Controversial laws that allow the South Australian government to push ahead with plans to redevelop the North Adelaide Golf Course, and move the LIV Golf tournament into the city, have passed parliament.
The laws allow the government to take control of the golf course, overriding the Adelaide City Council, a move that Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith said effectively takes 15 to 20 per cent of the city’s parklands out of the council’s care.
The government said it made the move to provide “certainty” as it pushes to have the site ready to host LIV Golf in the city in 2028.
Designs have not yet been released for the redevelopment of the North Adelaide Golf Course. (Adelaide City Council)
While the opposition voted against the bill, the government secured the support of two key crossbench MPs — SA Best’s Connie Bonaros and One Nation’s Sarah Game.
Ms Bonaros told parliament she was a strong supporter of LIV Golf.
“I’m also a realist and I can see the clock ticking and the need for certainty,” she said.
“If this project is to get off the ground based on the timelines being set, the foundation does need to be laid.”
SA Best MP Connie Bonaros supported the bill in parliament. (ABC News: Bethanie Alderson)
MPs criticise bill’s hasty passage
The bill was introduced into parliament last week and passed the lower house the same day.
Greens MP Robert Simms told parliament that, MPs and the general public should have been given time to consider the proposal.
“There has been woefully inadequate consultation on this bill,” he said.
“Rather than indicating that the bill was a fait accompli and passing it through the lower house last week, the government should have released it for public consultation months ago.”
Independent MP Tammy Franks described the move as a “land grab”. (ABC News: Marco Catalano)
Independent MP Tammy Franks described the move as a “land grab”.
“It is deeply disappointing to see the Malinauskas government attempt yet another land grab at the behest, this time of a sporting tournament,” she said.
“Too often, when a new development is in need and around the CBD, state governments have looked at the parklands as supposed free land — and it is indeed free, but it is not their land.”
The course at Adelaide’s Grange Golf Club ahead of the 2024 LIV Golf tournament. (ABC News: Rory McClaren)
Premier Peter Malinauskas argued the government had to act quickly to make sure the course was ready for the 2028 LIV Golf tournament.
“We’re getting to the point where we’re fast running out of time,” Mr Malinauskas told ABC Local Radio.
“We’re not actually doing this, believe it or not, as a criticism of the council. I’ve spoken to Jane Lomax-Smith about this a lot, and Jane’s been supportive of the project, as have a number of other councillors.”
But the premier said he was still concerned the project could be delayed.
“The Adelaide City Council has had a propensity of getting in the way of a lot of these things, and that has been on occasion a source of frustration,” he said.
Adelaide Deputy Lord Mayor Phil Martin said he personally felt gutted over the decision.
“I feel gutted for everyone who has a regard for our parklands,” he told the ABC.
“This decision means this government will go down in history as the government which has taken the largest slab of parklands in one single term of office.
“The parliament of South Australia has been sold a pig in a poke … we have no business case, we have no plan for the development.
“This is going to turn out to be one of the state government interventions that turns to disaster,” he said.
Designs not released
The LIV Golf tour began in 2022, with Greg Norman as CEO, and the Public Investment Fund — Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund — as its major financial backer.
Tournaments have been held in Adelaide since 2023, and despite criticism of ‘sportswashing’ due to its links to Saudi Arabia, it has been hailed a success and awarded ‘best golf event’ at the World Golf Awards.
Adelaide’s Grange Golf Club has hosted the LIV Golf event since 2023. (ABC News: Rory McClaren)
With the plans to move from the Grange Golf Course to the city, Greg Norman Course Design has been given the contract to redesign the course, but no plans have yet been released.
The government said it would be constructed on the existing golf course, as well as Park 27A, to the west of the course.
It has not been revealed whether additional buildings will be part of the construction or how many trees will be removed to make way for it.
The government said that for any tree that is cut down, at least three more will be planted.
The government said the course would remain a public course after the redevelopment.