There was a time. not that long ago, when a “Park” meant a place of calm, an opportunity to connect with nature in peaceful reflection.
In Adelaide in recent years, that idea of a Park has been discarded. The Premier, Peter Malinauskas has driven relentlessly towards his goals of turning more and more of your Park Lands into money-spinning sports venues - catering to crowds of paying customers with loud and noisy professional sports, including several annual carbon emission motor sport festivals.
On 19 February 2026 the Premier announced that an annual motorcycling carnival, the MotoGP would be taking over your eastern Park Lands from late 2027.
The Premier and MotoGP competitor Jack Miller. Pic: ABC News
Left: the proposed motorcycle circuit (in black) compared to the 1990s Formula One circuit (red). Source: Reddit community.
Right: proposed “run-off” areas for motorbikes marked in yellow, that would have to be cleared. The red markers show sites where multiple trees would have to be removed.
The Premier has publicly admitted that “about 45” trees would be destroyed, and the century-old Glover East Playspace would need to be “moved” to make way for the motorcycle race track.
But an analysis of the diagrams above indicate that the Premier has under-stated the likely impact.
We’ve numbered locations 1 to 7 on the right-hand diagram above. We’ve collected photos that indicate the trees that appear to be at risk at some (not all) of those sites.
See more of the trees and playground at risk here:
See more of the trees and playground at risk here:
How can the Premier do it?
The State Government does not need to change any legislation to facilitate this new motorsport event. A legacy law passed in 1984 to allow the Formula One Grand Prix to be held in your Park Lands gives unfettered powers to the Minister for Motor Sport (currently the Premier) to authorise any and every motor sport event that he wants.
The South Australian Motor Sport Act 1984 does not limit how much of your Park Lands can be claimed for motor sport. Nor does it place any limits on the length of time they can be fenced off to prevent your access.
The Act gives absolute power to the relevant Minister (currently the Premier, Peter Malinauskas) to declare a “specified area” and specified “prescribed works periods” during which the Motor Sport Board effectively takes over, and “the rights or interests of any other person in or in relation to the land are suspended for the declared period.”
What’s more, there is no limit in the Act on how many such events may be held, or how often they can be held.
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Top (banner) pic: MotoGP in Malaysia. (Shutterstock)
