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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-12-02 Daily Xml
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Ministerial Statement

ADELAIDE OVAL

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) (14:02): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Today this government welcomed an historic agreement by the South Australian Cricket Association and the South Australian National Football League to work together to have AFL—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Today this government welcomed an historic agreement by the South Australian Cricket Association and the South Australian National Football League to work together to have AFL footy matches and first class cricket played at a redeveloped 50,000 seat Adelaide Oval. At a press conference today at Adelaide Oval, the SACA's Ian McLachlan (former federal Liberal defence minister, who is President of SACA), the SANFL's Leigh Whicker and the AFL's Andrew Demetriou announced that they had brokered a peace deal.

After 35 years of what at one stage could be best described as a bitter divide, all parties finally got together to broker a deal that will revitalise Adelaide Oval, revitalise world class cricket and revitalise AFL football in this state. The Crows want this; the Crows support it. Port Adelaide supports it. Cricket supports it. The SANFL supports it, the AFL supports it and I am sure that fans and businesses in the CBD would also support it.

It will bring to life the centre of the city all year round with cricket, AFL footy, rugby and other special events, including entertainment and it will be a venue fit to host World Cup soccer games. This is a victory for sports fans who for years have wanted to see an upgraded Adelaide Oval and footy and cricket played at the same venue.

The agreement signed by the codes three weeks ago creates a new structure to oversee the project and the running of the new stadium. This is the first major step—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: This is the first major step in bringing AFL to Adelaide Oval—

Mrs Redmond interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, the Leader of the Opposition!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: —and redeveloping the ground as one of the world's truly unique sporting venues in the heart of the city. This is about bringing our city alive. This is about making sure that we have the best facilities for fans, for footy, for cricket and for other codes. It means, of course, a perfect link with the electrified railway lines being electrified from—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: —Gawler down to Noarlunga and then on to Seaford, the coast-to-coast tram network as well. Under the agreement two working parties will be formed to examine the detailed financial requirements of the redevelopment and to scope, plan, design and put the project out to tender. Those working parties will also need to consult widely, including with the Adelaide City Council and local businesses, to take into account and resolve local community issues.

The state government is insisting on a legally binding agreement for the Adelaide Oval site from both SACA and SANFL by 1 July next year; but there is a really good financial carrot for them to do so. In the meantime, the state government will pursue financial assistance from the commonwealth of up to $100 million to assist in meeting our in-principle commitment to backing the project with up to $450 million. My position on such a deal has always been clear. What I have said to sporting groups is that it was not—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, the member for Unley! The house will come to order.

The Hon. M.D. RANN: What I said to cricket was that it was not for cricket to tell football what was good for football. What I said to football is, 'Come to me with a united view.' What I said to football and cricket was, 'If you unite together with one plan for the codes, then come and see us and we will back you in,' and that is exactly what has happened.

I have always said that when the sporting bodies decided what is in the best interests of cricket, what is in the best interests of football, and agreed to working out how to share the Adelaide Oval, only then would the government step in to back it financially. The government is prepared to make this significant investment in the state's best interests. However, if any of the parties walk away from the deal after today's announcement the money is off the table; that is absolutely it. This is a unique, once in a lifetime opportunity. Football and cricket have come together, and we are going to back them in. We believe this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

I want to pay tribute to the Deputy Premier. The Deputy Premier has been informally working with both codes for about the past 18 months to encourage them to cooperate in exploring the advantages of reaching an agreement. As a result, for the first time in more than 35 years we have our two peak sporting bodies working together again. Now the government will join them in working towards delivering a world-class sporting and entertainment venue in the centre of Adelaide, at an iconic ground loved by sports fans here, interstate and internationally.

Importantly, the century-old scoreboard and the grass hill beneath the Moreton Bay fig trees at the cathedral end will remain in the redeveloped oval, thus creating one of the world's truly unique sporting venues. This will mean that, while there are 50,000 seats in the stadium, the oval will have the capacity to actually hold about 52,000 spectators.

Once all outstanding issues have been resolved, the redeveloped Adelaide Oval will continue to be the home of domestic and international cricket in South Australia, and will host Adelaide's two AFL teams—Adelaide and Port Adelaide—as well as a range of other sporting and special events.

As outlined by the Treasurer today, the state government will fund its investment in the project by delaying the $200 million West Lakes tram extension project and reallocating the money to the oval.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: The electrified rail extension to Port Adelaide and Semaphore will proceed on schedule. We will also transfer the previously announced $100 million AAMI Stadium grant to the Adelaide Oval. The remainder of the $150 million, depending on the commonwealth contribution, will be funded from future state budgets.

We will be asking for a commonwealth contribution to ensure that the state has a FIFA compliant stadium for Australia's bid to host either the 2018 or 2022 World Cup. Part of the redevelopment—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my left!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Part of the redevelopment will include a pedestrian bridge across the Torrens to link the oval with the railway station and the adjacent North Terrace tram stop, as well as, obviously, the railway lines, and parking facilities in the West End of the city. The bridge has been costed at $20 million. The bridge will enable patrons travelling either on our fast, electrified rail lines or trams to access the oval more easily. Those travelling by car will have access to parking alongside the Adelaide Oval, as is currently the case for the test matches, or to the parking stations that are already available throughout the CBD.

The redeveloped Adelaide Oval is likely to be the first stage in a major redevelopment of the Torrens precinct. The Economic Development Board has been working through a range of options for the Torrens frontage including a redeveloped Convention Centre precinct, restaurants, shops and art spaces.

Mr Pengilly interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Finniss!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: That work is continuing and more detail will be provided in the coming months.

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Unley!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: If the Liberal opposition wants to come out against football, wants to come out against cricket, wants to come out against the public interest, then let it say so.

Mr Williams interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for MacKillop will come to order.

Mr Venning interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Schubert will come to order.

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