Railyards... what do you want done to them?

[Howie]

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/stor ... 82,00.html

Rann tells voters: If you want a new city stadium, vote me out

Article from: The Advertiser

GREG KELTON, STATE EDITOR

April 09, 2008 01:50pm

PREMIER Mike Rann has told South Australians that if they want a new city sports stadium, they should vote for his opponent.

Ruling out a new stadium today, Mr Rann said his government would rather build a new hospital and that Opposition leader Martin Hamilton-Smith's support for a city stadium development would be an election issue.

"There is a clear choice at the next election. If you want a desalination plant and you want a brand new hospital, you vote Labor," he said.

"If you want a stadium, a billion-dollar stadium, you vote Liberal."

But he has not ruled out supporting a refurbishment of AAMI Stadium, a spokeswoman saying there had been no approach to Government for any extra funding and any approach would have to be considered.

Mr Rann's comments came as he and Health Minister John Hill launched the masterplan for the new $1.7 billion hospital to be built over the railway yards at the western end of North Tce.

Earlier this year, Opposition Leader Martin Hamilton-Smith unveiled his alternative vision for Adelaide, which involves rebuilding the Royal Adelaide Hospital on its current site.

He also proposed other uses for the new hospital site, including a multipurpose sports stadium.

Mr Hamilton-Smith said the Government should now drop its hospital plans and the issue should be "put to the people in 2010".

"If the Liberals are elected, the people of Adelaide will not only get a new hospital (on the current RAH site) but they will also get exciting plans for City West which will bring the city alive," he said.

Redevelopment of North Tce will extend all the way to West Tce as part of the new masterplan for the $1.7 billion Marjorie Jackson-Nelson Hospital.

The plan shows there will be access to the Adelaide Railway Station via a pedestrian connection along North Tce.

There will also be an investigation into the merit of a special railway station at the hospital precinct.

The plan says it is anticipated that future North Tce redevelopment works will continued down to West Tce "providing for an enhanced boulevard from the proposed hospital right through to the Botanic Gardens".

Mr Rann said the master plan provided a detailed blueprint for the new hospital and had been released for consultation with the community over a five-week period.

"This is a significant step towards building this hospital," Mr Rann said. "Later this year, we will see work start on this site with the decontamination process getting underway."

Mr Rann said the hospital would open to its first patients in 2016.

Mr Hill said the new hospital would be the most technologically advanced hospital in Australia.

"We will design and build this hospital with the comfort and ease of patients in mind and with guidance and input from clinical staff to ensure it is practical and functional for their uses as well," he said.

What do you people reckon? Major Marty or Rann in 2010?

Personally i'll be voting for whoever promises us an entertainment and cultural precinct in the west end as per the Sensational-Adelaide Planning for a better Adelaide document.

[UrbanSG]

I will not be voting simply based on the hospital or a possible entertainment precinct.

I am not opposed to the current hospital plan and although there probably won't be room for a new stadium between the new hospital and the convention centre, a Federation Square type development and proper links to the Adelaide Oval / Memorial Drive and a continuation of the North Terrace upgrade would drastically improve the area together with the new hospital.

Martin has all these grand ideas in opposition (some not so grand) but if he was elected, the reality of achieving them is harder and I believe at least a few of his ideas would be put into the too hard basket quickly, even a new stadium.

[Omicron]

I like your hospital, Mr. Rann; I really do. It will certainly enhance our health system, and such huge developments do nothing but good for employment, for investment and for general business confidence. However, Mr. Rann, I do not like you telling me exactly where it will be without showing any interest in any other alternative, and I do not like how you are turning this into debate with only two possible stances.

If you are unable to make the distinction between opposition to a hospital in general, and opposition to a hospital in this particular location, Mr. Rann, then you are just another mundane politican lacking the ability to connect with and respond to the constituency.

[cruel_world00]

My response from the other MJN Thread:

I will never vote for the Liberals, but I'm sorry... #$@% off Rann. LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC. It's not a Stadium VS Hospital debate. Nor should it be a referendum at the election. The public wants to know WHY have you chosen this site out of all suitable sites, WHY there has been little to no public consultation, and WHY THE @#$% YOU WOULD WASTE THIS LAND ON A HOSPITAL.

