Federal Election

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta) (15:50): This Saturday, I am looking forward to voting for James Stevens as the ongoing member for Sturt, and I do so for a number of reasons. James is somebody who is a passionate advocate for his electorate. He is somebody whose mind is well regarded across the nation. He contributes to making the federal Liberal Party a stronger team and he contributes to making the federal parliament a stronger team. Despite that, he puts his community first, and I thought this was on very strong display when the Magill Matters community group recently put forward the opportunity for the key candidates for the federal election this Saturday to state their case in relation to the future of the Magill site currently occupied by the University of South Australia.

Members would recall that as part—certainly at the same time—of the university merger proposal, one of the aspects was that this state government has purchased for approximately $65 million the land at the Magill UniSA site. The Labor government's proposal going forward is to sell that land, or a substantial component thereof, to developers who are able to deliver housing. The stated ambition of Renewal SA and the Treasury, when the university's committee was exploring this, was that the government wants to recoup that $65 million or, as the then under treasurer Rick Persse said, they want to recoup at least $65 million from the sale.

Since then, a number of things have happened, led by the Liberal Party, by Vincent Tarzia as Liberal leader, with my support, with the support of people like Scott Kennedy, the Liberal candidate for Morialta, and James Stevens, the Liberal member for Sturt. The Labor Party has started talking about other things too. They started talking about the heritage value of Murray House. They have started talking about and acknowledging the importance of the area around the creek line that is valued by so many walkers and, as James Stevens has highlighted on so many occasions, amongst others, the opportunity and the need for more recreational facilities.

The community has also played an enormous role in this matter. The Magill Matters Facebook group, led by Charlotte Reimer, but with the support of an active committee, has indeed been advocating hard for continued community use of that space. Going forward, I think the Magill Matters community group, as they did during the Renewal SA public consultation, will continue to play an important role. I want to commend everyone in the group, Charlotte and all of her team, for what they have done in this role. A couple of days ago, they put up statements from the four main candidates in the federal election as to what they are doing there. I note a quote from Dr Verity Cooper, the independent candidate:

The State Government has acquired the site, primarily for building urgently needed housing

But it is vitally important for all parties to discuss, be able to discuss and negotiate together, and aim for a shared vision for the Magill campus. There are 14.62 hectares to use for multiple purposes.

We need to work together for everyone to be heard and to listen. I look forward to supporting and participating in this purpose.

I am not entirely sure where that is going, but that is her view. Katie McCusker, the Greens SA candidate for Sturt, said:

The State Greens have a vision for high quality social and affordable housing on the site, which is contained to the existing building footprint and planned in consultation with the community. Any such development would include retention of the existing green space along with important recreational and other facilities so well used and loved by local residents.

So, social affordable housing with retention of some green space. James Stevens and Claire Clutterham are probably the two main candidates. Claire Clutterham, the Labor candidate, uses the word 'future' three times in the first sentence, but I am not sure what it means. She says:

I am…looking forward for the report reviewing the results of the public consultation, which will provide further insight into the wishes of the community and which should be carefully considered at an early stage in the process of determining the pathway forward.

I will tell you what the Labor Party's pathway forward is: they are going to sell this land for $65 million or more. They have said that is what their pathway is. Renewal SA is consulting on a master plan and that is good, and hundreds of members of the local community have considered it and contributed to it, but I have no faith in the Labor Party to take those considerations seriously, absent action taken or a clear election commitment by the Labor Party to protect and preserve this land for the community.

James Stevens by comparison is very clear. He says, 'I am strongly opposed to any proposals for dense housing on the UniSA land on either side of St Bernards Road.' He talks about the importance of opportunities for multicode recreational precincts and says:

Developments of this nature that protect existing open space and provide enhanced community use have my strong support.

They have my support, too. They have the support of the local community. James Stevens is the only candidate very clearly and unambiguously making support for recreational facilities, opposing Labor's high-density sell-off of the land, and supporting the environmental and recreational opportunities on this site, and James Stevens will continue to have my support.