Will MotoGP in the Adelaide parklands reignite the land grab debate this election?
The government says trees to be removed for the Adelaide MotoGP would be replaced three-fold. (ABC News: Daniel Taylor)
In short:
The Adelaide parklands are set to be locations for the MotoGP championships and LIV Golf in the coming years.
About 20 per cent of the first 600 respondents told the ABC's pre-election forum, Your Say, that environmental issues were key for them.
The government says more trees will be planted to replace those lost during the development of both events.
"I'm appalled by the lack of environmental discussion in this election," said Mathew.
"Environmental policies appear to be taking a back seat in this year's state election which has me worried especially the ... loss of so many mature trees," said Jane.
"I'm concerned about the erosion of our parklands to accommodate sporting events," said Anita.
"I am alarmed at the careless disregard for our parklands and urban canopy with the announcement that 45 trees would be removed for the MotoGP event," said Jaye.
These are among the responses which have been sent to the ABC's online pre-election forum, Your Say, ahead of the South Australian election.
From the first 600 respondents, the environment was a key concern in about 20 per cent of responses.
Among those, concerns about the parklands and the recent announcement of the MotoGP and the impending development of the North Adelaide Golf Course for the LIV Golf tournament were often cited, and in particular, the removal of trees.
The MotoGP move to Adelaide raises concerns about trees being removed. (ABC News: Daniel Taylor)
It is feedback which did not surprise Emeritus Professor of politics at Adelaide University Clem Macintyre.
"If there's one touchstone for voters in Adelaide, it's the parklands,"he said.
That is something the current City of Adelaide Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith, and former state government member, knows better than most.
When she was Member for Adelaide and a minister, Dr Lomax-Smith took an extraordinary step to go against a cabinet proposal to build a permanent grandstand in Victoria Park in 2006.
Jane Lomax-Smith says she believes in preserving the Adelaide parklands. (ABC News: Sophie Holder)
"I'm a conviction politician, I'm not interested in anything, but what I believe in," she said.
"I believe in preserving heritage, I believe in preserving the parklands, it doesn't matter what position I'm in, I don't change that."
Professor Macintyre said it was an unusual move to make in a Westminster system.
"She held her seat in the cabinet, but it was a sign of the local importance of those development issues for the seat of Adelaide," he said.
Three years after that choice by Dr Lomax-Smith, the seat of Adelaide she had held for two terms was won by the Liberal's Rachel Sanderson with the second biggest swing in the state.
She held it in the 2014 and 2018 elections, but in 2022 it was won by Labor's Lucy Hood, who now holds the portfolio of environment and water.
Emeritus Professor Clem Macintyre is not surprised Adelaide voters are concerned about the loss of parklands. (ABC News: Tony Hill)
Professor Macintyre said the Malinauskas Labor government's focus on events, especially those which impacted the parklands, would be controversial locally in Ms Hood's electorate.
But he said the government's calculations must show it would be worth it for the broader electorate.
"I suspect the government will be thinking that the polls suggest there is a big enough swing to Labor across the state for them to be able to ride out the local storm,"he said.
SA Premier Peter Malinauskas said he did not think about it in the context of winning or losing votes.
"I think about it in the context of what's in the best interest of the state," he said.
The Labor MP for the seat of Adelaide, Lucy Hood, is supportive of the LIV Golf and MotoGP. (ABC News: Marco Catalano)
Unlike her predecessor Dr Lomax-Smith, Lucy Hood appears to stand by the major events.
She said the government was committed to preserving and enhancing the Adelaide parklands.
"We are taking a public golf course and investing in our parklands to create a world class public golf course," she said.
"There are around 9,000 trees in that area of the parklands, we have said the redevelopment will remove around 580 of those.
"But our legislation ensures that for every tree removed, we'll be planting three new trees, so that's 1,700 trees that we can plant as part of that investment."
Ms Hood said the 45 trees to be removed for the MotoGP would also be replaced three-fold.
She said the Labor government had invested in the parklands with developments like the Adelaide Aquatic Centre, which she said "returned 1,000 square metres of parklands back to the community".
The ABC contacted the SA Liberal Party on several occasions to speak to the party's candidate for the seat of Adelaide.