Ok now that I got that out of the system, I support upgrading our health care system, but not if Rann is hell bent on putting the hospital in the most ridiculous of locations.

*blood boils*

[muzzamo]

We live in the oldest state in the country. Our sick and elderly need this much more than you need a stadium. Do you really think that a complete study regarding the location wasn't done? This is how government works, they probably had 3 committees just to choose the location. It is well served by public transport etc and it really is the ideal location for a hospital. The government doesn't want to do what they did with keswick railway station and have it out in the middle of nowhere.

I should also remind you that we already have a sporting precinct on the other side of the Torrens, it is called Adelaide Oval and Memorial Drive. We also have an entertainment precinct on this side of the torrens and its is called the convention centre and festival centre.

How about a redevelopment of the festival centre if you really want a space like federation square??

[cruel_world00]

We live in the oldest state in the country. Our sick and elderly need this much more than you need a stadium. Do you really think that a complete study regarding the location wasn't done? This is how government works, they probably had 3 committees just to choose the location. It is well served by public transport etc and it really is the ideal location for a hospital. The government doesn't want to do what they did with keswick railway station and have it out in the middle of nowhere.

I should also remind you that we already have a sporting precinct on the other side of the Torrens, it is called Adelaide Oval and Memorial Drive. We also have an entertainment precinct on this side of the torrens and its is called the convention centre and festival centre.

How about a redevelopment of the festival centre if you really want a space like federation square??

No one is saying the heath care system isn't in dire straits, and I don't think a lot of people are asking for a stadium to be built in 2 years time...We want to know, WHAT happened with these studies, this is not a minor plan this is a major investment of state's money... you have GOT to be more transparent than this.

Why does a hospital HAVE to be on North Terrace? How is placing a hospital at Keswick or elsewhere bad? I don't know the answers to these questions, but if the government does...LET US KNOW...

[ColonelFlashLight]

I have been reading posts on Sen-ADL for months and til now I've remained a reader only. But I must break my silence on this issue.

Firstly, let's remember we are paying for this $2 billion hospital. This is paid for by South Australians, every time we earn and every time we spend. The RAH could be upgraded to a world class hospital at a cost of only $1 billion, a difference of a billion dollars! Let's put that into perspective. The South Road/Anzac Highway underpass budget is $65 million.

We could have a world class Royal Adelaide Hospital and the equivalent of 15 more projects like the Anzac Highway underpass to help fix Adelaide's road system.
Or maybe a world class Royal Adelaide Hospital and a world class multi-purpose sports stadium, capable of holding AFL games, FIFA World Cup games etc.

We, as voters in South Australia should demand that the government spends OUR money wisely. An investment into an entertainment precinct would change Adelaide's image for the better. Yes, Adelaide is a conservative city. Yes, Adelaide is a city with a higher than average age population. But no, Adelaide does not have to be a boring city that builds unnecessary hospitals on prime waterfront land.

Mr Rann, there is a difference between investing in healthcare and blind spending. Adelaideans are telling you in black and white (both in these forums and in the convincing percentages of the voting section of the abovementioned AdelaideNow article) that the voters of South Australia don't want your Marj Hospital in that location. If you must, build it elsewhere, but do not wait for the next election to be convinced this hospital is a bad idea and a misuse of our tax dollars.

[Brando]

There is no doubting our Health system needs support and upgrading. As far as i am concerned, Mr Rann's arrogance and lack of vision on this issue has cost him my vote and the next election. MHS has proposed a entertainment precinct and upgrade the RAH, best of both worlds in my opinion.
$1.7 billion to build the Marj now, what will the blowout be?
We can rebuild the RAH and build the precinct, possibly with the stadium, combined with PPP and still come out with a similar financial estimate to cost the state.
Reading the comments posted on Adelaide.now, people are very quick to jump on the health bandwagon and say 'health over sports' etc. MHS vision does agree to help the Health system, but just upgrade existing facilities at RAH. I feel we have a chance to bring Adelaide back to life and in the national and international limelight with this prime real estate. No other city in the world would waste such vital land and connection from the suburbs to the city.

