By Teresa Dowding
ADELAIDE — The official Multi-Function Polis logo is three linked circles representing people, environment and technology. But people and environment are not faring very well in plans for the project, and it appears even the technology could have a distorted focus on military applications. The federal and state governments appear to have dumped their community consultation efforts following objections and calls for a referendum on the project.
Despite the fact that the MFP has been promoted as a private investment project promising 40,000 jobs to a state with high unemployment, it appears there is little public enthusiasm for the project.
To start this "private" project rolling, the federal government has committed $12.275 million over the next three years. It is already under pressure from transnational corporations for further subsidies, tax concessions and other incentives. The city of Adelaide will provide much of the infrastructure, research facilities and other support services.
While the federal government claims the MFP will promote development of information technology, telecommunications, environmental management and education, it is silent on the involvement of military-industrial corporations. Yet there are now suspicions that military requirements had a lot to do with the move of the MFP from its originally proposed site in tourist-oriented Queensland to a flat, arid, former rubbish dump in SA.
The Gillman site is well-placed for military testing, research, manufacturing and intelligence gathering. The Woomera rocket range lies a convenient distance to the north, and the US spy base at Nurrungar is not too far away. Within or close to the site are the Salisbury Defence Science and Technology Organisation, the Australian Digital Signal Processing Institute and the submarine construction facilities at Port Adelaide.
Other concerns with the MFP are possible secret guarantees on labour costs in the city, and democratic freedoms in a city in which health, education and security will be organised through a privately owned and controlled database.