Why VISION 2022 ? The Council has a 4 year term and needs to set visions for the term with steps to deliver incrementally month by month over the time.
Why THINK ADELAIDE - Act for North Adelaide? We are part of a major Capital City by world standards and enjoy the benefits and challenges associated. I want to ensure Adelaide becomes a Smart City and in doing so ensure North Adelaide enjoys the benefits of being part of it.
In my extensive sporting and business life things like Teamwork, Collaboration, Communication and CoOperation have been just as important as Competition. Certainly Conflict has never been something I have embraced as a way to win long term.
Whilst my main sport was Track and Field - (although I was also Chairman of the Sturt Football Club in the 80s) - an Individual sport there is always a team backing the individual. When I coached Jagan Hames to a Gold Medal in the most demanding event in Track and Field - The Decathlon - in the Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games I was coordinating a team as much as coaching an individual. When I was manager of Tatiana Grigorieva when she was winning medals at Olympics, Commonwealth Games, World Championships in the Pole Vault I was working with a team comprising coaches, physios, chiros, travel agents, exercise physiologists, doctors and more.
Now when I read other candidates talk about Local decision making etc etc I see opportunities to collaborate to get those better decisions. When I talk to rate payers about their short term problems I see long term visions with a step by step approach to deliver fast results by trying things rather than feasibility studies, reports and consultations.
I am also sure that if North Adelaide was not part of a capital city council and part of Walkerville and Prospect as many suggest 88 O"Connell St would still be fenced off vacant land. So we need to maximise the benefits of this and develop closer ties and collaboration with all parts of Adelaide rather than adopt this siege mentality of local decision making.
And I see ways to make all of this happening by working with a cohesive collaborative Council.
I want to see Councillors better informed about the future and the possibilities so that they can direct the CEO to act with their full support, rather than continually ask for more information.
I decided to run when I was challenged to do so after expressing my concerns about the purchase of 88 O'Connell St with no apparent plans about its long term usage. But my decision was confirmed when I had the chance to meet with a number of people - current councillors and potential candidates regularly over a period of some weeks.
It became evident to me that there are people from very diverse backgrounds who share common Whys and Whats for our city but have varying approaches to the Hows and the Whens. It was coming to know these people (and many more since) that has helped me formulate my vision knowing there are many potential Councillors with whom I would love to collaborate in making decisions in the best interests of all stakeholders in Adelaide's future.
Shortly I will begin to detail the how and the when and I will include in this some real deliverables that will make life better for all who live in or use our city (including the Homeless) - with an emphasis on making North Adelaide the best place in the world to live.
Rick Carter