Adelaide Parklands

The Hon. M.C. PARNELL (14:46): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment representing the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government a question about the use of Adelaide's Parklands.

Leave granted.

The Hon. M.C. PARNELL: On 4 August 2016, I asked the then minister for police representing the then minister for the City of Adelaide a question about the Adelaide Parklands. Since then, we have a new government and a new minister. To remind members of the issue I asked about then, under section 23 of the Adelaide Park Lands Act 2005, if land within the Adelaide Parklands is no longer required for any of its existing uses the minister must ensure that a report concerning the state government's position on the future use and status of the land is prepared within 18 months and tabled in parliament. This report:

…must include information on the condition of the land and on the action (if any) that would be required in order to make the land suitable for public use as park lands.

In 2016, I asked whether the then minister would be providing a report to parliament that properly addresses the legal requirements of section 23 of the Adelaide Park Lands Act. I asked this question in relation to six projects: the old Royal Adelaide Hospital site; the expansion of the Casino onto the Parklands; the Walker Corporation's proposed office block on the Parklands behind Parliament House; the proposed Walker Corporation retail buildings on the Festival Plaza directly behind this Parliament House on the Parklands; the proposed new CBD high school on the Parklands; and the O-Bahn project on the Parklands.

Some nine months later, on 9 May 2017, the then minister for the City of Adelaide responded saying that the government was seeking further advice on the preparation of section 23 reports on the development of the Casino and the Festival Plaza. It said that it did not need to prepare one for the CBD high school because the site had previously been used for educational purposes, but it possibly did need to prepare a report in relation to the O-Bahn. My question of the new minister is: when might we expect to see these reports tabled in parliament, as required under the Adelaide Park Lands Act?

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment) (14:48): I thank the member for his question. I do recall, not the date, but I do recall him asking that question. He has always had a strong interest in the Parklands and it would be a pleasure to take that question on notice and to refer it to my colleague the Hon. Stephan Knoll in the other place and bring back a reply.