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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-12-02 Daily Xml
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Bills

Martindale Hall (Protection and Management) Bill

Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading.

(Continued from 10 June 2021.)

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Leader of the Opposition) (15:22): I rise to speak on this bill and indicate that I am the lead speaker for the opposition. I also indicate, as the shadow minister for environment and water in another place, the member for Port Adelaide, the Hon. Dr Susan Close MP, has indicated publicly and in debate on the bill, that the opposition will not be supporting the bill in this form.

Martindale Hall is a Georgian style mansion located in Mintaro which has significant heritage value to this state. Built in 1880, it has 32 rooms with a large cellar, well-maintained surrounding grounds, totalling 19 hectares, and an impressive coach-house. The building and surrounds were famously used for the 1975 film Picnic at Hanging Rock. The site is currently privately managed and is visited by some 15,000 visitors a year. The bill before us today is apparently designed to remove constraints around upgrades and maintenance on the building.

Despite these claims, to the best of our knowledge, the Minister for Environment and Water has failed to share any of the advice or the reasoning that he has said limits the work that is able to be undertaken at this site at the present time. I understand the minister even promised to release this advice publicly, in a radio interview.

The opposition has three main areas of concern with this legislation. The removal of the conservation park surrounding the grounds sets a dangerous precedent, and it is possible that this will be the first example of a conservation park being extinguished without alternative protections being gazetted or legislated.

The Minister for Environment and Water certainly could not provide any examples of a conservation park being extinguished with no alternative land or protection being granted as an offset, when asked earlier this year. Extinguishing the charitable trust is another point of contention amongst those worried about the passage of this bill. The concern is that this could negatively impact future private property owners from donating land and buildings to the government for public use.

Martindale Hall was originally gifted by the Mortlock family to the University of Adelaide in 1972. As part of Jubilee 150 celebrations, the university then handed the site to the state government in 1986 with the intent that it be used and accessed by all South Australians. I wonder if the Mortlock family or the university would make the same decision again if they knew the building could be used for an upmarket resort?

The third issue the opposition has with this bill is one that is shared widely among stakeholders: the power the bill invests in the minister of the day to develop policies and guidelines on the future use of the building and land, including the leasing of land to private operators.

Unfortunately, we currently have a minister in charge of heritage in this state who has overseen the destruction of Shed 26 at Port Adelaide, an attempted bulldozing of the Waite Gatehouse in Urrbrae and the eviction of the National Trust of South Australia from Ayers House after more than 50 years of custodianship. This list does not inspire a lot of confidence in the Minister for Environment and heritage.

This bill is opposed by the National Trust of South Australia, the Protect Our Heritage Alliance and many local leaders in the Clare and Gilbert Valleys region. Labor will oppose the bill in this chamber.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. N.J. Centofanti.

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