Riverbank Authority

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:54): I have a supplementary question. Will the minister confirm then that the planning role that the authority will have is that it will be told about the planning decisions that have been made by the government after the government has determined what is to happen within this precinct; that is, their role in planning will just be to be kept informed of what the government has decided, and that you will not be consulting with them before you sign the Walker agreement?

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Justice Reform, Minister for Planning, Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Minister for Industrial Relations) (14:54): No, I am happy to say that all of the direct and implied matters contained in that question are incorrect. The position is this, and let me make this clear again. Mr McEvoy has been the subject of—

Mr Marshall: They are very important, these words.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: I hope so. I don't want to waste your time. Mr McEvoy has been appointed to be the head of this authority. He has been involved in conversations both with me and with officers of Renewal SA about the progress in this matter. He and the rest of his board will be involved in ongoing discussions.

Can I say that, in the context of the public realm there, their input as curators of that public realm is going to be absolutely essential. I will give an example. At the moment, the surface of the plaza behind us, in the winter time, is a rather uninviting, wet, cold place and, in the summer time, except for Barrio, is a rather hot, unpleasant, uninviting place, remarkable only for its lack of human visitation. One of the important jobs that the authority will have will be to curate those areas in such a way as to make them interesting and attractive.

They will be involved in, for example, if there are activated spaces there, considering what those activated spaces will look like, where those activated spaces will be and how they will be activated. For instance, do we want Hungry Jack's next to McDonald's next to Krispy Kreme and Wokinabox just lined up? No: we want to have attractive, high quality operators in this space because this is going to be a premium part of Adelaide.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.R. RAU: You might laugh, but one day—sorry, Mr Speaker, I know you won't laugh. Those opposite may laugh but, one day, when this place has been completed, in the not too distant future—

Mr Marshall: When?

The Hon. J.R. RAU: You just wait—and I am walking through there and I see their smiling faces having a coffee, a latte or a cucumber sandwich under an umbrella, I will say to them, 'You sceptics.' I will remind them of this day when they were sceptical in front of you, Mr Speaker, and they will feel embarrassed. They will hang their heads in shame.

The SPEAKER: You might have added that they may have arrived there via the footbridge.

An honourable member interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I apologise for barracking. The member for Stuart.