, following earthquake Civil Defence in Marlborough says there are reports of a train trapped just north of Kaikoura as result of the quake Cracks in road following New Zealand earthquake Schools from North Canterbury to Wellington in New Zealand told to stay closed this morning Map: New Zealand tsunami threat downgraded; people in green and white areas on the map can return home, land threat remains for blue areas Map: Shutdown roads in New Zealand following earthquake Wellington Region Emergency Management Office says rail services are suspended until further notice, airport is operating after runway inspected

Foreign firms to increase spending on Iraqi oil fields in Basra: SOC executive

COMMODITIES | Mon Oct 24, 2016 | 10:32am EDT Foreign firms to increase spending on Iraqi oil fields in Basra: SOC executive South Oil Co. Deputy Director General Salah Mahdi speaks during an interview with Reuters in Basra province January 16, 2016. REUTERS/Essam Al-Sudani South Oil Co. Deputy Director General Salah Mahdi speaks during an interview with Reuters in Basra province January 16, 2016. REUTERS/Essam Al-Sudani Foreign oil companies will increase their investments to increase output in Basra, the main producing region of Iraq, state-owned South Oil Company Deputy Director General Salah Mahdi told Reuters on Monday. The companies'investment budget increased to $7.29 billion in 2017, from $6.6 billion in 2016, he said on the sidelines of a CWC conference in Beirut. The companies that operate in southern Iraq are BP, Shell, Lukoil, Exxon, Eni, CNPC and Petronas. ADVERTISING inRead invented by Teads "Our plans are to encourage foreign companies to raise production for next year," he said. "We are planning to boost output for next year and maximize revenues". Iraq's oil ministry has just launched a new round of bidding to develop 12 small to medium-sized oil fields straddling three provinces - four in Basra, five in Misan and three in the Central province, according to a tender document on the ministry's website. Iraqi officials said in August the nation's oil output should increase next year by 250,000-350,000 barrels per day as companies improve yields from existing fields in the southern region that produces most of the nation's crude. Iraqi Oil Minister Jabar Ali al-Luaibi said on Sunday the country should be exempt from OPEC crude output restrictions as it needs the income to fight the war against Islamic State. ALSO IN COMMODITIES Oil prices fall on persistent fuel supply overhang Gold slips as market weighs Trump economic policy OPEC's second-largest producer, Iraq's output could rise slightly this month, from September's 4.774 million barrels per day, according to state-oil marketer SOMO. Last month's total includes 546,000 bpd from the Kurdish self-rule region (KRG) of northern Iraq. (Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed; Writing by Maher Chmaytelli; Editing by Greg Mahlich)

Gawler East link road has finally received the green light, Bunnyip Reported

COUNCIL DECIDES: After more than 10 years of planning, the Gawler East link road has finally received the green light, with councillors deciding on a route for the bypass last night. Elected members voted in favour of the revised Eckerman alignment, 5-4, which will divert traffic from Springwood Estate to Potts Road via Eckerman Avenue. Are you happy with the decision? Attach a Photo · Mention Friends Wayne Krollig Potts Road?? Idiots. Absolutely stupid idea. Needs to continue past Potts to Bentley Rd, then the "new" lights at Tiver Rd will actually be useful. Like · 39 people · Reply · Report · 9 hours ago Allana Cruise replied · 3 replies Jodie Exindaris Oh I get it now we do this and it will take the congestion away from the main street and your front doors but we'll just put it somewhere else so you don't have to look at it .WAKE UP YOU MOB OF DUMB ARSES this is the entry into gawler you have three bloody schools and this is where the congestion starts .tell ya what someone take over plz. Like · 5 people · Reply · Report · 9 hours ago Kym Louise Council have not been transparent with the community throughout this process. An extension to Tiver road was never a part of the plan, the funding even stipulated the use of Potts road but council were never clear about this. They instead insinuated to the community that by supporting councils options they were the "Tiver Road options". Council have stated in council meetings that Tiver road may never happen and if it does it won't be for 20 years (after Concordia is completed). They haven't told rate payers that their choice is so far over budget that they have had to strip the road back to cut costs - it will be a lower grade road which will require constant resurfacing, minimal lighting, no footpaths, no parking bays etc (far from the tree lined scenic road Gawler was told they would be getting). By choosing the Eckerman alignment they also went against every recommendation made by the experts and contractors employed to find the best alignment (minimal impacts on environment and people, costs etc) and they neglected to take into account the community feedback from the consultations held (which 75% of respondents favoured the DPTI route). The Eckerman alignment affects the most people, 18 home owners will now face land acquisitions. Gawler Council is a disappointment. Edited · Like · 3 people · Reply · Report · 5 hours ago Howard Hogan Can I encourage everyone who is against this idea and have been vocal on this post, take your concerns direct to council. Don't wait until the work starts. Stop this plan now. Force them to take the diversion to Tiver Road. Like · 1 person · Reply · Report · 1 hour ago Marg Clarke I'm not surprised at all , OTR was asked to move their Gas Tank over further from the corner because Council wanted to expand Potts Rd Corner. But now I'm wondering what happens to the homes on Potts Rd and if they are not effected by the expansion surely the noise of the extra traffic will Like · 2 people · Reply · Report · 10 hours ago Sandra Taylor I give up going through the town on my way home to Hewett from work I hit Gawler at 4.20 - 4.30pm traffic is banked up to the racetrack. If I don't have to stop in town for something I take the bypass. I think this bypass to Gawler east needs to start at least at Tiver Road Like · 8 people · Reply · Report · 9 hours ago Katie Dow Is this gonna create more traffic through the streets of Springwood Estate as we've paid half million dollars to live in an estate to enjoy the serenity, it's bad enough that all the residents are dealing with the weekend yogo road hogs at the reserve and are causing potential car accidents cause they can't park or use their common sense so adding more traffic into the estate is great idea 👎🏼 Like · Reply · Report · 9 hours ago Lyndall Bain Having lived near Potts Road for over 30 years, I can truly say that this decision is crazy and short-sighted. I gather it is the seemingly cheaper alternative, but in the end we will need option B as well. This has confirmed that our choice to move out of the chaos near Potts Road was a very wise decision. Like · Reply · Report · 54 minutes ago Steve Cleland What a bloody joke, this council, how many millions did the state government pay to upgrade the tiver road intersection, this isn't a bypass road this will now just add more issues to an already poorly designed area. I'd like to hear the reasoning for their decision? I'm sure this council pass the bottle around during meetings Like · 6 people · Reply · Report · 9 hours ago David Heintze The decision just goes to show you can't educate stupid.... Bringing the traffic out in the middle of an already congested area. I guess that will be someone else's problem then. Like · 6 people · Reply · Report · 9 hours ago Sue London replied · 1 reply Renae Townley Unfortunately its going to take someone being killed for the council to pull their heads in and fix the congestion around the new Bunnings / Coles / Hungry Jacks / Aldi / OTR area. With all these new shops etc opening plus the schools its just a nightmare trying to get through to Gawler and in and out of these shops. The lights on Tiver Road were put in due to the new housing estates being built near it BUT this would be the perfect intersection to filter the traffic, those heading the Springwood and beyond can take Tiver road, those living in Gawler can then proceed through Gawler with no delays. The intersection at Coles/Aldi should have had lights or at least been a round about to keep the flow of traffic going. Again, the big wigs make the plans but have absolutely no idea how stupid they are! Like · 3 people · Reply · Report · 7 hours ago Penny Williamson State government have not funded any extension from Potts Road to Tiver Road. Why? It was never in their plan. This road is suppose to be for the Springwood community to move further south, originally going through state government land to allow that to also be sold off and developed. The decision by council affects 18 landowners and disrupts people living in rural living property’s. Why? Because Council think that they can then change the state government decision. The decision was based on some pretty shaky “facts” pushed by one or two councillors as being “true” which ignored the multiple reports by actual experts about which route was the safest and most practical. They also ignored the environmental factors (emissions, significant trees lost, etc), road design factors (road gradient of a maximum of 5% - Eckerman is 9%) and many others. There were two community consultation periods (first in May 2016, then again in Sept 2016). Did you miss your opportunity to have a say? Did you chose not to respond? Maybe then you are to blame because you didn’t say anything. The community who did speak up, all 345, demonstrated a large contingent who wanted the DPTI option (over 250 residents or 75%!). I think this decision is a major mistake by the Gawler Council who have not listened to the experts who stated the best option was not Eckerman Ave. I think the fact that most of the comments here state it should continue to Tiver Road demonstrate the lack of feedback the council have provided to the community. The fact that many landholders originally found out about the road going through their property or past their house was via the bunyip, demonstrates that the council is not communicating effectively with their residents. Lastly, all the options provided by council go down Potts Road. There was no escaping that fact. Yet the community still feel that there is this magic option of going to Tiver. It’s not going to happen. Not unless the State government fund it. Gawler Council