2017-09-28
The Greens SA will continue to work on breaking the impasse over the former Le Cornu site on O’Connell St, North Adelaide, despite a complete and bewildering lack of interest by the old parties, according to Greens SA Parliamentary Leader, Mark Parnell MLC.
The Greens motion (which was voted down by the Labor and Liberal parties in State Parliament last night) had simply called on the Government to “intervene to ensure that the land can be used for public purposes until a final development approval is secured and building work commences”.
The site has been vacant for 28 years. That’s longer than every single current State MP has been in Parliament.
“It is clear that the Government has the legal power to temporarily acquire land for public purposes. They don’t have to buy it, but they can insist on a temporary lease with full compensation paid to the owners. Surely that’s a win-win for everyone?” said Mr Parnell.
Since the latest development approval for the site lapsed 3 months ago, the Adelaide City Council and local residents have renewed their call for the land to be made available to the community until a permanent development is approved and ready to go.
“For 28 years, the people of Adelaide could have had access to some additional open space for kids to play, rather than looking out onto a wasteland surround by ugly fencing. It could have been used for community gardens or for sport or for any other of a myriad of uses that just require space and a bit of turf.
“Sadly, both Liberal and Labor voted in State Parliament to DO NOTHING about this embarrassing 28 year eyesore. The old parties simply shrug their shoulders and say that it's private property. They aren't even interested in negotiating for a better public outcome - even just a temporary park. This huge vacant and boarded-up site is now a monument to the old parties' complete absence of imagination on how to make a city that is good for people, not just property speculators,” concluded Mr Parnell.