Tatachilla Lutheran College

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL (Mawson) (15:29): Like many members in this place, one of the great things about being a local member of parliament is getting around and visiting the local schools, getting to know the students, the teachers, the principals and all those people who make these places not just a community within our community but a really important hub for us to go in to speak with the leaders and students at the schools.

I am really happy with the way students feel really free to come up and tell me about what is happening at their schools, whether that is down the street or they send me an email. At the beginning of this year, I received a few emails from some students at Tatachilla Lutheran College, an outstanding school in the McLaren Vale area, where hundreds and hundreds of students from across the Fleurieu attend school each day. I want to read out part of one of those emails:

Hi Mr Bignell. My name is Stella I am 10 and met you lots of times at willunga netball [club]—

That is true, Stella. The email continues:

I started at tatachilla [Lutheran college] this year and it's really hard for me to get there from willunga and the bus is really expensive. You should come to my school at 3.20 and see all the cars and lots of kids it's a bit scary.

So I did go to the school and there were lots and lots of cars. It was followed up with another email in that same week from Elani, who said:

Last Wednesday, was my first day at Tatachilla Lutheran College and I really enjoyed it. My dad dropped me off and picked me up on that day, and I doubt that he is ever doing that again in his life. When he was picking me up it took us about 20 minutes to drive that 300 meter driveway down to the road because of the amount of traffic. How ridiculous? If you don't believe me I invite you to come and have a look yourself. It's a lot of cars polluting the environment.

Again, I was out there having a look. These kids are making a lot of sense. I like this line from Elani:

Mr Bignell, have you ever heard of tea-cup children?

I have to admit that I had not heard of teacup children. It does not matter how old you are or how young your teachers are sometimes, you can always learn. I had not heard of teacup children, so I will let the house know what it is all about in Elani's words:

Tea-cup kids are the children who have been brought up relying 100% on their parents to do everything for them. They don't get opportunities to get out and learn about life. From a Tatachilla parent's perspective I can definitely see why they wouldn't want their kids walking or riding to and from school because 1, there aren't any good paths to ride or walk on near the school, and 2, its practically in the middle of nowhere.

Well, it is not really in the middle of nowhere, but I guess when you do not have a means of transport it is. It is about 2.4 kilometres from McLaren Vale and a bit farther from Willunga, but what Elani is saying is that it is not on a bus route. Elani goes on:

I don't want to become a tea-cup kid, but I want to be an independent, environmentally friendly, responsible teenager able to get around by bus.

I wrote to the transport minister, minister Knoll, and asked whether the public bus could be diverted, just one in the morning and one in the afternoon at school drop-off and pick-up times, to make sure that these students can get there. The response back was: 'No, you can't,' in short, which is interesting because before the last election the Liberal Party said that they were going to introduce bus services for regional students at non-government schools around the state.

They said that students at non-government schools in the regions should have the same access to bus services as students at metropolitan non-government schools. It is interesting because McLaren Vale is one of those areas, thanks to some legislation that we brought through a decade ago, covered by an agricultural preserve. It is regional but, as the crow flies, it is about 45 kilometres from the CBD, so it is often considered metro at the same time.

Either way you look at this, Tatachilla Lutheran College should have a bus service that is provided by the government. They have said that they want regional schools to have the same services city schools have. It is either a city school or a regional school; it does not matter. If they are going to give the same service to both schools, then Tatachilla Lutheran College should have that.

There is also a need for a bike path from McLaren Vale to Tatachilla Lutheran College. Again, I wrote to the transport minister and, again, the computer—or the minister—said no. The children and young adults at Tatachilla Lutheran College are very upset, but I will keep fighting for that bus service to Tatachilla Lutheran College and for that bike and walking path.