financial plans for the next ten years don’t even mention it! Gawler Council certainly won’t be able to afford that after spending extra money on a longer, more unsafe road, and having to acquire private property to do so. Traffic in Gawler will always be an issue. Roads are small, and there’s two rivers which flood approximately every 10 years which force a further problem of not having enough bridges. The Gawler East Link Road is not a bypass of Gawler. If you really want a bypass of Gawler, goodluck. Because this road does not meet the specifications for that, nor was it designed for that. And with the reduced quality (to bring it in on budget), the council are providing you with a bunch of crap to deal with. Like · 2 people · Reply · Report · 4 hours ago Penny McNicholl Council once again showing they have no planning skills let alone common sense. Tiver rd is already equipt with the required infrastructure at Main North Rd why isnt it being utilised!!?? Like · 1 person · Reply · Report · 9 hours ago Nathan Parks Best decision ever for the specific eckerman avenue route for the bypass as now leaves the amazing beauty of dead mans pass alone and roadway on outskirts of the town not through housing developments! Like · 2 people · Reply · Report · 8 hours ago Howard Hogan I was going to share this because I thought great idea, finally some common sense, but alas poor Yorick....what an absurd idea to bring all the traffic down Potts Road. What are you thinking councillors? Use the lights at Tiver Road for crying out loud. Adelaide Road is so congested now. You need to try to turn right out of Coles or the Homemaker centre to see that. Plus the schools. This is lunacy. Like · Reply · Report · 2 hours ago Jane Lambert morons....they made the traffic lights specifically on Tiver rd ...how many millions did that cost and as if that area at the bottom of Potts rd isn't busy enough......crazy decision Like · 1 person · Reply · Report · 9 hours ago Tracey Hubbard Please please fix the intersection at Gawler Green and Aldi!!! Its a nightmare. Especially at school drop off and pick up! The one way road out front of the primary school should be changed to two way to help with the traffic congestion. Please council do something about it! Like · Reply · Report · 26 minutes ago Kylie Sweet-Dalton Have you tried getting out onto the main road from Potts when it's peak, people have to wait until both lanes are free to turn right cause they don't understand they have a separate lane.. DRIVES ME CRAZY 😜 Like · Reply · Report · 5 hours ago Angela O'Loan I have stopped shopping in gawler due to traffic. Leave work head to Munno Para all my shopping done between Aldi and the main center so much easier. Like · 1 person · Reply · Report · 7 hours ago Laura Cousins Why would the road not divert through springwood and then head to the tiver road intersection that millions have been spent on and avoid Gawler all together 🤔 Like · 2 people · Reply · Report · 8 hours ago =============================== Not over yet: residents object to Link Road decision Featured General 1 day ago nov16_8285 RESIDENTS outraged over Gawler Council’s decision to build a major road near their homes have banded together to voice their objection against the project. The residents, who live on Eckerman Avenue, are still fighting to protect their properties, after Gawler Council decided to construct the Gawler East link road past their homes last week. Speaking on behalf of the affected residents, Graeme Williamson said their lives have been in limbo after discovering their properties were in the path of council’s multi-million dollar project. “We were all looking for a quiet, peaceful life on the edge of town with a rural aspect,” he said. “The announcement, last year, that our properties were affected by one or more alignments put many aspects of our future plans in limbo. “This road development will have a huge impact on our lives and yet the council pay scant acknowledgment of this impact. “We have suffered stress and anxiety for the past 17 months, and there is the prospect of it continuing for another 30 months before we can take control of our lives.” The residents are now threatening court action to ensure they are fairly compensated for their land. “Council will now have to deal with up to 18 landowners along Eckerman Avenue taking any land acquisition process through the court system,” Mr Williamson said. “This will be a long, drawn out and costly process for council and the State Government. “Land acquisition law means that the land owners will not bear these costs.” The residents remain bemused as to why the original route recommended by the State Government, or the eastern alternative, were not endorsed, despite 75 per cent of community members supporting the Department of Planning Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI) option. “Why have the elected members disregarded the input from the community?,” Mr Williamson said. “So far council has wasted $400,000 on specialist advice, consultants and contractors to provide evidence, which proved that the eastern alternative was the best GELR alignment. “Five council members chose to ignore that advice, wasting ratepayers’ money. “After cost concerns with the link road, the community’s main concerns were with regard to current community impact, land acquisition, travel