Question Time

GLOBE DERBY PARK

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (15:06): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Urban Development and Planning questions about the planned development at Globe Derby Park.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS: The first annual report of the Housing and Employment Land Supply Program has identified Globe Derby Park as a future growth area for residential development for northern Adelaide. According to table 3.18 of the report, the area is to be rezoned from rural living and recreation to residential by 2013. For this to occur, the plan states that Globe Derby Park Racecourse must be closed.

The minister will recall the compensation fight the Gawler Harness Racing Club had with the Rann government when its land was compulsorily acquired to make way for the Northern Expressway. One has to wonder whether this is another case of the Rann government making big plans without consulting the community appropriately. My questions are:

1. What consultation has taken place in relation to the decision to rezone Globe Derby Park?

2. Will the minister listen to the local community on the proposed rezoning?

3. Has the minister consulted Harness Racing South Australia about this proposal and, if not, when will the minister consult Harness Racing South Australia?

4. Does this government have a new plan for a home for harness racing in Adelaide and South Australia if this plan goes ahead?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister Assisting the Premier in Public Sector Management) (15:07): This Housing and Employment Land Supply Program report takes the 30-year plan and the land that was envisaged for future development and puts some detail as to all the potential areas where Adelaide might grow. There are numerous potential areas of growth envisaged in that report. The government has no intention of compulsorily acquiring land, any more than has been the case in the past when land has been examined for rezoning.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: Of course, if you have an expressway, yes, that is when you do. If you are going to build a road then, yes, you do compulsorily acquire land for that purpose. In relation to this particular area around Globe Derby, I remind the honourable member that that is adjacent to the salt fields. I understand there has been some investigation involving the LMC, Delfin and, I think, the Ridley Corporation, who own the salt fields, to look at the potential of whether that area could be used for housing given that it is not that far from the CBD.

Obviously, whether that proceeds will depend on its viability. As that land is adjacent to the area around Globe Derby, one would imagine that there would be a number of issues to be faced in relation to that, not the least of which would be relocation of those operations. One would envisage that, before any expansion in that area of Globe Derby were viable, it would depend perhaps on the viability of that particular proposal. All the Housing and Employment Land Supply program seeks to do (and it will be updated every year) is look at those areas which are being considered for future growth.

In relation to harness racing, I am not sure who owns that property, but it is my understanding that it is owned by a committee, and it would really be up to the committee to decide what it wishes to do with its land in the future. Just because one is investigating areas within the 30-year plan does not automatically mean that the government will compulsorily acquire that land; in fact, generally speaking governments do not compulsorily acquire land for anything other than for purposes such as roads or essential infrastructure.

All this program does is simply look at land that has potential for urban growth in the foreseeable future. It is up to the owners of that land, and to developers who may wish to purchase it, as to whether or not those plans come to fruition. The program will be updated every year and, if it transpires that the Ridley land at the salt fields is not viable for housing, that would be taken out of the plan in the future and some other areas would be looked at. All this program seeks to do is provide a map of areas for potential future growth.

I should also say that the maps are extremely detailed in that they show virtually every dwelling that has been built between 2005 and 2009. So it shows where growth has been and it shows land that is potentially available. For example, there is a series of steps that would have to be taken for much of the land in that area, particularly if it is not zoned for housing; many considerations would have to take place first.

In relation not so much to Globe Derby Park but to the adjacent area at the salt fields, significant studies of the viability of any such development taking place are currently being undertaken. That will determine the future of that area, and probably any potential for development of adjacent areas. That will be the determinant. It certainly will not be a case of government compulsorily, or otherwise, I suspect, acquiring any land in that area.