Threats to leak Premier’s address in park lands protection group
The Premier has responded to reports that park lands protesters were searching for his address in a Facebook group with almost 6000 members.
Premier Peter Malinauskas has said some of the “extreme” park lands protesters were engaging in conduct that was un-Australian after a Facebook post threatened to leak his home address.
The post, shared in the “Possum Park Protection Platoon” Facebook group, posted a Google Maps screenshot of Malinuaskas’ electorate and encouraged followers to find his address for their cause.
Protesters are angered by 585 trees being felled for the $45 million golf course redevelopment on the Adelaide Park Lands in North Adelaide, with some of those opposed holding another protest event over the weekend. A petition objecting to the plan and calling for greater protection of Possum Park has now amassed 47,305 signatures.
Adelaide Park Lands Association President Mat Monti said the group acted rapidly after the post was live for about two hours, his association removing it from the Facebook group that has now amassed about 5900 followers.
Monti said the association has upped its Facebook sharing settings, so that all posts must be approved by administrators before being shared to the group
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“Our opposition is to the redevelopment of the North Adelaide Golf Course and the destruction of the park lands,” Monti wrote in a statement to the Facebook group on Monday morning.
“It is not a personal war against the premier or any minister. Political disagreements should never include violence or threats.
“Any further posts inciting violence or targeting the premier or his family will not be tolerated and may result in further consequences should they reach a level that requires reporting to SAPOL.”
The latest action follows consistent protests last week, including one that saw eight people arrested at North Adelaide on Friday.
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Asked about the threat during a press conference in Prospect on Monday morning, the Premier said “some of this conduct is just not who we are as South Australians”.
“A minority of the protesters, it is not a majority, I’ve been clear about this all the way through, a majority of protesters have conducted themselves simply and reasonably, but a minority just being way too extreme,” Malinauskas said.
Malinauskas said he could not comment on his security arrangements.
It comes after a peaceful “cultural gathering” organised by a First Nations group Preserving Pirltawardli on Sunday brought those opposing tree felling together at Par 3 of the golf course site.
The golf course redesign would remove 585 trees from the Adelaide park lands but leave the Aboriginal land protected under the Aboriginal Heritage Act untouched, the state government said.
Park lands protesters planned to fill the gallery in parliament’s upper house on Wednesday in support of a bill from Greens leader Robert Simms to halt the golf course redevelopment and redirect funds to public transport discounts.
Monti said the Adelaide Park Lands Association would then turn its attention to the MotoGP track slated for Victoria Park to try and preserve as many park lands trees as possible.
The MotoGP would be held at the city circuit that is currently used for the BP Adelaide Grand Final supercars event – and was once used by the Formula One Grand Prix, starting in 2027.
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