It is the largest-ever theft of your Park Lands.

The State Government has embarked on a formal process of "re-zoning" huge swathes of your Park Lands (marked above by the solid black diagonal lines) for:

• "entertainment" including (but not limited to) a $660 million stadium (aka "Riverbank Arena");

• a multi-storey car park;

• a new Women’s and Children’s Hospital;

• "education or research";

• "health-related uses";

• shops;

• "innovation"; and

• unspecified "appropriate development" to "activate the river front".

Parts of the re-zoning proposal merely serve to formalise Park Lands thefts that occurred in the past, such as the so-called "Lot Fourteen" and the Botanic High School, both in Park 11

The City Council at its meeting on Tuesday 14 September 2021, voted to, in effect, roll over and help the State Government complete this theft of your Park Lands.

The resolution that was passed by the Council called for a “working group” with the State Government “to inform the delivery of the proposed major projects in the Riverbank Precinct to achieve maximum community benefit.”

Only three Councillors voted against this. Councillors Phil Martin, Anne Moran and the newly-elected Keiran Snape stood firm against the State Government's plans. (Cr Greg Mackie was absent on personal leave.)

There is a period of 42 days during which the State Government is supposedly seeking your views on its "re-zoning"

However the State Government is not waiting to hear from you. Development is already under way, with surveyors and drilling rigs already in operation around some of the targeted sites in your Park 27.

What can you do? You can reply to the State Government’s consultation, by 27 October.

There are addresses and email contacts at page 5 of this document.

And please JOIN APA to help us fight for your Park Lands.

FURTHER READING:

1. Heritage Threat

Before their vote on Tuesday 14 September 2021, Adelaide City Councillors were advised that the State Government's attack could jeopardise the National Heritage listing of the Park Lands.

2. Policy failure

A member of the Park Lands Authority, Stephanie Johnston, writing for InDaily, has pointed out how poorly successive Governments have managed the Riverbank precinct and how earlier, more thoughtful plans have been discarded.

3. Flawed Cost-benefit analysis

The State Government claims its proposed new stadium (the "Riverbank Arena") would be an economic benefit to the State. ($$ subscriber-only link) The cost-benefit analysis ignored the long-term cost of losing part of Adelaide’s green garland. It’s no surprise that an economic benefit might be possible when Open Green Public Park Land is confiscated from the public for the benefit of developers and promoters. By that logic, no Park Lands are safe.

4. Build it at Hindmarsh instead

A report to the previous Labor State Government identified that a much cheaper option for a new entertainment centre or arena would be to extend or renovate or rebuild on the existing site at Hindmarsh.

5. National Park City hypocrisy

Removing more of the world-unique, National Heritage-listed Adelaide Park Lands is a short-sighted option, at odds with the push for Adelaide to become a 'National Park City'. You are invited to blow the whistle on this hypocrisy.

6. Government corporation exceeding its powers?

The Venue Management Corporation has a role in this. It would appear that this Government-owned corporation has overstepped its legal authority by backing what amounts to a partisan Liberal election commitment.