Ramsay Electorate Sporting Clubs

The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON (Ramsay) (15:32): Today, I rise to talk about the sporting and recreation clubs in my electorate. We know that they are at the heart of our community and they are there to support us. We know that in 2020 COVID has hit not only many businesses but people's livelihoods very hard. Many people were not able to engage in the sports they usually do for the time period they could, but we are getting back on track.

I was really delighted through the weekend to spend time with some of the sporting clubs in the Salisbury area. We know that there is a lot of excitement in our area because very soon we are going to see the opening of Bridgestone Reserve. This was a commitment of $995,000 by the former Labor government. It is our second synthetic athletics track in South Australia, and I am very proud to say it is going to be in the north. It was going to be up and running for the start of this athletics season, which I was fortunate to celebrate with the Northern Districts Athletics Club, known as the Jets.

The Jets were hoping to start their season at Bridgestone, but due to COVID it has been delayed. No doubt, there is still enthusiasm for people to come together. This club came together as an amalgamation because they knew they were going to get this new facility. They brought together the Salisbury East Little Athletics and the Salisbury Amateur Athletics Club, and they came together to form the Jets. They look forward to starting very soon at this new club.

I was there for the official opening, along with the member for Playford, the member for Wright, councillors and of course the mayor, who was there to cut the ribbon to officially start the season. When they move to Bridgestone athletics track, the Ingle Farm Little Athletics and Salisbury Little Athletics are also going to be joining them there. We know that that investment by the Labor government is bringing together many, many clubs who are going to use top-notch facilities, and maybe one day we will see one of the people who started there representing us nationally and internationally.

On Sunday, I had a great invite to visit the Northern Knights in the Super League. I am not sure if you have heard of the Super League, but it is the lawn bowls equivalent of the SANFL. It has a shortened season, with live streaming and a very, very active player draft. The Salisbury representative in the Super League for lawn bowls is the Northern Knights. They are the blue and white team. Even though they have a shortened season, they have been very actively practising.

The reason that we can host a Super League in Salisbury is because of the investment to the dome in the Salisbury Orange Bowl lawn bowls club. Without that investment by the former Labor government, we would not be able to host a Super League team. The season is going to go from 25 October to 18 December. Make sure you do not miss it. Lawn bowls is for all ages—we have a very young member of the Northern Knights team—and it is mixed gender: men and women. They are the best at lawn bowls in South Australia.

The other group I have been spending time with is the Salisbury West Sports Club. They did it tough during COVID, but what they wanted to do was take this time to regroup. They were looking to be a much more family-friendly club and in particular they wanted to move away from their dependence on poker machines. One of the key things they did was invite soccer into the club. For an Aussie Rules club, this was a big change. What they wanted to do was let the local community know that the Salisbury West Sports Club is for everyone: football, soccer, netball, softball. You are welcome to be there, and they want you to come to watch a game, to play in a game and to share a meal. I thank all the volunteers from these clubs for their efforts to continue sports in the seat of Ramsay.