” While I often make speeches at Council events, it’s been a while since I have been invited to be a guest speaker by a local sporting club, community organisation, or in this case, a Residents Association. When Roger invited me some weeks ago to address you I did not hesitate in accepting because he specifically asked me to talk about Residents Associations and the role they play in the community. In many ways, his invitation and this topic was timely – at least it was from my perspective.

Three weeks ago, when I had a spare five minutes I was watching a video on You Tube where the American political and social commentator David Brooks was speaking. Some of you might know Brooks as a journalist, formerly with the New York Times, and now with The Atlantic, as well as being a regular guest on the ‘PBS News hour’ for a weekly segment with Jonathan Capehart. In the You Tube video, Brooks is talking to a group of university students about a book he’d just written titled How to know a person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen. I liked what I heard and bought a copy from Dillon’s bookstore – I shop locally as a good mayor should do!!

In the opening six pages, Brooks runs through some anecdotes of his childhood and adult connections, his social awkwardness and his somewhat detached life. He went on to explain that these experiences led him on a journey of self-discovery and to change the way he interacted with people.

And then at the bottom of page seven, Brooks hits his readers right between eyes: “Being open–hearted is a prerequisite for being a full, kind, and wise human being. But it is not enough. People need social skills. We talk about the importance of “relationships,” “community”, “friendship”, “social connections”, but these words are abstract. The real act of building a friendship or creating community involves performing a series of small, concrete social interactions well.”

In the rest of the book, Brooks gives examples of people from all backgrounds who live for years without being truly seen [and] sometimes it has taken a life-changing moment – a death or a marriage breakdown – before even the people closest to them really get see who they are. It is a beautiful book that makes the reader reflect on their own life and their interactions with others. I highly recommend it.

At about the same time, a work colleague of mine sent me an email with a report commissioned by an organisation called Ending Loneliness Together. This organisation is a national network of university and industry partners raising awareness about loneliness. Recently, they released a national report, State of the Nation 2026: Understanding and Rebuilding Social Connection in Australia. The study was based on 4,001 survey respondents aged 12-95, and highlights prevalence of loneliness and social isolation, and who is most affected and impacted. In the report’s opening pages, Hugh McKay AO has this to say: “Over the past 50 years, we’ve been making decisions about how to live that have eroded social cohesion and taken a heavy toll on out health.”

Of course, in such a comprehensive study there are going to be a number of findings, and some of the statistics are quite confronting:

1 in 2 (51 %) people living in Australia report some form of social disconnection – being either lonely or socially isolated;
1 in 5 (19 %) people are both lonely and socially isolated;
Men and women across all ages reported similar levels of loneliness and social isolation;
18-25 year olds are the loneliest (18 %);
45-54 year olds and 65-74 year olds are the most socially isolated (27%);
45-54 year olds are the most lonely and socially isolated (28%).

I could keep going on with the statistics, but I think you get the picture. Put simply, the report found that as a society we are not engaging with one another as much as we used to. Importantly, the report looks are what can be done to foster more meaningful connections between people. According to Ending Loneliness Together, part of the blueprint for creating a more connected Australia involved multiple players. It talks about how regular contact with friends and family reduces risk of loneliness and isolation. It talks about workplaces being great places for colleagues to share stories, go out for their morning coffee and office lunches. It talks about Councils providing opportunities for free activities – for this Council, the Concerts in the Park series, St Peters Fair, Raising the Bar, Zest for Life, and Christmas Pageant come to mind. And it also talks about the critical role regular chats with neighbours play in social wellbeing.

By coincidence, last week was Loneliness Awareness Week and the theme was, ‘Connection doesn’t happen by accident. It grows in the space we create for each other.’ Of course, the issues of loneliness and isolation are not new, nor are they confined to Australia. In 2000, Robert Putnam’s book Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community highlighted what he believed at the time to be the decline in community in the United States beginning in 1950. Interesting how he and Hugh McKay both looked at this issue over a half a century timeframe. Putnam looked at a number of ways in which Americans had slowly disengaged from community life, which [he] argues posed a threat to democracy. Why? Because the core value of a thriving democracy is active participation by the citizenry. This includes voting, volunteering, peaceful protest, organising petitions, making in-person representations, making written submissions, attending community forums and helping out at working bees.

