Private Members' Statements

Private Members' Statements

Mr COWDREY (Colton) (15:36): On our local stretch of beaches, we have had a saying: 'All sand is good sand, welcome sand.' However, last weekend the question had to be asked—and was, by local residents—was the condition of West Beach good enough despite the works? On a 41° day in early March, a busy day at the beach, huge piles of sand were left without being compacted, leading to the stretch of beach south of the surf club going without surf lifesaving patrols. This caught the attention of morning radio, with the president of the West Beach Surf Life Saving Club describing the situation:

The tide came in and there were sand piles literally from the Adelaide Sailing Club to West Beach surf club. It was excessively bad on the weekend.

While they're doing this sand replenishment program we can't get onto the actual southern beaches at high tide.

This comes on top of closed beach access stairs at Henley Beach. This from local council's Adrian Ralph:

The set of stairs at Henley Beach has been closed because they have been deemed a potential risk to public safety.

The message to the government from my community is simple: release the outcome of the dredging trial and tell us what your long-term plan is.

Mr ELLIS (Narungga) (15:37): I rise in celebration today. It is an exciting development for my community: the petition that we agitated for and signed en masse is finally coming to fruition. The Economic and Finance Committee will be in our electorate next week to hear from us firsthand about the shortcomings and the good parts of our regional health system. I wish to advise constituents of mine that the committee will be at Yorketown Town Hall from 12pm until 3.30pm on Thursday 27 March and at Wallaroo Town Hall from 9.30am until 12pm on Friday 28 March.

This is the culmination of our efforts. Almost 11,000 people signed our petition highlighting their concerns with our regional health system, and they did so because they wanted the opportunity to have their say and to put their opinion on the record in the public realm. We need you now to finish this race at the final hurdle. I would encourage everyone who has a firsthand story with our regional health system to register their interest in presenting to the committee and make themselves available on those two days.

We need to put together incontrovertible proof that we need improvements in our health system. We need to make sure that the committee has no option but to make recommendations for improvements, both to the facilities and the services, and the only way to do that is by putting our case forward as persuasively as we can. I would encourage everyone who took the time to sign the petition and who took the time to make a written submission to now take the time at this final hurdle to make an oral submission and finish this process so that we can, hopefully, get a brand-new hospital and improved health services in our community.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta) (15:39): Radio Italiana 531 (Radio Italiana Cinquecento e trent'uno) turns 50 years old this year. As the member for Morialta, along with Liberal candidate for Morialta, Scott Kennedy, I was very pleased to be at the radio station last week celebrating and congratulating them on that 50 years. There are a very significant number of people of Italian heritage in the Morialta electorate and they are served well by the radio station, as they have been since the 3 March 1975 when we had that first broadcast.

I would like to congratulate all of the volunteers, all of the staff as well, all of the committees and particularly the presidents of the radio station over the years, beginning with Alessandro Gardini, Luigi Penna, Roberto Mani, Don Totino, Tony Cocchiaro and now Mario Romaldi. It was great to celebrate with Radio Italiana at Adelaide Oval at their gala with hundreds of South Australians who enjoyed the night.

As highlighted, I think, by Liberal Leader Vincent Tarzia, the Liberal Party has a very strong connection with this community and we are able to show our support with the radio. Both were on full display with our Leader of the Opposition, the grandson of Italian migrants, joined by Liberal candidates for Unley, Adelaide and Dunstan: Rosalie Rotolo, who also helped with the video, Julian Amato and of course Anna Finizio.

I would like to thank John Di Fede, Mario Leuci and all of Radio Italiana hosts and producers who have had me on the show this year and over my time in the parliament. Congratulazioni e complimenti Radio Italiana Cinquecento e trent'uno.

The Hon. A. PICCOLO (Light) (15:41): I recently had the pleasure of visiting two outstanding institutions in the Mid North region, the Saddleworth and District Historical Society Museum and the Riverton History and Information Centre. At the Saddleworth Museum, I was warmly welcomed by Mr Mark Kerrigan, who it just so happens is the brother of Steve Kerrigan, a former Town of Gawler CEO.

The Hon. J.A.W. Gardner: In The Castle?

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: No, not The Castle. The museum housed in the 1859 Siekmann and Moule wheat store—the oldest building in Saddleworth and once the largest store north of Gawler—offers a captivating glimpse into the resilience and ingenuity of past generations. Highlights include a 1920s dishwasher from Drumcalpin Station, a rare Symphonia jukebox from the Marrabel Hotel, and a blacksmith and farming equipment display.

In Riverton, I had the pleasure of meeting coordinator Anne Fry, research officer John Glistak and their dedicated team of volunteers, with between four and six volunteers often on hand each of the three days they operate to the public. Operating from a beautifully restored 1879 building, the centre is an invaluable hub for local and family histories. From school registers and old newspapers to heritage trails and cemetery records spanning 27 district cemeteries, the centre preserves the resources that connect us to the past.

The tireless dedication of volunteers at both institutions is inspiring, reminding us of the importance of preserving our history. What we need to do, though, is involve younger generations so we can ensure that these stories live on to strengthen our sense of community that defines us.