UNION HALL

Mr WILLIAMS (MacKillop—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:11): My question is to the Minister for Environment and Conservation. Why has the government decided to turn historic heritage-listed Union Hall into a research facility to keep research near Adelaide University—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr WILLIAMS: —but also move the Royal Adelaide Hospital and its research functions away from the university's medical research?

The Hon. K.O. Foley interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, the Treasurer!

Mr WILLIAMS: Minister Caica told Adelaide radio on 3 September—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! If you've got a conversation can you have it outside the chamber, please, leader and Treasurer?

Mr WILLIAMS: I will start my explanation again. Minister Caica told Adelaide radio on 3 September:

I don't believe it's in the public interest for Union Hall to be permanently heritage listed...I say that on the basis that the University of Adelaide's plan is to establish the Institute of Photonics & Advanced Sensing on that site. This will be a world-class, internationally recognised teaching and research facility that will directly benefit students.

The SPEAKER: I did not hear who that question was for, but I presume it is the Minister for Environment and Conservation.

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton—Minister for Environment and Conservation, Minister for the River Murray, Minister for Water) (15:12): You are absolutely correct, Madam Speaker, it was for me.

Mr Venning interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: Yes, I don't mind it at all, Ivan. I have already confirmed that I have directed the South Australian Heritage Council to remove the provisional entry of the Union Hall building from the South Australian Heritage Register, pursuant to section 18(7) of the Heritage Places Act 1993.

Mr Williams interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr Williams interjecting:

The Hon. P.F. Conlon: Lie in front of the bulldozer!

The SPEAKER: Order, Minister for Transport!

The Hon. P. CAICA: Madam Speaker, I know that, today, they have chosen not to use their fast leading full forward to ask questions, but I would also note that they are using their back pocket, I guess, to ask questions, and I would suggest to him that he ought to do some research into the way in which he asks questions to make sure they are around the mark, because, really, he has shown that he has no understanding of what underpins the Heritage Places Act and the decision—

Mr Williams interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: You do not understand it, Mitch, and you just made that perfectly clear. The Heritage Places Act 1993 enables me as minister to take this course of action if I am of the opinion that the confirmation of the listing of a place in the Heritage Register would be contrary to the public interest. This was, as I have mentioned before, a difficult decision, but one I ultimately made in the public interest.

The Hon. P.F. Conlon interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: Of course they would. My decision enables the University of Adelaide, subject to the development application that it will make, to proceed with its plans to build a new teaching and research facility on its North Terrace campus. As members would be aware—and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition made clear—the University of Adelaide plans to establish the Institute for Photonics and Advance Sensing on the hall site.

In my opinion, the proposed teaching and research facilities would directly benefit students through improved infrastructure and teaching and research facilities and make a significant contribution to public tertiary education in this state. It would also benefit the broader community through increased job opportunities and investment in the local economy during the development phase. In addition, it would further build South Australia's reputation for education excellence and strengthen South Australia's competitiveness in the national and international education marketplace. Members would be aware that international education is our state's fourth largest export earner.

Another decision could have also jeopardised significant investment in public tertiary education in South Australia. The university, as everyone would know, secured $30 million from the commonwealth in addition to significant funds from the state. In addition, the university's proposal aligns with this government's commitment to increasing investment in science, research and innovation.

Mrs Redmond interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

An honourable member: Who is asking the question?

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: I know what the question is. I am putting it into context. As already stated, it was a difficult decision. This was a matter which attracted a great deal of public interest, and there was a diverse range of views expressed during the statutory public consultation period that was held earlier this year. This public consultation period attracted almost 100 public submissions, and more than half were against the heritage listing of the hall: 41 confirmed the entry and 56 were opposed. Outside of this, there were about 30 letters that were directed specifically to me and emails that were sent to my office.

Mrs Redmond interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: I beg your pardon?

Mrs Redmond: How many of those were in favour of your decision?

The Hon. P. CAICA: Well, of those 30, very few; of those emails, very few. However, bear in mind that some of those 30 letters and emails were also written by the same people who had made a public submission. There were some by the same authors, as I said, but it is also safe to say that of that 30 most were certainly in favour of the retention.

Mrs Redmond: How many?

The Hon. P. CAICA: A significant number. I acknowledge that, from the public submissions provided to me, Union Hall is an important place to many people. However, many of the submissions also highlighted the need for improved teaching research and student facilities.

I might also add here that as part of my research, I did pop down to Union Hall on several occasions and sat through a couple of lectures. It is also safe to say that I did not understand what they were lecturing about, but I sat there in the lecture room. It was most important to speak to some of the students—

The Hon. I.F. Evans interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: Don't reflect on how you felt at cabinet, Iain. I spoke to students down there about their views on Union Hall from a lecture room perspective and how they felt about it being used as a lecture room. It was very clear to me from the submissions that there were many people with a connection to performing arts who had sentimental ties to the building and others who appreciated the architectural design of Union Hall. However, there were many who made the submissions who think that Union Hall is not a place of any historical significance and do not regard it as anything other than an eyesore.

I make the point that these were the diverse opinions that were forwarded to me. So indeed, there was a diverse range of views expressed to me about this building, and I took all of those views into account when determining this matter.

With respect to the final component of the question—and again, part of it might be best answered by someone else—it is certainly clear to me that the most appropriate place for the photonics and advanced sensing research to be undertaken is on the university grounds, with its interface that is going to occur—I am sure that you are aware of this, Mitch. If you are not, you are now—with the Environment Institute—

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: Real-time sensing. In fact, it is a fascinating subject. It is critically important to this state's future in a whole host of areas, not the least of which are mining, defence, as well as the management of the environment and the relationship to what are strategic objectives for this state's future. It is critically important. If you talk about heritage, Tanya Monro, in my view, will become a heritage icon in the future for the work that she is doing in the area of photonics. She is a world-class researcher. The best place for that research to occur is in, on and at the Adelaide University.