King Electorate Kindness Awards

Ms LUETHEN (King) (15:39): Today, I am recognising young people across my electorate for being kind. I do this because kindness is good for us as individuals and for our whole community. Witnessing acts of kindness produces oxytocin, occasionally referred to as the love hormone, which aids in lowering blood pressure and improving our overall heart health. Oxytocin also increases our self-esteem and optimism, which is extra helpful when we are anxious or shy in a social situation.

The positive effects of kindness are experienced in the brain of everyone who witnesses a kind act, improves people's mood and makes them significantly more likely to pay it forward. This means that one good deed in a community can create a domino effect and improve the day of dozens of people. Mr Speaker, did you know that perpetually kind people have 23 per cent less cortisol—the stress hormone—and age slower than the average population—so many benefits of being kind.

Today, I say a heartfelt thank you to our local schools in King that are collaborating with me to reinforce the importance of kindness and are recognising the remarkable young people in our community who are helping to spread kindness. I would like to thank the Golden Grove Primary School for giving me the opportunity to recently recognise a student from every year level who has displayed incredible acts of kindness. Thank you to school principal, Wendy Moore, and her staff for their wonderful leadership and commitment to recognise and encourage kindness at the Golden Grove Primary School.

It was heartwarming to attend their school assembly in April to present kindness awards and to recognise these caring students in front of their peers. The students who received my kindness awards were as follows: Jessica Rudge, Caydan England, Ethan Chase, Stanley Hamlyn, Ella Williams, Natalie Hoffman and Georgia Aworth. I look forward to continuing to celebrate acts of kindness in our schools throughout 2021.

I would also like to thank the year 6 HB-18 students at the Golden Grove Primary School for inviting me also to be involved in their special ANZAC Day commemoration assembly on Friday 30 April. Thank you for the opportunity to lay a wreath on behalf of our King community and commemoration assembly.

The year 6 HB-18 students; Ms Sals, the teacher; and Karina Damare, the defence school mentor, advised that this year the students have been learning about ANZAC Day and the meaning behind its significance. One by one the students told stories to the whole school assembly about the sacrifices and what the men and women of Australia and New Zealand went through during that time. Their ANZAC Day ceremony was themed around what students have been learning, which was very touching to see and a great example of public speaking on a very important topic.

In more good news for our King local community, the Marshall Liberal government is investing $750,000 in a $1.57 million adventure playground at Golden Fields. Thank you to Councillor Brett Rankine, Councillor Bernie Keane and Councillor Sandy Keane from the City of Tea Tree Gully for the opportunity to support these plans and advocate to our state government on behalf of the City of Tea Tree Gully for this match-funding opportunity.

I am really proud that the Marshall Liberal government's Open Spaces and Places for People grants can support the council's plans to build an adventure playground and additional toilet facilities in Golden Fields. This will further improve our fantastic recreation area for our whole north-east community. Each time I go to Golden Fields there are people from across the state enjoying this regional playground. These upgrades will have many positive effects and promote an active and inclusive lifestyle for our residents and in the future cater for even more older children at this space.

I was advised by the City of Tea Tree Gully that the council will undertake detailed community consultation on plans, and I encourage, as usual, all our community to have their say on what will be most beneficial. Also, the council's draft annual business plan will be out for community consultation, and it is incredibly important for people to have their say.

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