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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2)
2007-10-25 Daily Xml
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KINGSTON ELECTORATE

Ms FOX (Bright) (15:18): I rise today to speak on the matter of federal Labor's commitment to the south and the interesting decision of a former Liberal member of this house to run for a so-called third party. I say 'so-called' because I think that the decision of the former Liberal member for Mawson, Robert Brokenshire, whose career in this place spanned some 13 calendar years, to run as a federal candidate for the Family First Party demonstrates just how close these two parties are to each other.

A vote for Robert Brokenshire in Kingston will be a vote for the current Liberal member for Kingston, of that I am sure. A vote for Brokenshire will be a vote for Howard, a vote for Costello. Mr  Brokenshire, the pro-WorkChoices, climate change sceptic, the man who represented the south for so long, claimed in The Advertiser on Monday 22 October:

I want people to send a message out...that the south is not happy with the lack of support in areas such as roads and other infrastructure services.

Well, isn't that an appalling indictment of his own 13 years in the south, which has just ended, and of his federal Liberal colleague's current term as the member for Kingston?

Until very recently Robert Brokenshire represented the south and Kym Richardson, the current Liberal member for Kingston, still does; so, Mr Brokenshire comes out and publicly fouls his own nest—most peculiar. What I also find peculiar is that when I heard Mr Brokenshire speak at the declaration of the poll in early 2006 after the election he made a moving and, indeed, convincing speech that he had lost 13 years of his life to politics. I was there: I heard this. He said that he regretted not spending time with his family because he had been at local meetings and functions instead—and that is entirely understandable.

Why is he throwing his hat back into a ring that he had so clearly wearied of? Why is he joining the Christian democratic party which is Family First. This is from a man who, during his membership of the Parliamentary Christian Fellowship, was apparently confused about the difference between the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and other Christian denominations.

In my opinion this is an elaborate stunt on Mr Brokenshire's behalf. He is doing the Liberals' dirty work by syphoning off votes in Kingston while schmoozing up to Family First in the hope that they will let him into the upper house where, if he gets in, he will carry on being what he always does—that is, a good Liberal. Well, it will be up to the voters of Kingston to decide—and they are spoilt for choice. A Labor candidate—the hardworking and passionate Amanda Rishworth—and not one, but two Liberal candidates—Richo and Brokey—and a raft of minor parties.

So what has Amanda Rishworth secured for the south? What commitment will a Rudd Labor government bring to the south? A Rudd Labor government will work in partnership with the South Australian government to jointly fund a solution for the Main South Road and Victor Harbor Road interjection. Martin Ferguson announced two days ago that the $7 million project will widen and upgrade the existing intersection and include the installation of traffic lights and an upgrade of Main South Road at the Seaford Road intersection. Amanda Rishworth has been a strong advocate for this upgrade—as she has for another important project in the south.

A Rudd Labor government will invest $3 million in the McLaren Vale wine region to help grape growers switch from using mains drinking-quality water to treated recycled water. The $3 million will connect a number of small to medium-sized irrigators to new recycled water supplies from a local infrastructure upgrade. This will save 500 million litres of drinking water every year and bring about significant local environmental benefits, with less effluent outflow at Christies Beach, parts of which are in the electorate of Bright. Of course, Mr Brokenshire, who refers to the Greens as 'loopy' in The Advertiser, is probably not very interested in this as it is a positive environmental outcome.

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