Magill Training Centre Site

Mr TARZIA (Hartley) (15:17): Today, I bring to the house's attention a significant local issue in my community, namely, that concerning the development of the former Magill Training Centre site. This proposed development continues to raise significant concerns within the local community, including the residents of Magill.

I attended a recent community meeting with local residents and community leaders, including the member for Morialta, on Thursday 12 May at the Rostrevor College Pavilion, and it was at times a loud meeting, let me tell you. Many residents were rightly furious about the arrogance of the current government and its failure to address the challenges which this proposed development will present. Over 115 residents attended. I note that neither the Minister for Planning, the Minister for Transport nor the Minister for Road Safety attended the meeting. The only gentleman, in fact, who attended on behalf of the government was Mr Paul Gelston, a very capable man who I am sure will have reported to his minister the severe levels of concern in the area.

It was back in 2009 that the state government decided to flog off the site. Since then, since 2011 and 2012, hundreds of residents have attended an array of public meetings, putting forward various valid propositions. In the state government's complete arrogance, a ministerial DPA was released right near Christmas 2013, ignoring most of the community's feedback. Land division was submitted with the local Adelaide Hills Council in July 2015.

In a joint venture between Starfish Developments and Devine Limited, we have now learnt that the DAC has approved close to 400 developments at the site. I note that a number of regulated trees, even eight significant trees, are proposed to be removed. An array of issues were raised at the meeting, as you can understand, notably the inappropriate increase to near 400 homes from 250. Whilst the government has already allowed that, it does have the power to change other aspects which affect the development.

Before I was elected as the member for Hartley, I lobbied, and now as the member for Hartley I continue to lobby for improvements to our area to make it the best that it can be. The state government has the budget, and not only the budget but the capacity, to improve the transport solutions surrounding the site. These include cycling infrastructure and public transport infrastructure, as well as improvement of key roads and intersections that have issues now, even before the traffic of 400 dwellings hits the area.

As reiterated by the feedback received from local residents in the local traffic survey I recently sent out—and I thank the hundreds of residents who sent in their surveys—the increase of 400 dwellings to the site will increase traffic by thousands of movements every day. Various intersections will be negatively impacted by the development, including Glen Stuart Road and Moules Road, Moules Road and St Bernards Road, and Magill Road and Norton Summit Road. Additionally, roads such as Koongarra Avenue, Edward Street and surrounding streets will have dramatically increased volumes.

Along with the member for Morialta I wrote to the Minister for Transport in December 2015 to alert him to these issues. The minister must now escalate these concerns. With the state government to receive over $50 million from the sale of the site it simply cannot bank a tonne of cash from developers and ignore the concerns of my residents. The state government must implement a road traffic management plan, it must allocate funding for these problem intersections and roads. I will continue to lobby the state government on this issue, because my residents demand and deserve action to be taken.