30-YEAR PLAN FOR GREATER ADELAIDE

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Justice, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Tourism, Minister for Food Marketing) (14:06): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: This month represents the first anniversary of the 30-year Plan for Greater Adelaide. I would like to pay tribute to my predecessor (Hon. Paul Holloway) for the important work he has done over many years. One of the great legacies of his tenure is the bringing together of this plan, which lays out a direction for our capital city for the next three decades.

There have been times in the past when development in South Australia has occurred in an ad hoc and uncoordinated way. To the extent that that was ever acceptable, it is no longer so. Over the next 30 years, as many as half a million people will be added to the state's population. These people will require housing. These people will require transport. These people will require open spaces. These people will need jobs and, most importantly, these people will need a complementary, well thought out urban environment.

Natural boundaries preclude extensive growth to the east and, obviously, the west. I do not believe, and the government does not believe, that it is reasonable or smart for the city to extend endlessly north and south of its current boundaries. The implications for outlying communities, difficulties with transport, medical facilities, schools and so on, not to mention the destruction of productive agricultural land, make that alternative unacceptable.

The 30-year plan contains limited and clearly defined boundaries for the maximum growth of metropolitan Adelaide. However, developing within these boundaries will not house all of the anticipated population growth for the city. This means that urban infill of some description will have to meet a substantial proportion of the increased accommodation needs.

Rather than being threatened by this possibility, I view this as an exciting opportunity to revitalise portions of metropolitan Adelaide. Importantly, urban infill does not mean the destruction of Adelaide's great heritage in terms of outstanding individual buildings or suburbs with great heritage, constancy or value. It does, however, mean that we will need a substantially greater population density in some parts of the city, particularly those adjacent to major transport networks. These areas have recently been described as transit-oriented developments (TOD). There is no doubt that these are a major part of our future.

Appropriate planning for such dramatic change in our urban environment will require more sophisticated thinking than has been needed previously for simple subdivision of land into quarter acre blocks. Developers will need to become more sophisticated and creative. The priority for 'liveability' in these new urban precincts will be central. A greater integration of urban design will be essential. A greater integration of government services and utilities—including transport—will need to accommodate the primary function of these precincts as places in which people feel comfortable living, working and enjoying their leisure time.

The government's long-term planning means that we are well placed to achieve these goals. I am pleased to say that, in the first year of the 30-year plan (which, for those opposite, means that there are 29 to go) significant achievements have occurred. These include:

Urban infill projects—the fact that the cities of Unley, West Torrens, Prospect and Norwood Payneham and St Peters are collaborating with the state government to realise infill opportunities for rezoning for the inner suburbs surrounding the city;

Housing and Employment Land Supply Program (HELSP)—which sets out a clear timetable for preparing and zoning land within Greater Adelaide for housing and employment;

Population projections—underpinning that process and a key platform in the targets and policies of the plan, and South Australia's Strategic Plan, is to monitor and accommodate population growth in a sustainable and planned way;

Structure planning—the development of structure plans for five state significant areas outlined in the plan is underway and underpinning the vision; and

Urban design—the value of design and the impact of the built environment on quality of life outcomes is not to be understated. The design-led approach will also create opportunities to reduce the impact of climate change on urban communities.

The 30-year plan is not only about where and how South Australians will live in the future, it is also about how land will be used to create jobs in our communities. The plan also underpins the government's determination to protect the intrinsic value of regions, such as McLaren Vale and the Barossa Valley. It will ensure that towns that will become regional centres over time, such as Mount Barker, will have the infrastructure they need to support and service their growing communities.

Madam Speaker, the 30-year plan is the most significant planning document in the history of Adelaide, and it will have implications for the city far broader than those contemplated by the MATS plan in the 1960s. I am determined that high level consultation will continue between my department, the relevant local government authorities, the Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure and the Integrated Design Commission to ensure an excellent outcome.

A report card will be compiled annually to detail implementation of the plan beginning in the second half of 2011—reporting against indicators such as population growth, rezoning of land to meet supply targets, optimising the density of residential development and reducing mains water consumption.

The quality of life for South Australians into the future, as in the past, will be tied closely to the quality of our planning. The 30-year plan puts us in an excellent position to create an enduring legacy for future generations—a legacy of close-knit community, liveability and economic strength.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!