Elder Electorate

Ms DIGANCE (Elder) (15:09): I rise to speak today about two very active community groups in my electorate—the Ascot Parks Scouts and the Marion Tennis Club.

Members interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I am on my feet.

Ms DIGANCE: On Monday—

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Sit down. If members could leave the chamber in silence, it would be appreciated. Member for Elder.

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Vickie can look after herself.

An honourable member interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: If he has a dissent with the Chair, he can bring his body back and have a go. Go on, Member for Elder.

Ms DIGANCE: Thank you, Deputy Speaker. On Monday, I had the pleasure of hosting the very eager and lively Ascot Park Scout group on a Parliament House visit. The visit was arranged by Jarrod, a year 9 student who is undertaking his Australian Scout Medallion. Jarrod tells me that, to earn this high award, he needed to demonstrate leadership by planning, organising and reporting on a visit such as this on behalf of his Scout group. The award is very prestigious, being the highest award in the Scout section, and is considered the pinnacle of Scouting at this stage.

The Ascot Park Scouts is a group of around 30 or so, and the Scouts who visited on this day were year 6 to 9 students from various schools across the area. They were accompanied by a number of parents and Scout leaders. The Scouts asked many inquiring and interesting questions to further their understanding of parliament and its processes, and they were indeed a pleasure to host.

Boys and girls aged six to 25 can be involved in Scout programs to engage in peer-to-peer mentoring and outdoor activities to develop their self-confidence, and learn problem-solving abilities, risk management and life and leadership skills. They actively learn to understand the importance of honesty, integrity and community service, enabling them to become involved and enabled citizens, business leaders and role models in their local communities.

Scouts is a growing organisation worldwide, with over 25 million members, of which there are 7,000 in SA alone. Scouting is about helping young people to be their best. There are also plenty of ways adults can get involved and contribute to the positive development of young people in the Scout program—roles such as assisting with activities, helping to fundraise, providing transport and assisting with food preparation to name but a few. They are a local group doing great things, and I am pleased to recognise the wonderful work of the volunteer leaders, parents and Scouts of Ascot Park Scout group and I thoroughly enjoyed their visit. I wish Jarrod all the best in his endeavours and thank him for organising the visit.

The other remarkable group I wish to mention today is the Marion Tennis Club, which minister Hunter and I were pleased to visit recently. I understand they are uniquely placed, being the first carbon-neutral tennis club in Australia. This is a great story of transformation through innovation, vision and hard work in the face of adversity.

I understand that closure was imminent after their being suddenly decoupled from the City of Marion master plan with the pulling of the important funding that they needed to continue. This incredible change is the result of a team spearheaded by Rick, Ann and Jen and a new committee, which has seen them working incredibly hard over the last 18 months to set a new pathway with outstanding results. I was also pleased, on this visit, to present Jen with a volunteer of the year award that I sponsor.

Being 70 years old, the Marion Tennis Club is one of the oldest tennis clubs in the Glenelg Districts Tennis Association. The majority of members are a combination of juniors and seniors ranging from ages six to 45, spread over six junior and six senior teams. Ann and Rick pooled their resources and enthusiasm and, with the great work of Jen in fundraising, the trio have been working on goals they set and have more they wish to achieve.

They tell me they were originally inspired by the TV show The Block to pull off an immediate renovation rescue of their clubroom. The clubroom walls were bright green and pink inside and described as an eyesore. This was the beginning of what has been a strategically-planned major restart of the Marion Tennis Club. Ann and Rick developed a strategic plan, appropriately titled Our Advantage, with a strategy known as 'the game plan', the vision known as 'the ace', a mission statement known as 'the follow-through', values are called 'the winner' and key result areas 'the triple bagel'.

The club has been awarded STAR Club status, which is more than just accreditation for being a leader in quality coaches and officials working alongside volunteers: it is recognition that they are an exemplar. They have also obtained funding for new fencing and shade, as well as new shirts for the juniors. Other projects they are working towards include attaining funding for solar panels, building a Gallipoli garden, becoming a Cancer Council SunSmart club and offering barista training for youth to increase employability skills, while maintaining their carbon-neutral status.

The Marion Tennis Club story is undeniably one of leadership, creativity and committed vision to build a brand with a value proposition of difference. I applaud the hard work and commitment of these two incredible clubs—the Marion Tennis Club and the Ascot Park Scout Club—which, on a day-to-day basis, put their community first. I wish them well with their futures and look forward to continuing to work with them.