times and crash risk. “In all of these aspects, both the DPTI and the eastern alternative alignments were proven to be superior to the Eckerman alignment, yet these responses to the community consultation have been ignored in favour of some councillor’s personal preference and unsubstantiated comments. “Why have the elected members placed the importance of flora well above the impact on residents?” Eckerman Avenue, Gawler Council, Gawler East link road Laura Tilley Laura Tilley @ ==================== .. Elaine Symes Elaine Symes This part may be beautiful but we are very disappointed to see that there are blocks being sold so close to the very busy Balmoral /Carlton Road Intersection. This is a very dangerous intersection as the major road does not have right of way. With houses being built right up to the road there is no scope for improving this intersection. What happened to a buffer between the main road and the houses as was the requirement on previous developments in the area. Seems to me it is just greed on the part of the Developer to squeeze as many blocks in as possible. Unlike · Reply · 4 · 19 August at 22:25 .. View 1 more reply .. Springwood Communities - Gawler East Springwood Communities - Gawler East Hi Elaine Symes, thank you for your comment and for expressing your concerns about the current intersection. As part of Springwood's commitment to the area, we are investing in an upgrade of this intersection to address these issues. Once the upgrade is complete, the intersection will be safer and have a speed limit reduction. Our responsibility and priority is to ensure the safety of our residents and those of the wider community, so please be assured that we are making all plans with this in mind, as well as adhering to strict community planning and building regulations, of course. If you would like to discuss anything further with us, one of our team members would be happy to give you a call. Unlike · Reply · 2 · 22 August at 15:08 .. Elaine Symes Elaine Symes Thank you for your reply. Whereas I appreciate your concern is for the Springwood community, I feel that the major concern is for the many commuters travelling from Williamstown, Cockatoo Valley etc to Gawler and beyond. This is now a very busy road and having to give way to the few cars coming from the Eastern end of Carlton Road just does not make sense. The logical thing would be to make the Balmoral/Carlton Road the main thoroughfare with the Eastern end of Carlton Road having a to give way. However, I can't see how this can be possible with houses being build right up to the edge of the road. This will Unlike · Reply · 1 · 22 August at 16:54 .. Elaine Symes Elaine Symes This will leave no scope for future widening of this very busy road. When Hamilton Park was developed, it was a condition that a buffer was left between the houses and the road. This was not only for the safety of the residents, but also to allow for future widening of the road. Because of this, there was no need to reduce the speed limit, thus allowing the traffic to flow through. Surely the speed limit on this busy road will not be reduced to 50 all the way from Balmoral Road. Unlike · Reply · 2 · 22 August at 17:02 .. Springwood Communities - Gawler East Springwood Communities - Gawler East Thanks for your query, Elaine. We understand your concern and as part of our master plan for the development of Springwood we are including a new connector road between Calton Road and Balmoral Road which will serve to take all traffic away from the location you're talking about by providing a direct link through our development. The master plan is being finalised now and will soon be available for you to see at our sales centre. Unlike · Reply · 1 · 23 August at 15:22 .. Elaine Symes Elaine Symes Thank you very much. We will look forward to seeing the master plan Unlike · Reply · 1 · 23 August at 18:08 =================

Gawler East link road has finally received the green light, Bunnyip Reported

COUNCIL DECIDES: After more than 10 years of planning, the Gawler East link road has finally received the green light, with councillors deciding on a route for the bypass last night. Elected members voted in favour of the revised Eckerman alignment, 5-4, which will divert traffic from Springwood Estate to Potts Road via Eckerman Avenue. Are you happy with the decision? Attach a Photo · Mention Friends Wayne Krollig Potts Road?? Idiots. Absolutely stupid idea. Needs to continue past Potts to Bentley Rd, then the "new" lights at Tiver Rd will actually be useful. Like · 39 people · Reply · Report · 9 hours ago Allana Cruise replied · 3 replies Jodie Exindaris Oh I get it now we do this and it will take the congestion away from the main street and your front doors but we'll just put it somewhere else so you don't have to look at it .WAKE UP YOU MOB OF DUMB ARSES this is the entry into gawler you have three bloody schools and this is where the congestion starts .tell ya what someone take over plz. Like · 5 people · Reply · Report · 9 hours ago Kym Louise Kym Louise Council had 3 options - DPTI, Eastern and Eckerman (none of these went to Tiver). They spent $400,000 to find out that the DPTI was the most efficient, the Eastern the next best option and Eckerman the worst. Council ignored everything (reports, feed back etc) and picked the Eckerman which is the