Adelaide Oval Hotel Development

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens) (14:32): My question is to the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure. Will the proposed SMA hotel development, assisted by the $42 million state government loan, improve patronage, profitability and the commercial success of Adelaide Oval?

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL (Schubert—Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government, Minister for Planning) (14:32): That's a question for the Stadium Management Authority in the first instance. I would point out to the house that I'm actually not responsible to the state parliament for the Stadium Management Authority. It's actually a private company—

The Hon. S.C. Mullighan interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Lee is warned for a second and final time.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: It is a board that is not appointed by the government. It has a CEO who is not appointed by the government. It is a private entity.

The Hon. L.W.K. Bignell interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Mawson is warned.

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: What we as a government have chosen to do is help reinvest in a world-class facility. We want Adelaide Oval to remain at the forefront of stadia around the world so that, for instance, over the five-day test we have the opportunity to showcase our state and, for those visitors who then want to be able to stay in this hotel, that we provide them the opportunity to do so.

What I would also say is that the business structure that the Stadium Management Authority has to work under, again, was put in place by the former government. When the member for Lee has a go because the price of beer is expensive—and I'm not suggesting that it's cheap—it is a tacit recognition of that fact that—

Mr Odenwalder interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Elizabeth is warned.

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: —the financial structure of Adelaide Oval relies on—

The Hon. L.W.K. Bignell interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Mawson is warned.

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: —a high level of patronage. What we've also sought to do through this hotel proposal is to give the Stadium Management Authority a diversified revenue base whereby they can have income streams that can support their business. That is prudent, that is important and, moreover, it helps to improve the tourism offer of our great city.