ONE AND ALL

The Hon. A. BRESSINGTON (15:54): I rise today to remind honourable members of the excellent work being done with South Australia's vulnerable youth by the crew of the One and All. Based on an 1850s brigantine rig, the One and All was built in South Australia by shipbuilder W.G. Porter & Son, with the assistance of a dedicated group of volunteers, who saw the potential and carried it through from conception to its launch in 1985. Many are involved to this day. Youth training was the intention and remains the main business of the One and All today.

The One and All has been instrumental in youth development in this state and beyond, with its unique voyages where trainees learn basic sailing skills and social skills by operating a traditionally rigged sailing ship. Over the years, the crew of the One and All have provided memorable experiences and influenced the lives of more than 6,000 young South Australians, many of whom came from disadvantaged backgrounds or had a troubled past.

Through the guidance of the crew, trainees learn to work together in an isolated environment where the objective is personal development with enjoyment. The shipboard environment contributes to personal development as trainees learn the importance of teamwork and problem-solving. The trainees ultimately gain the confidence to work the ship together, which provides them with a great sense of satisfaction and achievement. While participants no doubt find life aboard challenging, particularly if seasickness sets in, the testimonials of these youth reveal the enjoyment, camaraderie and their own sense of potential.

It saddened me to learn recently of the financial hardships currently faced by the One and All's parent body, SA Tall Ships. While the ship the One and All is owned by the South Australian government, she is managed, operated and kept afloat by the dedicated team at SA Tall Ships, who are expected to be largely self-reliant from year to year by this government.

While the One and All may be a replica of an age gone by, under the deck she is a modern ship, fully compliant with the current standards of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority for open seafaring vessels. Additionally, the nine paid crew are each professionals, with competitive wages paid. In short, she is not cheap to operate and maintain.

While they do raise funds through hosting corporate functions, twilight sails and making the ship available for charter, they have come to rely upon the donations from organisations such as Variety and White Lion, as well as other fund-raising activities. They are also forced to charge for youth development voyages, although many participants are sponsored by other organisations, such as Variety or the Port Adelaide Enfield council.

Seeking to increase philanthropic donations, SA Tall Ships recently applied for deductible gift recipient status through the ATO. I note the assistance provided to them by Mark Butler MHR, the federal member for Port Adelaide. It is my hope that the regulator acts with urgency and donations follow swiftly. There is no doubting that the One and All is a worthy cause.

It is my hope, in speaking on this today, that all members will assist me in raising awareness of the great work that the crew of the One and All have and, hopefully, will continue to do with the youth of this state.

Time expired.