most expensive and will effect the most people. ] Yesterday at 21:56 · Original Kym Louise Council had 3 options - DPTI, Eastern and Eckerman (none of these went to Tiver). They spent $400,000 to find out that the DPTI was the most efficient, the Eastern the next best option and Eckerman the worst. Council went against all recommendations (and community feedback) and picked the Eckerman which is the most expensive and will affect the most people. This isn't whinging this is trying to make the council accountable. Yesterday at 21:58 · Current version Council have not been transparent with the community throughout this process. An extension to Tiver road was never a part of the plan, the funding even stipulated the use of Potts road but council were never clear about this. They instead insinuated to the community that by supporting councils options they were the "Tiver Road options". Council have stated in council meetings that Tiver road may never happen and if it does it won't be for 20 years (after Concordia is completed). They haven't told rate payers that their choice is so far over budget that they have had to strip the road back to cut costs - it will be a lower grade road which will require constant resurfacing, minimal lighting, no footpaths, no parking bays etc (far from the tree lined scenic road Gawler was told they would be getting). By choosing the Eckerman alignment they also went against every recommendation made by the experts and contractors employed to find the best alignment (minimal impacts on environment and people, costs etc) and they neglected to take into account the community feedback from the consultations held (which 75% of respondents favoured the DPTI route). The Eckerman alignment affects the most people, 18 home owners will now face land acquisitions. Gawler Council is a disappointment. Edited · Like · 3 people · Reply · Report · 5 hours ago Howard Hogan Can I encourage everyone who is against this idea and have been vocal on this post, take your concerns direct to council. Don't wait until the work starts. Stop this plan now. Force them to take the diversion to Tiver Road. Like · 1 person · Reply · Report · 1 hour ago Marg Clarke I'm not surprised at all , OTR was asked to move their Gas Tank over further from the corner because Council wanted to expand Potts Rd Corner. But now I'm wondering what happens to the homes on Potts Rd and if they are not effected by the expansion surely the noise of the extra traffic will Like · 2 people · Reply · Report · 10 hours ago Sandra Taylor I give up going through the town on my way home to Hewett from work I hit Gawler at 4.20 - 4.30pm traffic is banked up to the racetrack. If I don't have to stop in town for something I take the bypass. I think this bypass to Gawler east needs to start at least at Tiver Road Like · 8 people · Reply · Report · 9 hours ago Katie Dow Is this gonna create more traffic through the streets of Springwood Estate as we've paid half million dollars to live in an estate to enjoy the serenity, it's bad enough that all the residents are dealing with the weekend yogo road hogs at the reserve and are causing potential car accidents cause they can't park or use their common sense so adding more traffic into the estate is great idea 👎🏼 Like · Reply · Report · 9 hours ago Lyndall Bain Having lived near Potts Road for over 30 years, I can truly say that this decision is crazy and short-sighted. I gather it is the seemingly cheaper alternative, but in the end we will need option B as well. This has confirmed that our choice to move out of the chaos near Potts Road was a very wise decision. Like · Reply · Report · 54 minutes ago Steve Cleland What a bloody joke, this council, how many millions did the state government pay to upgrade the tiver road intersection, this isn't a bypass road this will now just add more issues to an already poorly designed area. I'd like to hear the reasoning for their decision? I'm sure this council pass the bottle around during meetings Like · 6 people · Reply · Report · 9 hours ago David Heintze The decision just goes to show you can't educate stupid.... Bringing the traffic out in the middle of an already congested area. I guess that will be someone else's problem then. Like · 6 people · Reply · Report · 9 hours ago Sue London replied · 1 reply Renae Townley Unfortunately its going to take someone being killed for the council to pull their heads in and fix the congestion around the new Bunnings / Coles / Hungry Jacks / Aldi / OTR area. With all these new shops etc opening plus the schools its just a nightmare trying to get through to Gawler and in and out of these shops. The lights on Tiver Road were put in due to the new housing estates being built near it BUT this would be the perfect intersection to filter the traffic, those heading the Springwood and beyond can take Tiver road, those living in Gawler can then proceed through Gawler with no delays. The intersection at Coles/Aldi should have had lights or at least been a round about to keep the flow of traffic going. Again, the big wigs make the plans but have absolutely no idea how stupid they are! Like · 3 people · Reply · Report · 7 hours ago Penny Williamson State government have not funded any extension from Potts Road to Tiver Road. Why? It was never in their plan. This road is suppose to be for the Springwood