17 March 2025
The Greens warn Labor’s new planning proposals are a mixed bag and say plans to eat into the state’s food bowl need to be scrutinised carefully.
Key details:
- The Greens have welcomed the proposal for a Park Lands of the North but are concerned about the potential to eat into the state’s food bowl for new development and say more should be done to activate existing vacant land in the CBD.
- They also say the Government needs to take care not to repeat planning mistakes of the past.
- The party will scrutinise the legislation carefully and do not yet have a position.
Quotes attributable to Greens Planning Spokesperson Robert Simms MLC:
“We welcome the Government prioritising green space in the north. For far too long, residents of the northern suburbs have been shut out of open green space. The devil of course will be in the detail here and we will examine the Government’s proposal carefully.”
“Labor’s plans to eat into the state’s food bowl are a cause for concern, however. Does the Government really need to carve into agricultural land for new development, when we have vacant lots in the CBD that have been sitting idle for years and years?”
“There is plenty of room for development within the existing boundaries. It’s absurd that we can have so much vacant commercial and residential land in CBD in the middle of a housing crisis.”
“It’s clear that we need to increase the supply of housing in our state, but rather than cut into vital food production areas the State Government should be considering ways to encourage affordable and social housing within these existing residential areas, such as implementing a tax on long-term vacant land or stepping in to activate this land.”
“Appropriate infrastructure planning will also be vital here. The Labor Party has a poor track record when it comes to major housing developments. The Mount Barker area has been dogged by poor planning decisions, from inadequate public transport infrastructure to road congestion. This proposal needs to be scrutinsed carefully to ensure we do not repeat the mistakes of the past.”
“The Government has lots of important questions to answer in relation to this proposal. How many of the homes built in these developments will be social and affordable housing? Will the developments be provided with sufficient public transport linkages? Will developers contribute to providing this essential infrastructure? And have local councils been properly consulted on this proposal?”
“The Greens will be considering the detail of the Government’s bill carefully to ensure that it’s got the balance right and that South Australians are not shortchanged when it comes to our state’s food security and agricultural land.”