A one-dimensional view

by Shane Sody

  • “there is a number of trees that will be removed but only because we are seeking to invest in a public asset for public use“

  • “we’re investing in turning an average public golf course into a magnificent public golf course.”

  • “it will turn around its financial viability”

These are the words of Premier, Peter Malinauskas on 891 ABC Adelaide on Wednesday 27 August.

The Premier has been active on Adelaide media in recent days, defending his Government’s “hostile takeover” of Possum Park / Pirltawardli (Park 1) and John E. Brown Park (Park 27A) to relocate a three-day event for multi-millionaire professional FIFO golfers; and create an ongoing commercial golf business.

Legislation hastily passed in June 2025 assigns ownership of all of the marked land - about 86 hectares or more - to “the Minister”. It covers not only the 71 hectares of Possum Park / Pirltawardli (Park 1) - home to more than 100 species - but ALSO John E. Brown Park (Park 27A) approximately 15 hectares west of the railway line. What’s more, the legislation allows the Minister to take even more land, anywhere else, if wanted for ”the project”.

The Premier’s one-dimensional comments are remarkable for what he doesn’t say. His remarks so far have focussed on his aims for professional and commercial golf; not on any other values of your Park Lands. The Premier chooses not to mention these Parks by name; has not publicly acknowledged the biodiversity of this part of your Park Lands (more than 100 species!) and has even wrongly claimed that the only trees at risk are trees that “were planted to make it a golf course.”

This last claim reveals how the Premier has been poorly advised:

Contrary to the Premier’s claim, this part of your Park Lands was planted out starting from the 1880s, long before even the first (9-hole) golf course was established in 1899 and expanded over decades up until the 1950s.

Some of the trees planted in this Park a century or more ago - before a golf course was laid out

The Premier has been on the back foot, forced to defend the Government’s plans, after sharp criticism from Kaurna elders; and even from LIV golf supporters about the extent of excavations and tree losses that would be required.

The furore about the project within the Kaurna community erupted onto the front page of The Australian on Thursday 28 August ($$ subscriber-only link):

Kaurna Elder, Tim Agius says he’s very concerned:

“Despite the fact that this area of the Park Lands is particularly significant to traditional owners, the consultation with us has already closed without the redevelopment plans having been released.

“How valid is such a ‘consultation’ with the traditional owners, if it’s more of a research exercise to assist the Government’s ongoing planning?

“Also, a cultural heritage assessment is a requirement of the Aboriginal Heritage Act, but this was not provided for the traditional owners’ engagement and consultation.

“Informed consultation is vital and the Premier needs to be transparent about his plans, in order to allay speculation.

“But the fact remains with this proposed golf redevelopment, that existing lawns would need to be excavated for deep sprinkler systems to be installed, and they could be up to a metre deep. That places any existing ancestral burials at significant risk.”

Kaurna elder Tim Agius also told 7 News he was “pretty pissed off”

The letters page of The Advertiser has included concerns expressed by many others:

The Advertiser - Saturday 30 August 2025

Golf course designer Peter Dalkeith Scott has estimated that 60% of the existing 9,000 trees would need to be destroyed to widen and lengthen all fairways. Mr Scott, a LIV golf supporter told 5AA’s drive-time show with Rowie and TimmyG on Thursday 28 August, that there were plenty of other, better locations for the tournament in or near Adelaide.

When Mr Scott’s analysis was publicised by independent-turned-Liberal MP Frank Pangallo on Sunday 24 August, Infrastructure Minister Tom Koutsantonis branded it “a lie” and said he would resign if that many trees were destined for destruction.

However neither Mr Koutsantonis nor the Premier have responded directly to Mr Scott’s analysis of the likely tree loss, nor given any contrary estimate of the number of trees that would be felled.

In his interviews, the Premier has been repeating the Government’s promise that for every tree removed, three new trees would be planted. But three saplings don’t make one mature tree. Shade, cooling, carbon storage and wildlife habitat take decades to grow.

Three seedlings for one century-old tree? AI-generated images

The Government’s “three-for-one” tree myth isn’t even supported by its own ‘Green Adelaide’ agency. We’ve busted that myth here - https://www.adelaide-parklands.asn.au/.../1/myth-busting-13

When will the destruction start?

The President of the North Adelaide Golf Club, Kevin Naughton (a former “Senior Adviser” to Mr Malinauskas) has told golf club members that redevelopment work is not expected “until after Christmas.”

Advice to NAGC members from club president, Kevin Naughton

What can you do?

The author of this article, Shane Sody, is the immediate Past President of the Adelaide Park Lands Association, and the editor of the semi-monthly newsletter, "Open Green Public".

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https://adelaideparklands.m-pages.com/YWRrGW/adelaide-park-lands-assn-mailing