community to move further south, originally going through state government land to allow that to also be sold off and developed. The decision by council affects 18 landowners and disrupts people living in rural living property’s. Why? Because Council think that they can then change the state government decision. The decision was based on some pretty shaky “facts” pushed by one or two councillors as being “true” which ignored the multiple reports by actual experts about which route was the safest and most practical. They also ignored the environmental factors (emissions, significant trees lost, etc), road design factors (road gradient of a maximum of 5% - Eckerman is 9%) and many others. There were two community consultation periods (first in May 2016, then again in Sept 2016). Did you miss your opportunity to have a say? Did you chose not to respond? Maybe then you are to blame because you didn’t say anything. The community who did speak up, all 345, demonstrated a large contingent who wanted the DPTI option (over 250 residents or 75%!). I think this decision is a major mistake by the Gawler Council who have not listened to the experts who stated the best option was not Eckerman Ave. I think the fact that most of the comments here state it should continue to Tiver Road demonstrate the lack of feedback the council have provided to the community. The fact that many landholders originally found out about the road going through their property or past their house was via the bunyip, demonstrates that the council is not communicating effectively with their residents. Lastly, all the options provided by council go down Potts Road. There was no escaping that fact. Yet the community still feel that there is this magic option of going to Tiver. It’s not going to happen. Not unless the State government fund it. Gawler Council financial plans for the next ten years don’t even mention it! Gawler Council certainly won’t be able to afford that after spending extra money on a longer, more unsafe road, and having to acquire private property to do so. Traffic in Gawler will always be an issue. Roads are small, and there’s two rivers which flood approximately every 10 years which force a further problem of not having enough bridges. The Gawler East Link Road is not a bypass of Gawler. If you really want a bypass of Gawler, goodluck. Because this road does not meet the specifications for that, nor was it designed for that. And with the reduced quality (to bring it in on budget), the council are providing you with a bunch of crap to deal with. post James Tomlinson This road desperately needs to be built in mind for the next 20 years. Using a new link, not Eckerman. Currently all traffic from Lyndoch surrounds have to use the main Gawler street. And south suburbs going north to Lyndoch and south Barossa have to use the main Gawler street. This link road will become an unofficial Gawler bypass based on geography of surrounding suburbs like it or not. Think back 3 months when Dead mans Pass was closed. Where did all the traffic have to go? That was a image to the future, 20 minutes from Cheek Avenue to Gawler Green. If I had a preference to where it should be built, starting close to Cheek and Calton, going along the water pipeline to Potts and finishing at Tiver road. Unlike · 1 person · Report · Yesterday at 09:46 Penny Williamson Hi James, You state that you want a new link and that it should not be Eckerman. However, your comments about the road going near the water pipeline, is exactly where Eckerman goes. I would also like to make sure you are aware that there is also a high pressure gas pipeline right next to the water pipeline. Not ideal for a road with bridges to go right next to it. And despite the risks, the council wants to try to put the road next to them both, with minimal clearance, on ground which has a hard solid rock (which creates the stability for the gas pipe to be on, but which will vibrate when earthworks are completed for the road). I do understand that wherever the road goes, it will become a "back route" for those who want to travel through. But the objective of the road is not for their specific use. Gawler council argued this with the state government and with legal departments, and were told that it is only defined as a local road, not arterial. This is because it starts in a Gawler suburb, and only travels to another, if it traversed outside of Gawler to another section outside of Gawler, it may then be considered arterial in nature. Please note the road will also only be 50-60 km/h - not the 80km/h that some think. If you have a look over the original traffic report (Gawler Growth Areas Transport Framework 2009), there are multiple options for where roads go. When you read it, you find that the plan consists of creating a North East bypass of Gawler once Concordia is started. At which point, this road will be slower, and take longer than going along that route. I also want to point out that at present, the Gawler Council do not have funds to extend the road beyond Potts (over Bentley) to Tiver. State government have also told Gawler council they will not fund this (several times!). The Gawler council financial planning report for the next 10 years does not mention anything about costs towards this extension. Therefore, for the next ten years (Minimum), this road will come out at