Private Members' Statements

Private Members' Statements

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:44): I rise to draw to the attention of the house a petition electronically that has been signed by several hundred Morialta residents, and I anticipate will be signed by more in relation to the renewal of the Hope Valley Reservoir. Prior to the last election, during the term of the Marshall Liberal government, the Leader of the Opposition, David Speirs, as environment minister did a good body of work on investing in opening up our reservoirs, and Hope Valley was one of them.

There is more work to do and I know that David Speirs and the Liberal team would have, if we were in government, been doing that work by now on further activating that reservoir, but giant pine scale having destroyed so many of the trees has made this issue urgent. Hundreds of local residents have signed a petition, and will I read it for the house's benefit:

The undersigned urge the Government to invest in further improvements for recreational activities at the Hope Valley Reservoir. In particular, noting the recent removal of hundreds of trees due to Giant Pine Scale, we urge the Government to act swiftly so that walking paths around the whole of the reservoir, within the reserve, can be planned and created in conjunction with the restoration of the trees. We urge the Government to commence the necessary community consultation as soon as possible to inform the plan for future work, so that the work may commence as soon as the relevant expert advice is received that the biohazard has been dealt with and that it is safe to do so.

I add my voice to those of my residents in urging the government to do this work, and to do it quickly so that the planning work can be undertaken as they are indeed considering the replanting of the trees. I commend this idea to the house and to the government.

Ms SAVVAS (Newland) (15:46): It was a very exciting weekend for football across our state and I was particularly pleased to see my beloved Port Power thump Essendon on Friday night at the Gather Round, a particularly convincing win which was very exciting. But also what was exciting was the impact of Gather Round out in the suburbs. I attended the Golden Grove Little Athletics presentation on Saturday morning and then the Tea Tree Gully Little Athletics presentation on Saturday night, competing clubs but both wonderful clubs in terms of what they provide for young athletes in our community.

I was a young Little Athletics girl myself back in the day. I think what was really exciting was seeing so many of the kids in their football guernseys and with scarves that said 'Gather Round' and those sorts of things and seeing the impact of Gather Round on little athletes out in the suburbs, whether or not they were attending the games or perhaps coming back to their sports clubs after the high of attending games in days previous.

Something that was also particularly exciting on Sunday was the announcement made in relation to the Football Facilities Fund, and I was particularly pleased to see that all three football clubs in my electorate were successful in their grant applications with respect to the Football Facilities Fund, that being the mighty Modbury Hawks Football Club, the Tea Tree Gully District Football Club and the Hope Valley Football Club—Hope Valley for interchange benches and the other two for new scoreboards, which will go a long way to supporting community football and sport out in my electorate in the north-eastern suburbs.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Leader of the Opposition) (15:47): It gives me a great deal of pleasure to be able to rise today to pay tribute to something that happened in my electorate yesterday. The Seacliff Surf Life Saving Club held a very special memorial event. They put on a paddle-out to pay tribute to the memory of former club member, Peter Alan Crosby DFC. It is 80 years ago today that Peter Alan Crosby lost his life during a battle in World War II over Denmark. His plane was intercepted and he was shot down. He was only 20 years old. He had left his home in Waratah Street two years before to train as a pilot and headed out to Europe.

He received a Distinguished Flying Cross and during his time as a pilot was described as having exceptional coolness and fearlessness and an inspiration to his crew on all occasions. Eighty years ago today, Peter at the age of 20 lost his life. It was such a special thing to be able to join members of the club on the rescue boards to paddle out with a sprig of rosemary in my hand as club member, Bly Bayliss, dropped a wreath into the ocean. The club is a great club, and paying attention to its past, its fallen members no matter how they have fallen, is an important part of what many of our great community clubs are all about. I want to thank Seacliff Surf Life Saving Club for keeping Peter Alan Crosby's memory alive 80 years to the day from when he died.

The Hon. A. PICCOLO (Light) (15:49): Today, I would like to honour the Coordinating Italian Committee, affectionately known as CIC, for their enduring impact on South Australians of Italian heritage. Coming to South Australia in those early postwar days would have been a very difficult decision for many Italians to make, including my parents. Back then, the pathway to acceptance, let alone success, was often long and difficult, and organisations like CIC have been there to support this community and make the journey a little easier.

CIC dates back to the early 1970s, when in a small room on Torrens Road, a small group of people came together to find solutions to the needs and aspirations of the local Italian community. Since then, CIC has grown in its personnel and expertise and has developed its capacity to respond to community needs.

Incorporated in 1976, CIC has addressed many different needs and is now an organisation mainly focused within the aged-care landscape on providing aged-care services and advocating for older Italian people. The services include providing information and assistance in accessing services, day-care programs, a volunteer-based home visiting program, a shopping program, an exercise and wellbeing program for women, and a centre-based respite program. A meal and transport are also generally provided as part of the day programs.

I would like to thank the current CIC president, Silvio, his board members, staff and volunteers for their service to this community in ensuring the wellbeing and care of older members of the Italian community, providing great comfort to their families and carers. I would like to thank CIC for building a community that stands as a pillar of support and care and just also acknowledge the contribution made by the former member of Norwood, Vini Ciccarello, as a former president of CIC.