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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2008-11-11 Daily Xml
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REMEMBRANCE DAY

The Hon. L. STEVENS (Little Para) (15:38): I would like to begin by echoing the comments made by the Attorney-General in his ministerial statement about Remembrance Day. I had the pleasure of attending a ceremony this morning—as I am sure many other members did—in my electorate. My ceremony was held at the Elizabeth RSL Club in Elizabeth East. It was a moving ceremony. There were not as many people there as there are at dawn services on ANZAC Day, but it is a very important time to remember those who paid the ultimate price and sacrificed their lives, their health and wellbeing to defend us and our way of life.

The other thing I would like to talk about today is that I was asked to open the renovations of an important community group in my electorate. Club 84, which has been operating for about 13 years and is situated at 84 Yorktown Road, Elizabeth East, is a day centre for people who are recovering from mental illness. It has provided opportunities for friendship, social interaction and skills acquisition for a range of people who are recovering from mental illness. One of the very good things about this particular organisation is its many volunteers who themselves are recovering from a mental illness. Therefore, they are able to provide particular support to others in the same boat. It is very much a team game, with many different people being able to make a contribution to others.

They were lucky to receive, and very deserving of, a small grant which enabled them to upgrade the fairly basic accommodation. Club 84 has a new reception area, a new entrance to the building (including a new ramp), new double doorway and activity room, a new pergola for outside activities, some painting and storage, and a makeover of the gardens. I look forward to that group continuing its important work in the area.

This is not the first time I have spoken about increased expenditure for facilities for people with a mental illness in my electorate and surrounding electorates in the north. Earlier this year we had the opening of a rehabilitation centre with 20 beds at Elizabeth East for people who are on the road to recovery but who for some reason may have had a relapse. They are able to go back to have support in the new facility. It is one of three facilities, the others being at Mile End and adjacent to Noarlunga hospital.

Another new important facility for people with a mental illness will be opened shortly at the Lyell McEwin Health Service. The facility will include 50 new beds and will probably be completed. I understand that the opening will be in the very near future. There has been a transfer of 50 beds from Glenside to the north. It is very important to get acute beds away from one site which is hard for some people to access, so that the beds are decentralised and put in an area where people live. In the north in the last few years three very important facilities, as well as millions of dollars that have gone to other non-government organisations, have enabled health support, personal support and social support in the community for people recovering from a mental illness. They are very important hallmarks of the Rann government. They are a long time coming but they are here at last.

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