Activists See “Box-Ticking” as Council Greenlights Tesla Amidst Fury

Activists in Adelaide are decrying the Marion city council’s public consultation process as a mere “box-ticking” exercise, following the council’s decision to greenlight the controversial Tesla factory project despite overwhelming community fury. The move has emboldened opponents, who are now focusing their efforts on the state government for a reversal.
The depth of public anger was evident in the nearly 1,000 submissions received by the council, with 95% opposing the proposed Tesla showroom and battery recycling plant. The passionate and often strongly worded objections, some of which required redaction, highlighted deep “anti-Tesla and anti-Elon Musk sentiment.”
Despite this vociferous opposition, the Marion city council voted eight to three in favor of advancing the project. Proponents on the council emphasized the economic benefits, including 100 new jobs and significant financial contributions, arguing that these outweighed the local concerns and that Tesla would simply go elsewhere if denied.
However, the “Trees not Teslas” movement and other concerned citizens are not yielding. They contend that the council’s decision makes a mockery of genuine public consultation and that the promised tree replacements are inadequate. The focus now shifts to the South Australian state government, where activists hope to reverse the council’s controversial decision.