[Greens-Media] Adelaide Oval: Risking Workers' Safety For Election Schedules 'Just Not Cricket'

[Franks, Office]

Adelaide Oval: Risking Workers' Safety For Election Schedules 'Just Not Cricket'



27/10/11



The Greens say that today's announcement of a $5 million early-finish bonus in the contract for the Adelaide Oval Redevelopment to be ready ostensibly for the 2013/14 Ashes Series raises significant questions about Government priorities.



Greens Industrial Relations spokesperson Tammy Franks said: "The new SA Labor team should not fall into the bad old habits of putting spin before safety.



"This Weatherill Government must not put a mission to have monuments to boast about for election campaigns above workers' health and lives. I am concerned that a bonus such as this will mean that schedules may be driven by the March 2014 State Election and not pay due heed to safety on site. I call on the Government to provide evidence these concerns are baseless.



"However, we have an unfortunate legacy of Government in this State focusing the timing of large or new developments around an election or media cycle and not around a realistic schedule.



"In past years, we've seen faux launches of a then technically unfinished Theatre at the Entertainment Centre just in time for the March 2010 election. In past weeks a farcical 'turning on the tap' ceremony photo op at the Port Stanvac Desalination Plant was arranged for the outgoing Premier, despite the project having not yet achieved the technical milestone of 'first water'.



"This sort of behaviour belongs in an episode of 'Yes Minister', but not in a mature democracy where most people understand that projects must take every precaution necessary to ensure people return home alive and well to their families and loved ones at the end of their working day," she concluded.





To arrange comment contact Jamnes Danenberg on 0457 549 938



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