Colton Electorate

Mr COWDREY (Colton) (15:27): I want to take the opportunity today to update my community about the happenings and projects underway in the electorate of Colton. Despite everything, it is a very busy time in the western suburbs. We are getting close to the business end of the winter sports season, and I would like to say good luck to all the local teams competing in finals over the coming weeks.

Both the boys and girls at the Lockleys and Henley Sharks football clubs and Fulham United have had very solid seasons, and I would like to highlight a couple of things. Firstly, the kids and fantastic parents of the under 12s at the Henley Sharks. A couple of weeks ago they held a fundraiser for Josiah, Zanda and Saxon. The boys sadly lost their mother, Andrea, recently. It is these sorts of events that demonstrate what community is all about, both family and friends wrapping their arms around these boys. I know the family really appreciate that support, and I was glad to have the opportunity to help out in a very small way.

I would also like to quickly say good luck to the Lockleys women's team who are playing in the grand final tomorrow and give a shout out to the Demons Under 13 girls, who secured their elusive first win of the season last weekend. I would also like to recognise the Henley Sharks and Grange Uniting netball teams for their grand final over the weekend.

In other news, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital upgrade smashed another milestone this month, with demolition and significant work underway on site. An upgrade of The QEH was promised by Labor well over a decade ago, but it was shelved on multiple occasions and never saw the light of day on their watch. The only thing those of us in the west saw were downgrades, service cuts and Transforming Health.

I am proud that the Marshall government is delivering this significant project that will, amongst other things, increase the ED capacity, by 15 spaces to nearly 50, because the people of the west deserve to access important healthcare services close to home.

The $12 million upgrade at Henley High School is now well underway, with phase 1 basically complete, and phases 2 and 3 construction works can be seen from Cudmore Terrace and Henley Beach Road as you drive or walk by. This upgrade is delivering the specialist teaching spaces the school has needed for quite some time and provides a platform for the year 7 to high school transition, which brings us in line with the rest of the country.

The first significant volume of external sand to arrive at West Beach in approximately 20 years has started to be trucked in. This signals the start of the delivery phase of the Securing the Future of our Coastline project. This external replenishment, along with the sand recycling pipeline—which will return sand to West Beach from Semaphore—form the major planks of this project that will secure the future of not just West Beach but Henley South, Henley and Grange.

I appreciate the understanding and patience shown by locals at West Beach as we get this sand in via truck. It is absolutely 100 per cent needed, and ultimately the delivery of this project in full will nearly eliminate the need for large trucks on our beaches into the future, just as the pipeline that successfully operates between Glenelg and Kingston Park has done.

The final plans for Breakout Creek stage 3 have now been finalised and the project has been officially launched. An irrigated area has been retained for the horses, and new pedestrian river crossings will make Apex Park and Henley High that much more accessible for families living either side of the Torrens, as well as for community members in Kidman Park, Lockleys, Fulham Gardens, Fulham and really anywhere in our local area that accesses Linear Park.

It has taken nearly 30 years, but the final stage is happening. Consultation for the proposed stage 2 of the Coast Park is now open for consultation. Plans for the new West Beach Surf Club were released, and I must say they look absolutely spectacular. Our Sea Rescue Squadron has celebrated national medals, and I held a seniors forum on mental health during COVID-19 at the Airport Over 50s Club recently. It has been an incredibly busy time.

I thank the people of Colton for putting their faith in me to represent them each and every day, and I will continue to work as hard as I possibly can to advocate and to deliver for our community.

Time expired.