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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2025-09-04 Daily Xml
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The Joinery

Adjourned debate on motion of Hon. R.A. Simms:

That this council—

1. Notes that since 2014, the former Franklin Street Bus Station, known as The Joinery, has been a unique space for South Australians to gather and connect;

2. Acknowledges that the Joinery is currently used by groups such as the Conservation Council SA, the Adelaide Community Bicycle Workshop, the Adelaide Sustainability Centre, Common Ground community garden, the Modern Money Lab, the Wilderness Society SA, SAGE and several smaller community groups that see the space as their home;

3. Recognises the state government have announced the redevelopment of the site to deliver 392 apartments including 35 per cent affordable housing for rent and purchase; and

4. Calls on the Malinauskas Government to work with community groups to find a suitable alternative site to continue their activities.

(Continued from 30 October 2024.)

The Hon. J.E. HANSON (17:12): I rise to speak on the government's behalf and seek to amend the motion as follows and as circulated, I believe. I move:

Remove all wording and replace with:

1. Notes that since 2014, the former Franklin Street bus station building, known as The Joinery, has been leased to the Conservation Council of SA by the Adelaide City Council;

2. Acknowledges that The Joinery is currently used by a variety of community groups;

3. Recognises the state government has announced plans for redevelopment of the site;

4. Notes that the Conservation Council (including many of its subtenants) have successfully secured new premises since being advised of the upcoming plans to develop the site; and

5. Notes that the Adelaide City Council is responsible for liaising with these groups to exit their leases and relocate to alternate accommodation to continue their activities. The former Franklin Street bus depot site has been leased by the Adelaide City Council to the Conservation Council SA since 2014.

The Conservation Council SA operates the site as The Joinery with community gardens and art displays along with a number of subtenants and community groups utilising the said space. In 2020, the Adelaide City Council identified the site for potential disposal following a council strategic property review. The site was put to market by the Adelaide City Council via a competitive open market process in May 2022. Prior to this council made all tenants aware of the pending closure of The Joinery, aligning final lease terms to conclude in mid 2025.

Renewal SA, on behalf of the government of South Australia, was announced as the successful bidder for the site in May 2023. The redevelopment will provide a mix of long and short-term housing options for approximately 1,000 residents, including 35 per cent affordable rental and purchase housing, supported by contemporary, commercial, civic and retail spaces that complement the adjacent market precinct. Renewal SA settled the site in February 2024, and the Conservation Council SA and their subtenants remain on site under leaseback arrangements until September 2025.

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (17:15): I rise to speak to the motion moved by the Hon. Robert Simms regarding the future of The Joinery and indicate the opposition's support for the motion. Since 2014, The Joinery has been a unique space in the heart of our city; it turned the old Franklin Street bus station into something very different—it has become a hub for community organisations, dedicated to sustainability, advocacy, social enterprise and education. It has been home to the Conservation Council of South Australia, the Adelaide Community Bicycle Workshop, the Adelaide Sustainability Centre, the Common Ground Community Garden, the Modern Money Lab, the Wilderness Society of South Australia, SAGE and several other groups.

For many of them it has been far more than a workplace, it has become their centre of operations in more ways than one—their home, if you like. The state government has now confirmed that the site will be redeveloped, delivering some 392 apartments, with 35 per cent to be set aside as affordable housing for rent and purchase. Let me say this and say it very clearly: we support that objective. It is a crucial objective in a housing crisis, a housing shortage, and one that the Liberal Party supports. We think it deserves strong support. It is in everyone's interests to see more South Australians able to access homes that they can afford, so this is not something we oppose—we support it strongly.

But in pursuing that goal it is important, and we cannot ignore the reality, that The Joinery's community organisations are being displaced from their long-term homes. They have invested in the site, making a vibrant hub and contributing to the public good for over a decade in that location. They now face an uncertain future, with no clear indication from the government at this stage of where they will go or what support will be provided to ensure that their work continues for their various organisations and communities.

That brings me to the government's amendments, moved by the Hon. Justin Hanson. While a number of the points in the government's amendments are factually correct, in our view they miss the point. They overlook the fact that it is the government's own redevelopment, through Renewal SA, that is the catalyst for everything that has taken place. In our view, the government of the day simply cannot wash its hands of responsibility by shifting the focus onto the council or the tenants themselves. This is something where government should be involved in order to assist these organisations to find another suitable place for them to conduct their important work.

