Latest news with #TeslaFactory
ABC News
28-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Tesla battery factory at Tonsley one step closer despite 'anti-Elon' sentiment
An Adelaide council has paved the way for the potential approval of a Tesla battery factory in the southern suburbs, despite strong opposition described as the "anti-Elon factor". The City of Marion voted eight to three on Tuesday night in favour of asking the state government to remove the community land status of Chestnut Court Reserve in Tonsley. Removing its community land status would allow the reserve to be sold to a developer for the construction of a Tesla factory, which, according to council documents, would be used for battery repurposing, vehicle servicing and a showroom. The vote followed a public consultation period in which 95 per cent of respondents — made up of 948 survey submissions plus six written responses — did not support the proposal. The key themes for respondents who did not support the proposal were the loss of trees and open public space as a result of the development, the environmental impacts from a manufacturing facility, the wish for the land to be used as social housing, and a "strong ideological opposition to Elon Musk and Tesla". A report prepared for the council noted that Chestnut Court Reserve has not been accessible to the public since 2016 and is "not fit for purpose as open space recreation due to historical contamination", and that the developer was "committed to replanting or offsetting" the impact on trees. It also said the proposal would provide about 100 full time jobs and an estimated $56 million in "economic output", and noted that Telsa would proceed with its plan in a different location if the Tonsley plan was unsuccessful. Some of the respondents' views on Tesla's chief executive officer Elon Musk were redacted in the council's report, but many were opposed to the development due to what one respondent described as his "unpopular behaviour". "Private entities should not be allowed to purchase public land. Especially land with many significant trees on it, even if that land isn't currently accessible to the public," one response read. The council's report stated that the project's benefits of "employment, innovation, emissions reduction and utilisation of land that is contaminated" outweighed the "geopolitical or symbolic criticisms expressed in submissions". City of Marion Mayor Kris Hanna said the "anti-Elon factor" expressed by a "large cohort of residents opposed to the project" was taken into account and "balanced against the economic factors". "[It's] certainly a very attractive idea to have 100 extra full-time jobs in the area," Mr Hanna told ABC Radio Adelaide. He said the other key issue was the clearing of more than 50 trees on the vacant site but said they received reassurance from the developer that at least three "significant" trees would be left. "They assured us that for every regulated tree that was removed they would plant two trees and for every significant tree removed they would plant three trees," Mr Hanna said. "There are strong feelings about it, but there are also economic reasons which can't be ignored." The minister for local government will need to sign off for the community land classification to be revoked. On Monday, Premier Peter Malinauskas said while he "would violently disagree with many of the views that Mr Musk espouses", he welcomed "any big major industrial investment in our state". "I mean, you can't have a situation where politicians start arbitrarily saying that someone's investment is not welcome just because they have a very different political view. That's not the way our country operates," he said. Mr Malinauskas said Tesla had a "pretty good track record" in South Australia, citing its 100-megawatt "big battery" built in 2017 in the state's north. "Just having a different political persuasion isn't enough justification to say you're not welcome," he said.
