Strathmont Pool

Dr CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:49): My question is to the Minister for Education. How many students with disabilities will have reduced access to swimming therapy as a result of the government's closure of the Strathmont pool?

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Minister for Education) (14:49): I thank the member for the question. It is a serious question, and it is a pleasure to receive a question from the shadow minister for education on—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.C. Mullighan interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Lee is warned.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: I was trying to say something nice about the opposition's—

Ms Cook interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Hurtle Vale is called to order.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: I am uncertain—

Mr Brown interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Playford is warned.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: —why it has provoked such a strange reaction.

The Hon. D.G. Pisoni: From her colleagues.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: From her colleagues, yes. I will indeed provide more information to the member. Of course, the Strathmont Centre's swimming pool has been accessed primarily by virtue of the fact that it was located with the disability site, which has been there for some time, and actions taken appropriately by the former government have led to that. The pool, I understand, is no longer going to be continued as a result of the—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my right and left, please! The minister has the call.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: The pool is not in a condition that is deemed to be appropriate for continued use, is my understanding, and as I have advised—

The Hon. A. Piccolo interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Light is warned for a second and final time.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: The member has asked a question. Those opposite have interjected when I tried to say something nice about her, and her colleagues continue to interject—

The SPEAKER: Makes you wonder why you bother!

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: —on me trying to provide quite genuinely information to the house. I don't understand why the opposition is so provoked by me simply providing information.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister has the call.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: I previously answered this question, but I will provide further information.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: As I said, there is a range of schools that have had access to the service at the pool there. The department has been working with those schools to provide whatever new provision will be available for next year once the pool is no longer there.

The pool is no longer there largely as a result of historical decisions taken by the former government. I am not criticising those decisions. I note that the member for Cheltenham is the only person on the other side not interjecting, because he possibly has some historical perspective on those decision., Nevertheless—

The Hon. J.W. Weatherill interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Cheltenham is called to order.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: The member for Cheltenham is still here. It's a very exciting day that the member for Cheltenham is still here and he is excited to be here. I look forward to him continuing to serve his electorate for years to come. The fact of the matter is that this is an important question. The details—

Mr Duluk: Irreplaceable!

The SPEAKER: The member for Waite is called to order.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: —in relation to the services available for these students are important, and I will bring them back to the house.