The Property Council has welcomed the State Government’s announcement of a billion-dollar, 15-year investment in a building, construction and sustainable industry hub at the disused former Mitsubishi site at Tonsley Park.
The announcement includes the development of a Sustainable Industries Employment Centre (SIEC) that will draw together construction, vocational and tertiary education and research industries in a concerted effort to establish South Australia as the leader in sustainable building and construction.
Property Council of Australia (SA Division) President Justin Hazell said the project would provide an immediate boost to employment in the construction industry that would support the long-term development of the state’s high-value sustainability industries.
“The Property Council is in vocal agreement with the State Government’s reforms that aim to move South Australia away from a base of low-value manufacturing and exports towards an advanced, value-adding, knowledge-based set of industries,” Mr Hazell said.
“We have previously called for the Tonsley Park site to become the focal point for high-end industry with a sustainability focus. We welcome the Government’s recognition that the site is strategically located to enable leveraged relationships with existing industry and the university sector, and its capacity to engage the large, skilled workforce in Adelaide’s south.”
Employment is set to be a big winner from this announcement, with 8600 jobs expected on site by 2026, and more than 8000 people trained annually in pioneering sustainable construction techniques. This finely-honed workforce will be essential to building South Australia’s new economic platform.
However, as the transition takes place, existing industry must be accommodated.
“The State Budget to be handed down this week will be a lynchpin in the state’s economic reform process and this announcement reiterates the Government’s commitment to this reform,” Mr Hazell said.
“But we cannot expect such seismic shifts in our economic base to occur overnight”.
“While the process of getting this concept up to speed will generate employment and economic growth for the south, we must remain conscious of the needs of existing industry in proximity to the site. The greater Tonsley Park area already has a diverse and vibrant industrial base and this must be fully engaged in the transition process”.
“Throughout the decade or so of construction work on the new sustainable industry hub we must not unfairly constrain existing industry, because this would disadvantage the south and drive development impetus away from the region”.
“The property sector looks forward to working with the Government to strike this balance and once again we congratulate the Government on this bold and ambitious initiative.”
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