COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO (15:31): My question is to the Minister for Urban Development and Planning. Will he provide an update on Adelaide's progress in attracting investment in commercial developments, and how are we ensuring that our modern office blocks meet high environmental standards?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Small Business) (15:32): I thank the honourable member for her question. I had the great pleasure last month of attending a ceremony to mark the beginning of construction of a new commercial property near the Adelaide Parklands station at Keswick. WorldPark:01 is a $150 million, five-star Green Star development that will demonstrate leading technologies in water and energy conservation. When fully completed, it will be an innovative campus-style development that will revolutionise working environments.

This government has made it very clear that it wants buildings of this quality becoming part of the mainstream culture in this state. Demand is growing for buildings that are not only pleasing to the eye but that tread lightly on the planet, are cheaper to run and provide healthy places for people to spend time. The fact that stage 1 of WorldPark:01 has been fully pre-committed highlights this growing demand and is a strong endorsement of the development and its design.

The community in general are becoming more aware of the relationship between up-front and ongoing costs and that water and energy inefficient buildings may be cheaper to build but that they are more expensive to operate on a day-to-day and year-to-year basis. Buildings such as that of WorldPark:01 constitute one step towards achieving this government's vision of an Adelaide that is recognised worldwide as liveable, competitive and resilient to climate change.

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway interjecting:

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: Of course, they are the objectives of the 30-year plan for Greater Adelaide. To come back to the Leader of the Opposition's interjection, yes; it does fit in with the 30-year plan.

The government wants to encourage development that allows Adelaide to retain the features that South Australians love, such as open space and the ambience and charm of rural centres, but a city that is vibrant and family friendly. We want to encourage places with a sense of local community, modern and efficient public transport services and walkable neighbourhoods through our support for transit-oriented development. Of course, the 30-year plan for Greater Adelaide currently out for consultation provides the vision that looks out beyond 2037, the bicentenary of Colonel William Light's plan for Adelaide.

Governments and the private sector are often criticised for being shortsighted or not looking far enough into the future and of only focusing on the bottom line. It has become clear that we need a new approach and a new way of thinking. By ensuring innovation, creativity and leadership coming together in a built form, such as our commercial properties, we can create something unique here in Adelaide. Supporting innovation is essential if this generation is to leave a legacy of sustainability for South Australians to come. I look forward to working together with the commercial property sector to deliver the objectives of the 30-year plan as we continue to strive to meet the challenges of maintaining Adelaide's reputation as the number one place to live, work and play.