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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-06-03 Daily Xml
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KESWICK BARRACKS

Mr PENGILLY (Finniss) (15:01): Does the Premier support the forecast sale of the Keswick Barracks and surrounding land?

The Hon. M.D. RANN (Ramsay—Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change) (15:01): I visited the Keswick Barracks, in fact, following my discussions with former foreign minister Alexander Downer. We once shared a vision that perhaps Keswick Barracks in the future could be a university campus, but unfortunately the universities said that they wanted to have their operations based in the city which, of course, led to the rejuvenation of the shared Downer-Rann vision of the Torrens Building.

We do not have any plans to purchase the Keswick Barracks. I have to say there would be an element of sadness to see it no longer used for military purposes because there is a heritage, an affection and the officers' club facilities that I am sure the honourable member has also enjoyed. In fact, I remember that the last time I was there was when we welcomed back a contingent of troops from Iraq.

No proposition has been put in front of me for any other purposes for the Keswick Barracks in recent times. The great thing about the area is that these are wonderful heritage listed buildings that must not ever be bowled over. I know that some people talked about it being a site for the hospital; we looked at that. The trouble is the site was not big enough and also it was not on the necessary transport corridors. It would have caused a transport mess, and that is why it was important. It also would have been a distance from the IMVS and the universities, as opposed to directly opposite a university—

Mr Williams interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Directly opposite; across the road from a university—and the need to have it in the CBD, on a tramline, a train line, on bus routes, the hub of the city. So, I think we made the right decision. Certainly, the Keswick area is a stunning precinct. There are wonderful heritage listed buildings. There are also some pretty awful buildings there as well—sheds and so on.

No, I do not have any plans for the Keswick Barracks. I know the former government looked at disposing of it. I think that under Brendan Nelson as defence minister they had been looking at future uses of Keswick Barracks. I know there is a very strong affection for the barracks from those who have served there and continue to do so.

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