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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-12-03 Daily Xml
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RIVER TORRENS LINEAR PARK (LINEAR PARKS) AMENDMENT BILL

Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading.

(Continued from 9 September 2009. Page 3785.)

Mr GRIFFITHS (Goyder—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (16:14): I am the lead speaker on behalf of the opposition for this bill, and I confirm from the very start that the opposition will be supporting the River Torrens Linear Park amendment bill in its current form and note that a somewhat lengthy debate occurred in the other place. This bill is important, and even though we probably will not be considering it for all that long, because the hard work has been done in another chamber, it is appropriate that I speak briefly on it.

The River Torrens Linear Park Act 2006 provided for the protection of the park and its preservation as an urban park. This bill proposes to extend that protection and preservation to other linear parks. The 2006 act was established in response to the sale of the former University of SA campus at Underdale. There was no legislation dealing with the disposal of land in public ownership which formed part of the River Torrens Linear Park at that time. Uni SA sold the land, a significant amount of which was located across the River Torrens, and extensive negotiations with new owners and prospective developers secured continuing public access to the land.

The 2006 legislation required the state government, state agencies, authorities and local councils not to sell land within the linear park out of government ownership without the approval of both houses of parliament. In essence, this bill extends the provision to other waterways throughout the state. The Minister for Urban Development and Planning in another place identified that that included areas such as Gawler River, Little Para River, Dry Creek, Sturt River, Field River, Christie Creek, Onkaparinga River, Pedler Creek and Port Willunga Creek, and it is important that these areas be retained and the opportunity for the public to use them supported.

I note that, in the debate that occurred in the other place, concerns were expressed by the opposition on behalf of the Local Government Association about the need to ensure that the LGA was consulted whenever a proposal for another linear park was to be considered, and recognised, very strongly also, that the minister also supported those concerns and moved an amendment to his own bill in the other place which was supported by all members.

It is an issue that I am quite confident has been dealt with appropriately. I commend the government for introducing the bill and ensuring security over these areas and the opportunity for the public access to be continued. I look forward to the bill's swift passage through the house.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright—Minister for Families and Communities, Minister for Northern Suburbs, Minister for Housing, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Disability) (16:17): I thank the opposition for its support of this very sensible piece of legislation.

Bill read a second time and taken through its remaining stages.

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