House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-06-04 Daily Xml

Contents

TONSLEY REDEVELOPMENT SITE

Mr SIBBONS (Mitchell) (14:37): My question is to the Minister for Manufacturing, Innovation and Trade.

Mr Pisoni: You can't trust them.

Mr SIBBONS: Can the minister update the house on the progress of the Tonsley redevelopment?

The SPEAKER: Before I call the Minister for Manufacturing, I warn the member for Unley for the first time. Minister for Manufacturing.

The Hon. T.R. KENYON (Newland—Minister for Manufacturing, Innovation and Trade, Minister for Small Business) (14:38): I thank the member for Mitchell for his question. He has a keen interest, obviously, in Tonsley—I think a long association with it in its former life and now in its rejuvenation. I recently announced that Colliers International, a global leader in property sales and services, has been appointed the sales agency for Tonsley and is responsible for promoting and discussing opportunities with investors and developers around the world.

Colliers International offers extensive knowledge of international investment priorities and demands, including how a site such as Tonsley might adapt to meet those priorities and demands. The company will work with us to promote this site to state, national and global investors as a platform for innovation, productivity and profitable collaboration.

The announcement of Colliers International shows that Tonsley is open for business with an initial release of 35,000 square metres of commercial and industrial land. The initial release is just a portion of the significant 61 hectare site. Businesses locating at Tonsley will join a cluster of like-minded businesses and high-value manufacturers working in sectors such as the clean technology, mining and energy, green construction and medical technology sectors.

We already have significant foundation site investors. TAFE SA is constructing its Sustainable Industries Education Centre that will house more than 8,000 students and 210 teaching staff per year. The SIEC, as it is known, will become a key site for building and construction training in South Australia. Construction is scheduled for completion in late 2013 and opening in early 2014. Tier5 Pty Ltd is establishing an energy efficient, state-of-the-art data centre on the site—an estimated $113 million of investment—and is expected to commence building soon.

Flinders University is investing $120 million including a new building for the School of Computer Science, Engineering and Mathematics. The development is expected to house about 1,200 students and 350 staff and commence operations in early 2015. Flinders University announced in May that, as part of their development at Tonsley, they will be creating a Flinders New Venture Institute. The New Venture Institute will be a focus for Flinders University's entrepreneurial activities and education that will benefit their business and community partners along with students.

Tonsley will be a focal point of our efforts to transform South Australia's manufacturing sector and build world class industry capabilities, as outlined in our manufacturing strategy, Manufacturing Works.

The on-site commercial launch of Tonsley took place on 6 May and provided an ideal forum to highlight the outstanding opportunities available to commercial, industrial and property sectors at this important Adelaide site. A range of key potential investors and tenants were invited to attend the launch, including advanced manufacturers, mining companies, renewable energy organisations, organisations involved in medical technologies, targeted businesses, industry associations, and higher education providers. I was pleased to invite the opposition spokesperson for manufacturing, innovation and trade (member for Waite) to attend the launch and it was good to see him there.

The state government is committed to supporting and growing an innovative manufacturing sector in South Australia. We are developing Tonsley as a launching pad for South Australian advanced manufacturers to develop and produce high-tech and high-value goods, not just for the local state market and nationally but also internationally.