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The Rann Government Minister responsible for urban development and planning in South Australia – Paul Holloway – continues to blame South Australians for his government’s lack of vision for the state.
After denigrating the New South Wales regional city of Dubbo, Minister Holloway has now turned his attention to regional communities and the iconic Adelaide Oval to make cheap political points.
Despite being in power for over eight years the Rann Government is directing its vitriol for not being able to get big projects completed – like Adelaide Oval – towards the Liberals.
In doing so Minister Holloway has forgotten it was the Liberals who first had plans for an inner city stadium and Riverbank development, saying:
“you people [the Liberals] are on a par with some of those little outback places in the southern part of the United States. You have about as much vision as a rhinoceros in a snow storm”. (Hansard 22 June 2010, page 316)
On Wednesday, Minister Holloway sought to explain his vilification of Dubbo by saying:
“I should have picked an example of a town that was going backwards, that was declining, that did not wish to embrace new ideas or new growth or that does not want people for overseas to come and help them”. (Hansard 30 June 2010)
Gawler based MLC John Dawkins asked why does the Minister for Urban Development and Planning think it is appropriate to pick on any regional South Australian community, especially one that he perceives is struggling?
“Why does the Leader of the Government feel it necessary to taunt, belittle and put down other people and other places to make cheap political points?” Mr Dawkins said.
“Enough is enough!
“Minister Holloway is a former Regional Development Minister, he knows there other people and towns struggling with drought and other factors and yet what he is telling the Parliament is that Dubbo was the wrong place, he should have chosen a regional South Australian town that he perceives is going backwards to make his point.
“I know Minister Holloway is under strain but belittling is a form of bullying and the Minister should be condemned for his behaviour and his attitude,” Mr Dawkins concluded.
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