Media on June 25th, 2026 reported that the State Government was preparing to declare its first State Development Area (SDA) – the Osborne SDA – with reports suggesting
‘Designated an economic ‘go-zone’, SA’s Osborne precinct has been granted sweeping new powers to slash red tape as the state races to unlock the full economic potential of AUKUS’.
While local stakeholders were aware of the State Government’s State Development Coordination and Facilitation Act 2025, the announcement of the Osborne SDA was unexpected for the local community and the City of Port Adelaide Enfield.
The AUKUS precinct (blue area in map above) has its Commonwealth and State Government approvals and plans for the relocation and extension of energy infrastructure (Epic Energy, ElectraNet and SEA Gas) are well underway. It’s well known that transport infrastructure is inadequate in the local area, and the Commonwealth and State government are funding a $15M transport planning study.
In January 2025 FPR was formally advised of the development of the Lefevre Peninsula Masterplan, led by the Office of AUKUS in the Department of Premier and Cabinet, and there was public consultation about this in 2025 and an expectation that the community would see, and have an opportunity to comment on, the draft Masterplan later this year.
So it’s highly mysterious as to what the State Government is seeking to achieve when its says the reason for an SDA is
‘Establishment enables the Coordinator Generals Office to lead coordination, planning and facilitation for development within the SDA, supporting delivery of state and nationally significant projects, protecting critical infrastructure and strengthening investor confidence by signalling the state government’s future intent for the area’.
There is no community consultation about the need, or not, for an SDA. There is consultation about the proposed boundaries for the SDA. As one Councillor has said it’s like receiving a development application and having no details except the boundary. Apparently there is to be consultation on a draft SDA Plan later in 2026, but it is not known why the SA Government would consult on the boundaries without the Plan. Who wants to agree to boundaries if it gives carte blanche to the State Government within them?
While the State Government is clearly focussed on the Lefevre Peninsula as ‘one of South Australia’s most important industrial precincts, home to nationally significant shipbuilding, critical infrastructure and thousands of jobs’ it is not apparent that they see the Peninsula as home to a local community, to environmental assets and community facilities.
Our community faces risks from sea level rise along the Port River, emergency and evacuation concerns, lack of open space and community facilities, problems with stormwater management, that are exacerbated by infill development, problems with air pollution from local industry. There’s no indication that these issues will be addressed by the SDA, whereas there was some hope that the Lefevre Masterplan might do so. While the Government spruiks the jobs involved, data from the EIS (AUKUS planning) showed that the majority of working residents do not work on the Peninsula i.e. they are not the workers at Osborne.
There are grave concerns that Mutton Cove, Biodiversity Park and the Gillman wetlands are included in the SDA, as are the local golf club, the Yacht Squadron, Port Adelaide Rowing Club etc.
There are long standing problems, of the State Government’s making, within the SDA, including about 30 hectares of Penrice waste on State Government land (though Penrice went into liquidation in 2014), the breached seawall at Mutton Cove and its eroding banks, and the tidal gates at Gillman that are jammed open so they neither protect the freshwater wetlands from incoming salt water, nor impede and cleanse stormwater into the Port River. If only the SA Government would fix some of those problems!
It seems that a great deal is being asked of our community and Peninsula with little consideration in return.
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