by Shane Sody
The final approval for “re-development” of a huge area of your Park Lands for a professional golf course has contained no conditions that would protect most of the 9,000 trees at risk.
Aboriginal Affairs Minister and Deputy Premier Kyam Maher has given approval under the Aboriginal Heritage Act for ground-disturbing works in Possum Park / Pirltawardli (Park 1) and John E Brown Park (Park 27A).
The Minister consulted with members of the Kaurna community about the cultural significance of the area, and has imposed 31 conditions; effectively protecting ONLY the small area of the current Par 3 golf course, south of War Memorial Drive.
On 17 October, the ABC’s Leah McLennan reported this Government announcement under the heading “Strict conditions imposed on future LIV Golf site at North Adelaide”.
However Mr Maher’s announcement has done little, if anything, to address community concerns about the likelihood of massive losses to the rest of the urban forest (outlined in yellow above) that is still subject to the State Government’s “hostile takeover” legislated by State Parliament in late June 2025.
Expert advice from international golf course designer Peter Dalkeith Scott is that the area of the Par 3 Golf course (outlined in red above) was not ever likely to be included in the Government’s re-development plans anyway.
Mr Scott has previously pointed out that to lengthen and widen all fairways, as would be required for an elite-level golf course, at least 50% of the existing 9,000 trees would need to be removed. His analysis already assumed that the area outlined in red (above) would not have been affected.
APA President Sarah Russo responded to Mr Maher’s Kaurna heritage protection announcement by reminding the Government that:
“Heritage protection must go hand in hand with protecting the Park Lands themselves. The community expects open, accessible, and undeveloped green space — not further encroachment or elite use.
“The North Adelaide Golf Course Act allows for any other part of your Park Lands to be seized to allow the Government to do this project. What does this mean for potential other land grabs in the attempt to satisfy the golf course design?”
Why is this decision the “final approval”?
The June 2025 passage through Parliament of the North Adelaide Golf Course Act cleared away all other legal hurdles to Government “re-development” of this part of your Park Lands.
The unprecedented legislation passed in haste, without any community consultation, was in direct conflict with the Government’s own Ministerial Code of Conduct. The Code says:
“A Minister must use all reasonable endeavours to obtain all relevant information and facts before making a decision on a particular issue and should consult, as appropriate, in relation to the matter at issue.”
Did any Minister “consult on the matter”? Well, no:
The City of Adelaide - IGNORED
The State Government’s advisory body on your Park Lands (Kadaltilla) - IGNORED
The statutory Adelaide Park Lands Management Strategy “Towards 2036” - IGNORED
Treasury costings! No estimate has been released and the Act actually says that the project can proceed without approval for expenditure of money - SECTION 12;
The biodiversity of the area. There is no provision in the Bill taking any account of the more than 100 species found in Possum Park;
The Premier’s promise of “making it easy for community and business to engage in and contribute to the development of government policy and decision making” - IGNORED
Protections in the Local Government Act 1999 for “community land” - SIDESTEPPED by taking the land away from local government control - SECTION 8.
State Government offers that you can “join the conversation to shape our future” with its “yoursay” website - IGNORED
Advice from the State Government’s own “Green Adelaide” agency on the value of protecting mature trees - IGNORED
The State Government’s own 2025 “Greening Adelaide” strategy - IGNORED
The State Government’s own rules on protecting Adelaide’s tree canopy - IGNORED
Planning regulations can be ignored because the entire project is “deemed to satisfy” planning law - SECTION 11
Our petition to “Protect Possum Park, Pete” - IGNORED (Sign HERE)
No “assessment, decision, consent, approval, authorisation, certificate, licence, permit or permission” is required for the project - SECTION 12;
No “consultation, inquiry, notification or other process or procedural step” is required for the project - SECTION 12;
The Roads (Opening and Closing) Act 1991 is bypassed - so the Minister can unilaterally create or close any roads - SECTION 15
Tearing up any rules that might limit the Minister’s absolute powers.
