State Liberal Government

Dr HARVEY (Newland) (15:25): Twelve months ago, South Australians had the opportunity to decide what they wanted for the future of South Australia. The choices were clear. They could re-elect a tired, dysfunctional, spin-obsessed government, or they could vote for a team that would not accept such mediocrity. They could vote for a team that had put in the work over the previous four years to develop a comprehensive vision for what South Australia could become—a team that had a plan to improve our state, to facilitate the creation of more jobs, to provide hip-pocket relief for South Australian households, and to make sure that our health, education and community services are as good as they can possibly be.

It is no surprise then that the South Australian people elected the Marshall Liberal government. After 16 years of scandal and financial mismanagement under Labor, we have had a big mess to clean up but we have hit the ground running. The promises we made at the election are being delivered. We have abolished payroll tax for small businesses. We have cut the emergency services levy for households and businesses. Our Home Battery Scheme is up and running and beginning to deliver cheaper and more reliable power for South Australians.

We are delivering record investment in education so that our young people are as well placed as possible to take full advantage of the extraordinary opportunities that will result from exciting projects that are based in South Australia, such as the naval shipbuilding projects and the national Space Agency. These are just some of the policy achievements we have delivered that are making a real, positive difference to the lives of South Australians.

Of course, with the 12-month anniversary of the Marshall Liberal government comes the 12-month anniversary of my election as the member for Newland. Having my community place its trust in me was a truly humbling experience. To represent my community is a significant privilege and I am acutely aware of the enormous responsibility that comes with being a member of this place. It is a responsibility, not just to promise outcomes, but my community expects and deserves that promises are delivered and that positive outcomes are achieved.

In the 12 months since the election, I have been incredibly proud to see the delivery of my local election commitments. The Tea Tree Gully Toy Library is receiving $100,000 so that it can continue to provide children in the north-east with access to toys and games to aid their development. Lyn and her team of volunteers work hard in the toy library and it was great to be able to provide them with funding certainty. Tea Tree Gully Gymsports, one of the largest and most successful gymnastics clubs in Australia, has now installed their new sprung floor with the assistance of $20,000 from the Marshall Liberal government. The member for King and I visited the club only a couple of weeks ago and saw the new floor in action.

It has been terrific also to be able to deliver funding for the upgrade of the Kersbrook Primary School crossing. The school community at Kersbrook contribute so much to their local school and absolutely deserve to have confidence that their kids can safely cross the road on the way to and from school. We all know how important it is that our communities have local facilities that allow them to be active, particularly for children. I promised at the election $350,000 for six new multipurpose tennis and netball courts at the Tea Tree Gully Sports Hub, and I was thrilled that the Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing was able to join me last year to hand over that funding.

But the biggest issue that had been facing my community in Newland, and more broadly across the north-east, was the disgraceful downgrading of Modbury Hospital that occurred under the previous government's Transforming Health cuts. These downgrades were a significant betrayal of our community. The north-east deserves to have a local hospital that is modern, well resourced and, importantly, respected by government. I am very proud to have worked with the member for King and the Minister for Health and Wellbeing to secure funding not just to stop the cuts that those opposite so eagerly imposed but to upgrade the hospital to ensure its future viability.

The first year the Marshall Liberal government has been full of positive achievements, but we know that South Australians will not accept us resting on our laurels. There is certainly a lot more work to be done, and those of us on this side of the house will not take a backward step in continuing to deliver for our state and for our communities.