Landmark CBD projects like covered stadium and concert hall must be brought forward to boost SA job stimulus, industry says

Build it and jobs will come? SA’s construction industry says a new city stadium, concert hall and other landmark projects must be on the agenda to deliver a second wave of stimulus.

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Plans for a covered second city stadium should be rebooted and other developments fast-tracked to deliver a second wave of COVID stimulus for SA, industry says.

In the wake of calls from the Reserve Bank of Australia for state governments to do more to save and create jobs, Master Builders SA has urged Premier Steven Marshall to fire up some landmark CBD projects as a pipeline of work as the coronavirus recession continues.

Master Builders SA chief executive Ian Markos said doubt over when, if ever, a vaccine would be found meant governments must get big projects rolling to avoid a bare cupboard.

Treasurer Rob Lucas has already flagged a second city stadium – a key feature of a speech to reopen parliament this year – is off the agenda as public debt skyrockets.

The new Women’s and Children’s Hospital plan has also been delayed, as have ambitions for an Aboriginal art gallery at Lot Fourteen.

The planned new Women’s and Children’s Hospital near the RAH. Picture: SA Government

The planned Aboriginal art and culture gallery.

Master Builders are throwing their support behind proposed redevelopments of the North Adelaide cathedral precinct, a “Riverbank 2.0” vision and new concert hall.

Mr Markos said the Government needed to urgently “get on with it” to support jobs.

“The sports and entertainment project is a good one. The new Women’s and Children’s Hospital has just been a talk-fest. But the thing that really stands out is that there’s no central co-ordinated capital works program for SA at any of the government facilities,” he said.

“Whether it is a quick project or a large infrastructure project, you still get quick wins.

“You’ve got to get architects, builders, estimators, manufacturers and suppliers involved.

“At the end of the day, we have to learn to live with this virus. We may never have a vaccine because there has never been, to my knowledge, one for a coronavirus.

“We’ve virtually got the empty cupboard, with projects finishing and nothing to replace them.”

Mr Lucas said the government is in the middle of rolling out a record $12.9bn infrastructure program as schools, hospitals and roads were readied for work.

An earlier impression of a proposed new Adelaide Arena. Health research buildings have since occupied the land, but the stadium is still wanted elsewhere.

He said the city stadium, which could cost $1.3bn, was still on hold but smaller projects create many jobs.

“The things we are looking at is a whole series of projects that you can bring forward, and areas where you can leverage other money as well like transport,” Mr Lucas said.

Opposition treasury spokesman Stephen Mullighan said: “It’s clear the Marshall Liberal Government must be investing more in COVID-19 stimulus to kickstart our economy.

“We can’t afford to have key infrastructure projects stalled.”