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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2008-11-27 Daily Xml
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GIFT OF LIFE GARDEN

Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (14:55): Thank you, Mr Speaker. I did not think we were going to get to this. Will the Minister for Transport confirm that it is the government's intention to bulldoze the Gift of Life Garden as part of the tram extension to the Entertainment Centre? The Gift of Life Garden was established—

The Hon. M.J. Atkinson interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Attorney will come to order!

Dr McFETRIDGE: The Gift of Life Garden was established as an expression of gratitude and to pay tribute to the many people who have donated organs and tissues, honouring their commitment to help others in our community. Families have used the garden as a place of reflection and remembrance since its creation in February 2000. Commemorative roses have been planted by the former governor Sir Eric Neal, health ministers Dean Brown, Lea Stevens and John Hill. TransAdelaide representatives have now advised those people connected with the Gift of Life Garden that it will be removed from the current site to make way for the tram extension to the Entertainment Centre, which, as those representatives have said, 'has to be built before March 2010'.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON (Elder—Minister for Transport, Minister for Infrastructure, Minister for Energy) (14:56): If you observe carefully the difference between the question and the explanation, the question was: are we going to bulldoze the garden of remembrance; and the explanation was that we went to talk to these people about relocating it. Can I ask this: have you been there? Tell me honestly: have you been there?

Members interjecting:

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: No, because I make that point.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: They hate it when they're caught out, don't they? The old glass jaw—you can hear it tinkling. You can hear the tinkle of broken glass. The point I make is this: if you do go there, you will see that the garden of remembrance is in the middle of a very busy road and is not frequented as often as it deserves to be, given the importance of it. We believe—and some other people—

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Well, have you been?

Ms Chapman: Yes, I have.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Oh, yes. Come on, hands up, tell the truth. We've got two.

Mr HAMILTON-SMITH: Point of order, Mr Speaker.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: 'I've been there!'

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr HAMILTON-SMITH: The minister is just making an absolute fool of himself. I mean, please save him.

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. Conlon interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, Minister for Transport! I repeat what I said to the member for MacKillop to the Leader of the Opposition: it is not in order for the minister to try to elicit interjections or answers, or anything like that, from the opposition. The Minister for Transport.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Thank you, sir, and I will return to it, but I do point out that when they howl interjections like banshees it does try the patience of even the most patient man. But don't you like the tinkle of that glass jaw? Don't you love it? He can't stand an iota of ridicule.

An honourable member interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Put him down. I look forward so much to March 2010 and the slogan, 'Marty Ta Ta 2010' when the Premier takes yet another scalp. How many is that now, sir? Eight?

An honourable member: Five.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Five.

An honourable member: The arrogant copycats.

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: I do have this approach to my politics: I do not have the short-term memory of a goldfish. I do remember what I said a minute ago. Did you see him—he could not bring himself to apologise even though he knew he was wrong.

The SPEAKER: Order, the Minister for Transport! The Minister for Transport needs to return to the substance of the question.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: It is our intention to work with the people and to relocate it to a spot superior to the one which it occupies at present and which will allow a more reflective use of an important garden. I point out that if members opposite believe that being in the middle of Port Road, with trucks and traffic going in both directions, is the most reflective spot in which to put such a garden, then I simply do not agree with them. It is utter nonsense and a piece of dishonesty to suggest that we are bulldozing the gardens. Nothing could be further from the truth. We will work with those people to put them in a better place.

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