Potts Road and direct traffic to Main North (intersection to be upgraded as part of the original plan, with the possibility of Main North to Trinity being upgraded to two lanes each direction). The argument from the residents is that the route the council have decided upon, is not the option that the experts (paid by Gawler Council) found to be optimal. The Eckerman has a higher gradient, which increases emissions from your car, is harder for a mobility scooter, pedestrian, or cyclist to traverse, has a higher crash rate [ie more car/cyclist/pedestrian crashes], etc..... The council went against the recommendation to use the Eastern route (which was safer and had less impact than the Eckerman route), but which is less safe and has more impact that the original DPTI option (which Gawler council still do not see as beneficial - despite all the evidence that is the best option). If you have managed to read all this, might I suggest you actually inform yourself of some of the information (by reading the reports presented in council meetings this year), or by petitioning to your state government representative for an actual Gawler bypass. State government are the ones who create and maintain arterial roads, which means it falls on their responsibility to do something about this, rather than the Gawler council. Like · Report · 11 hours ago James Tomlinson Penny Williamson just to add in. 'Along the pipeline' that runs along Bentley Road. And I hope it is a slow road. Being in local emergency services I am glad that the local roads are cutting speeds. Please don't assume that I haven't read anything as my comments were not of a corporate language nature. It's assumptions like that that annoy everyday people from interjecting their views. The road will be a "back route" it would become quite a busy road, similar to Para Wirra road after being sealed. I would use it daily to go to work. As would most gawler east residents going south to avoid Adelaide road and Murray street. With all the through traffic from East and Lyndoch not using Murray maybe the shops will benefit as you could park without being beeped for slowing for a parallel park. A truck from south Barossa wanting to go south currently has to use Murray and Adelaide road. I understand that this issue is sensitive to many people and the council can't see past an elected term. A united agreement will never be met. I am seeking a chat with Nick Champion about the next 20 years forward thinking of this link road. As the amount of new homes in Concordia and G East per escape road, Murray street, is a disaster in the making Like · Report · 1 hour ago Write a reply... Attach a Photo · Mention Friends Like · 2 people · Reply · Report · 4 hours ago Penny McNicholl Council once again showing they have no planning skills let alone common sense. Tiver rd is already equipt with the required infrastructure at Main North Rd why isnt it being utilised!!?? Like · 1 person · Reply · Report · 9 hours ago Nathan Parks Best decision ever for the specific eckerman avenue route for the bypass as now leaves the amazing beauty of dead mans pass alone and roadway on outskirts of the town not through housing developments! Like · 2 people · Reply · Report · 8 hours ago Howard Hogan I was going to share this because I thought great idea, finally some common sense, but alas poor Yorick....what an absurd idea to bring all the traffic down Potts Road. What are you thinking councillors? Use the lights at Tiver Road for crying out loud. Adelaide Road is so congested now. You need to try to turn right out of Coles or the Homemaker centre to see that. Plus the schools. This is lunacy. Like · Reply · Report · 2 hours ago Jane Lambert morons....they made the traffic lights specifically on Tiver rd ...how many millions did that cost and as if that area at the bottom of Potts rd isn't busy enough......crazy decision Like · 1 person · Reply · Report · 9 hours ago Tracey Hubbard Please please fix the intersection at Gawler Green and Aldi!!! Its a nightmare. Especially at school drop off and pick up! The one way road out front of the primary school should be changed to two way to help with the traffic congestion. Please council do something about it! Like · Reply · Report · 26 minutes ago Kylie Sweet-Dalton Have you tried getting out onto the main road from Potts when it's peak, people have to wait until both lanes are free to turn right cause they don't understand they have a separate lane.. DRIVES ME CRAZY 😜 Like · Reply · Report · 5 hours ago Angela O'Loan I have stopped shopping in gawler due to traffic. Leave work head to Munno Para all my shopping done between Aldi and the main center so much easier. Like · 1 person · Reply · Report · 7 hours ago Laura Cousins Why would the road not divert through springwood and then head to the tiver road intersection that millions have been spent on and avoid Gawler all together ----- Comment on The Bunyip Newspaper's post Matthew Cugley Bring it to Tiver road! Isn't that what the huge traffic light intersection was built for?! Like · 5 people · Report · Monday at 10:55 Adam Scott I thought that was built so when Orleana waters is finished it will join up and to help traffic from the new development off Tiver Rd filter into main north rd Like · Report · Monday at 10:58 Matthew Cugley Makes sense for both purposes I would've