SA Election 2018: Opposition Leader Steven Marshall promises to shave four weeks off Victoria Park grandstand build and removal time for Adelaide 500
CONSTRUCTION and removal of the Adelaide 500 grandstand in Victoria Park would be accelerated by a month under a $1 million pledge from the Liberal Party.
SA 2018
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CONSTRUCTION and removal of the Adelaide 500 grandstand in Victoria Park would be accelerated by a month, under a $1 million pledge from the Liberal Party.
Ahead of the election this week, Opposition Leader Steven Marshall said the “snail’s pace” at which the structure was currently erected and removed was symbolic of a tired government and he would release extra funds to cut the build time from 25 weeks today to 21.
Labor seized on the claim as evidence the Liberals fail to grasp the basics of policy making, as Premier Jay Weatherill said the put up and take down time was already at 20 weeks.
The temporary grandstand has long been a flashpoint in SA politics, with a decade-old Labor plan for a permanent structure thwarted by Adelaide City Council and residents’ concerns.
The state seat of Adelaide has long been a key marginal, now held by the Liberals.
Mr Marshall said a permanent grandstand structure was not on the Liberals’ agenda.
“Currently, the erection and dismantling of the Adelaide 500 takes way too long,” he said.
“This is a great park, and at the moment it’s a construction site for too much of the year.
“We’ll make this a priority for the very next Adelaide 500.”
Mr Weatherill said the Liberals planned to spend $1 million to “take longer”.
“They want to take it down to 21 weeks, and it is already 20 weeks,” he said.
“This just demonstrates the complete incompetence of the Liberal Opposition here in SA.
“When have you ever seen a bad Opposition make a good government?
“They are not fit for government. They are not ready.”
The Opposition later said its funding would shave a month off whatever current build time is being achieved, and could get it down an extra month on top of other achieved efficiencies.
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