Free Wi-Fi gripes

Disconnecting from Adelaide’s infamously slow free Wi-Fi and switching back to your mobile data is a city commuter tradition as old as… well, the mid-2000s when the network first rolled out. 

The (anecdotally) sluggish CBD connection, previously provided by Internode, is now in the hands of TPG, who have been working over the last year to deliver a $4.8m “high-speed fibre optics” upgrade. 

Whatever work the company has done though is yet to impress the Lord Mayor.  

During a council debate on Wednesday about extending free internet to Victoria Park, Jane Lomax-Smith issued a blunt assessment of the current service.  

“In passing, I have to say I switch off the Wi-Fi everywhere in the city because it actually slows down my 3G or 4G or 5G,” she told councillors, before doubling down on the comments later in the meeting. 

Nevertheless, the network still has some popularity, according to council CEO Clare Mockler, who told councillors there was “a lot of feedback” from students and residents that “the opportunity to expand the current (Wi-Fi) locations would be appreciated”. 

The motion asking the council administration to investigate extending the free Wi-Fi network to Victoria Park passed, with only councillors David Elliott and Mary Couros opposed.

According to preliminary council estimates, new Wi-Fi access points in Victoria Park could cost between $50,000 to $100,000 each, with three to five access points most likely needed.

SATC marketing looks local

Local talent is leading the charge of the often-controversially awarded South Australian Tourism Commission marketing contracts this year.

Six agencies are taking control of promoting the state – as the State Government makes good on an election promise to ensure locals deliver on its new creative services contract.

The always hotly contested contract for major advertising campaigns is now being led by the creative services panel of marketing, design and advertising companies that were announced by Tourism Minister Zoe Bettison today.

Today’s winners are: Frame Creative, Kojo Studios, Simple Integrated Marketing, Showpony, Nation Creative and Fuller Brand Communication.

Silky smooth sell off of top SA brands

It’s been a big selloff of top SA companies this month, with another headliner looking set to disappear from local ownership.

The latest business about to be gobbled up by a mega group is the ever-growing Silk Laser Clinics stable of 140 stores offering hair removal, skin treatments and injectables.

Silk is another name likely to soon fall off InDaily’s SA Business Index of our top performers, with a group spokesperson confirming the company board is keen for shareholders to accept a $169 million bid from national retail giant Wesfarmers.

The news follows the OTR Group of service stations being sold to a Melbourne company for $1.15 billion and OZ Minerals shareholders voting a resounding ‘yes’ to a $9.6 billion takeover of the company and its 660 local workers from BHP. 

You ain’t seen nothing yet

There is no better way to geek out than to listen in on two project managers discussing major infrastructure developments.

The InSider enjoyed the absolute delight of a pair of project managers talking about the proposed Northern Water Supply Project that has entered the business case planning stage.

“You’re involved in the water project?” one manager asked with obvious awe.

“Yes, and it’s huge. I don’t think South Australians understand that if this goes ahead it’ll make the North-South corridor look easy,” answered the other.

It’s a big if. The project to create “a new and sustainable water supply for the far north and Upper Spencer Gulf areas of South Australia to support regional communities and industries” got $15 million in funding in February to develop a business case for a desalination plant and pipeline.

If it goes ahead, the end result will be a pipeline stretching from around Whyalla up to Roxby Downs and Woomera, with stops in Port Augusta, to supply water to mining companies, defence projects and the promised hydrogen plant.

Name tag basics

The Committee for Adelaide often brings together people who have recently moved to our fair city and last night they packed the balcony of the Strathmore for a networking event about networking.

Paul (PK) Kitching from Fuller Brand Communication led the session with a rapid demonstration of how to, and how not to, network effectively. He had lots of pointers but a reminder that the best place to stick your name tag is on your upper right shoulder so others can easily read it when shaking your hand had most of the crowd ripping their tags off and repositioning them.

Now if someone could only make a sticker that actually sticks.

Help wanted at ICAC

“We’re hiring!,” exclaims the email announcement from the Independent Commission Against Corruption.

“Do you have experience providing high quality expert legal advice? We’re hiring.”

Reads more like a job advert for a casual at a clothing store than a Senior Legal Officer and Legal Officer to work at one of the more important commissions in South Australia.

But with the shortage of expertise hitting every industry, it’s probably hard to find a lawyer who wants to fight corruption.

The Pub Test

Picture: Tony Lewis/InDaily

There’s been a lot of council chatter about the state of the streets in Adelaide, so The InSider hit the front bar of the Rosey to see what the regulars think about the city’s entertainment strip.

Mark, a 53-year-old bloke who has lived in Sydney’s Kings Cross said it’s definitely cleaner on Hindley compared to the Cross.

“The streets are cleaner here, although there are probably more plants and trees in other cities, something we could bring in to freshen the streets up a bit, to make it not so dingy and dirty.”

He was also impressed with the police presence today compared to a couple of decades ago.

“Back in the day, I’d say probably 1992, there was a big punch up and it took police almost 20 minutes to come down, now they’re pretty quick to get to a situation,” Mark said.

“When I was young the worst thing we had to deal with in Hindley Street was the bikies, but now they’ve cleaned that up and they’ve all gone underground, probably as a result of more police presence in the area.”

Giordana supported a clean up of the city, especially around Hindley Street.

“It does get pretty feral from the weekends and stuff like that. But overall I would say it’s not too bad, probably just rubbish and people just being idiots and throwing it out their car,” the 20-year-old said.

But 18-year-old Atticus said he’d rather see the River Torrens cleaned up.

“The city is pretty filthy, so yeah I would support a tidy-up of the city. Especially the river (Torrens), it’s dark, icky, green water so it would be pretty good if we could clean up the Torrens a bit,” he said.

Stuff you should know…

If smelling like a Royal is something you aspire to, then the marketers at Young Living, makers of essential oils, have just the thing.

They have put together a recipe ahead of King Charles III coronation “to commemorate the celebration of the new King’s anointing using a few essential oils that you can even find in your home”.

They continue:

“According to the official Royal website, the consecrated Coronation Oil that will be used on King Charles III’s coronation is made of freshly picked olives from the Mount of Olives, Monastery of Mary Magdalene, and the Monastery of Ascension. These olives, once pressed, are then perfumed with the following essential oils: sesame, rose, jasmine, cinnamon, neroli, benzoin, amber, and orange blossom.”

Their royal recipe is:

• 10 drops of rose essential oil
• 10 drops of jasmine essential oil
• 5 drops of cinnamon bark essential oil
• 5 drops of neroli essential oil
• 5 drops of orange essential oil
• 30 ml carrier oil (such as jojoba or sweet almond oil)
• A small glass bottle with a dropper

You just combine all this stuff in the bottle for a royal balm.