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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-07-12 Daily Xml
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URBAN RENEWAL AUTHORITY

Mrs GERAGHTY (Torrens) (14:08): My question is to the Minister for Housing and Urban Development. Can the minister update the house on the operations of the Urban Renewal Authority?

The SPEAKER: Member for Torrens, I think you'd better go and take a Bex and have a lie down. Minister for Transport.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON (Elder—Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Minister for Housing and Urban Development) (14:08): Thank you—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: I just managed to hear that—brave effort. On 13 February this year cabinet approved and announced the creation of an Urban Renewal Authority. This is a body that seeks to become the development and facilitative arm—

Ms Chapman: The Premier announced it in December.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Yes, quite rightly, it was announced in December by the Premier; a very relevant piece of information as we proceed. Regulations—

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Regulations to create the Urban Renewal Authority and dissolve the Land Management Corporation came into effect on 1 March. The assets of the former LMC and land assets of Defence SA, which were together valued at approximately $750 million, will transfer to the URA. On 26 April 2012, pursuant to the South Australian Housing Trust Act, a number of non-tenanted properties, valued at $54 million, were transferred from the South Australian Housing Trust to the Urban Renewal Authority.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Please, wait. They are very interested. The member for Bragg went up and down all sides of this during estimates, and I note she still has an interest. A temporary board has been appointed. Since that time, Mr Fred Hansen—an excellent appointment—has been made chief executive of that organisation, largely welcomed—well, as far as I can tell, it was universally welcomed—by industry; criticised, of course, by the Hon. Rob Lucas in what used to be the other place.

The SPEAKER: Which is now this place.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Which is now this place, which is filling me with existential doubt.

The SPEAKER: Until next week when it is that place.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Since that time, Mr Fred Hansen has been appointed internally to oversee the entire precinct between the Bowden Village on the west through to Gilberton on the east, and the entire Riverbank Precinct, which is of such importance to us and the future of South Australia. It has done things like purchase the Caroma site for strategic use in the future, and it has assigned four contracts for companies to develop the first allotments at Bowden. It is proceeding as we would have hoped and as we have planned. It has been recognised by the commonwealth as an outstanding organisation and the way forward.

It was talked about at a speech by the Premier of South Australia, attended by the Leader of the Opposition, and by Fred Hansen in a speech, attended by the Hon. David Ridgway. That is why I was very surprised to get an FOI from the Leader of the Opposition dated 6 July under her signature—not me personally, but the government—requesting a list of all capital works projects and the government's capital works program held by the Land Management Corporation. 'For each project the list should include the project name, proposed annual government expenditure,' etc., etc.

The difficulty we have is that, in that information you will find—and it was drawn out by the member for Bragg at estimates—that we actually wound up the Land Management Corporation as of 1 March. Therefore, can I say, to save any further FOIs from the Leader of the Opposition, who seems to have quite missed this—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: The dates I read out to the member for Bragg were 2012-13—that is 2012-13. That is the financial year starting on 1 July 2012 through to 2013. Can I point out that it is impossible for us to provide that information because it does not exist anymore. What I would say to the Leader of the Opposition, in short answer—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: —is that the capital program for 2012-13—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: —strangely enough, is exactly equal to the capital program of John Martin's, SAGASCO and TransAdelaide, which we wound up a few years ago too.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The next person who bellows across the chamber will leave.

Ms Chapman: So where is the board? 'Imminent' you said at estimates.

The SPEAKER: Member for Bragg, you will leave the chamber for 10 minutes.

The honourable member for Bragg having withdrawn from the chamber:

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: When will you learn? Order!

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