South Australian Parliament approves Adelaide Oval legislation

The redevelopment of the Adelaide Oval has moved a closer with the Adelaide Oval Redevelopment and Management Bill 2011 passing through the South Australian Parliament yesterday (28th July) afternoon.

The legislation means the South Australian Government now has the necessary approvals and certainty to build, operate and manage the planned stadium.

South Australian Infrastructure Minister Patrick Conlon said the historic step was the culmination of months and months of hard work and was a great result for the State, stating "I am just grateful that after so much time and so many amendments that we now have something that is workable for all parties.

"I have been talking to football and cricket people today and they looked forward to being able to see their plans evolve into the construction phase."

Minister Conlon said he expected a contract for construction to be let by the end of the year, possibly October, adding "we can expect site work to get underway immediately following the end of the 2011-12 cricket season in March."

The Adelaide Oval Redevlopment and Management Bill 2011 will provide protection for the Moreton Bay fig trees, the heritage scoreboard, the northern mound and guarantees the name Adelaide Oval.

It will also:

• Provide a lease to the Minister of up to 80 years for the Adelaide Oval Core Area which would then be sublet to the Stadium Management Authority (SMA);
• Provide a licence to the Minister for parking and usage in the clearly defined environs of Adelaide Oval (excluding Creswell and Pennington Gardens) of up to 20 years which would then be sublet to the SMA;
• Allow the Minister to apply to the Development Assessment Commission for planning permission for the development of the stadium;
• Allow access to all land in the Adelaide Oval precinct for the purpose of construction on condition that following completion of the project they are returned to their previous condition or improved;
• Ensure the Minister acts in accordance with the provisions of the Adelaide City Council's Land Management Plan as at 1st July this year;
• Allow car parking only on Match Days and other specified events, and only in the Northern Car Park and on Adelaide Oval no. 2;
• Legislate a cap of $535 million on State contributions for the project:
• Require the Auditor-General to report on the expenditure to Parliament;
• Require the SMA to establish a sinking fund to set money aside for future upgrades and maintenance;
• Require that rent of up to $1 million per year indexed is payable from the SMA to the Sport and Recreation Fund for distribution to sporting groups throughout the State;
• Require the Government develop a public transport plan within a year that will aim to have 70% of stadium patrons arriving by public transport. The plan is to be presented to Parliament within a year; and
• Ensure Adelaide City Council does not allow other commercial activities within the precinct on Match Days.

Minister Conlon said the past month had shown that people from all sides of the argument are willing to act in the best interests of the State, concluding "I am sure that the SMA and the Adelaide City Council will work together in a spirit of co-operation to deliver a world class stadium for all South Australians."

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