18 June 2025
The Greens will today move for the Malinauskus Government to intervene to prevent the construction of the second Walker Corporation tower on Festival Plaza.
The motion, moved by Robert Simms MLC, calls on the State Government to use its powers to halt the development given the major loss of public space and the negative impact on the heritage values of the Parliament House and the Adelaide Park Lands.
“Last year the Parliament listened to the community and passed legislation to prevent the destruction of the Crown & Anchor Hotel. Now that the Festival Plaza is under threat, the Government must step up again and protect this iconic part of Adelaide’s cultural life,” said Robert Simms MLC.
“The approval of this skyscraper is another reminder that Labor’s planning regime is serving the interests of developers rather than the community and why reform is urgently needed.”
The motion is expected to be debated in the Upper House later today.
That this Council -
I. Notes that on 11 June 2025 the State Planning Commission Assessment Panel granted planning consent for the 38-storey Festival Plaza Tower 2.
II. Recognises that over 125 eminent South Australians, including former Premier Rev Hon Dr Lynn Arnold AO and former President of the Legislative Council the Hon Anne Levy AO, have signed an open letter calling on the Premier and this Parliament to stop the construction of Festival Plaza Tower 2, protect Festival Plaza as an open, civic space, and retain it as public land.
III. Acknowledges that the construction of the Festival Plaza Tower 2 would incur a major loss of open, civic space and negatively impact on the heritage values of the Parliament House complex and the Adelaide Park Lands.
IV. Calls on the Malinauskas Government to intervene to prevent the construction of Festival Paza Tower 2.