by Jan Bowman

Major Milestone Reached

The achievement of 13,500 signatures marks a significant milestone for community campaigners, demonstrating that concern for Adelaide's Park Lands extends well beyond the city itself, Councillors Keiran Snape and Patrick Maher told supporters gathered at Adelaide Town Hall today.

"This is bigger than any one person. This is a movement, and we couldn't have reached this milestone without the efforts of hundreds of grassroots volunteers. This has been a truly humbling experience," Cr Snape said.

The petition's success reflects growing community concern about the future of Adelaide's internationally significant Park Lands and a desire for greater transparency and accountability in decisions affecting public green space.

Parliamentary Inquiry Threshold Reached

Reaching 10,000 South Australian signatures is enough to trigger a Parliamentary Committee inquiry in the Legislative Council.

But the campaign is far from over.

With more than two weeks remaining before the petition closes, supporters have now set a new stretch target of 18,000 signatures.

"We've seen an overwhelming level of support from concerned citizens all across the state, from Coober Pedy to Kangaroo Island, from Edithburgh to the Riverland. The fight for our Park Lands and public green spaces isn't a local, city-centric issue; it's a South Australian-wide issue," Councillor Snape said.
"We can walk and chew gum. We can have major events in South Australia without the destruction of our world-renowned Park Lands. Places like Kooyonga and Tailem Bend are perfect locations to host golf tournaments and motorsport events, and the city as the central point would still thrive."

A Grassroots Movement

The milestone sends a powerful message that South Australians care deeply about the future of their public green spaces and are demanding greater transparency and accountability in decisions affecting the Park Lands.

Unlike some other states, the South Australian Parliament does not accept e-petitions. This movement has therefore relied entirely on paper petitions hosted in shops and cafés across the city, with volunteers establishing pop-up collection points and gathering signatures in their local communities.

The achievement of 13,500 signatures is a testament to the dedication of hundreds of volunteers and supporters across South Australia.

President of the Adelaide Park Lands Association, Mat Monti, said this is a monumental achievement.

“Cracking 10,000 signatures with time to spare demonstrates just how many South Australians care about their Park Lands.”
“At every turn we are proving this isn’t a minor issue. From the 3,000+ protestors on the steps of parliament, to the 50,000 online petition signatures to now over 10,000 physical signatures, the State Government cannot ignore us anymore.”
“It’s time for the Malinauskas Government to listen to the people and stop the destruction of the Park Lands.”

What the Petition Calls For

The petition calls on Parliament to acknowledge community concern about the permanent loss of sections of Adelaide's unique natural and cultural landscape and argues that recent developments are contrary to the State Government's own environmental and planning strategies.

Specifically, the petition seeks to:

Immediately halt works associated with the MotoGP redevelopment.
Return Possum Park and John E. Brown Park (GRO Plan G17/2026) to Crown Land under the care and control of the City of Adelaide.
Establish a Legislative Council Committee to review:
- the North Adelaide Public Golf Course Act 2025, the South Australian Motor Sport Act 1984 and related legislation;
- the effects of bypassing planning, heritage, Kaurna heritage and environmental safeguards; and
- how government actions have facilitated the use of the Adelaide Park Lands for state development projects.
Urgently implement the committee's recommendations so that any future works can proceed through appropriate planning and development processes.

The Campaign Continues

Mat Monti urged supporters not to give up.