3 February 2022
The Greens are calling for stronger heritage protections following reports in today’s Advertiser that some of the state’s iconic buildings are now languishing after being sold off.
"It's a tragedy that these buildings are being left to languish in this way. The government should never have sold them off to begin with,” said SA Greens Heritage Spokesperson, Robert Simms MLC.
“Having done so, they should be looking at what can be done to ensure they are well maintained and enjoyed by the community. This could involve imposing fines on buildings left idle, offering more generous restoration grants, or simply buying back buildings and ensuring public management.
"It's clear the law needs to be strengthened to ensure our state's iconic buildings remain in public hands," Mr Simms concluded.
Mr Simms said he plans to address the issue in the next Parliament should he be returned after the March poll.