Coronavirus

Ms LUETHEN (King) (15:44): In this unprecedented time, I am so proud to see how the South Australian community have adapted their lives so together we can save lives. Social isolation, social distancing, flattening the curve, live Zoom meetings, bears and rainbows in windows, ANZAC Day at home, grandparents saying hello to their grandchildren across driveways and camping in our own backyards are all part of our everyday life now. Collectively, we are all doing what we have never done before, and together we are saving lives. I emphasise that everything our government is advising and our community is adhering to is being based conscientiously on best scientific and health expert advice.

My community's health is my top priority, and that is why for many weeks now I have been phoning people living in King, checking to make sure that people are informed and that they have the essentials they need at home to keep healthy and safe. Our current environment is so challenging because we are facing a dual crisis. We have the health crisis which collectively and as a community we are nailing right now with the fifth day of no new cases, and also, critically, we have an economic crisis. We are all seeing those soul-destroying line-ups out the front of Centrelink. Tens of thousands of South Australians have lost their jobs as a consequence of this virus through no fault of their own. It is devastating for those businesses and individuals.

We are very fortunate in South Australia and Australia that, because of the fiscal discipline that we have in this country, we have the capability to implement an economic stimulus and support packages. The Premier has told us that very few countries around the world can do this. It has broken my heart to hear that in many countries they are struggling just to supply immediate health needs to their citizens and even allow people to be tested for free.

I want people in King to know that, while the health emergency is unfolding, our government is setting up a platform underneath our economy so that South Australia can come back stronger than before. There is still much work to be done but we are applying ourselves every day to this task. We have all made radical changes to our lives because no-one deserves to die, no student deserves to lose their education and no business deserves to go bust.

There are so many people to thank for their efforts and sacrifices at this time and so many acts of kindness we could talk about. Because our communities have so strictly adhered to the restrictions, this week our 277,000 schoolchildren had the choice to return to school. I can only tell you how happy my own son was to be back amongst his friends. It was a very happy time. I wish to specifically thank the educators in our local schools. They have enabled our children to return to school but also, at the same time, to have the choice to stay home and learn from home. Thank you so much to our schools.

To every person impacted and adapting to this extraordinary challenge, I really do say thank you. Thank you for your kindness and for taking this disease so seriously. Together we are getting through this. Together we are saving lives. Well done, everyone. You can feel very proud of the part that each individual and business has played. Thank you.