by Shane Sody

Trying to defend your Adelaide Park Lands is like playing the arcade game “Whack-a-mole”.

New ideas to take away parts of your Park Lands, keep popping up, just like the moles pop up from their holes, in the 1970’s-era arcade game.

Park Lands supporters have to organise, lobby, and protest to whack down whatever happens to be the latest proposal for removing some of your Open, Green, Public Park Lands.

Just like the Whack-a-Mole game, there can be multiple pop-up threats emerging at the same time.

Over the past two or three years, many Park Lands “moles” have been popping up very quickly, one after the other. Some were first proposed by the previous Liberal State Government, but six were pursued by the incoming Labor State Government from March 2022.

Park Lands ‘people power’ succeeded in whacking down only one of the six.

If you Love Your Park Lands, then, like us, you’d rather not be playing “Whack a Mole”.

You probably wonder why your world-unique Adelaide Park Lands don’t have legal protection, or even State Heritage listing.

You might be wondering why the State Government doesn’t pick locations in the other 99.8% of the Adelaide metropolitan area for its proposed new developments.

We’ve put a number of suggestions for better Park Lands protection laws, to

• Planning Minister Nick Champion;

• State Opposition front-bencher Jack Batty;

• Independent MPs Connie Bonaros and Frank Pangallo; and

• The Greens Robert Simms.

Our suggestions, designed to end the never-ending game of Whack-a-Mole, include:

• A complete review of the failed Adelaide Park Lands Act 2005;

• Amendment to the Planning the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016 to prevent re-zoning of any part of the Adelaide Park Lands without the consent of both Houses of Parliament;

• Repeal a law which still allows the Police Minister to confiscate any part of your Park Lands for new police barracks;

• Implementing the 2018 recommendation of the State Heritage Council for State Heritage listing of your Park Lands;

• Commit to a feasibility study of the proposed Adelaide Recreation Circuit, an unbroken, i.e. an illuminated walking / running / cycling loop to showcase your Park Lands;

• Commit resources, not just words, to pursue UNESCO World Heritage listing of your Park Lands; and

• Restore Park Lands zoning to all (not just part) of Helen Mayo Park;

• Amendment of the Urban Renewal Act 1995 to instruct or prevent Renewal SA targeting Park Lands for new developments; and

• Amendment of the SA Motor Sport Act 1984 to place limits (any limits!) on the number of motor sport events and on the duration of “prescribed periods” that the Minister may declare for your Park Lands.

See more explanation of each of these items here: (PDF, 3 pages, 110 Kb)

You can help us to end the “Whack a Mole” game for protection of your Park Lands.

Take action.

Join us.

The author of this article, Shane Sody, is the President of the Adelaide Park Lands Association and the editor of the semi-monthly newsletter, "Open Green Public".

Subscribe here.

https://adelaideparklands.m-pages.com/YWRrGW/adelaide-park-lands-assn-mailing