Hartley Electorate

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA (Hartley—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services) (15:35): Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, and can I congratulate you on your recent elevation to this most prestigious role. I am sure you will do an excellent job.

Today, I wish to provide an update in terms of my local electorate, the electorate of Hartley. I am particularly excited that two schools in my electorate are set to receive significant upgrades as part of the Marshall Liberal government's massive $1.3 billion investment in education.

Mr Picton: Thanks, Susan.

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: Obviously, the Norwood Morialta High School is undergoing an over $50 million upgrade. The upgrade will increase the capacity of its Parade campus to over 1,700 students, which will enable all students to be based on the Parade campus. The upgrade will deliver several things. Amongst those is the construction of a new three-storey middle school building with a rooftop play space, a new two-storey building for the school's technical and specialist precinct, refurbishment and extension of the existing gym, a new facade entry statement for the schools and, of course, new landscaping, car parks and sports courts.

Then there is Charles Campbell College, which also stands to receive over $10 million in an upgrade that will deliver several things, such as major refurbishment of the senior school main building to create modern, flexible STEM learning areas; much-needed refurbishment of the performing arts centre—

Mr Picton interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: —refurbishment of six general learning areas in the junior school into larger and more flexible modern learning spaces; and some replacement of ageing infrastructure. I would like to also thank the very tireless, hardworking and dedicated governing councils at both schools. They do a marvellous job week in week out supporting the school wherever they can. There is a real sense of anticipation at both schools.

There is also a similar level of excitement for the new facilities at the Tower Hotel. I congratulate them on the recent improvements they have made as well. I was delighted to speak only a few weeks ago at the Tower Hotel for the Rotary Club of Morialta. I have to say that the turnout was fantastic, which is a real credit to their local president. It was great to see so many community members at the Tower Hotel, all behaving, of course, in a COVID-safe manner. I was greeted at the door by Mr Paul Haylock, a local resident, who was politely making sure that every attendee was aware of the COVID-safe requirements.

As a local MP, seeing such a high level of interest and engagement in groups like Rotary is really heartening. It demonstrates how community-minded and tightknit people are in the electorate. There was also fantastic turnout on the weekend, when I opened the Tranmere Bowling Club season. It is fair to say that I was more nervous about bowling that first ball than I was coming into question time this week. Unfortunately, my bowl went a little bit to the right—not too far to the right, but just enough. We need to keep practising and our bowling will get better.

More and more we talk about the social benefits of sport in the same vein as we talk about the physical benefits. There was a period this year when local sport could not be played. Of course, we have all had to endure certain sacrifices during this time of the COVID crisis, but this period was undoubtedly tough for many people, especially for those who rely on activities, like having a social bowl at their local bowls club, for so much of their social interaction.

There is much enthusiasm at the Tranmere Bowling Club, not only for the sporting aspect but also for the social opportunities. I really enjoyed talking to people like the club president, Dino DeCorso, and also his executive who put in a lot of preparation for this season, so I wish them and the entire club the very best, of course.

I would also like to thank the constituents who have written to me in recent times congratulating me on my recent role. Obviously, before anything else, I am the member for Hartley, so I just want to reiterate to the good constituents of Hartley that I am here to listen. I am here to work as hard as possible and make sure that I represent their interests.

It was fantastic to attend a street corner meeting in Hectorville last weekend. It was cold, it was wet, it was windy. I thought that we might not have many people there, but I think that we had over 10, so it is great to see that democracy is at work and in action. I certainly ended up with much more work to do the Monday after.

It is great to see that we have also been able to open the newly minted, adapted, improved Paradise park-and-ride, which this government is delivering. I thank the house for the opportunity just to put a few thoughts on the record in terms of what we are doing in the local electorate at the moment.