[Greens-Media] PARNELL: Upper House sends Mt Barker rezoning to ICAC

[Parnell]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE            Wednesday 1st May 2013

Upper House sends Mt Barker rezoning to ICAC

The SA Upper House has supported a Greens Motion to send the Ombudsman's damning report into the Mt Barker re-zoning to the newly formed Independent Commission Against Corruption.  The Ombudsman's report backed Greens' claims made since 2009 that the rezoning of farmland in Mt Barker for housing was tainted by conflict of interest.

"This is great news for the people of Mt Barker," said Greens leader and planning lawyer Mark Parnell.

"The conflict of interest exposed by the Ombudsman clearly needs to be examined further.
"The Greens strongly suspect that Mt Barker is just the tip of the iceberg, as the documents at the heart of the Ombudsman's concerns underpin the whole of the South Australian planning system.

"It is essential that a thorough, independent investigation takes place so that public confidence in the integrity of the SA planning system can be restored," he said.

The successful Motion also calls on the Government to proclaim the remainder of the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 2012 as soon as possible.

"Many people will be surprised to find that many parts of the Act setting up the ICAC have yet to become law, despite the Parliament voting them in 6 months ago," Mr Parnell said.

"The Greens urge the Government to hurry up and let the ICAC begin its important work," he said.


For further comment contact Craig Wilkins on 0434 007 893

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