This chamber must be honest about this sort of thing. The reality is that this land is being redeveloped, which again I stress is a good thing, but because of that it has implications and responsibilities that fall directly at the feet of government, in our view. The motion as moved by the Hon. Mr Simms is one of common sense, we believe, and in some ways it is symbolic. Whatever happens, this redevelopment will proceed, and again I stress that this is a good thing from our point of view. But symbolism matters, and supporting the motion sends a clear message. When governments pursue development projects that displace longstanding community groups, there is a responsibility that falls to government to manage the transition properly.

Supporting the motion does not mean opposing the redevelopment: again, I stress, we support it strongly. It means recognising the value of The Joinery and calling on the government to work constructively with these organisations and groups that have called it their home for some time now to find a suitable alternative site. On this side of the chamber we believe strongly in this principle—it is something we try to act out as best we can. We believe that the government should do the same, and for that reason my colleagues and I will support the motion moved by the Hon. Mr Simms and will not support the government's proposed amendments.

The Hon. R.A. SIMMS (17:18): I thank members for their contributions, in particular the Hon. Justin Hanson and the Hon. Dennis Hood. I am disappointed that the Labor government is seeking to amend this motion and, in effect, rob the motion of all of the verbs and take away any requirement for the Malinauskas government to take any action at all, although I should not be surprised, because the Labor Party has form in this regard. Let us not forget that, when they were in government in the Rann years, they turfed out all the community organisations from the Torrens Building and turned that into a private university.

In this instance, of course the Greens support the old Franklin Street bus site being turned into affordable housing. I think that is a really good use of the site, but the government could have worked with those that operate The Joinery to have found alternative arrangements for them. They could have even incorporated that into part of their design concept. They have chosen not to do so. For the government to simply wash their hands of that and say that that is purely a responsibility of the city council I think is a real cop-out, so I thank the Liberal opposition and, in particular, the Hon. Dennis Hood for their support for my original motion and their support for this important principle.

I understand that some crossbenchers may be considering supporting the government amendment. I do want to caution them strongly against doing so, in particular the Hon. Tammy Franks. The Hon. Tammy Franks has endorsed, in the seat of Adelaide, Independent Adelaide city councillor Keiran Snape, who has been a strong advocate for community space in the past. Is it Mr Snape's view that responsibility for managing this purely resides with the Adelaide City Council, or will he disassociate himself from the position of the Hon. Ms Franks should she vote for the government amendment?

I do not think voters in the seat of Adelaide will take a very favourable view of a candidate who associates himself with those who do not believe that it is a responsibility of government to accommodate community organisations such as this. So I urge the honourable member to contemplate that as she considers her position.

So that there can be no doubt about the position of members in this place, I will call a division and I will make sure that electors in the seat of Adelaide are aware of the position of all of the candidates who are standing for election and, indeed, those members of this place who choose to endorse particular candidates standing in the seat of Adelaide.

The PRESIDENT: The first question I am going to put, the Hon. Mr Hanson's amendment, is that paragraphs 1 to 4, as proposed to be struck out by the Hon. Mr Hanson, stand as part of the motion. If you are supporting the Hon. Mr Hanson you are going to vote no.

The council divided on the question:

Ayes 6

Noes 8

Majority 2

AYES

Centofanti, N.J. Girolamo, H.M. Hood, D.G.E.
Lee, J.S. Pangallo, F. Simms, R.A. (teller)

NOES

Bonaros, C. Franks, T.A. Hanson, J.E. (teller)
Hunter, I.K. Maher, K.J. Martin, R.B.
Ngo, T.T. Wortley, R.P.

PAIRS

Henderson, L.A. El Dannawi, M.
Hood, B.R. Bourke, E.S.
Lensink, J.M.A. Scriven, C.M.

Question thus resolved in the negative.

The PRESIDENT: The next question I am going to put is that new paragraphs 1 to 5 as proposed to be inserted by the Hon. J.E. Hanson be so inserted.

Question agreed to; motion as amended carried.

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