Official feasibility study into best location for new Adelaide city-based stadium to remain secret

AN official feasibility study into the best location for a new city-based stadium is to remain secret after the State Government ruled it could not be released.

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AN official feasibility study into the best location for a new city-based stadium is to remain secret after the State Government ruled it could not be released.

Using Freedom of Information laws, The Advertiser sought Transport Department documents in March about any upgrades or construction within the CBD, Riverbank, Memorial Drive or Adelaide Oval areas.

But officials refused access to an “Entertainment and Sports Precinct Phase 1” study completed in September last year for the former Labor Cabinet.

An internal review last month, overseen by the department’s acting chief executive Julienne TePohe, upheld that ruling, despite a change of government. An appeal has been made to the State Ombudsman.

Under FoI laws, documents are exempt if papers are either presented to Cabinet or “specifically prepared for submission” even if files were never formally given to ministers to consider.

Upper House MPs are on Wednesday set to vote on FoI reforms proposed by Greens MLC Mark Parnell. The Liberal Government is also reviewing FoI laws.

Mr Parnell said “not disclosing should be the exception rather than the rule”.

In her review decision, dated September 27, Ms TePohe revealed former tourism, sport and recreation minister Leon Bignell requested her department “investigate infrastructure options for the Riverbank Precinct to be presented to Cabinet”. Consultancy firm Aurecon then wrote an “options analysis”. The department said on Tuesday night the briefing document was “tendered to Cabinet and noted” in November last year.

No public announcement about its contents has ever been made nor any further Cabinet debate undertaken. This suggests Labor did not progress the feasibility report. It is believed the study was prepared to counter any Liberal campaign promise, ahead of the March 17 state election, to upgrade the ageing Memorial Drive precinct.

The Advertiser has revealed a business case, commissioned after the election by the government’s Adelaide Venue Management Corporation, has identified two Riverbank area sites for a multipurpose arena.

These include an area west of Adelaide Oval and Montefiore Rd, to the north of the River Torrens. Another site is immediately south of the Torrens, stretching over the Adelaide Railyards. The corporation operates Hindmarsh Stadium, the Adelaide Convention Centre and Entertainment Centre.

One option includes selling off the western suburbs’ Entertainment Centre and Hindmarsh Stadium to partially fund a new city-based arena. The business case has yet to be presented to the Liberal Cabinet as detailed costings and designs are prepared.

A department spokesman refused comment on Tuesday night while Mr Bignell did not return calls.

The Advertiser on Monday reported Ombudsman Wayne Lines calling for Cabinet documents to be released after 30 days, as they are in New Zealand.