Long-term SA Labor minister joins calls for MotoGP move
A former Labor MP who held multiple ministerial portfolios is blaming “senior public servants” for the state government’s MotoGP plans “headache”.
Former Labor MP Michael O’Brien says there is still time for the state government to reverse course and host the 2027 MotoGP at The Bend in Tailem Bend rather than build a track through sections of the Adelaide park lands.
O’Brien – who held numerous ministerial positions in the Rann and Weatherill governments and is a member of the Labor Environmental Action Network – has blamed “senior public servants” for accepting the controversial MotoGP proposal.
He noted that the Victorian government in February rejected a proposal from the promoter of MotoGP – Dorna Sports – to host MotoGP in Albert Park in Melbourne instead of on Phillip Island where it has been held since the 1990s.
A few days later, Premier Peter Malinauskas announced that Adelaide had secured the MotoGP Grand Prix from 2027, with a track to be constructed based on the original Adelaide Grand Prix Street Circuit in the city centre that would also run through the eastern park lands.
O’Brien – whose son-in-law Adam Spark is the lead guitarist for Birds of Tokyo with tens of millions of Spotify listeners – has now joined forces with numerous lobbyists fighting plans.
“I think what this highlights in SA is the inadequacy of the process employed by senior public servants,” he said.
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“I don’t think that in SA sufficient consideration was given to environmental consequences, social consequences and the status of Adelaide in the international liveability index.
“I wouldn’t say [the Malinauskas government] made a bad call, I think they’ve acted on bad advice. I think [senior public servants] have given the government a headache.”
He was also concerned that environmental concerns relating to the removal of trees in the park lands were being dismissed in favour of a tourism and financial boon from the race.
“I just don’t see that it is going to emerge as a major sporting event,” he said. “I think it’s on the fringes.”
O’Brien thinks the race should move to The Bend at Tailem Bend saying “I think there is still time to renegotiate the agreement”.
A state government spokesperson said: “Individuals are entitled to their views”.
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“The Government has carefully considered this opportunity which is manifestly in the state’s interests and intends to fulfil its election commitment to deliver it,” he said.
His comments back an outcry from many Adelaide CBD residents, Labor’s political opponents and the City of Adelaide Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith, who yesterday told the ABC the park lands would “irrevocably and permanently” change with the new city circuit. A physical petition opposing the plan has now amassed more than 30,000 signatures.
South-east city residents were told this week in a letter titled Circuit Redevelopment Project that work on building a new MotoGP Grand Prix track in their neighbourhood was expected to start in December this year.
It would utilise the historic Adelaide Grand Prix Formula One track.
No final track design was yet to be released by the state government, nor have costings been revealed with the Premier and the international MotGP boss saying plans would be released in the coming weeks.
Residents were told they would be given the chance to provide feedback.
Preliminary designs unveiled by Malinauskas at a press conference in February showed the track cutting through Victoria Park, before heading towards East Terrace, up Rundle Street towards Kent Town, along Dequetteville Terrace and back into Victoria Park.
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