A new Port Adelaide Enfield by-law banning kites "used for the purpose of pulling or carrying a person" comes into force on December 21. Permits are only available through membership of the South Australian Kite Surfing Association at an annual cost of $65.

Seems fair enough to me.

i haven't been kiting that long, but i've been dealing with behaviour management with adults and kids for many years. experience in other fields, ranging from environmental education and advocacy to organisational change management to early-childhood education, and years of windsurfing, tells me that if at all possible we should educate and self-regulate within our community rather than let it come to legislation from outside. maybe this is a tall order, and in some spots the legislation has already happened, but it will be an ongoing issue and if we are mature about it we will have many opportunities for beach-sharing that don't depend on rules made by others and enforced by others.

as this planet gets more crowded we'll all need to learn to co-exist respectfully and to deal effectively with those who don't initially see the benefits of self-regulation. this applies whether the scale is international diplomacy or your local break. kitesurfing gives us a microcosm in which to try out and refine good ways for humans to share resources. fundamentally it's about having the psychological maturity to voluntarily adopt another person's or group's perspective and see how our behaviour looks to them, and modify it if necessary. leadership, humility and good example can inspire the same in others.

if a maverick kiter is still behaving inappropriately, then a mature and peaceful approach will still be the best way to breed maturity and peace. a calm delegation of local kiters can simply approach someone who's out of line and ask if they understand how their behaviour affects other kiters and non-kiters. maybe they just don't know, and though this will possibly test other kiters' patience, a peaceful approach opens the door to the possibility of education. if, however, someone is immediately put on the defensive, they will not be able to imagine a perspective other than their own (under stress, we regress).

if the maverick is still indignant that they have the right to do whatever they want, just let them know that you (the peaceful but sizable local delegation) regret this, and you hope they reconsider, and until they can talk about it and change their ways, you will be reluctant to greet them, help them, and include them in the culture of your beach. a sincere desire to include someone is rarely met with sustained resistance. if a person is gently and calmly made aware of the possibility of the absence of relationship, or of a disapproving relationship, they tend to reconsider things pretty quickly. people want to feel good. kiting feels good, but that feeling is easily undermined if there is a sense that one is outside a community that with a bit of attitude change, one could join.

appeals to a fundamental human desire to belong are not a huge part of our culture in general. all the more effective then when we who have a reputation as selfish can set the example of maturity and community spirit.

peace

I think this could still be turned around, and shows that the council is willing to give kite surfing a good chance, they probably could have started banning the sport outright.
On the other hand it smells a bit of over regulation, from personal experience, a lot of Adelaide beaches are desolate and offer wide streches of sand to launch and land safely.
It is now up to the SAKSA to not just sell insurance, but educate the members to the point where Kiters are respected as a responsible comunity ready to self regulate to the toughest.