Private Members' Statements

Private Members' Statements

Ms PRATT (Frome) (15:47): I have a quick update on all the fantastic students and young people who live in my electorate of Frome who over the last few weeks have been really busy. I give a shout-out to Clare High School, who came on a parliamentary tour to visit me here and, of course, the education office does a great job. I was looking forward to receiving Hamley Bridge but unfortunately their field trip was cancelled, but it gave me an opportunity to catch up with the years 3 to 6 classes in Miss Oxley's room and conduct my own version of a civics and citizenship lesson. I have done them in the past and they were kind enough to let me come back in and talk about what student voice means to them and the links between their experience of student voice and how there are similarities to what we do here.

Clare High School recently hosted a fantastic career expo day and schools from across my district—Riverton, Kapunda, Eudunda, Balaklava, Burra and Jamestown, and also Nuriootpa from the member for Schubert's electorate—made their way to this high school to see what is in store for them in the future. It is a credit to the principal, Natasha Dunn, and the career pathways coordinator, Kim Maynard, who is now acting principal at Balaklava. It is fantastic.

Finally, I just give a shout-out to my two scouts groups in Two Wells and Clare: Christine Graham in Clare and Brad Burrow, who do a fantastic job offering an alternative to young people.

Mr BELL (Mount Gambier) (15:49): Today, I rise to pay tribute to one of Mount Gambier's most successful and respected for sporting figures, Richard Hill, who has recently stepped down as head coach of the Mount Gambier Pioneers after 13 years in the role. Richard first took the reins at the end of the 2011 season, preparing the Pioneers for the 2012 SEABL competition. From that moment, he set about building not just a winning team but a culture of excellence that became the envy of the league.

Under his leadership, the Pioneers secured five consecutive SEABL conference championships from 2013 to 2017 and three SEABL national championships. He was recognised as league coach of the year on four occasions—a testament to his skill, professionalism and the respect he commands across the sport. But Richard's legacy is far greater than trophies and the statistics—he has been the embodiment of Pioneer passion, inspiring players, volunteers and supporters alike. He has given countless hours to the club and to our city, mentoring young athletes, fostering community spirit and representing Mount Gambier with pride wherever the team travelled.

For any of those who have been in the locker room, or on the sidelines, they will tell you that Richard is not just a coach—he is a storyteller, a motivator and, on occasion, master of the perfectly timed spray when his team needed firing up. He could turn a tense half-time into a moment of belief with just a few words, sometimes calm, sometimes fiery, but always with the players' best interests at heart. The contribution Richard has made to us in our community over more than a decade is nothing short of extraordinary. It is fitting recognition that on Saturday night he was named the 2025 NBL1 South Men's Coach of the Year.

Mrs HURN (Schubert) (15:50): Every day, locals, tourists and truckies rely on Eden Valley Road in my electorate, but right now the condition of the road is unfortunately letting them down, and in many spots it is a hazard. Whilst resurfacing works have been carried out recently, the condition at the moment is far from acceptable and it is causing great frustration right across my local community because the surface has been left with a gravel-like state and it does seem unfinished, particularly when you are driving on it at Hurns Road and also towards Yalumba in Angaston.

One constituent has recently contacted me because their daughter had their windscreen smashed. I have had truckies contact me about their concerns and, when locals are going to get their vehicles repaired, it does seem pretty obvious that this is not an isolated incident and that there are up to six to 10 people who are having their windscreens repaired. Frankly, it is not good enough.

I have raised this directly with the minister. I have asked the question as to why our roads are not now being properly sealed. Is it a change in standard? Is it a budgetary issue? One thing that is clear is that this is a new practice and it is poor. Either way, shortcuts in road maintenance do come at a cost to motorists and they ultimately come at a cost to taxpayers when work has to be redone sooner. Our community deserves safe and reliable roads, better than half-finished roads that are putting lives at risk, and vehicle damage is becoming more and more prominent in my local community.

Ms CLANCY (Elder) (15:52): In 2023, on International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, I stood in this place sharing the story of the fear and terror too many children in Gaza were experiencing. Today, not even two years later, Al Jazeera reports that at least 17,000 of those children have been killed, with only around 15,500 being identified.

Please take a moment to let that sink in. It is not just a number—17,000 children—it is the equivalent of more than 10 per cent of our state's entire primary school student population. If that thought makes you feel physically ill like it does me, so should what is happening in Gaza. Seventeen thousand children: every single one, a life cut horrifically short.

In 2024, I and others in this place called on our nation to show leadership, to match our values of justice and fairness with actions and to recognise the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people. Today, I take this opportunity on behalf of the community who elected me to this place, who have consistently urged me to use this platform to strive for equality here and elsewhere, to again show our support for the people of Palestine.

We welcome the federal government's recent announcement that Australia is joining the overwhelming majority of the international community to formally recognise the State of Palestine at the upcoming UN General Assembly next month. This recognition comes with important conditions that offer a pathway towards a peaceful, secure, two-state solution. While it does not solve every challenge or immediately stop the horrors being inflicted on innocent people in Gaza, it is a vital step towards peace and freedom.