by Shane Sody

For centuries, humans have pondered the question: "If a tree falls in a forest, and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"

The answer is not as obvious as you might think, but in this article I’m not going to delve into the philosophy or the science behind that question.

Rather, I’ve got a similar question, directly related to your Adelaide Park Lands. My question is this:

"If the State Government cuts down dozens of trees in your Adelaide Park Lands, and there is NO MEDIA COVERAGE, does anybody know that it happened?"

In early November, State Government contractors erected two-metre-high fences around a massive three hectares of your Denise Norton Park / Pardipardinyilla (Park 2).

They covered the fences with almost a kilometre of Government advertising propaganda, so no-one could see what was happening behind the fences.

Then, contractors proceeded to destroy dozens of mature trees, out of site behind hundreds of metres of Government advertisements.

No Government minister was there to take responsibility and smile for the cameras. The Government did not issue a media release, inviting TV cameras to cover the slaughter.

A Channel 7 news crew arrived, but the carnage was not featured on their news bulletins, nor (to our knowledge) on any other TV or radio bulletin. It was not covered by The Advertiser, nor InDaily.

Earlier, more than 8,000 people had signed a petition begging the Premier to "Save These Trees - Choose a Brownfield Site for New Aquatic Centre".

These more than 8,000 people were effectively rendered invisible; ignored by the media. As Park Lands supporters, your screams of support for these trees, for your Park Lands, seemed to be silent.

Like the proverbial tree falling in a remote forest, dozens of trees died in your Park Lands with virtually no-one to hear them fall.

State Government ministers, the Lord Mayor and four City Councillors who voted for this destruction presumably would be very pleased at how little public backlash they have had to endure.

• No journalists asked State Government ministers why they had ignored more than 8,000 signatures.

• No journalists asked State Government ministers why, (despite purchasing 524 properties to upgrade South Road) they had refused to consider purchasing even a single property to save these trees.

• No journalist asked State Government ministers to justify breaking four of their own promises, including a promise to protect Adelaide's tree canopy.

No journalist asked these questions. No news reports covered the slaughter. Therefore most Adelaideans probably are still unaware of this tree massacre.

But if you Love Your Park Lands, you will remember what was needlessly lost in November 2023.