By now, you’re probably asking yourselves, “So, what does all this have to do with Residents Associations, and in particular the Kensington Residents Association?”

The answer is, everything! For the past 49 years, the KRA has been, to quote David Brooks, creating community by performing a series of small, concrete social interactions well. And, it is an Association that is comprised of active citizens who write submissions, make presentations and turns out at public meetings. Since its formation in 1977, the Association has been a constant in a world of social and political change. It has been a focal point for community leadership, a source of advice and advocacy, and a repository of history and local stories. It has survived governments of different political colours and numerous Councils, and continues o be a relevant player – if not central player – in the affairs of the Kensington community.

Now, more than ever, we need communities that are engaged and participating, we need volunteers, we need people who care enough to want to have a say in the public square on important matters. Yes, they have a right – in fact a duty – to scrutiny, to probe, to question, to challenge decisions and the environment in which those decisions are made – this is all part of a healthy democracy. As the saying goes, sunlight is the best disinfectant. Instead, we need residents associations to organise, prioritise and strategise to get the things they want in their local community. But when Residents Association see [their] role as the unofficial ‘Opposition’ to a Council or even the State Government, things rarely end well. This is where walls go up, trust goes down, suspicion leaks out and ideas turn in.

Thankfully, this has not been my experience regarding my professional working relationship with the current KRA President, Roger Bryson. The fact we both barrack for the Redlegs certainly helps! We can pick up the phone to discuss issues knowing we can disagree without being disagreeable, our discussion can be robust but respectful, and while our views may sometimes appear to be fixed, they are always forward-looking. This is where the KRA sets itself apart from other residents associations. One of its clearly stated aims is to “promote closer communications between Norwood Payneham & Peters Council and residents.” More than any other community organisation I know, the KRA makes an effort to genuinely see people – in this case their fellow residents from Kensington. With a membership of more than three hundred people, the KRA is unquestionably forward leaning and outward looking. It treats people with consideration and respect, it genuinely works to bring people into the fold to makes them feel part of something bigger than themselves. It does this not by raising a clenched fist against those in positions of authority but instead extending an open hand of friendship to those who share their values, their streets, their parks, their heritage and their neighbourhoods. It’s the ‘Pizza in the Park’ and ‘Film Fundraiser’ events that help local stay connected through food, film and friendship. It’s the volunteers at Borthwick Park who plant saplings, pull weeds and act as custodians of our natural habitat. And it’s the regular newsletters – yes newsletters – while seemingly simple – that become the neighbourhood telegraph for locals to keep them informed about their suburb. As much as anything else, regular communication can make people feel seen.

In the fast paced world we live in, it’s easy to put ourselves ahead o our community, but sometimes its pays to put our community ahead of ourselves. A few years ago, I attended a service at the Greek Orthodox Parish of Prophet Elias on Beulah Road, where Bishop Silouan of Adelaide was speaking to the gathering. During his sermon, he passed on a message from the Greek Archbishop, which went along the line that to enlarge others we must diminish ourselves. In other words, every now and then we should take a step back to let others be seen and heard.

All of this brings me back to Brooks and his view of the world: “In this age of creeping dehumanisation, I’ve become obsessed with social skills: how to get better at treating people with consideration; how to get better at understanding the people around us. I’ve come to believe that the quality of our lives and the health of our society, depended, to a large degree, on how well we treat each in the minute interactions of daily life.”

Perhaps there’s a lesson in that for all of us. Perhaps we should all become obsessed about getting better at treating people with consideration. Perhaps we should all become obsessed about getting better at understanding the people around us and thinking about how we treat each other.

So in closing, I again thank you for the kind invitation and the opportunity to address you. The KRA is doing a great job in making people feel seen and helping to end the loneliness and social isolation amongst neighbours and friends. So, please continue to perform those small, concrete social interactions and create spaces where people can connect. Thank you. “

