Anger over imported Rundle Mall pavers

A move to use imported stone for pavers in the redevelopment of Adelaide's Rundle Mall has angered local manufacturers and disappointed the Premier.

The complete re-pave of the shopping strip will require about 60,000 bricks, but as 7News revealed yesterday, every one of them will come from China.

Shoppers in Rundle Mall told 7News today they wanted to see a local product used.

“I think that’s a pretty stupid idea – if they could do it locally they’re far better off doing it locally,” one person told 7News.

Premier Jay Weatherill agrees.

“We would like to see as many possible - South Australian businesses - getting involved in contracts of this sort.”

But he wouldn’t rule out a similar situation with the new Royal Adelaide Hospital.

“We can’t, obviously, discriminate in favour of South Australians, just as in the same way we want to sell our products interstate and overseas,” Mr Weatherill said.

Re-paving Rundle Mall will cost $3.4million, and Adelaide City Council claims using local granite could have doubled that amount.

“The head designer is actually South Australian, most of the products that we’re providing in the mall are South Australian,” Tom McCready from Adelaide City Council said.

One of the country’s biggest granite manufacturers has slammed the decision a disgrace.

Ironically, he is in Hong Kong at the moment, working on a major project using South Australian granite.

“Why they want our product is based on the quality and the uniqueness of the stone,” he said.

The recently redeveloped Forrest Place in Perth was entirely paved with local stone, proving it can be done.