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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-09-28 Daily Xml
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RUNDLE MALL

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO (14:33): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for State/Local Government Relations a question about the Corporation of the City of Adelaide.

Leave granted.

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO: As members would be aware, on 14 September 2011 this council supported a motion moved by the shadow attorney-general to disallow Adelaide City Council by-law No. 6 (Rundle Mall). The disallowance motion was gazetted on 22 September 2011. Can the minister please inform the chamber as to the consequences of the shadow attorney-general's actions in this instance?

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (14:33): I thank the honourable member for this very important question. All members of the chamber would be aware that recently a motion was passed in this place to disallow the Corporation of the City of Adelaide's by-law No. 6 (Rundle Mall). The mover of this motion was the shadow attorney-general, the alternate number one lawmaker of this state.

I understand that parts of by-law No. 4 may still be enforceable. However, the disallowance of by-law No. 6 has created uncertainty as to what particular activities the council can regulate in Rundle Mall. This is a matter that obviously needs to be investigated further. The council's intention with this by-law was never to prohibit preaching or free speech. The by-law did, however, give council discretion to minimise the disturbance and the impact on people going about their business in Rundle Mall.

This decision has absolutely flabbergasted the traders in Rundle Mall, who are going through tough times at the moment. The question they are asking is: did the alternate attorney-general, the alternate number one lawmaker in this state, understand the consequences of his decision to move this motion?

I understand that it is important to strike a balance between a person's right to free speech and for people to go about their usual daily business without hindrance or fear. The by-law allowed council to attach conditions to grant a permit if a person or group wished to preach in a particular part of the mall. I have been informed by a number of sources that going down Rundle Mall on a Friday night is like going through a town in the wild west, and a lot of traders are reporting a decrease in business and trade because people are allowed to behave unfettered in Rundle Mall.

There has been a significant public outcry about the offensive behaviour and language directed at shoppers and retail workers going about their lawful business, which is totally unacceptable. I also understand that the Rundle Mall traders feel that they are losing business with preachers wreaking havoc on Rundle Mall. I am also told that visitors to Rundle Mall are sometimes reluctant to enter shops where preachers are congregating nearby.

Rundle Mall is an asset to the state. The mall is our premier retail destination and a popular meeting place. The shopping precinct attracts approximately 400,000 visitors every week and $23 million annually. The Adelaide City Council must be certain as to what capacity they have to deal with breaches of the peace in Rundle Mall. It has been put to me by a number of people with an interest in this that the traders in Rundle Mall feel totally betrayed by the Liberals who say that they stand for small business and want to help small business, but what they have done is without any comprehension of what this motion means in disallowing this by-law.

I also understand that the Hon. Mr Wade today asked the Legislative Review Committee to give him a report on what are the consequences of disallowing a by-law. For someone who purports and wants to be the future number one lawmaker in this state, I find that absolutely astounding. We all know why Mr Wade is so keen to get out and get a bit of a media grab. There is a lot of pressure on people like Mr Wade because there will be a reshuffle shortly, and the Hon. Mr Wade knows that there is a big possibility of joining the Hon. Mr Stephens in being dumped from the front bench. As Mr Stephens would know, Mr O'Loughlin has ensured that he will be buried at the next reshuffle.

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: Who is Mr O'Loughlin?

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: Here is a desperate—Mr McLachlan. You can laugh all you like, but the reality is that there are five frontbenchers over there that will be culled to three, maybe two.

The Hon. T.J. Stephens interjecting:

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: The ones shouting the most will be the ones who get the chop.

The Hon. T.J. Stephens interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: I know it upsets you, but that's reality mate! That's politics! You're gone. Your treatment of Mr McLachlan and SACA has signed your death warrant. You are sunk.

The Hon. T.J. Stephens interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! If the minister has concluded his answer, but if he has not he might want to stick to the answer.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! You must sit there and suffer in silence.

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: Now we have explored the reasons for the ineptness of the shadow attorney-general, the question would be: did he consult with the member for Adelaide, Ms Rachel Sanderson? What has happened now has left us in a position, and me as local government minister, to work with the council to endeavour to fix up the stuff-up of the Hon. Mr Wade. In conclusion to the honourable member's question, we all know that the Hon. Mr Wade is running around trying to grab every single second of publicity. He needs to protect his job, the same as the Hon. Mr Stephens. Thank God we have a responsible government that will work with the council to fix up the problems created by the Hon. Mr Wade.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Wade has a supplementary.

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