by Shane Sody

The State Government will spend hundreds of millions of dollars acquiring 524 properties to rebuild a stretch of South Road. However the Premier, Peter Malinauskas is refusing to acquire even one brownfield site to Protect and Restore your Park Lands.

Yes, you read that correctly: 524 purchases to build a road; and not a single purchase to achieve the win-win, of a new aquatic centre, while protecting and restoring a Park.

Images above from the State Government’s promotional video for its South Road upgrade project.

The plans for South Road have undergone a long process of community consultation.

In contrast, there was NO consultation from the State Government on whether a Park Lands site would be the best option for its promised new regional $82m Aquatic centre. An alternative process, using open-ended consultation questions revealed a massive 85% support for a brownfield site.

Refusing to respond to the community’s views, the Government is now drawing up plans to tear down dozens of trees, including century old sugar gums. The Government’s own consultants have pointed out the effect that this would have on native wildlife.

Under immediate threat: dozens of trees, including century-old sugar gums providing habitat for koalas, possums and birds. Advice to the Government is that any tree marked “moderate” (in yellow) can be removed.

The Premier and his Ministers are ignoring calls from thousands of South Aussies to build a new centre on a more convenient near-city site. A well-chosen brownfield site would provide welcome rejuvenation to a suburb like Thebarton or Hindmarsh, and would be more convenient for patrons using public transport.

*Hands Up for Your Trees. The Government wants to* ***Restore*** *and* ***Attack****. They haven’t yet grasped the win-win outcome of choosing an alternative brownfield site, to allow* ***Restore*** *and* ***Protect.*** Selecting an alternative brownfield site would be a win-win for swimmers, and your Park Lands.

We've collected thousands of signatures on a petition, urging the State Government to select (yes, actually purchase!) just ONE brownfield site on which they could build a state-of-the-art new Aquatic Centre. The old West End brewery site on Port Road is one likely candidate site, but there would be many other potential sites.

The City Council is also urging the State Government to re-think its plans.

It takes a big person to admit a mistake and correct course. So far, the Premier and his infrastructure Minister Tom Koutsantonis have not demonstrated any willingness to listen to you.

The Government has retreated into denial, falsely pretending that the community supports destruction of trees. They are now intending to re-zone this part of your Adelaide Park Lands.

But the reality is clear. If the Government is willing to acquire 524 properties to improve one road, then it should be willing to purchase even ONE property to PROTECT and RESTORE Denise Norton Park / Pardipardinyilla (Park 2) in your Adelaide Park Lands.