Claims former pollie is ‘rewriting history’ over Vic Park grandstand

One of the state’s longest serving Attorney-Generals is fired up about another former Labor pollie’s claims standing firmly behind the city’s Lord Mayor.

Response to comments by Kevin Foley (former Deputy Premier) on the Victoria Park Grandstand. (Mike Smithson, “Exclusive: Colourful ex-pollie’s tell all on parklands grandstand”, In Daily, 6 July 2026)

Kevin Foley needs to stop rewriting history over the 2006 proposal for a large grandstand in the middle of Victoria Park.

He omits essential background about the election of Jane Lomax-Smith to parliament. Prior to the 2002 election she was specifically approached by Mike Rann then Leader of the Opposition as a “Captains pick” for the seat of Adelaide because he rightly thought that she had the best chance of winning. Foley and the Labor Right faction were of the same view.

Lomax-Smith was picked because of her commitment over many years to former Premier Don Dunstan’s ideals including his support for Park Lands protection. As Lord Mayor she was on the record and active in support of this cause which made her such an attractive candidate.

As a resident of North Adelaide, I was aware of the vigorous campaign she ran. Specific promises were made that Labor would not support the Victoria Park Grandstand that had been floated by the Liberal Government under John Olsen and Rob Kerin. Former Deputy Premier and Labor stalwart Frank Blevins was her campaign director, and they waged a full-on campaign with Parklands protection the centre piece of it.

Lomax-Smith was successful in defeating sitting member Michael Armitage and delivering government for Rann and Labor (with Foley as Deputy Premier). Labor only won because independent Liberal Peter Lewis reneged on his natural side of politics and supported Rann on the basis he........

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