James Stevens (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Government Waste Reduction) Share this | Hansard source

The consultation process continues on the redevelopment options that the state government in South Australia are considering for the University of South Australia campus in my electorate of Sturt, in the Magill area. I've certainly already made it very clear that this is an enormous opportunity for a significant recreational precinct in the heart of my electorate. We have so many sporting clubs, in particular, that are desperately short of appropriate venues. A recreational precinct would mean they can continue their excellent growth and also have appropriate sporting facilities and recreational facilities—particularly with the excellent increase in female participation in so many sports in my electorate, as is happening across the country—ensuring that we've got proper change room facilities and the like to cater for increased female participation.

I take at face value the suggestion from the agency, Renewal SA, that they are genuinely interested in community feedback, but I also put them on notice that we hope this doesn't turn out to be just a case of going through the motions to pretend there's an interest in the view of the community and still flog this land off for the highest amount of dense housing that they possibly can. That would belie the process. It would also turn the merger of the two universities into something that was really driven by a property deal rather than by more reasonable and serious objectives. I hope that we get the outcome we're looking for.

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