State Election 2022 - Question #5
Adelaide Recreation Circuit
We advised each political party about the broad range of community, sporting and business groups supporting the concept of an unbroken walking/running/ cycling trail to unite all parts of your Park Lands garlanding Adelaide and asked how they would assist to bring the Adelaide Recreation Circuit to fruition. Here’s what they replied:
| Party | Party Response | APA evaluation | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pauline Hanson's One Nation | A competition would bring diverse ideas to the problem and then a selection process in which politicians play no part. | This response is irrelevant to the question. There is no political problem. The proposed ARC requires a funding commitment and design/engineering expertise. | 1 |
| Real Change SA | I would expect that public support would be forthcoming and so what would be needed would be to garner that support by public meetings, fun runs, athletic meetings, bike rides etc. The combination of all of the activities involved should be a persuasive indication to any reluctant politician. | These proposed events cannot take place on infrastructure that is not built. | 2 |
| Liberal Democratic Party | We would empower the appropriate hobby, sports, recreational, and community groups who actually use the parklands to best bring this to fruition rather than rely on bureaucrats who likely have little real-world experience with these parklands. We would also seek to bring this to fruition in a way that would add the most value to taxpayers. | The answer relies upon the concept of Park lands privatisation – the concept of public ownership for the public good is not acknowledged | -10 |
| Animal Justice Party | I would lobby the other elected members to support this concept. With such broad stakeholder support, and tangible community benefits, it is a sound project to fully support. | As good a response as can be expected from any party | 9 |
| Greens | The Greens are supportive of this project. We will lobby the next Government to make this a priority and continue to raise questions in the parliament regarding its status. | As good a response as can be expected from any party | 9 |
| Liberal Party | If re-elected the Government will continue to support the City of Adelaide to invest in projects that promote active lifestyles, improve safety, and enhance the amenity and recreational offerings in the Park Lands. The proposal for the Adelaide Recreation Circuit would be best progressed by the City of Adelaide and could be considered for inclusion as part of the preparation of the new Adelaide Park Lands Management Strategy. | The response shifts the onus onto the City Council to initiate the project and falls short of even encouragement, let alone any commitment. | 5 |
| SA Labor | Labor will investigate creating an uninterrupted walk, run and cycle circuit around the Park Lands and will not build on the beloved walking and cycling paths that weave through Helen Mayo Park — a beloved path that connects runners, cyclist, and families to the Bonython community space. | “Will investigate” is a welcome first step although it falls short of an explicit promise to fund a feasibility study or cost-benefit analysis | 7 |
| SA Best | We strongly support active, healthy, non device focused outdoor activities like an Adelaide Recreation Circuit which would be a nationally and globally unique showcasing our beautiful greenways, bushland and parklands encircling our city and suburbs. We recognise the success of such walking, hiking and cycling trails around the world and see huge potential for this. In addition this trail could link to the coastal trail so that an even more extensive network of interconnected trails and parks are available. SA Best will strongly support this proposal. | The party’s “strong support” is welcome, especially in relaton to proposed links with other trails | 10 |
| SA Party (Sustainable Australia) | SA Party supports increasing awareness and interaction with the Park Lands and, therefore, supports the Adelaide Recreation Circuit. We would advocate for its creation in parliament and encourage the South Australian community to support the concept. | Strong response | 8 |
