Waite Trust (Activities on and Use of Certain Trust Land) Bill

Introduction and First Reading

The Hon. B.I. BOYER (Wright—Minister for Education, Training and Skills, Minister for Police) (15:55): Obtained leave and introduced a bill for an act to allow for certain activities on, and use of, portions of the land that is subject to the terms of the Peter Waite Trust. Read a first time.

Second Reading

The Hon. B.I. BOYER (Wright—Minister for Education, Training and Skills, Minister for Police) (15:56): I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

I rise to introduce the Waite Trust (Activities on and Use of Certain Trust Land) Bill 2025. The bill will amend the terms of the Waite Trust to enable the upgrade of the Urrbrae Agricultural High School oval and supporting facilities by the Sturt Football Club and the establishment of a long-term shared use agreement between the Minister for Education, Training and Skills and the Sturt Football Club to make use of these facilities at specified times outside of school hours.

Urrbrae Agricultural High School is located on land that was gifted to the state by Mr Peter Waite in 1914 for the purposes of establishing an agricultural high school and is subject to a charitable trust, namely the Waite Trust, for these purposes. The school oval upgrade project is part of the Department for Education's commitment to unlocking school facilities and green spaces as valuable community assets.

Partnerships are being brokered between schools and state sporting organisations, clubs and local government authorities to realise improved engagement in schooling and curriculum-aligned learning, external investment in school infrastructure, and increased mutually beneficial access for community use of school facilities.

Where possible, the Department for Education is seeking partnerships where state sporting organisations and sporting clubs financially invest in and attract additional funding for capital infrastructure. These organisations then make contributions toward the usage and maintenance costs of school sports facilities in accordance with shared-use agreements, which allow clubs access to those facilities at specified times when not in use by the school. This approach is being taken in respect of the upgrade of the oval and facilities at Urrbrae Agricultural High School.

In addition to the funds, the Sturt Football Club and the South Australian National Football League are contributing to the project. They have secured funding commitments from the Australian government, the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing through The Power of Her—Infrastructure and Participation Program and the Australian Football League.

The total build budget will be almost $4 million. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the member for Boothby for her commitment of $3.5 million towards this project at the recent federal election. The project aims to transform the site into a high-quality sporting hub with modern fit-for-purpose facilities.

The upgrade is proposed to occur over two stages of development. Stage 1 would include the installation of sports lighting, goal posts and backing nets. Stage 2 would include the construction of a pavilion, featuring a multipurpose education room, change rooms, storage spaces, umpire and student amenities kiosk, coaching boxes, interchange shelters, an undercover spectator area, and an electronic scoreboard.

The project will directly enhance the teaching and learning outcomes of the students of Urrbrae Agricultural High School and will enable the Sturt Football Club to utilise the area as their second oval. The upgrade will also benefit local clubs, families and other community groups who will be able to access the improved space. The new facilities will be confined to the existing footprint of the oval. That is an important point. The upgrades will not result in the demolition of any existing buildings. In summary the bill:

varies the terms of the Waite Trust to allow for the installation and construction of certain facilities and amenities, by or on behalf of the Sturt Football Club, on a portion of the Waite land comprising the site of the school oval and surrounding areas;

allows for the minister to grant a long-term licence, on terms and conditions determined by the minister, to the Sturt Football Club to use the school oval, associated upgraded facilities and amenities and other areas when it is not in use by the school;

provides for the land that is required during the construction phase, and the land that will then be the subject of the long-term usage agreement, to be identified in plans deposited in the General Registry Office at Adelaide;

includes an immunity from liability provision, to ensure that no civil or criminal liability attaches to a person in respect of any act or omission done in good faith and without negligence under or in accordance with the new act or a licence granted under the new Act; and

includes relevant regulation-making powers.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Sorry to interrupt, minister. Given the time, you may wish to seek leave to insert the rest of your comments on the bill.

The Hon. B.I. BOYER: I seek leave to insert the remainder of my comments and the explanation of clauses in Hansard without my reading them.

Leave granted.

It is clear that this project will provide significant educational, social and economic benefits to Urrbrae Agricultural High School students, Sturt Football Club and the wider community.

Student learning will be enhanced with the installation of facilities that support the delivery of curriculum aligned programs and extra-curricular activities. The project will directly enhance the teaching and learning outcomes for the school's students.

The project will secure a high quality second oval for Sturt Football Club, in addition to its home ground at Unley Oval, to support the growing number of football competitions and programs run by the club. The upgraded school oval will be used by the football club for training, junior development and women's home games.

The proposal will service multiple purposes and will benefit local clubs, families and other community groups who will be able to access the improved space.

I commend the Bill to the House.

Explanation of Clauses

1—Short title

2—Commencement

These clauses are formal.

3—Interpretation

This clause defines certain terms used in the measure.

4—Variation of Waite Trust

This clause varies the terms of the Peter Waite Trust to allow the following:

specified activities to be undertaken on land that is subject to the terms of the trust by or on behalf of the Sturt Football Club Incorporated and such use of that land in connection with those activities as is approved by the Minister and is by or on behalf of that club;

land that is subject to the terms of the trust to be used by the Sturt Football Club Incorporated when it is not in use by Urrbrae Agricultural High School and in accordance with a long-term licence granted by the Minister.

5—Immunity from liability

This clause provides an immunity from liability for any person who acts in good faith and without negligence under or in accordance with the measure or a licence granted under the measure.

6—Regulations

This clause provides a regulation-making power.

Debate adjourned on motion of Mr Batty.