Another busy year for the KRA:
• Weekly e-updates for members and friends of the KRA
• Monthly engagement with community through Working Bees & Morning Teas
• Quarterly newsletters distributed suburb-wide by volunteers
• Big events e.g., Pizza in the Park, Christmas carolling from the Kensi to the Rising Sun Inn, Neighbour Day, mask making workshops & Winter Solstice twilight gathering.
• Small events e.g., Compassionate Cultivation Training and Last Aid workshops, Q&A with Tim Costello, Clean Up Australia Day, Redlegs Kids event at Norwood Oval, wobbly line drawing workshop, Kensi’s Got Talent open mic night.
• Ongoing community engagement/projects e.g., Regent Garden collaboration with MSK & NPSP (new play spaces, plantings, irrigation repairs, mural installation), Summer watering roster for friends of Borthwick Park, Friendly Kensi initiative to combat loneliness in our suburb, Borthwick Park Biodiversity Project winter planting days, Welcome Pack distribution to new residents.
• Building relationships with Council personnel e.g. rock relocation in Borthwick Park, barbeque lunch for Council gardening staff to show appreciation for their efforts in maintaining our green spaces, planning paved ramp entry and handrail installation in Pioneer Park to allow access for all.
• Advocacy for heritage protection e.g. 18 month campaign to save the listed local heritage building at 69 High St by engaging with Council, Member for Dunstan Cressida O’Hanlon, Premier Peter Malinauskas and Planning Minister Nick Champion, InDaily and the property owner ended in the old school house’s demolition but State government legislation was finally passed to prevent ‘demolition by neglect’ in future.
• Advocacy for safer streets e.g. 40 kmph speed limit in Kensington and new crossing near the kindy in Thornton St approved by Council/DIT with implementation of both expected soon.
• Advocacy for the Kensington & Norwood Pool e.g. InDaily news article and deputation to Council opposing reduction of pool season and opening hours, collaboration with Council to boost public engagement and celebrate the pool’s 70th year in 2027.
• Planning and preparation for upcoming events: Film FUNdraiser at the Regal Theatre 23rd August and Pizza in the Park 18th October.

In essence it was an attempt to save Council approximately $103,000 by limiting access to the Kensington & Norwood Pool. No consultation with the community was undertaken in preparing the proposal.  Separate agenda items moved to offer school students and potentially all ratepayers a free pass to the Payneham Pool when it re-opens (predicted cost $144,000 minimum) (view relevant agenda pages 1-9 here).

A short fierce burst of activism ensued!  InDaily ran a good article, including an interview with Kensington resident Trish Hansen, long-time advocate for the pool, and the KRA’s President Roger Bryson.  Read the article here.  Regular pool users and other concerned locals emailed the Mayor and Councillors ahead of the Council meeting on Tuesday night, 2 June.  Residents Trish Hansen and Tim O’Loughlin, along with KRA VP Jane Godsmark each made 5 minute deputations to the Council meeting.  There were a number of concerned residents in the public gallery observing the deputations and the Council’s deliberations. Thankyou to everyone who cares enough about this precious local place to get involved.

Finally, after much discussion, the Council voted to retain the current operating hours of the Kensington & Norwood pool and committed to engaging the community in exploring how to cultivate the vitality and future of the Pool. What a relief! 

This close call has caused us to reflect on what this pool means and has meant to our community over the past 70 years, and what role we would like it to play in the lives of future generations. 

If you’re interested in shaping or contributing to the future activation of the Kensington & Norwood Pool either email the Secretary of the KRA at contact@kra.org.au or message the We Love Norwood Pool Facebook group.

To celebrate our proud Kensington community, the KRA is organising official merchandise. These items will be available for purchase, as well as being used as prizes and recognition gifts.

Let us know what you would like to see as official Kensington 5068 merch by taking our online survey – click here – ranking the suggested items from 1 (most liked) to 14 (least liked).

The survey results are anonymous.

–Join the Borthwick Park summer watering roster!

Spend some peaceful time watering our newest plantings, watching the birds frolic in the River Redgums, and maybe meet a few locals to-ing and fro-ing through this magical green space. 

Simply email our Secretary at contact@kra.org.au to volunteer to hose-water once (or more if you like) during December-March. Please advise any dates you aren’t available.

Once the roster is finalised you’ll be advised which week and which zone of the park you’ve been allocated to water. The mid-year plantings (small or staked plants) and any stressed plants need to be watered just once in your allocated week and the task should take no more than 1-2 hours… choose your best time to water.

If you’ve not watered in the park before, we’ll arrange a time to show you the water points and all the hoses and connections stored in the park shed. We have a handy trolley to wheel the hoses to the water points.

See you in the park this summer!

