Mawson Lakes School Bridge

Mr BROWN (Florey) (15:35): I am pleased to be able to inform the house that today marks the opening of the new bridge across Dry Creek at Mawson Lakes School. The construction of this bridge, a joint project between the Malinauskas government and the City of Salisbury, has been over five years in the making. The school community and the community of Mawson Lakes more generally have been advocating for the construction of this bridge to replace the small causeway that joins the two halves of the school since 2018. Members may recall I have given speeches in this house and also presented a petition on this subject to the house.

I was disappointed by the attitude of the previous government in not providing sufficient funding for the project to go ahead, but I was fortunate enough to be able to make the provision of extra funds a commitment at the last state election. It was therefore with great pleasure that I joined the Acting Principal, Ms Tammy Lambden, at the site this morning to witness children cheerfully walking to class over the bridge.

I would like to thank all those who fought to make this project a reality. I would like to thank the members of the local community who signed my petition to the previous government. I would like to thank the Treasurer and the Minister for Education for both being extremely supportive of this project. I would also like to acknowledge those who have provided support from the City of Salisbury, especially the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Chad Buchanan, and Councillor Beau Brug. It is with their support and the support of the local community that we finally made this bridge a reality.

I would also like to inform the house that on Saturday 3 June I had the honour of representing the government at a service to commemorate the service of members of RAF Bomber Command during World War II. I wish to acknowledge that the member for Hammond was also there, representing the opposition.

RAAF historian Hal Stevens has said:

No single group of Australians from any service probably did more to help when World War II than the men who fought in Bomber Command.

Over 3½ years, 135,000 allied Bomber Command aircrew, supported by ground personnel, fought at considerable cost in an offensive that was the longest and costliest campaign of the war. More than 55,000 members of Bomber Command lost their lives over the campaign. About 10,000 Australian airmen served with Bomber Command. While some Australians did serve in Australian squadrons, at least three-quarters of them served in RAF and allied squadrons in either RAAF or RAF uniforms. Of those 10,000 Australians, more than one-third paid the ultimate sacrifice. A further 650 were killed in training accidents.

An operational tour was 30 missions, with the option of a second tour. The chances of surviving a first tour were one in two; a second tour, one in three. Losses were devastating. Over the entire campaign, 460 Squadron lost 1,083 aircrew and 188 aircraft, more than three times its squadron strength throughout the war. In 460 Squadron alone, 11 per cent of those who perished died on their first mission and almost half by their sixth. From the second half of 1943 until mid-1944, the statistical chance of survival was estimated to be zero.

Following the ceremony, the member for Hammond and I were also fortunate to meet with a small number of Bomber Command veterans who were present at the ceremony and express our thanks for their service. I am sure the whole house will agree that we honour them and their courage in serving our country and preserving our freedom. Lest we forget.