Tensions between SA Government, city council rise over oval dispute

The state government has accused the Adelaide City Council of stifling events, after it voted to change a community land management plan for the "Village Green" in the Adelaide Oval precinct.

But the council said it had approved “everything" the Stadium Management Authority (SMA) had requested.

The SMA says additional restrictions would make it harder to host events at the venue.

A bitter feud between the South Australian government and Adelaide City Council has escalated, with the state's premier accusing the local government of "complete madness" over a decision to change event restrictions near Adelaide Oval.

The latest dispute threatens to further strain an already fractious relationship between the two levels of government, amid simmering tensions over the controversial North Adelaide Golf Course and MotoGP circuit developments in the parklands.

It also follows consecutive days of barbed attacks from SA Premier Peter Malinauskas and his ministers towards other levels of government, including criticisms of the federal government over a shortage of aged care beds, and a plan to ban councils from issuing ticketless parking fines.

On Wednesday, Mr Malinauskas accused the city council of "stifling" the city and "repelling people away", after it voted to change a community land management plan for Adelaide Oval Number 2, also known as "The Village Green".

The council voted to allow events to be hosted at the site for a maximum six days each year — not including on days Adelaide Oval is in use.

It also voted not to allow events to run for more than three consecutive days, and to retain the 15,000-person attendance limit — which could be reviewed on application to the council.

According to Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith, the council last night approved "everything the Stadium [Management] Authority asked for".

"If the Stadium [Management] Authority have made a mistake and they now don't want us to make the changes they specifically asked for, I think they need to communicate with us in a better way," she said.

But Mr Malinauskas said the council had a "well-established reputation of knocking back opportunities" and, under the revised plan, the local government retained the power to approve or reject events at Adelaide Oval Number 2.

He also raised concerns about the cap of six days of events each year.

"They (the council) say they're in favour of major events but at the first opportunity restrict them and stifle them.

Stadium Management Authority (SMA) chairperson Jamie Briggs said he was "surprised and very frustrated" the council had added "additional restrictions" to the land management plan, which he said would make it harder for the authority to host events at Adelaide Oval Number 2.

He said the SMA was speaking to the state government about how the council's decision could be repealed, arguing the requirement to seek prior council approval to hold events of more than 15,000 people at the site could deter event promoters.

"You're just not going to get promoters that are willing to take that chance that a city council chamber will be able to vote an event down," he said.

Adelaide city councillor Phil Martin said the requirement to seek council approval for events of more than 15,000 was in place to ensure council could "manage the roads, make sure there are enough rubbish bins, make sure there is enough toilets".

"It is about event management, not about frustration," he said.

Cr Martin said the state government had never previously asked to host more than six days of events at Adelaide Oval Number 2.

"If the government wants more than six days, ask and you shall receive," he said.

"This is a council that actually loves events.

The argument follows a separate Adelaide City Council decision to rescind a motion to ban fossil fuel advertising on council assets.

The state government previously argued the motion could have affected Australia's biggest cycling event, the Tour Down Under, whose major sponsor is gas giant Santos.

"The ludicrousness, the insanity of their [the council's] position is that last night, they decided to repeal the decision to ban sponsorships from South Australian companies like Santos, but then on the same night made a decision to stifle activity at Adelaide Oval," Mr Malinauskas said.

Asked if he was laying the groundwork for putting the council into administration, Mr Malinauskas said: "It's not about putting the council into administration, it's about having a council that sees a bigger picture".