by Shane Sody
We hope you love your Park Lands, and we hope that you will help us spread the love. The greatest challenge that we face, every day, is trying to convince the State Government to Love Your Park Lands too.
Since being elected in March, the current State Government has three times rejected opportunities to choose brownfield sites for promised new infrastructure. Within its first seven months in office, the State Government has chosen parts of your Park Lands as construction sites for each one of:
a $3 billion new hospital with associated eight-storey car park.
From left to right: a $90 million third adjacent High School building on Park 11; an Aquatic Centre proposed on a new site within Park 2; and a hospital, with multi-storey car park within Park 27.
Each one of these proposed constructions could be built on an alternative brownfield site, with no loss of trees. If each of them is built where currently proposed, your Park Lands would lose, in total, hundreds of mature trees.
It is clear that the Malinauskas Labor Government just doesn't get it. Their announcements make it clear that the State Government does not appreciate your Park Lands other than as potential building sites.
Nor is there any guarantee these three projects will be the only Park Lands threats from the current State Government.
SA Police, on notice to leave their barracks within Park 27, are now looking for a new site for their dog squad and mounted operations. More than 200 employees at the Park 27 Thebarton Police barracks could be shifted into another yet-to-be-identified Park Lands building site.
Fortunately, the Deputy Premier and Minister for the Environment, Susan Close is now offering to talk to you about "greening our city."
Deputy Premier and Minister for the Environment, Susan Close, planting a tree. Pic: Department of Environment and Water.
You can book a free ticket to hear Ms Close "talk about her vision for South Australia’s environment across a range of topics including working with First Nations, climate change, improving biodiversity, saving threatened species, and greening our city."
Ironically Ms Close will be talking at a Park Lands venue; the Pavilion in Veale Gardens, Park 21. The date: next Monday, 10 October 5.00pm to 6.30pm.
Can you convince the Deputy Premier to change the Government’s course, to Love Your Park Lands?
In February 2022, during the State election campaign, Ms Close said:
"Labor's commitment is to improve SA's tree regulations so they are the best in Australia. .... Under the current regulations, DIT [the Department of Infrastructure and Transport] is not required to submit planning approval for the removal of significant and regulated trees ... The community believes that the Government should lead by example. This exception is not in line with community expectations and allows for the unnecessary removal of many of our mature trees."
We hope that the Minister will explain why the State Government is proposing "unnecessary removal of many of our mature trees" at three Park Lands sites, rather than choosing brownfield sites for its promised new:
We also hope the Minister will be willing to hear your views about why you Love Your Park Lands.
If you get the chance to speak to Ms Close you might remind her of the promise she made before the March State election.
Reserve your seat here: https://www.naturefestival.org.au/event/up-and-close-with-deputy-premier-susan-close
