Attorney-General Kyam Maher on Thursday introduced the New Women’s and Children’s Hospital Bill 2022 to the Upper House, with the legislation intended to expedite the planning and approvals process for the state government’s $3 billion hospital build.

The Bill, if passed, will pave the way for the demolition of the century-old Thebarton police barracks by removing the complex from the state heritage register once the Act takes effect.

The barracks are currently the home of SA Police’s mounted police and dog operations units, as well as the SA Police Museum.

Render of the proposed new Women’s and Children’s Hospital, on the site of the Thebarton police barracks adjacent to Bonython Park. Image supplied: State Govt.

A snapshot of the new WCH project site as defined by the state government’s new legislation. Any state heritage building located within the project site will lose its place on the SA heritage register once the legislation takes effect.

The legislation reveals the state government – which has given $2 million to SA Police to plan its exit from the barracks – is eyeing an additional Adelaide park lands acquisition to house the mounted police unit.

Section 10 of the legislation, titled “Relocation of certain SA Police facilities”, states: “The Minister may, by notice in the Gazette, vest a prescribed area within the Adelaide Park Lands in the relevant Minister in an estate in fee simple.

“The relevant Minister must ensure that the land that vests under this section is used by SA Police for the purposes of its Mounted Operations Unit.”

The legislation states that once notice is given in the gazette, the acquired park lands area “vests free from all dedications, encumbrances, estates and interests other than those indicated in the plan or plans identified in the notice”.

“No compensation is payable by the Minister, the relevant Minister or the Crown in connection with the operation of this section,” the legislation states.

A government spokesperson told InDaily that sites outside the park lands are still under consideration.

“The State Government is working with SA Police to examine a number of sites to relocate SA Police’s Mounted Operations Unit,” the spokesperson said.

“This includes prospective sites outside of the park lands.

“It is worth noting the park lands are currently used to stable horses in North Adelaide.”

Maher told parliament on Thursday the new powers under the legislation would “facilitate an efficient approach in assisting SAPOL to vacate the site and enable construction of the hospital as quickly as possible”.

But the proposal has already attracted criticism, with lord mayoral candidate Rex Patrick accusing the state government of being “dishonest in the way it has announced and promoted its decision to build the new Women’s and Children’s Hospital”.

“Nothing was said about a further park lands grab,” he said.

“The Premier committed to protecting the park lands before the election. Less than a year later he’s ripped up that commitment and, along with it, much of his credibility.

“What adds insult to injury is the fact the legislation suggests that the park land that will be acquired for the new barracks has no value, when in fact it is priceless.”

Patrick said the state government’s planning study examining options for the new Women’s and Children’s Hospital location showed “we can have a new hospital whilst also preserving our park lands and our heritage”.

Under the legislation introduced, the state government will still be required to obtain planning consent, building consent and final development approval for the hospital project.

However, the New Women’s and Children’s Hospital Bill 2022 also states that the planning minister can “make any alterations to the Planning and Design Code under that Act… that are, in the opinion of the Minister, necessary to give effect to this Act or as a result of the project.”

The government only needs two votes from crossbench in the Upper House to pass the legislation, with SA-Best looming as the most likely source of support after the Greens flagged concerns with the legislation.

The Malinauskas Government has also withdrawn its support for a Greens Bill to add the Adelaide park lands to the state heritage register.

Labor had supported the legislation in Opposition when it was passed by the Upper House in February. Greens MLC Robert Simms reintroduced the heritage Bill to the Upper House later this year because the Lower House did not vote on it before the March state election.

The Upper House passed the legislation again on Thursday with the support of the Liberal Party and SA-Best, but this time Labor indicated it would not be supporting the park lands heritage push.

“While we do agree with the sentiment of this Bill, we will be opposing it as this is not the preferred approach for creating state heritage areas,” Maher told parliament.

“In the government’s view, it fails to recognise the roles of the South Australian Heritage Council and the planning minister.”

Labor’s new position means the Bill will fail when it comes to a vote in the Lower House.

Simms said he would be conducting a postcard campaign urging constituents to write to the Premier asking the government to change their position.

“Many South Australians will be dismayed to see Labor oppose this bill given they supported the move just seven months ago,” the Greens MLC said. 

“This is a case of Labor doing one thing before the election and doing something entirely different once they’re on the Government benches.”