My speech to the Adelaide City Council on Tuesday, 11/02/2025
Tonight, I stand here as a voice for the thousands of residents, workers, visitors, and business owners who feel unheard, blindsided, and deeply concerned by this proposed transformation of Light Square.
This plan will stifle Adelaide, and people know it. The way in which the consultation was carried out “sold” the vision to people and avoided those that it would impact.
I have spoken with the local businesses on the East side, and they were never consulted, not the community centre, not the offices, not the café and not Brain Injury SA.
The consultation did not tell the full story. It did not tell anyone of the cost, the plan to remove 5 lanes of traffic and the removal of carparks.
And worst of all, it comes at a time when our
city's finances are stretched to the limit.
This plan has been out for consultation for over a month and received some 160 people in favour of the proposal. In just 2 days, I have been presented with a petition of 814 signatures calling on the council to halt this project.
$250,000 will be spent on planning and consultation, yet we cannot say how much this project will cost. Not $1 million, not $10 million. We have no idea I know from my own experience that these figures are not difficult to obtain, so why have we not been told? How can we consult when we don’t even have a general cost for the project?
Light Square is a large roundabout and a major intersection of our city. Tens of thousands of people use it every day.
There are some pretty important elements to this master plan. The removal of five lanes of traffic and some 80 parking spaces, including a crucial disabled car park in front of the Brain Injury Clinic SA. These changes were not outlined to the public, let alone their impact.
This ‘plan’ will throw this already congested area into chaos.
We have been told about the 'overwhelming community support.'
A total of 220 people responded to the consultation, with gobsmacking support near 80%. Meanwhile, after 2 days, I have been presented with a petition of 814 people calling for the project to halt.
This is not about opposing green spaces or progress.
We all want a greener, more liveable city. But progress needs to be thoughtful, measured, and responsible.
We need green spaces and traffic that moves.
We need innovation and inclusion, not exclusion through inaccessibility.
Something is wrong here.
Something feels rushed, and if we don’t stop and get it right, we’ll regret it for years
.
Let’s get it right, not for ourselves, but for every resident, business, commuter, and visitor who depends on us to lead with integrity, intelligence, and responsibility.
If you wish to add your voice to the Light Square Issue and help me continue to grow the petition, then please click on this link - https://form.jotform.com/250382938890872
Check out what we are going to loose if this plan goes ahead - https://www.instagram.com/reel/DF1LScOTubQ/
Thanks to The Adelaide Set for the video!