Tom Koutsantonis grills Stephan Knoll over potential conflict of interest in Adelaide Oval hotel deal

Transport Minister Stephan Knoll has been grilled in State Parliament over whether he stands to obtain any financial benefit from the Adelaide Oval hotel project, amid concerns over a potential conflict of interest.

• 128-room boutique hotel proposed for Adelaide Oval
• Readers are divided over the plan
• Opposition wants a financial inquiry over it

Transport Minister Stephan Knoll has been grilled in State Parliament over whether he stands to obtain any financial benefit from the Adelaide Oval hotel project, amid concerns raised by the Opposition over a potential conflict of interest.

Labor has called on Mr Knoll to release the financial statements and contracts of Sausage Boys Pty Ltd – of which he is a director – and its associated entities, after questioning him over any financial arrangements it has with the Oval.

But Mr Knoll, who is the minister responsible for Adelaide Oval, says he took all necessary steps to divest himself of any potential conflicts after coming to office at the March election.

The State Government last week announced it would provide a $42 million loan to the Stadium Management Authority, which runs Adelaide Oval, to build a 128-room hotel there.

Labor’s accountability spokesman Tom Koutsantonis asked Mr Knoll in Parliament if he would table “all the financial statements, contracts and holdings of Sausage Boys Pty Ltd and its associated entities from the previous five financial years”.

Stephan Knoll said he had taken steps to dissolve himself of conflicts of interests upon coming into office. Picture: AAP / Kelly Barnes

Tom Koutsantonis said the steps Mr Knoll had taken to divest and declare his interests did not go far enough.

“The member repeatedly told the house that his interests are declared on his 2018 register – declares that he’s a director of Sausage Boys Pty Ltd; the same directorship shown on his 2017 interests, as is another directorship, that of Knoll Consultants and Investments Pty Ltd,” he said.

He said the company held the trading names of various businesses of the Knoll family, including Barossa Fine Foods, Schulz Butchers, Clean Catch, Angelakis Bros and HR Smallgoods: “As the minister confirmed, it also operates food concession Barossa Fine Foods inside the Adelaide Oval.”

Mr Koutsantonis said the steps Mr Knoll had taken to divest and declare his interests did not go far enough, saying he handed over “proxy related to his roles in Sausage Boys Pty Ltd”. “That is not enough,” he said.

“If you do something via proxy, you immediately appoint someone else to do it on your behalf. You can even direct how they vote. A proxy can be revoked at any time.”

The proposed hotel for the east gate of Adelaide Oval.

But Mr Knoll said he had no case to answer, telling Parliament he “took steps to dissolve myself of conflicts of interest ... within a few days of coming into office”.

“Upon coming into this position, I resigned my directorship of Knoll Consultants and Investments (and) I resigned from the advisory board of Knoll Consultants and Investments,” he said.

“I have handed over permanent proxy in relation to the discretionary trust and I have disclosed my directorship of Sausage Boys both in my public register and in my ministerial register of interests.

“I have done exactly what I have needed to to make sure that I can serve the people of South Australia faithfully”.

A government spokesman challenged Mr Koutsantonis to repeat the claims outside of parliamentary privilege.

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