Daily Mail
28-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Elon Musk wanted to build a Tesla factory that would have created 100 jobs in Australia - until NIMBYs stepped in
Elon Musk wanted to build a Tesla factory that would have created 100 jobs in Australia - until NIMBYs stepped in Adelaide locals don't want Musk in their city anymore READ MORE: Tesla will build the world's biggest lithium battery in South Australia The world's richest person Elon Musk will not get his Tesla factory built in Adelaide after locals vehemently opposed his plans. The City of Marion Council recommended it sell a 2,600 square-metre plot of contaminated land to Musk's company before a council meeting on Tuesday night. But council obtained almost 1,000 submissions from the public and more than 90 per cent of responses opposed Musk's planned battery factory. More than half of the submissions were from people living outside the council area, which showed how passionate some South Australians were about rejecting Musk. The sale of Chestnut Court Reserve, in southern Adelaide, would've generated about $56million in economic output and created about 100 jobs, according to the council. There were concerns from locals about environmental damage, loss of green space, and Tesla's reputation. Adelaide residents said the plan was 'a noisy, ugly, planet-destroying temple to billionaires'. Musk's popularity in Australia has waned since he teamed up with Donald Trump ahead of his election win last year. Elon Musk has been told that a new Telsa factory was not welcome in southern Adelaide Chestnut Court Reserve, in southern Adelaide, is contaminated with trichloroethylene City of Marion mayor Kris Hanna said: 'There's certainly a core group that has very strong anti-fascist sentiment and they are directing that to Elon Musk and anything related to him.' Vandals have targeted Tesla vehicles in many counties while many ex-fans started selling their cars. 'Tesla is a horrible business for the City of Marion to even consider providing this land to,' one Marion resident said on social media. Members of a website 'Trees Not Teslas' said the proposed factory would be 'bringing protests to the area' and give the region a bad image. Mayor Hanna said before council was contemplating to sell off the land, that the billionaire would simply find another location to build if Adelaide residents didn't want his business. 'If the decision is not to allow the factory to proceed, it won't harm Elon Musk's interests because Tesla will just set up somewhere else in Australia that's more welcoming,' he said. Mayor Hanna also said that the 'green space' could not be used by the public anyway. Telsa's popularity in Australia is waning and some blame its owner Elon Musk Elon Musk has had a lot of negative feedback after he teamed up with Donald Trump 'The soil (at the Chestnut Court Reserve) is contaminated with the chemical trichloroethylene. It is safe if sealed over, such as at a factory and carpark, but not for recreation or gardening,' he said. State premier Peter Malinauskas told the Adelaide Advertiser that he 'violently disagrees' with Musk's politics but said if he wanted to put cash into his state, he was 'fine with that'. City of Marion as well as councillor Sarah Luscombe were contacted for comment.
The Guardian
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Anti-Musk sentiment runs high in Australian city as 95% of submissions oppose land sale to Tesla
Elon Musk's so-called 'brand destruction' is in full flight in Adelaide, where residents have voted overwhelmingly to reject plans for a Tesla factory. The city of Marion in South Australia is considering selling 2,664 sq metres of public land – which is contaminated and not publicly accessible – to Tesla which wants to build a battery factory on the plot. The council has consulted the community and written a report that says the benefits – including 100 full-time jobs, boosted rates revenues, $56m in economic output and 'Tesla-led training programs' – outweigh the 'geopolitical or symbolic criticisms expressed in submissions'. Of the nearly 1,000 submissions sent to the local council, 95% called for the proposal to be struck down, citing 'anti-Tesla and anti-Elon Musk sentiment' and 'Musk's influence on global discourse via social media platforms', as well as the environmental impact and potential loss of green space. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email While environmental concerns played a part, the Tesla boss was the main reason 95% of people voted against the project. Those against the proposal did not hold back on the reasons for their rejection – with the city of Marion choosing to censor some submissions. 'Because Elon Musk is a [redacted] human being and a [redacted]!' one person wrote. 'Elon Musk and Tesla are a [redacted] on humanity, another said. 'Elon Musk is a full blown [redacted],' was another's blunt assessment. While a further submission argued the site was not right for Musk: 'Destroying trees to build a factory for a company owned by a [redacted] would be a vile choice.' 'We should not support and put money in the pockets of a [redacted] who openly [redacted] salutes, is [redacted] human,' was another's take on Tesla moving into Marion. Another had a more prosaic concern: 'Please dear God', they wrote. 'It's not going to be good for anyone … [and] it would majorly interrupt my roller skating route'. More than half of the 948 community submissions came from outside the council area, but submissions from those in the immediate area of the site overwhelmingly opposed the development at 121 against and 11 for. Those who voted in favour welcomed the jobs that would be created by Telsa, the skills that would be taught, and the 'visionary approach' of the world's richest person. Musk has faced an ongoing backlash thanks to his role in the Trump administration, where he created the 'department of government efficiency' (Doge), that has seen crippling cuts to government programs. Tesla profits have dived recently, with analysts pinning the blame on a branding crisis thanks to Musk's role in the White House. Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion Musk has denied branding is an issue, and blames the 'macro demand for cars' in the current economic climate. The city of Marion mayor, Kris Hanna, said most Australians wouldn't approach the project from a political perspective. 'But there's certainly a core group that has very strong anti-fascist sentiment and they are directing that to Elon Musk and anything related to him,' he said. Hanna said there was both a 'natural' community response and a political campaign to increase the 'no' vote. 'If the decision is not to allow the factory to proceed it won't harm Elon Musk's interests because Tesla will just set up somewhere else in Australia that's more welcoming,' he said. Dozens of submissions referred to Musk's interventions in American and European politics and his apparent Nazi-style salute earlier this year. One critic, citing Guardian reporting, wrote: 'I could not think of a worse developer to sell the land to. Tesla sales have been plummetting [sic] … this is likely to attract protests and negative attention that the neighbourhood does not need or want.' Tesla and South Australian government agencies emphasised the economic benefits to the region in their letters of support, while a handful of residents said the land should be put to productive use. Staff at the City of Marion officially recommended the council sell the land to Tesla, with the proposal to be discussed at a council meeting on Tuesday night.
