RAW: Adelaide Oval et al To No Longer Be Under ACC Custodianship

As reported on Matt and Dave (ABC891 Breakfast) this morning, the State Government has told the ACC it is not interested in its concerns or issues about the Adelaide Oval leases and precinct. It is simply going to legislate to take control itself and hand it over to the SMA to manage, as per the SMA constitution.

The substance of a supposedly confidential meeting between Minister Conlon and the ACC was revealed by Rod Hook to Matt and Dave this morning. The sop to the ACC if it rolls over quietly is that it may get some extra money for its expensive Victoria Square redevelopment plans.

Councillor Anne Moran got on the phone saying it was ‘beyond outrageous’, noting that control and management of the parklands would now rest with football and not a ‘democratically elected’ entity such as the ACC (or even the State Government.) noting that the SANFL had been handed over ‘the council’s business’ without putting a cent in.

As the program then noted, this outcome and information to the Council was without the ACC having seen the enabling legislation (which Minister Conlon said last night was still being drafted – eben though it is due for submission to Parliament today) and the Minister stating a few weeks back there was ‘no plan’ to give the control of the precinct to the SMA ‘because it is not seen to be necessary.’

Surprised? Hopefully Lord Mayor Stephen Yarwood (if he ever bothers to get up early enough to put the council’s view about anything that may run counter to the State Government’s – see separate article at Time For Yarwood To Go) won’t feign that. Kryztoff revealed the reality of the State Government’s plans in early April (SA Govt Prepares To Blast Council off Parklands) and the scope of the SMA’s constitution on About The SMA. Did You Know? In any case, it was written in bold black type all over the SACA Information Booklet.

There were plenty of other clues as well including the SMA just ignoring request from the Adelaide Parklands Authority to meet with it to discuss its plans. Just why the ACC and its councillors thought they were going to be treated with more respect than anybody else so far beggars belief.

Anne Moran’s last hope for the Council she said was the Upper House that may vote this down. The Greens may be firmly against this proposal but no one else has had the balls to state a view like that. Under the threat of more withering attacks on opponents from The Advertiser et al it is not hard to see the independents at least now being bought off one by one.