Wade, The Hon. S.G.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:21): I would like to take the opportunity to reflect on a couple of issues. The Leader of the Opposition has just reflected on the career of the Hon. Stephen Wade, who served this parliament with distinction and our state with tenacity, hard work, courage and compassion throughout his entire parliamentary career. While Stephen may well have other professional things that he does in the years ahead, his service to this parliament has come to an end.

Stephen is a modest man. He perhaps would be in two minds about the fact that members of the leadership team of the Liberal Party are taking this opportunity today to reflect in their grieves on his hard work and his tremendous career. Stephen would not seek that sort of reflection as a modest person, but he certainly merits it. His service to the people of South Australia during the period of COVID will be remembered not just kindly by the history books but with extraordinary gratitude by the hundreds of thousands, more than a million, South Australians.

As has often been reflected upon, where would anybody in this state have preferred to be than South Australia, if forced to be anywhere, between January 2020 and the end of 2022? I submit: absolutely nowhere else. This was the best place in the world to be, and Stephen Wade's work as health minister was second to none, chairing the health ministers in the ministerial council and working closely with Nicola Spurrier, Grant Stevens and Premier Marshall to ensure that we had the best response of any jurisdiction in the world bar none.

That work was just the most significant and last element of his work as health minister. There was his work to develop suicide prevention programs and wellbeing and preventative health measures and to invest in things that were needed in South Australia after the disaster of Transforming Health: more than a billion dollars in hospital infrastructure upgrades; expansions to our emergency departments across metropolitan Adelaide; improvements, in the hundreds of millions of dollars, across Country Health in South Australia; and an increase in the base health budget to $7 billion.

That investment was significant for the wellbeing and the health of South Australians. Stephen Wade fought to ensure that the things that mattered were done during his time as Minister for Health. One of the most iconic achievements that Stephen Wade undertook as minister was of course to revitalise the Repat, a hospital that was closed by the Premier, Peter Malinauskas, when he was Minister for Health and was re-enlivened as a health precinct, serving the people of South Australia under Stephen Wade, to Stephen's credit.

On a personal level, I have been friends with Stephen for more than 20 years. We served on the Liberal Party's executive together. He became a life member of the Young Liberals during my period in the Young Liberals, although his time was earlier.

But certainly on the state executive he was constantly supported by the party's state council who saw in Stephen a faithful servant of the party, a dedicated servant of the people of South Australia and someone who, along with his outstanding and wonderful wife, Tracey, will be able to be proud of the service he provided as health minister and as a member of the Legislative Council.

In the moments left, I would like to reflect on another matter. All parents across South Australia understand the critical importance of playgrounds to their family's wellbeing, to their children's welfare and indeed sometimes you need that circuit breaker at home to get the kids in a better mood, to keep them active in a positive way that does not involve disagreeing, so it is with great pride that in my local community in the Morialta area we reflect on three significant upgrades that have made access to these family amenities and facilities so much better.

At Thorndon Park, the Campbelltown City Council, along with the state government in one of the COVID stimulus grants matched fifty-fifty, has developed a superplayground at Thorndon Park, which is absolutely tremendous. This week—it has been open for several weeks and that has been great—the crowning achievement, the megaslide, is finally open for everyone to enjoy. I know my kids cannot wait. I am sure many others in the community cannot as well.

More than that, I also commend the City of Burnside for the work they have undertaken at Penfold Park. The new playground is nearly realised in its full development and it is looking fantastic. The kids have loved that one too. I want to commend Councillor Henry Davis; when he was on the Burnside council it was a project he really pushed. But I also commend all the staff at Burnside council and the project contractors who did a great job.

Finally, at Morialta Conservation Park, the Mukanthi playground area has had a $1 million investment in the new car park. Car parks may not be sexy but they are so important, and at Morialta that car park has ensured that dust has been reduced, that people can access the playground when needed, and that investment by David Speirs when he was environment minister is now bearing great dividends for our community.