Letters to Editor            

Barry Wakelin Returned

In the Federal Electorate of Grey, Barry Wakelin has won the House of Representatives seat for the fourth time.

But in Coober Pedy he came second to Labour candidate John Hackett in first preference votes. 

Family First candidate Roger Kleinig was third in first preference votes.

FORMAL 812 
       INFORMAL 92      

(Figures from the Australian Electoral Commission website)

Dog Control

On the Agenda for the October 19 Council Meeting is information to be considered by Council relating to its By-Law No. 6 in the light of changes to the Dog and Cat Management Act. 

One thing is clear - dogs in utes must now be restrained. (It is common practice for miners to carry guard dogs to and from the mining field in their work vehicles.)

But what is not so clear is the status of dog control on the Triangle, and the town oval. Council advertised for written submissions from the public, to assist them in their decisions, but received only one. 

Council will have to decide whether or not to deem the Triangle and/or the town oval places where dogs may be exercised. 

As such, dogs could be deemed to be under effective control of the owner "by command, the dog being in close proximity to the person and the person being able to see the dog at all times."

Wastewater Disposal

The comments below are taken from the insert in the Agenda for the October 19 Meeting:

COMMENTS FOR CONSIDERATION BY COUNCILLORS CONCERNING TOWNSHIP WASTEWATER DISPOSAL

That a Working Party of a maximum of four members be formed.

Coober Pedy is distinct from other SA towns by having underground housing that presents problems of raising wastewater to ground level, percolation of wastewater into underground housing, and shafts becoming full and. overflowing.

Complaints are the immediate concern that needs a decision by councillors on how they can be rectified. These decisions will not apply retrospectively.

Coober Pedy is unique in that the common practice for the disposal of domestic wastewater is that no prior treatment is required and that disposal is by shaft.

All other townships in SA comply with the Code of Practice for the installation of septic tanks.

The possibility exists that, because the township does not conform to the existing Code of Practice, and Council does not have a policy or any consensus on how to manage wastewater problems, that they could be liable. Council could be exempt because the township is not a declared septic tank area.

How complaints could be resolved.

If the offending allotment can be connected  to an existing line of drain from the common effluent system, they should be made to connect.

If a shaft is full or overflowing or suspected of causing damage to an underground dugout, the shaft needs to be pumped, with the possibility of  installing a septic tank for prior treatment  before discharge into the shaft.

Each instance needs to be decided onsite.

Under the Plan Amendment Report it has been proposed to require all new developments to install a satisfactory wastewater disposal system to the satisfaction of the Council.

Cr Harry Blobel suggested that wastewater problems would be solved by the introduction of a full township scheme over a number of years, commencing in areas that can be connected by gravity.

One of the three recently painted murals on the Stuart Highway