Private Members' Statements

Private Members' Statements

Mr COWDREY (Colton) (15:46): I rise today to provide an update to the house and to my community on the fourth edition of the Cowdrey Cup, a game of football between the Lockleys Demons and Henley Sharks, which was probably not quite as close as we would have liked last weekend. Henley scored a grand total of 17 goals, 10 behinds, 112 to defeat Lockleys 9 goals, 11 behinds, 65 to win their third Cowdrey Cup of the four that they have taken part in.

Part of this game is to highlight the local rivalry between two clubs that are not too far apart in distance. We have people who went to school together and people who are neighbours living streets apart taking part in a game and to highlight two great clubs that have a tradition in history of supporting grassroots participation in our local area.

The most valuable player of the game is always chosen by the opposing coaches, and for this particular game Matthew Broadbent, well known to many in this place, was selected. Brogsy and the broader Broadbent family have made huge contributions to the Henley Football Club for a large period of time, so we thank them again for their contribution and to Brogsy for being recognised.

Part of the game is that donations are made to the charity of choice for the player of the game, so we look forward to that and to the next iteration later in the year where the Sharks and the Demons go head to head for the fifth time.

S.E. ANDREWS (Gibson) (15:48): I rise today to recognise the new reverend, Reverend Andrea McDougall, at St Jude's church in Brighton. It was an absolute honour to speak at her commissioning just a few weeks ago. Reverend Andrea comes to St Jude's with a heart for service, commitment and a vision for how St Jude's can continue to be a light in our community. But of course the occasion was not just about Andrea, it was about our whole community, the people of St Jude's.

In particular, I acknowledge and give thanks for the extraordinary social impact of St Jude's outreach programs. Whether it has been through support for the vulnerable, care for the lonely, engagement with young people or the many unseen acts of kindness that happen daily, the parish of St Jude's has made and continues to make a real difference in people's lives.

In a world that can so often feel fragmented and isolating, St Jude's has been a place of belonging, a shelter of hope, and I know that this is a community that will walk alongside Reverend McDougall, support her and challenge her as she leads them in their parish service. Welcome, Andrea.

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (15:49): I would like to talk about the celebrations on Saturday night at the Royal Flying Doctor Service 'Wings For Life' Gala Ball—and what a night it was. Everyone was dressed up to a theme–black tie but with a touch of pink or green—and the room was electric. There were over 1,000 people at the Entertainment Centre. The room sold out in 10 minutes, and the calibre of the entertainment and the calibre of the night was second to none.

I want to thank Tony Vaughan, the CEO, and Peter DeCure, the Chair of the RFDS, and Ali Clarke who was the emcee for the night who did an outstanding job entertaining people and making sure that the night ran nice and smoothly. But I really want to pay tribute to the staff, the volunteers and the sponsors for helping to make the night the great success that it was. It had a 'Wicked' theme, and Ding Promotions were the entertainers within that section. That really did get the night off to a great start.

The thousand people were engaged right from the word go. As I said, there was a great silent auction with lots of donations, and there was a live auction where there were many destinations and experiences, all there to raise money. The Robbie Williams cover band was quite unusual, for anyone who does go to the odd black tie ball. They had the crowd onto a packed dance floor before the main course. That is quite unusual. Normally people like to get their food in and then get out on to the dance floor and let it rip.

The lucky dip and the wine wall were also well patronised, and it really did see people engaging on the night to raise much needed money for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and its operations. Some great stories were told. There were people who had their lives changed by the RFDS, there were lives impacted and, in some way, shape or form how those regional and remote communities had a great opportunity to be touched by the Royal Flying Doctor Service—it really did show how important are the services and safety they provide to regional communities.

The runway light project was also a hit for the night. That was about people donating money to light-ups for airstrips right around regional and remote South Australia and into the Northern Territory. It really was a highlight of the night. The RFDS is one of the great spectacles of the year. It is an event that I always like to attend to help raise much-needed funds for regional and remote South Australia and to provide them with a vital health service.

The Hon. A. PICCOLO (Light) (15:52): Understanding a community's history helps to explain why a community is the way it is today. Communities are more than the sum of their people and events, they are the result of the interaction between both. During May, History Month enables communities to share their history with the broader community, and helps our understanding of the way they are.

It does more than just explain our local history, it helps us to understand by educating through a range of activities and events. I love local history and I enjoy the opportunity to immerse myself in the histories of the communities in my region. To date, I have had the opportunity to see how the arrival of water enabled the development of the Dublin community. The community's history group is now exploring how it might restore the government-built wells as a forerunner to their 150^th celebrations next year.

The Mallala Museum is showcasing its huge collection which reflects that community's contribution to the war effort and demonstrates how earlier generations lived and worked. It is a fantastic collection, well presented by the local committee.

On Saturday, I had the pleasure to hear one of Sam Doering's journeys into the history of Lutheranism in the Point Pass area and how that parish, Immanuel Church, laid the foundation for what we know today as Immanuel College at Novar Gardens. The presentation on Sunday is part of a book that will be published to mark the 150^th birthday of the Lutheran parish in Point Pass. Over the coming days I look forward to walking further paths walked by those who came before us.