‘Diabolical thing’: Hotels boss slams council’s MotoGP consultation
A leading hospitality chief is taking a swing at the City Council, but the Lord Mayor dismisses the harsh criticism as a “trifle silly”.
Australian Hotels Association South Australia CEO Anna Moeller has rubbished the City of Adelaide’s community consultation survey around the MotoGP track plans, saying the questions are “relentless in their negativity”.
Moeller told InDaily this afternoon that the council’s survey had “no balance at all, to the point that it’s just a meaningless survey, and therefore a meaningless consultation”.
“Once you get into the diabolical thing masquerading as a survey, you can’t be positive. You can only provide negative responses to the questions,” Moeller said.
“It’s completely one-sided. It’s a fishing expedition and a platform targeting those who wish to be negative.”
There was more condemnation from Tourism Minister Emily Bourke who held a press conference this afternoon to claim the survey was “incredibly one-sided”.
“It is unfortunate that the business community are not being heard by the Adelaide City Council,” she said.
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“I don’t think [the survey] really provides the opportunity to say if you want the MotoGP race here or not.”
The council last week launched its online community consultation, saying it would inform its response to the state government’s broader consultation around the MotoGP track plans.
Just over a week ago Premier Peter Malinauskas unveiled the hotly anticipated track plan set to revive elements of Adelaide’s 1980s Grand Prix track and requiring the removal of 377 trees.
The Premier said there were currently 8,895 trees in the circuit precinct, and 95 per cent would remain “untouched” by the redevelopment.
A $15 million Adelaide Park Lands Nature Positive Package would also be delivered alongside the project and Malinauksas said the event was expected to deliver the state a $200 million economic boon.
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The City of Adelaide’s survey asks respondents 20 questions gauging community engagement with the state government’s track plans, community expectations around the track and broader impacts on the community.
One question asked “what impacts do you believe the redevelopment will have on you?” while another asked, “which potential impacts concern you most?”.
It closes at 11.59 pm on Wednesday, September 16.
Lord Mayor Dr Jane Lomax-Smith said Moeller’s comments were “expected by one group that looks after one segment of the community”.
“I don’t think anybody could support major events more than me and indeed the council,” she said, saying Moeller’s complaints were a “trifle silly because all of the questions relate to what are the likely impacts on businesses”.
“The issue for us is that we have to maintain and support a whole range of city users and that, of course, includes hotel owners.
“But we’re also concerned about the retail sector, the cafes, about the businesses that have offices as well as emergency services and school attendees.
“There are a whole range of issues we have to deal with beyond just the large hotels.”
She added that she was concerned about the impacts on office workers who “will be facing major challenges” with getting into the city and may choose to work from home instead.
“We’re into harm minimisation, we’re into making sure that this event is not damaging over the course of the next year, and we want to work with the community,” she said.
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