thought.. Evanston is a complete road block and accidents are happening on the regular. I live on krieg road and there is no avoiding it. Adding a main road right in the middle of the chaos is surely not going to help.. Like · 1 person · Report · Monday at 11:00 Penny Williamson Hi Matthew and Adam, at present council does not have money to fund the road between Potts and Tiver. This means all options for the road actually end up at the corner of Potts/Main North Road (even the DPTI route). The residents have a legitimate claim due to the council ignoring the expert opinion they sought to decide the most appropriate route. All expert opinion stated that Eastern alignment was more appropriate (and safer!) than the Eckerman alignment. The Gawler East Link Road is only meant to move residents from Springwood further south in Gawler. Like · Report · Monday at 11:03 Matthew Cugley Thanks for the info Penny, I still cannot see how it will be safer or make more sense to direct all that traffic to the busiest part of Gawler but time will tell I guess. Fingers crossed no one gets seriously hurt in the meantime. Like · Report · Monday at 11:07 David Heintze No the traffic lights were installed, at public expense for the benefit of the nearby developers..... Like · Report · Monday at 11:54 Rebecca Jachmann-Evans Perhaps the council should just save the money until there is enough to do the road to tiver and not do an intermittent road. I also know for a fact that within the council you have an extremely experienced road worker who has helped run main highway jobs (digging, ordering and laying asphalt) all over Australia who has a lot of ideas at how this road can be achieved at tiver road, by cutting back on unnecessary expenditures (such as getting private companies to do parts of roads he is more than capable of doing) within the roadworks division. Like · 1 person · Report · Monday at 11:58 Penny Williamson Hi Rebecca, the state government have allocated the money to be spent in a certain timeframe. If council do not use it for this road, they will miss out and have to pay for the entire thing themselves. Also, Council do not have the money to extend the road from Potts to Tiver and haven't even put that in their next 10 yr financial plan. State government have told the council several times they will not fund an extension from Potts to Tiver (it seems they have other plans). Like · Report · Monday at 13:09 Write a reply... Attach a Photo · Mention Friends =============================== Not over yet: residents object to Link Road decision Featured General 1 day ago nov16_8285 RESIDENTS outraged over Gawler Council’s decision to build a major road near their homes have banded together to voice their objection against the project. The residents, who live on Eckerman Avenue, are still fighting to protect their properties, after Gawler Council decided to construct the Gawler East link road past their homes last week. Speaking on behalf of the affected residents, Graeme Williamson said their lives have been in limbo after discovering their properties were in the path of council’s multi-million dollar project. “We were all looking for a quiet, peaceful life on the edge of town with a rural aspect,” he said. “The announcement, last year, that our properties were affected by one or more alignments put many aspects of our future plans in limbo. “This road development will have a huge impact on our lives and yet the council pay scant acknowledgment of this impact. “We have suffered stress and anxiety for the past 17 months, and there is the prospect of it continuing for another 30 months before we can take control of our lives.” The residents are now threatening court action to ensure they are fairly compensated for their land. “Council will now have to deal with up to 18 landowners along Eckerman Avenue taking any land acquisition process through the court system,” Mr Williamson said. “This will be a long, drawn out and costly process for council and the State Government. “Land acquisition law means that the land owners will not bear these costs.” The residents remain bemused as to why the original route recommended by the State Government, or the eastern alternative, were not endorsed, despite 75 per cent of community members supporting the Department of Planning Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI) option. “Why have the elected members disregarded the input from the community?,” Mr Williamson said. “So far council has wasted $400,000 on specialist advice, consultants and contractors to provide evidence, which proved that the eastern alternative was the best GELR alignment. “Five council members chose to ignore that advice, wasting ratepayers’ money. “After cost concerns with the link road, the community’s main concerns were with regard to current community impact, land acquisition, travel times and crash risk. “In all of these aspects, both the DPTI and the eastern alternative alignments were proven to be superior to the Eckerman alignment, yet these responses to the community consultation have been ignored in favour of some councillor’s personal preference and unsubstantiated comments. “Why have the elected members placed the importance of flora well above the impact on residents?” Eckerman Avenue, Gawler Council, Gawler East link road Laura Tilley Laura Tilley @ ====================