Kensington Road outside Marryatville High School was one of the first locations to have new speed limit signage installed.  The 40 km/h speed limit applies on school days 8:00-9:30am and 2:00-4:00 pm, this excludes weekends, public holidays and school holidays. Look for the digital signs next time you travel along Kensington Road and familiarise yourself with the boundaries of the reduced speed zone.

Vehicle speeds are being monitored on Kensington Road. Penalties including fines and demerit points are applied if drivers exceed the 40km/h limit on school days between 8:00-9:30am and 2:00-4:00pm.

Existing ‘25 km/h when children present’ school zone speed limits will not change.  To learn more about the 40km/h School Speed Limits project, click here.

Denise Schumann OAM, Historical & Heritage Consultant, and Dr Christel Mex, SA Greens Candidate for Dunstan and local resident, will tell the tragic tale of the SA Planning System and its failure to protect one of Kensington’s oldest heritage-listed buildings at 69 High Street (c1843) from demolition.

A great opportunity to learn more about the history of Kensington, and how the planning system can improve so this doesn’t happen again.

Date: Monday 23 February at 7.00pm
Venue: The Rising Sun, 60 Bridge St, Kensington

All welcome. Gold coin donation for Hutt Street charity.
Drinks available for purchase from the bar.

Capacity to seat 50 people only. Reserve your space now through Humanitix https://events.humanitix.com/lost-forever-the-last-call-before-the-bulldozers-arrive

The KRA and concerned individuals made submissions at the first hearing, appealing to the CAP to refuse the demolition application. The decision was delayed to allow the owners time to seek additional engineering advice.

Significant research was undertaken by KRA members and local history experts, uncovering the rich history of the modest building at 69 High Street. Fearing local heritage status would be insufficient to protect the building from demolition, the KRA prepared a State Heritage Listing application for 69 High Street. The many reasons why this building is worthy of inclusion on the State Heritage Register are documented in the application, which can be downloaded by clicking here.

When the CAP met to reassess the owners’ application to demolish the building, no additional information was presented by the owners, rather a lawyer and engineer were engaged to argue the demolition case. The KRA was excluded from making further comments and presenting the results of thorough historic research for the CAP to consider. Nonetheless, to the delight of the KRA the CAP refused to permit demolition of 69 High Street.

However, late in 2025 the owner appealed to the Environment, Resources and Development Court to review the CAP decision. The KRA was excluded from participating in the appeal process which was held “in confidence”. On 18th December the owners of 69 High Street were granted approval to demolish the unique, historic building on their property.

The KRA is bitterly disappointed in the decision facilitated by the ERD Court. Apart from encouraging the owner to sell the local heritage-listed property to a renovator who respects heritage value, there appears to be nothing more that we can do to save this building. Another link to the colonial history of Kensington and South Australia will be lost.

Better protection for local heritage places – such as 69 High Street – under the Planning and Design Code has been under consideration by the State Government for the almost three years:

March 2023: Expert Panel for the Planning System final report and recommendations released. Recommendation 15 under ‘Minor and Operational Recommendations” is to refine Performance Outcome 6.1 in the Local Heritage Place Overlay to exclude deterioration due to neglect as a supporting factor for demolition, as in the State Heritage place Overlay (p. 225)

March 2024: Government response to the Expert Panel recommendations released. In reference to Reform 15, “The Government supports this recommendation” (p. 54)

June 2025: Expert Panel Implementation Program quarterly report. In reference to Reform 15, “Proposed through Assessment Improvements Code Amendment. Determination pack under review” (p. 19). (No further quarterly reports are available online.)

Friday 19 December 2025: The “Assessment Improvements Code Amendment” is finalised and adopted by the Minister for Planning. “It will come into effect once it is consolidated into the online Planning and Design Code, which is anticipated to occur on 15 January 2026”. Download the article here.

The changes approved on 19th December will give the Council Assessment Panel (CAP) the ability to consider the actions that are within the control the owner of a local heritage property, such as maintaining the condition of the building to prevent it falling into a state of irredeemable disrepair.

Perhaps 69 High Street Kensington will be the last local heritage building to be demolished unnecessarily. We can only hope.

The KRA will continue its efforts to have cultural heritage significance specifically mentioned in legislation and to change the present inequity of an owner who can make 3 representations for demolition while heritage advocates only have one opportunity to oppose.

Thank you to everyone who supports the KRA efforts to oppose destruction of the heritage buildings which add so much character and value to our wonderful Kensington Village.