Parliamentary Committees

Public Works Committee: Anzac Centenary Memorial Garden Walk Project

Ms DIGANCE (Elder) (11:12): I move:

That the 521^st report of the committee, on the Anzac Centenary Memorial Garden Walk, be noted.

To commemorate the centenary of ANZAC, a physical link will be established between the South Australian National War Memorial on North Terrace and the Pathway of Honour at the Torrens Parade Ground. It will represent:

remembrance, symbolised by the National War Memorial.

loyalty, symbolised by Government House; and

service, symbolised by the Torrens Parade Ground where many service men and women were farewelled.

A pedestrian walkway will be constructed to the east of Government House along Kintore Avenue. The project will require moving the fence of Government House 10 metres to the west, something agreed to and supported by the Governor. This wall will be replaced with a transparent fence which will allow the public to view the beautiful grounds of Government House but which will be designed as to maintain the security of government house, the Governor and guests of government house.

The project is costed at $10 million (exclusive of GST) and will be jointly funded by the state government at $3 million, the federal government at $5 million and the Adelaide City Council at $2 million. Construction is due to commence shortly, with the project to be completed by April next year.

This is the preferred project recommended by the Veterans' Advisory Council and has been consulted on widely, including with the RSL (SA) and ex-service men and women and the Governor. It has wide-ranging support.

In addition, this project will not only provide a commemorative walkway linking our key memorials, it will also add to the vibrancy of the city by encouraging people to walk between the natural beauty of the River Torrens and the cultural precinct of North Terrace. Given this, and pursuant to section 12C of the Parliamentary Committees Act 1991, the Public Works Committee reports to parliament that it recommends the proposed public works.

Mr PENGILLY (Finniss) (11:14): The opposition members support this project. It is a good project and gives suitable recognition along that section of road and will be terrific when it is finished completely. It also recognises the contribution of our armed forces over the last 100 years or so. We have absolutely no problem with it and, indeed, members enjoyed the hearing and got quite a bit out of it. We support the project.

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (11:15): I have a small contribution on the Anzac Centenary Memorial Garden Walk. It is something that was put forward as part of an election promise, and the tabling of the 521^st report highlights the walk as an asset to Adelaide and is in recognition of the people who fought and represented this country so proudly.

The project is jointly funded by the federal and state government and the Adelaide City Council, with the total cost being $10 million. The project proposes the walk to be a promenade along Kintore Avenue linking the South Australian National War Memorial on North Terrace to the Pathway of Honour at the Torrens Parade Ground. Some of the major changes under the project include:

the 10-metre offset from the existing boundary line into Government House grounds;

the replacement of the Government House external wall with a see-through fence—and I think that was probably one of the bones of contention with this project when it was first put forward;

the retention of trees—obviously, there will be some trees that will be removed, but the trees will be retained where possible;

the replacement of staff dwelling;

changes to the eastern perimeter landscaping of the Government House domain;

some alterations to the eastern service area and the car park; and

the review and possible augmentation of Government House security.

That was also one of the issues, and I think rightfully so, that security must be maintained, particularly taking away a solid fence and creating a view into Government House.

During the hearing, we were told that the creation of the Anzac Centenary Memorial Garden Walk was a unique opportunity to design and create a memorial in the heart of Adelaide in its memorial precinct. It is a once-in-a-century project and is in complete harmony with the city of Adelaide and its surrounding memorials. The initial discussions about the project were first aired in 2009 through the Veterans Advisory Council. The federal government funding for the project is being funded from the Anzac Centenary Public Fund and is guaranteed by the commonwealth government regardless of the amount raised by Mr Lindsay Fox through public donations.

Some concerns were raised about the possibility of remains at the construction site and, if found, how these would be treated, and I think all of the evidence satisfied the committee. The CEO of History SA confirmed the area was the approximate site of the first gaol and advised of the possibility that four or five of the first men executed may have been buried within the gaol yard. During the hearing, we heard that further investigations have been carried out and the department has approached Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation who have advised that the register of Aboriginal sites and objects has no entries for Aboriginal sites within the area, so a risk to the budget had been established to cover any of these types of events.

I give support for the project, as the member for Finniss has on behalf of the opposition. I think it is a great project and, hopefully, it will be the pride of our veterans' walk come any day, giving recognition for those people who fought for this great country.

Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (11:19): This is a very good project that has been examined by the Public Works Committee, and I am pleased to see that it is going ahead at last. I was in Canberra a bit over two years ago, I think, and spoke to the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and had a little bit to do with securing the federal funding for this project. I think it was a bit of a surprise to the Minister for Veterans' Affairs when I made that announcement in estimates committees last year. The federal grant of $5 million is locked in, as is the state funding and the City of Adelaide funding. It is a very good project.

On Sunday morning, I was at the centenary, as was the member for Florey, of the unveiling of the memorial for the veterans and those who died during the Dardanelles campaign in 1915. Of course, we know the Dardanelles campaign now as the Gallipoli peninsula campaign. Even the term 'ANZAC' was not being used frequently then.

I am very pleased to hear that this memorial, which sits unnoticed in many ways on the corner of South Terrace and Goodwood Road, is mooted to be moved to be part of the new walk down Kintore Avenue. This is a very good thing because it will remind us all of the long history we have in participating in conflicts around the world and the sacrifices that have been made.

The sacrifice that has been made has come back to me in a very pointed way, as it did with the member for Taylor and the member for Florey when we, with the Hon. Andrew McLachlan and the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, visited the Gallipoli peninsula during the winter break and were present at the centenary of the battle for Lone Pine and also the Aboriginal ceremony of bringing home the spirits of Aboriginal veterans at Anzac Cove. The sacrifices that all our men and women of the armed forces and also, I should say, that their families have made in keeping this country safe will be well and truly on display with this magnificent new project.

Ms DIGANCE (Elder) (11:21): I would just like to thank the speakers who have contributed to the support of this project—the member for Finniss, the member for Chaffey and the member for Morphett. It is really an outstanding collaborative project and one that I think we, as South Australians, will all be proud of. I thank the Public Works Committee for its hard work and all the witnesses who made presentations to us. I commend the report.

Motion carried.