Morialta Electorate

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Minister for Education) (15:36): I take this opportunity to spend five minutes talking about some activities in my local electorate of Morialta, in particular in relation to the centenary of Remembrance Day and local government elections.

Every member of this house would no doubt have participated with local RSLs around South Australia on 11 November 2018 to commemorate 100 years since the guns stopped—the centenary of armistice. It was incredibly moving, at the dinner at the town hall on the Saturday night, to come together the night before with so many returned service people. I was honoured to sit with the family of the late Bill Corey OAM and reflect on that important moment.

On the Sunday morning, I was privileged to participate with you, Mr Speaker, and others in a moving Remembrance Day ceremony at the Magill RSL. I congratulate President Meredith Burgess and Secretary Rosalie Hogan on leading and organising that. On the evening of Remembrance Day, I was also privileged to participate—with almost every resident in the town of Gumeracha—in a community dinner organised by the Gumeracha RSL, along with my friend Georgina Downer, who very much appreciated the opportunity to be there. In particular, I congratulate Alan and Keryn Huggins from the RSL, as well as Henry Carter and a range of other people who put that together. It was an extraordinary 24-hour period. Those centenary of armistice events are some of the ones I am going to remember the most when I leave this place, whenever that is.

I also want to pay tribute to members of our community who have served the Morialta district and beyond through local government and those who continue to do so. I reflect briefly on the local government elections: Tea Tree Gully, Adelaide Hills and the Campbelltown councils serve the Morialta constituency. In the Tea Tree Gully area, Kevin Knight was re-elected, and I pay tribute to him, congratulate him and look forward to working with him. Paul Barbaro, who was unsuccessful, has been a good servant of his community. Whilst not successful on this occasion, I am sure he will serve his community again in other ways. In the Water Gully ward, which crosses over with the suburb of Highbury, I congratulate returned councillors Peter Field and Robin Coleman. They have the confidence of that community, which was demonstrated by their strong result, and I look forward to continuing to work with them.

In the Adelaide Hills Council, I congratulate Bill Spragg on his service as mayor over a number of years. He has retired. I understand that he and Erica are going to do some travelling and see more of Australia, and I wish them very well in that. I congratulate Jan-Claire Wisdom, the newly elected mayor of the Adelaide Hills, and commiserate with George Healey, who had offered his services as well. It was obviously a big campaign.

I congratulate those new councillors and returned councillors in the Valleys ward. I note that Malcolm Herrmann led the pack with 914 votes, as due reference to his services being recognised by his community. I also congratulate Andrew Stratford, Linda Green, Pauline Gill and Chris Grant.

In the Ranges ward, which also intersects Morialta, I congratulate Nathan Daniell, Kirrilee Boyd, Kirsty Parkin, Ian Bailey, John Kemp, Leith Mudge and Mark Osterstock. I take this opportunity to pay tribute to the late Val Hall, a councillor for many years, who firstly served the Gumeracha District and then the Adelaide Hills. She served a couple of different wards over the period. I still miss her every time I am in Birdwood, Gumeracha, Lobethal or any of the communities that she served. I miss her voice, I miss her advice and I know that the community does as well.

In Campbelltown, which represents Rostrevor and Athelstone—50 per cent of the Morialta district—I commend Simon Brewer for 12 years of service to the community of Campbelltown as its mayor. Simon has stepped down and chosen to retire. I congratulate his successor, Jill Whittaker. I also commend the former deputy mayor of Campbelltown, Marijka Ryan, who was unsuccessful in the mayoral campaign, who provided long service to that community.

I commend Max Amber, whose 48 years of service to the Campbelltown community as local councillor, mayor and state president of the Local Government Association will not soon be forgotten. Max is a tremendous man. He missed out by the narrowest of margins on preferences, but his service will continue. He will continue to provide advice and counsel to the council, I am sure.

Congratulations in the Gorge ward to Johanna McLuskey and Dom Barbaro, who I look forward to working with. I look forward to continuing to work with Dom, and Johanna is obviously a new councillor. In the Woodforde ward, which services Athelstone, I pay tribute to Councillor Neville Grigg, whose service to the community has been significant over a number of years, and Rob Tidd, who has stepped down. I look forward to working with the new councillors, Therese Bonomi and John Flynn. I thank them all for offering their services to our community. I know the people of Morialta appreciate it.