News.com.au
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- News.com.au
‘Noisy, ugly, planet-destroying temple': Adelaide locals revolt over Tesla plan
Adelaide residents have erupted over a proposal to build a Tesla factory on community land in the city's southern suburbs, labelling the plan 'a noisy, ugly, planet-destroying temple to billionaires'. Locals were informed by Marion Council in April that selling off Chestnut Court Reserve in favour of the development of a battery factory, servicing facility and vehicle showroom for the Elon Musk-owned company would reap significant financial rewards. The plan, however, was met with fierce opposition over the loss of public green space and tree coverage, and against the increasingly polarising Musk himself. Roughly 90 per cent (897) of the near 1000 responses to Marion Council's community consultation last month opposed the idea. Just 51 people were in favour. Public sentiment toward the world's richest man has grown progressively hostile, driven by his involvement in US politics. In addition to his vocal support for Donald Trump and the hundreds of millions of dollars in funding he contributed to the President's campaign last year, Musk has become an enthusiastic advocate for right-wing parties around the world. His savage cost-cutting measures as head of the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has also done him no favours. In response, vandals have targeted Tesla vehicles across the globe, even prompting some owners to disguise their vehicles as other models, or sell them altogether. In Australia, demand for Teslas – once the nation's best-selling electric vehicle brand – has plummeted in recent months. 'Tesla is a horrible business for the City of Marion to even consider providing this land to,' one Marion resident wrote on Facebook, in opposition to the plan. Another described the potential factory as 'a noisy, ugly, planet-destroying temple to billionaires'. On a website called 'Trees Not Teslas', community members also warned the facility risks 'bringing protests to the area, gives the community a bad image, and hurts Tonsley's reputation'. City of Marion councillor Sarah Luscombe has urged the council to 'think really carefully' about other options for the state-owned land, which has been closed to the public since 2016 due to heavy contamination. 'If council wants to do more to activate the land then it could be put out to open tender to more local companies who could innovate and do something with the land for conservation biodiversity (and) improve tree canopy,' she told The Advertiser. The proposal is 'unlikely to go ahead' if the council says no to it, Cr Luscombe added. The issue will be discussed at a council meeting on Tuesday. Tesla made more than $5 billion in revenue in Australia last year thanks to a 'remarkable turnaround' in its battery division, amid tanking global sales for its vehicles. Per its report for the 2024 calendar year, filed with the Australian Securities and Exchange Commission (ASIC), Tesla Motors Australia's revenue jumped by a third ($1.29 billion) from $3.81bn in 2023 to $5.1bn within 12 months, while profits rose from $39 million to $65m. That profit was in large part due to the sale, installation and operation of its batteries – at both grid and household scale – rather than its cars. Revenue soared nearly five-fold from $580m to $2.55bn between 2023 and 2024, in what Renew Economy described as a 'remarkable turnaround' for Tesla's battery storage arm. It also, for the first time, outpaced Tesla's vehicle sales, which declined from $3.18bn to $2.44bn – a slide that's continued since December. The genesis of Tesla's battery-based profits in Australia lies in a wager Mr Musk made with Aussie tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes a decade ago. At the time, Mr Musk told the Atlassian co-founder Tesla would install a 100-megawatt per hour storage plant, the world's largest lithium battery, in South Australia within a hundred days. Tesla delivered on the promise, prompting Mr Cannon-Brookes to concede he had 'never been more happy to lose a bet'. In late 2024, Tesla sought to find a buyer for the South Australian virtual power plant. That has yet to transpire.
