Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-05-13 Daily Xml

Contents

BUCKLAND PARK

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS (15:01): I also have a supplementary question. Does the minister's department, the Department of Planning and Local Government, plan for the Buckland Park community to have its own new local government area, or does it plan for it to remain in the City of Playford? The City of Playford is, of course, being kept out of the loop on this matter.

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Small Business) (15:01): It is not being kept out of the loop on this matter. This is a major new development, and it is being considered as a major project. It is not as though we are talking about a whole new centre.

We are now going through a public consultation phase. As I mentioned, a public meeting, which has been well advertised, is planned for this evening and the council will be part of that. The question should really be whether the City of Playford is in the best position to consider the environmental issues associated with this development in relation to the flooding around the Gawler River. I suggest it is not, and that something like this is appropriately addressed as a major development so that those major issues can be addressed.

Again, I suggest that the debate take place within that environmental impact statement, which covers all these major issues. That would not have been the case if this had gone ahead as a development proposal at local government level; these major issues, which have been raised by others, would not have been considered and there would not be a comprehensive report on which to consider them.