Evidence from Renewal SA to the Gillman Select Committee has confirmed there were 11 separate approaches for land at Gillman over a three year period from 2010 to 2013.
This evidence is further embarrassment for Mr Weatherill and Mr Koutsantonis who had responsibility for the controversial Gillman land deal.
In fact, on ABC radio on 25 January 2014 Mr Koutsantonis claimed that the reason they didn’t go to competitive tender was:
“Well because the land has sat idle for 30 years. No one has shown interest at all…”
In a written reply to questions on notice Acting CEO of Renewal SA Trudi Meakins confirmed the following 11 separate approaches for Gillman land since July 2010:
July 2010 Adelaide Resource Recovery – 15 ha
Oct 2010 Incitec Pivot Limited – 5-10 ha
Feb 2011 Harmony Group – 10-20 ha
May 2011 ResourceCo – 20 ha
May 2011 The Archean Group – 100 ha
June 2012 Samaras Engineering – 5 ha
March 2013 Integrated Waste Services (IWS) – 39 ha
April 2013 Adelaide Resource Recovery – 311 ha
June 2013 Adelaide Capital Partners – 450 ha
July 2013 Bardavcol (following up earlier Jan 2007 proposal) – ? ha
Aug 2013 DMITRE/Metcash Food & Grocery – 12-14 ha
Nov 2013 IWS (following up Mar 2013 proposal)
Nov 2013 Equity & Advisory Ltd – ? ha
“Clearly if there had been a competitive tender process for the Gillman land there would have been a considerable level of interest in bidding for the land, contrary to the claims of Mr Weatherill and Mr Koutsantonis,” said Shadow Treasurer Rob Lucas.
“It is easy to understand why there has been so much opposition in the development industry to the process used by the Weatherill Labor Government.
“Given the overwhelming evidence, Mr Koutsantonis must now explain how he could have told the media prior to the election that there had been ‘no interest at all’ in the Gillman land.
“The Select Committee has now requested Renewal SA to indicate what level of consideration was given to each of these proposals by Renewal SA and the Government. In particular, how many of these proposals were the subject of detailed papers presented to the Board.
“Mr Koutsantonis needs to explain why he and Mr Weatherill refused to follow the advice of his expert Renewal SA Board and go to competitive tender for the Gillman land.
“This is yet another example where evidence to the Select Committee has drastically contradicted claims made by Mr Weatherill and Mr Koutsantonis to defend their controversial Gillman deal.”
