by Shane Sody

The privatisation of the former Festival Plaza, within Tarntanya Wama (Park 26) is set to become even more obscene.

Greens MLC Robert Simms has accused the Labor and Liberal parties of being "in the pocket of the development class" while launching a scathing critique of Park Lands dealings between successive State Governments and billionaire property developer Lang Walker.

The Walker Corporation is currently attempting to win approval for a second skyscraper to be built on what was formerly your open public space.

https://indaily.com.au/news/2022/09/16/fresh-opportunity-second-tower-flagged-for-festival-plaza/

The privatisation of the former Festival Plaza was already one of shadiest business deals in SA's history.

The Walker Corporation is being paid more than $250 million to take away your public land; and construct massive new buildings (a 29-storey office tower, or maybe now, two) on what was previously open, public space within Tarntanya Wama (Park 26).

In 2017 the Auditor-General released a scathing report querying why the then-Government had dealt exclusively with Walker Corporation without going to public tender. (News Ltd $$$ subscriber-only link).

Since then, the public gift to the Walker Corporation has grown even larger.

On Wednesday 28 September 2022, Greens MLC Robert Simms described the saga as "a disgrace". He told State Parliament:

"In a city where there are already so many vacant office buildings, it beggars belief that one of our key civic sites will be used in this way, particularly when one considers that it is on the Adelaide Parklands, our national heritage-listed Parklands, arguably the most valuable real estate in South Australia. This space could have been returned to the Parklands for a fraction of the cost. This tower will cast a long shadow over our historic Parliament House and the new Festival Centre."

Read (and/or watch) Robert Simms’ speech at: https://www.robertsimms.org.au/matter_of_interest_second_tower_at_festival_plaza

PART OF YOUR PARK LANDS

Few people realise that the former Festival Plaza is (or was) part of your Adelaide Park Lands. Yet in 2012, the Plaza was given away to a billionaire for a 27-storey (now to be 29-storey) office tower, shops (shops that are now, perhaps, to become a second tower) and a car park.

In fact, it was not actually “given away”. It’s worse than that. The then-State Government paid the developers to take it away from you.

Demolition started in 2018, then paused as the Walker Corporation haggled to get more money out of South Australian taxpayers, to increase their profits. They succeeded.

Here’s the 2015 expose about how Lang Walker got what he wanted:

Read the sorry recent history of Festival Plaza: www.adelaide-parklands.asn.au/festival-plaza