Question Time

ADELAIDE OVAL

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:20): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for the City of Adelaide, and custodian of our Parklands, a question about the Adelaide Oval redevelopment.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: In the first sitting week back in this place after the election I asked the Minister for the City of Adelaide a question in relation to the design brief for the redevelopment of Adelaide Oval and the size of the wider precinct. She failed to answer that question, but I asked a supplementary question as follows:

Are you advising this council that, as the Minister for the City of Adelaide, you have not been advised on the extent or size of the footprint of the precinct proposed for the Adelaide Oval redevelopment?

The minister went on to say:

I have answered the question. I have said that these matters are still under consideration, they are still under development, and negotiations are still taking place. When the plans have been finalised, all will be revealed.

On radio 891 this morning former Crows CEO, Mr Bill Sanders, gave a relatively lengthy interview to Matt and Dave. Towards the end of the interview he said:

I was fascinated to read the other day that…the western stand at Adelaide Oval is going to…have to be pushed out some 50 metres into the Creswell Gardens…little issues like this, I think, that we're still in the dark about…

My questions are:

1. Can the minister confirm that pushing the footprint of the oval some 50 metres out into Creswell Gardens is one of the proposals being considered?

2. The War Memorial Oak, planted by His Excellency the former governor, Sir Henry Galway, on Wattle Day in 1914, is on the eastern side of the oval. It is the only heritage-listed tree in the precinct. Will the minister advise what is to become of that particular tree?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister for the City of Adelaide) (14:22): I thank the honourable member for his most important questions. This Adelaide Oval redevelopment has the potential to be a truly amazing project for South Australia, and it is an exciting breakthrough after 35 years of what has been a bitter divide between cricket and football. This project has the potential to bridge that great divide and build a fabulous facility here in South Australia.

In terms of the work being done on it, I believe treasurer Foley made a ministerial statement yesterday giving an update on the progress of that development, and he indicated that the government would make more time available to the SMA to enable it to complete its work. The SANFL and SACA must now reach agreement, and the SMA will report to the government by the end of August. Following that report, the government will conduct its own due diligence on the designs, cost estimates and financial modelling, etc. No doubt those details will be discussed and included in the report for us to consider.