Private Members' Statements

Private Members' Statements

Ms PRATT (Frome) (15:40): The school holidays have just concluded, and of course with school holidays, Gather Round, Easter and unseasonally warm weather rolled into one, it was the perfect cocktail for families to enjoy time together exploring my electorate, and many others I am sure. We saw an explosion of visitors, domestic and intrastate across regional South Australia.

I want to use my time today to pay very special recognition to two amazing humans that live in Mintaro and will be known to thousands and thousands of people across South Australia, Sharon and Mick Morris, who are perhaps better known as the couple, the family, who have been running Mintaro Maze for the last 25 years. On the Easter weekend, they held and hosted the final ever Easter bunny hunt through the fabulous Mintaro Maze. I know it was probably with some sadness that they saw so many people come through for the last time.

It has not been lost on South Australian media and tourism outlets that a couple like this and a business like this have had to close their doors, not for want of trying to find others. All through the Clare Valley, whether the Clare Valley Distillery, the caravan parks, Bukirk Glamping, the Easter Races, the caravan and camping sites were booked out from one end to the other. I want to thank everyone for their contribution, including the Main Street traders.

The Hon. A. PICCOLO (Light) (15:42): I would like to take this opportunity to pay my tribute to the life of Bill Adams who, sadly, passed away on 20 April. His funeral service was held yesterday at the Kapunda Harness Racing Club. Bill was a prominent and long-serving community advocate for Kapunda, where he lived for much of his life. Known for his tireless efforts to enhance the town, he initiated and led several community-driven projects. Making a Diff was one such organisation, aimed at fostering positive change in Kapunda.

Through this initiative, he published books such as How to Put an Old Head on Young Shoulders, Mary MacKillop and theKapunda Connection and Laughter is the World's Best Medicine, with proceeds supporting local causes. In response to the closure of two local service clubs, Bill founded Friends of Kapunda Incorporated and its volunteer-run second-hand bookstore. As a result of Bill's stewardship, almost $50,000 in profits have been reinvested in the community through small grants.

Bill also played a pivotal role in launching the Kapunda Farm Fair in 1999, an event that became a significant fixture in the regional agricultural calendar. After leading the fair for over two decades, he retired in 2020. Even in his late 80s, just months away from his 90^th birthday, Bill continued to champion Kapunda's recognition, actively supporting the town's bid for South Australia's Agriculture Town of the Year Award. In recent months, he also formed a new organisation, the Kapunda Progress Association.

Many other organisations within the region have benefited from Bill's involvement and guidance: the Kapunda Business Alliance, the bowling club, the art gallery and the harness club, just to name a few. I would like to express my heartfelt sympathy to Bill's family, friends, colleagues and associates. I would also like to thank Mick Talbot and members of the Friends of Kapunda, who provided the information for this tribute. Vale Bill Adams, aka Mr Kapunda, and safe travels home.

The ACTING SPEAKER (Mr Odenwalder): I am feeling generous today: the member for Schubert.

Mrs HURN (Schubert) (15:44): Thank you very much. I rise to talk about something really exciting that has been happening in my local community in the Barossa Valley, and that is the Barossa Vintage Festival, which has seen hundreds, if not thousands, of people come to the Barossa Valley to enjoy all we have to offer. The festival dates back to 1947 and it was originally a festival which was kickstarted to celebrate all the hard work and toils of the vignerons in our region, to put on a bit of a party to celebrate all of their hard work.

There was something for everyone in this year's festival. We had the traditional things like the Ziegenmarkt. We saw grape stomping. There was, of course, the parade, which had over 1,000 people involved. I was very pleased to be able to ring the bell to kickstart the parade, which started at Nuri High School and ended up in Tanunda.

In particular, I would like to thank the volunteers who dedicated so much of their time to put on this event. We had the festival chair, Carla, who works in my team. We had the co-directors, Maz and Bec, and also in my team Casey and Kaitlyn, who were involved in so many committees to pull the festival together. To all of the businesses, the locals and the tourists who flocked to the Barossa to enjoy the buzz, thank you so much. I am really looking forward to the next Vintage Festival parade in 2027.

Mr FULBROOK (Playford) (15:45): I rise to say a few words of thanks and congratulations to the Medhane Alem Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church. I know I am going to mispronounce things, so I ask in advance that you forgive my Anglo tongue. On 5 April, I had the honour of attending the Feast Day of Medhane Alem, the Saviour of the World. It was a lovely day, and I give thanks to Joseph Abraha and Reverend Father Mehari Delai for inviting me back to enjoy the service and celebrations in the company of interstate clergy, parishioners and many members of the Eritrean community.

This is an amazing young and close-knit group. According to the 2021 census, South Australia has around 433 people who were born in Eritrea. Judging by the large turnout, I would not be surprised if it is bigger, noting also that around a third of our Eritrean-born community arrived in the past five years and how they have been instrumental in supporting their new arrivals.

Coming back after 12 months, this community has gone from strength to strength. Specifically, I congratulate them on the acquisition of their new church, with the feast day marking the inauguration service at the former Wesleyan church and hall in Woodville Park. In passing, I also acknowledge the support other church groups have given the Eritrean Orthodox community in the build-up to the very special day. Congratulations to you all. This has been long fought with a lot of hard work to make this happen, and I feel it is appropriate we use the record of Hansard to document this significant occasion.