Monitor The
Your Community Newspaper ~ Roxby Downs
www.themonitor.com.au
Phone (08) 8671 2683
Fax (08) 8671 2843
Volume 7, Wednesday August 25, 2010
More calls for local reps on Authority Board T
he membership of SA’s new These comments followed similar calls ABOVE: Andamooka Opal Miners’ Association chairman, Peter Allen is working with other outback Outback Communities Authority by the Chairman of the Andamooka Opal community leaders to form a coalition of groups to put a united case to the Government about the structure board has attracted more criti- Miners’ Association, Mr. Peter Allen who of Board membership. was critical of the lack of local residents cism it was reported last week.
IN THIS
edition
on the Board. The Andamooka Progress Association says the region in the State’s north is not properly represented on the Outback Communities Authority. The Association says it will not accept the Authority’s decisions. Association president Peter Allen says Andamooka residents would not have supported the Authority’s formation if they had known that most board members would be from outside the region. Mr Allen said the community thought at least four of the Authority’s seven members would be from the outback. He says residents will not take orders from the Authority until there is more local input about matters such as rates and community development. “You can’t expect people living in North Terrace or Aldgate or wherever to understand the implications of decisions they might make,” he said. “That’s for people in local communities to determine what decisions need to be made and how they need to be made.” Minister for State and Local Government Relations Gail Gago responded to both comments that the claims are nonsense. She says Authority members have strong outback connections.
Ramsey
returned with bigger majority
Page 2
Bullride
2010
The Marla and Districts Progress Association has joined the Andamooka and Oodnadatta local associations to say more board members should live in the outback. Marla Association chairwoman Gillian Fennel says the Authority is similar to a local council. She told the ABC last week it should be based in the region and elected by the community. “We were only vaguely familiar with one or two people on the new board and some of them by reputation only. We’ve never met them in person or had any dealings with them,” she said. “So it does make it very hard to feel that they are going to do a good job of representing us.” Wayne Williams from Hamilton Station, north of Oodnadatta, says many people have told him they will not pay the $200 Outback Communities Authority levy. “If we could see that it was going to be of some good it’s a different story and we have some say in what happens,” he said. “We should be able to appoint who goes on it so that then if it goes wrong we can’t blame anyone but ourselves,” he said.
18th September at Roxby Downs Race Course gates open at 5pm RFDS Auction and Calcutta Second and Open Division Bullride Live Music Pre paid tickets at the Roxby Club or purchase tickets at the gate $15 adults, $5 kids, $35 families Info: 0428820751 PROUD SPONSORS
Armed
services recruiting here Page 3
Former
local gives hope to kids Page 5