by Shane Sody

The State Opposition and the Greens are preparing to jointly demand a Select Committee of State Parliament to investigate the Government's "unprecedented" grab for your Open Green Public Adelaide Park Lands.

The State Government has U-turned on its previous support for State Heritage listing of your Park Lands, and has launched attacks on your Park Lands for four separate projects each of which could be built on vacant brownfield sites.

During a 13-minute discussion on 891 ABC Radio Adelaide, Lord Mayoral aspirant Rex Patrick described the State Government’s plans as "a full-on assault.”

“They think Park Lands are free land when they are priceless" Mr Patrick said.

Fellow Lord Mayoral candidates Sandy Verschoor and Jane Lomax-Smith each agreed, describing the Government's latest land grab for an undefined Park Lands site to build new Police stables and barracks as "unprecedented". Ms Verschoor said the Government's broken promises on Park Lands protection were "mind-boggling".

Opposition leader David Speirs said the State Government was "trying to pit Park Lands supporters against kids who are sick. …. It doesn't need to be like this."

Mr Speirs has welcomed a suggestion from Rex Patrick that a Select Committee of Upper House MPs examine the Government's Bill currently before Parliament, rather than have it rushed through without proper scrutiny.

During the 13-minute discussion, Health Minister Chris Picton tried to equate housing Police horses on Park Lands with horse depasturing, which is allowed for up to 20 privately-owned horses within your Lefevre Park / Nantu Wama (Park 6).

What Mr Picton did not say was that the horse paddocks in Park 6 are Open, Green, Public.

Anyone can walk through those paddocks. The horses are not stabled there, and the fences are to keep the horses in, not to keep you out.

In contrast, the SA Police Mounted Operations Unit requires its horse enclosures to be fenced, to keep out the public, and would also need stables, offices, and storage. Such a move would be a further loss of your Open Green Public space.

*“Do Not Go Into this Paddock” - signage on the Police horse agistment paddock featuring a 160-year-old heritage-listed olive plantation in Kate Cocks Park (Park 27)*

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

You can write to any Member of State Parliament about this - in particular:

Any of the Members of the Legislative Council, who will be first to vote on the State Government’s proposed law.

Find contact details for each Member here: https://www.parliament.sa.gov.au/en/Legislative-Council/Members

More broadly, see our recommendations to TAKE ACTION.