MOUNT BARKER DEVELOPMENT PLAN AMENDMENT

Mr KENYON (Newland) (15:04): My question is to the Premier.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr KENYON: Can the Premier update the house on the proposed Mount Barker Urban Growth Development Plan Amendment?

Members interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN (Ramsay—Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change) (15:04): The question was hard to hear because of the screaming from members opposite. The question was: can the Premier update the house on the proposed Mount Barker Urban Growth Development Plan Amendment? Is that right; have I got that down accurately? Okay. The 30-Year Plan for Greater Adelaide anticipates that 560,000 new residents will need to be accommodated in the Greater Adelaide region over the next 30 years.

Up to 70 per cent of new dwellings will be within the city's existing footprint and along proposed transit corridors.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Of course, this differs from when they were in office, because the projections were population decline. We were heading towards Tasmania—not geographically, because, in fact, Australia is moving some centimetres towards East Timor every year. But the fact is that we were going backwards under the Liberals. Up to 70 per cent of new dwellings will be within the city's existing footprint and along proposed transit corridors.

The plan envisages that only 13,000 new dwellings will be needed in the entire Adelaide Hills and Murray Bridge region to house an additional 29,000 residents. That is an additional growth rate in the Adelaide Hills and Murray Bridge region of fewer than 1,000 residents a year for the next few decades.

We need to remember that Mount Barker is already one of the fastest growing regional centres in South Australia. It therefore requires specific structural planning to cater for the expected increase in demand for health, education, transport and services (such as power, water and sewerage). This is exactly what the DPA will deliver.

The Mount Barker Urban Growth Development Plan Amendment is currently the subject of an extensive public consultation process. Local government, community groups, business operators and—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I am going to start warning people and I will throw someone out by the end of the day if this continues. The Premier.

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Local government, community groups, business operators and private citizens all have an opportunity through this process to put their views forward and be heard. The Mount Barker council, as well as many members of the community, have already provided submissions in response to the DPA during the public consultation period.

In addition, the planning minister, the Hon. Paul Holloway, has met with mayor Ann Ferguson to discuss the Mount Barker Urban Growth DPA, and staff from the Department of Planning and Local Government regularly met with council staff and councillors before the public release of the DPA.

The final DPA and the supporting documentation will address many of the important issues raised in the council phone survey, such as physical and social infrastructure, education services, public transport, water, sewerage and stormwater.

The Mayor of Mount Barker, Ann Ferguson, has also written to me requesting a meeting to discuss the DPA. However, the public consultation process has not concluded. As such, it would neither be appropriate nor productive to meet before the process has run its course.

At the conclusion of the consultation process, the Development Policy Advisory Committee will consider the DPA and all the submissions received and provide recommendations to minister Holloway before a final decision is made. I have written to mayor Ferguson to let her know that, at that point—

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I warn the member for Bragg.

The Hon. M.D. RANN: —I would be happy to meet with her to discuss her concerns, which I am confident will be addressed by the ongoing consultation process. In addition to the Mount Barker Urban Growth DPA, other public consultation processes being undertaken by the state government include:

the Social Inclusion Disability blueprint;

the draft South Australian Wast Strategy Consultation Paper;

the Education and Early Childhood Development Legislation Reform Consultation Paper;

the Education Discussion Paper;

the Ageing and Disability Service Improvement Consultation Paper;

South Australian Strategic Plan update forums;

marine parks local advisory groups meetings;

Criminal Law (Sentencing Considerations) Bill consultation process; and many others.

Yes, I am happy to talk with the mayor once the statutory consultation period has been completed.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Morphett.