The hospital will only be good for a short period of time due to our ageing population, then there will be no one left in Adelaide to tend to.

GHOST TOWN..... Build it and reap the rewards MHS.

[Howie]

I have been reading posts on Sen-ADL for months and til now I've remained a reader only. But I must break my silence on this issue.

Firstly, let's remember we are paying for this $2 billion hospital. This is paid for by South Australians, every time we earn and every time we spend. The RAH could be upgraded to a world class hospital at a cost of only $1 billion, a difference of a billion dollars! Let's put that into perspective. The South Road/Anzac Highway underpass budget is $65 million.

We could have a world class Royal Adelaide Hospital and the equivalent of 15 more projects like the Anzac Highway underpass to help fix Adelaide's road system.
Or maybe a world class Royal Adelaide Hospital and a world class multi-purpose sports stadium, capable of holding AFL games, FIFA World Cup games etc.

We, as voters in South Australia should demand that the government spends OUR money wisely. An investment into an entertainment precinct would change Adelaide's image for the better. Yes, Adelaide is a conservative city. Yes, Adelaide is a city with a higher than average age population. But no, Adelaide does not have to be a boring city that builds unnecessary hospitals on prime waterfront land.

Mr Rann, there is a difference between investing in healthcare and blind spending. Adelaideans are telling you in black and white (both in these forums and in the convincing percentages of the voting section of the abovementioned AdelaideNow article) that the voters of South Australia don't want your Marj Hospital in that location. If you must, build it elsewhere, but do not wait for the next election to be convinced this hospital is a bad idea and a misuse of our tax dollars.

Top post, summed up my thoughts exactly. You should post that on AdelaideNow.

[frank1]

We live in the oldest state in the country. Our sick and elderly need this much more than you need a stadium. Do you really think that a complete study regarding the location wasn't done? This is how government works, they probably had 3 committees just to choose the location. It is well served by public transport etc and it really is the ideal location for a hospital. The government doesn't want to do what they did with keswick railway station and have it out in the middle of nowhere.

I think rann is focusing too much on taking care of the elderly generation. I know this is important too, but it's equally important to invest in future generations. Adelaide will become the next del boca vista (florida) and we will continue to loose youth interstate if nothing is changed.

[Howie]

Channel 10 News tonight..



Contamination seems pretty bad also

[joshzxzx]

Geeee Wiz, I have just read the submission to the Adelaide city council, and it is FANTASTIC! I hope some one with half a brain actually reads it and acts upon it.
Keep up the good work guys...

[frank1]

Geeee Wiz, I have just read the submission to the Adelaide city council, and it is FANTASTIC! I hope some one with half a brain actually reads it and acts upon it.
Keep up the good work guys...

Second that. It is a great read and looks very professional. Well done to howie and all those invovled.

[Hippodamus]

i firstly want to pass on my congratulations to all of those who were involved with the document submitted to the ACC... well done! That is fantastic, absolutely sensational and really summarises the thoughts and comments of many members on this web group.. good work guys, I feel so proud as a South Aussie, particularly reading this from overseas, and seeing that there are people just like me, with Adelaide's best interests in mind.

secondly, i could not agree more with an entertainment precinct on the railway yards land... from day one i have thought that a hospital in that location has been an absolute waste of money and time and most of all... a complete misuse of prime waterfront space. It sounds like Mike Rann, who I must admit - i have been very fond over the last few years; seems to be making this into a popularity contest, loosing focus on what is best for the space - and addressing an issue in not the most appropriate manner - IT'S NOT THE BLOODY SPOT FOR A HOSPITAL!!

over this issue along, i am willing to drop my card for Mike and go with the opposition leader because i prefer an ENTERTAINMENT AREA!!

[Norman]

While I'm keeping out of this debate, the South Road/Anzac Highway intersection works is actually more like $115m.