Private Members' Statements

Private Members' Statements

Mr TELFER (Flinders) (15:53): The public housing challenge on Eyre Peninsula is real, especially in our main centres of Port Lincoln and Ceduna. It is not that there is a lack of houses, it is that there are dozens of public housing properties that no-one is living in at the moment because they are out of the system due to a lack of maintenance. We have people who are homeless, living with friends or family or on the street, yet we have dozens of homes which could be available if the government was investing the money to fix them up and make them available.

We are talking about some of the most vulnerable members of our community: those who cannot afford to buy their own home, those who struggle to break into the private rental market, the elderly, people with disabilities, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and people leaving domestic and family violence.

These are people who need the government to act. These are public houses managed by the South Australian Housing Authority, managed by this government. They are sitting vacant because of a lack of maintenance—for months, for years, because of lack of action from the government. So I am calling on this government to act in this week's state budget. Give some attention to Eyre Peninsula, invest in what is necessary for the future of Eyre Peninsula and fix up these important public houses on the EP.

Ms HUTCHESSON (Waite) (15:54): I rise to talk quickly and congratulate the Blackwood Reconciliation Group, our volunteers, family and friends of Colebrook survivors, on an incredible Reconciliation Walk that happened in my community not last Sunday but the Sunday before. Over 1,000 people joined together and walked from Blackwood down to Karinya Reserve. We had a whole lane cut off on Shepherds Hill Road, and when we got there they opened both lanes and we took up the whole side of the road.

It was incredible to arrive at Colebrook and see a huge carnival, almost, set up in a way that was respectful. There was food, there was basket weaving, there was art, but there was also then an opportunity for community members to lay coloured hands—yellow, red and black—with a message of hope towards reconciliation.

We heard from stolen generation survivor, Raymond Finn, as well as family members of those who also lived at Colebrook, and we heard some truth. It was hard to hear but I know that it is the most important thing to be doing. We then heard from the beautiful Coromandel Valley Primary School, who sang I Am Australian in Kaurna, in English and also in Auslan, followed by the educator from Eden Hills Kindergarten with Jean Bonython Kindergarten kids singing the Niina Marni song. It was lovely to see the community all together, all behind reconciliation, all supporting what we need to do to get us there, and I thank the Blackwood Reconciliation Group for their work.

Mr PATTERSON (Morphett) (15:56): I take this opportunity in parliament to congratulate the team at Southern Launch on the successful launch of the HyImpulse SR75 at their new permanent rocket launch site at their Koonibba Test Range. The SR75 has a propellant made from liquid oxygen and also paraffin wax, commonly known as candle wax. The SR75 was the first vehicle to be launched under the high power rocket permit issued by the Australian Space Agency. Of course, that agency was brought to SA at Lot Fourteen by the former state and federal Liberal governments. The rocket is also the largest ever commercial rocket to be launched from Australia.

The rocket successfully launched on 3 May, flying to the edge of space, and the mission lasted for eight minutes. Not only was the mission a success for Southern Launch and HyImpulse but the mission was also a success for the local Koonibba Aboriginal community. Over 30 of the approximately 50 Koonibba locals were employed by Southern Launch, bringing economic opportunity to the area. The community is very proud of the contribution they made to this historic launch.

There is also a fantastic opportunity for South Australia to be the home of Orbital Launch based out of Southern Launch's Whaler's Way. It was an opportunity I was passionate about as a former Liberal Minister for Trade and Investment, and I encourage the government to continue the momentum and fully realise the opportunity to launch from Whaler's Way. Congratulations to Lloyd and his team on lighting the candle.

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