House of Assembly Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1) 52 1 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Grievance Debate Volunteers VOLUNTEERS Mr BIGNELL House of Assembly Mawson Mr BIGNELL (Mawson) (15:40): Following the whingeing, whining, carping member for Bragg takes me back to the former member for Flinders when I would follow her in this place. I just want to pick up on the point that the member for Bragg brought up about the access taxis. Last Christmas Day I was at the Julia Farr Centre helping load people into the access cabs. I did not see the member for Bragg out there doing anything. It is very easy to come in here and criticise people and the system. That is the day of the highest demand in the calendar. We heard the minister— Ms Chapman interjecting: Mr BIGNELL House of Assembly Mr BIGNELL: Excuse me, could I have some quiet, please, Speaker? I can't hear because of the member for Bragg interjecting. The Hon. A. Koutsantonis House of Assembly The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: Serial pest. Mr BIGNELL House of Assembly Mr BIGNELL: Yes, exactly. I was out there— Ms CHAPMAN House of Assembly Ms CHAPMAN: Point of order, Madam Speaker. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Point of order, member for Bragg. Ms CHAPMAN House of Assembly Ms CHAPMAN: I apologise for attempting to interrupt the member, but as you have just heard, he is not only reflecting on me, he is entering into debate and— Mr Bignell House of Assembly Mr Bignell: It's a grieve. Ms CHAPMAN House of Assembly Ms CHAPMAN: Excuse me—entering into debate and being offensive to me as a member of this parliament during the course of that grieve. That isn't acceptable and I ask for an apology. Mr Bignell House of Assembly Mr Bignell: It is acceptable. Ms CHAPMAN House of Assembly Ms CHAPMAN: He alleged, Madam Speaker, to be clear about this, about his actions on Christmas Day and demanded to know, 'What were you doing, member for Bragg, on Christmas Day, to help these people?' That is an insult and I expect an apology. Mr Bignell House of Assembly Mr Bignell: I didn't say that. Go check the Hansard. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Bragg. I certainly will read the Hansard later, but if you believe you have been misrepresented you can do a personal explanation. Member for Mawson, I would ask you to get back to the original point of your grievance and refrain from commenting on the members opposite. Mr BIGNELL House of Assembly Mr BIGNELL: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I will say that the people out there delivering the service on Christmas Day were doing a terrific job. They were giving up their time, that they could have had with their families, to be out there to provide that service. What I was saying is, it is very easy to come in here and complain about the system, but when you actually get out and meet the individuals who are delivering that service, they do a tremendous job, and I think they deserve better than to be attacked. We heard the Minister for Transport Services earlier say that they had one complaint from last Christmas Day and six or seven commendations. No system is 100 per cent perfect, it doesn't matter what it is, where it is in life or where it is in the world. I want to get to the point of today's discussion in here and that is to thank many of the volunteers in our local area. Last week it gave me great pleasure to attend a volunteer awards day organised by our very hardworking and great local federal member, Amanda Rishworth, the member for Kingston. I was there with the member for Reynell and the member for Mitchell, and we got to honour many people from our state electorates. Wendy Smith, who has been involved with the Hackham West Community Centre for the past seven years, received a certificate. Patrick Cooper is secretary of the Aldinga Senior Citizens Club and is responsible for the administration of the club's office. Cora James has volunteered with Anglicare at St Hilary's for the past 10 years, donating her time to those in need. Marie Goodway also volunteers at the Hackham West Community Centre. Marie has been at the centre for four years, being involved with many programs, including the Green Door Market and the adult literacy program. People will know that I often speak in this place of the great work done by the Hackham West Community Centre. It is also where Leon Holthuysen, who also received an award last week, is involved. He helps out with the Everyday Cafe, the operations committee, the breakfast club and as a bus driver at Hackham West Community Centre. Wendy Till has also been involved at the Hackham West Community Centre for the past 13 years, and during her time she has been involved with the management committee, various subcommittees, and most recently the building steering group. We are all looking forward to the renovations being opened. They have just started this month and they will be opened next year. We are all looking forward to a bigger, better Hackham West Community Centre. Bryan Hearn is involved in many different projects and good causes down in McLaren Vale. Bryan is a tireless worker and devotes his time and experience to the local Lions Club, the Probus Club, and Neighbourhood Watch, as well as the McLaren Vale and Districts War Memorial Hospital, Prostate Cancer South Australia and McLaren Vale community carols (of which I am proud to be a sponsor). Kay Hearn was also given a certificate and recognised for her work with the McLaren Vale and Districts War Memorial Hospital. Phillip Spry, another person who does a great deal of work with the McLaren Vale and Districts War Memorial Hospital, also received an award from Amanda Rishworth. Tom Sadler from Neighbourhood Watch at McLaren Vale also received a certificate. Tom has volunteered with the McLaren Vale Neighbourhood Watch for the past 13 years. Michelle Butcher is a committee member with the Noarlunga District Senior Citizens Club and it was great to honour her last week. The Sammy D Foundation had two people receive awards last week, and Aimee Mitchell was one of them. Aimee has contributed more than 2,000 volunteer hours to the Sammy D Foundation, enthusiastically supporting programs which aim to inspire positive change in youth culture in South Australia; Darryl Alsopp, from the McLaren Vale RSL, is a volunteer cook at the RSL and also received an award; Mary Savage from The Stables is a volunteer coordinator and she has been doing that for the past 11 years; Julie Turner, from Trees for Life Willunga; and Ron Clark who has done an enormous amount of work for Legacy over many years. I congratulate all the volunteers and also Amanda Rishworth for a fantastic day.