The City of Onkaparinga Council met on Tuesday 28 April – below are some of the key outcomes.
City of Onkaparinga Mayor Moira Were said the meeting outcomes demonstrated that the Council was listening to community feedback.
“Whether through doing deeper engagement on a proposed footpath or housing strategy; or by applying a rigorous financial scrutiny lens to every decision based on recent independent advice, I’m pleased with how effectively the chamber is working for the community,” she said.
“I’m also proud of the way the council is demonstrating leadership, whether through transforming lessons learned on the global stage into tangible actions here, or through trialling new ways to reduce our reliance on herbicides and pesticides.”
Sports and recreation
Splash pad for Noarlunga Aquatic Centre
A decision on whether to use leftover funds from Noarlunga Aquatic Centre’s major refurbishment on a new outdoor “splash pad” (or water play area) has been deferred to a future meeting.
This will allow elected members to consider community feedback on the draft 2026–27 Annual Business Plan and Budget before making their decision.
The approximately $16.4 million Noarlunga Aquatic Centre refurbishment project is progressing well and is forecast to be delivered under budget, so Council last night discussed whether to approve the use of leftover funding to build the splash pad, estimated to cost about $1.5 million.
A splash pad would provide a safe, inclusive space for children, non-swimmers, people with disability and young families, responding to community demand for accessible, family-oriented outdoor water play.
The aquatic centre’s refurbishment is jointly funded by the council and the Australian Government through the Thriving Suburbs Grant and Community Energy Upgrade Fund.
Lease news
The council will kickstart a select expression of interest process with Basketball SA and Southern Tigers Basketball Association to determine a preferred head lessee for Morphett Vale Basketball Stadium for the next 2 years. The current lease agreement expires on 31 August 2026.
The proposed 2-year ground lease arrangement will give the council more time to plan how a longer-term occupancy might look without putting the council’s finances at risk.
Council resolved to enter into a long-term lease agreement with Kangarilla Recreation Ground Committee at the Kangarilla Recreation Ground for up to 15 years following community engagement.
Housing
The revised Affordable Housing Strategy has been approved by Council following community engagement.
The original strategy – which outlines the council’s strategic direction over the next 3 years to improve Onkaparinga’s housing outcomes – was endorsed by Council in June last year, and elected members determined that an additional stage of community engagement was required.
Key changes to the strategy include greater detail about Onkaparinga’s planned growth, an explanation of how the council advocates for things important in the community, and new actions to collaborate with others to get people into housing.
Council also approved a submission to the Australian Government Select Committee on Intergenerational Housing Inequity, which is exploring the causes of intergenerational housing inequity, the factors that promote or impede housing reform, and the experiences of people across the population.
The council’s submission notes that housing inequity is increasing, young people are disproportionately impacted, addressing the inequity requires coordinated action across all levels of government, and that local government has a critical enabling and advocacy role.
Environment
The council will trial a herbicide-free weed-control foam near playgrounds and other high-usage sites for 12 months as part of a review into the council’s use of glyphosate and other herbicides and pesticides.
Elected members resolved to broadly continue the council’s current weed management practices while expanding non-chemical methods in sensitive areas and improving communications about herbicide spraying and the availability of spray-free verge options.
The council will progress several practical maintenance measures around the Christies Beach gross pollutant trap at the western end of Beach Road, responding to community concerns about water quality, odour and pooling.
The measures include trials to reduce odour, maintaining increased cleaning frequency, minor works to reduce water pooling near the beach access, and investigating additional upstream infrastructure to reduce pollutant loads.
The council will implement a range of new climate actions in the wake of Mayor Moira Were’s November 2025 attendance at the C40 World Mayors Summit and the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Brazil.
Twelve actions were explored – including seeking funding from a global climate fund, reviewing emissions targets, and expedited advocacy for green industries – with the Council reporting finding all but 2 are feasible within the council’s existing 2025–26 budget and/or pending approval of the 2026–27 budget (without adding budget pressures).
The costs of the mayor’s trip – which were shared between the mayor herself (51.7 per cent), LGA South Australia (40.9 per cent), and ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (7.3 per cent) – are detailed in the mayor’s report, with no reimbursements provided by the City of Onkaparinga.
More information
As always, you can delve further into meeting outcomes – which in April includes other topics such as the use of AI in council operations, advocacy around stronger standards for elected members, and a renaming of the Aldinga Sports Park – via the agenda, full meeting recording and the minutes at onkaparingacity.com on Thursday.
Onkaparinga Now’s Council meeting updates are published following ordinary – and some special – Council meetings, providing a broad overview of some of the key outcomes. Not all Council decisions will be mentioned each month due to the size and scope of the meeting agendas.
You can find information on registering your interest to attend Council meetings, and how to raise concerns about issues in your area via petitions and deputations, at the council’s website.