Elon Musk’s Tesla is one step closer to opening a factory in Adelaide despite overwhelming community opposition expressing “anti-Tesla and anti-Elon Musk sentiment”.
On Tuesday night the City of Marion council voted to seek state government approval to sell the site to a developer who will build a battery-repurposing factory, a showroom and servicing facilities.
Environmental concerns and worries the site will draw protesters were cited by those opposed to the plan. Ninety-five per cent of submissions called for the application to be rejected.
Many voiced their opposition with words that were censored in the city’s official records, such as “Elon Musk and Tesla are a [redacted] on humanity”.
Tesla sales have slumped amid a backlash against Musk for his work for the Trump administration, including slashing funding for government departments through his “department of government efficiency”, as well as his ideology and actions including what some saw as an apparent fascist salute.
But Marion’s mayor, Kris Hanna, said blocking the sale of the site would have no impact on Musk and would have cost 100 local jobs.
Hanna said the site’s soil was contaminated and not safe for recreation, so “it makes sense to have it sealed over with a renewable technology facility”.
“If we didn’t proceed, it would have cost 100 jobs to local residents but it would have had no impact on Elon Musk,” he said. “Tesla would almost certainly find somewhere else in Australia to build their factory.”
The factory is to be used to recover and recycle Tesla lithium-ion batteries.
Sarah Luscombe, a Marion councillor who was opposed to the plan because of the threat to trees, as well as the community opposition, said while much of the focus had been on battery recycling, the benefits offered by the factory would be limited.
“My understanding is Tesla only recycle Tesla batteries and we know most people in SA … have another brand,” she said.
Hanna told ABC radio on Wednesday morning that the council voted eight to three to remove the site’s community land status, saying it had not been used since 2016. The reserve is a small part of a larger area that the developer wants to use for a Tesla factory.
He said the community opposition had been taken into account and “balanced against the economic factors”.
There were “certainly valid points of view … passionately held”, he said, but the “heart” was saying it didn’t want to deal with Musk while the “head” was saying it would be good for the community.
Hanna said while there was “significant” anti-Elon Musk sentiment, trees were another key issue. Tesla had now recognised that concern, he said, and had committed to replacing more trees than it would be required to, as well as keeping at least three of four significant trees on the site.
“Council has done what it can,” he said. “We’ll leave it up to the state government.”
This week Peter Malinauskas said Tesla was welcome in South Australia, according to the Advertiser.
“Any time we see any big, major industrial investment in our state, in my view, it is welcome,” the premier said. “Mr Musk’s politics, while I violently disagree with them … that’s his prerogative.”
A state government spokesperson said the proposal would be considered by the local government minister. “The state government welcomes investment and job creation in South Australia,” the spokesperson said.
