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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2010-05-06 Daily Xml
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PREMIER'S ANZAC SPIRIT SCHOOL PRIZE

Mr PICCOLO (Light) (16:17): Thank you, Madam Speaker.

An honourable member interjecting:

Mr PICCOLO: I am quite happy to discuss the election result in Light.

The SPEAKER: Do you have a question, member for Light?

Mr PICCOLO: I do, Madam Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Can he inform the house about this year's Premier's ANZAC Spirit School Prize?

The Hon. M.D. RANN (Ramsay—Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change) (16:18): First, I should say that I have just been informed today that, with Graham Gunn's retirement after 39 years in parliament, I am now the father of the house—not because of my age but because of the number of years I have served in this chamber. So, I want to take this opportunity, as father of the house, to congratulate the Speaker on her election as the first female Speaker in the history of this parliament. As has been pointed out, it has been a long time coming. In 1894 we were the second place in the world to have votes for women after New Zealand, but, of course, we were the first place in the world to enable women to run for parliament. It has taken a long time, but I congratulate the Speaker on this very historic moment.

I thank the member for Light for his question. This year, six South Australian students won the fourth Premier's ANZAC Spirit School Prize and a chance to retrace the footsteps of Australia's World War I servicemen on a study tour of Europe's battlefields. The judging panel included representatives from the History Teachers' Association and the South Australian branch of the RSL.

This year the successful students were Renee Farr and Chloe Searles from Loxton High School, Sean Lloyd from Brighton Secondary School, Jack Jercic from Christian Brothers College, Brigid O'Farrell from St Ignatius College and Shane Rosenzweig from Faith Lutheran School. Two teachers, John Griffen of Willunga High School and Susan Howlett of Mitcham Girls High School were selected to accompany the students. His Excellency Hieu Van Le, Lieutenant-Governor of South Australia, and his wife, Mrs Van Le, joined this year's tour, along with Mr John Spencer, Vice President of the South Australian RSL.

The purpose of the ANZAC Spirit School Prize is to encourage young people to discover the Anzac spirit through researching the life of a fallen South Australian Army or Navy World War I personnel. It is about making connections with and learning about our diggers' experience as people rather than numbers in a history book.

The prize gives the students a personal insight into the impact of this war on the troops in Europe, the Australian families waiting for their return, and the development of the Anzac spirit that is so important to the culture and ethos of our nation. It also provides them with a historical, cultural and social perspective of Australia's involvement in World War I campaigns in Europe.

On 15 April the students arrived in London where they toured Churchill's bunker and cabinet rooms in Whitehall. They also visited the Australian War Memorial at Hyde Park Corner and the Royal Geographical Society, where they viewed the original maps. From London they travelled through France to Belgium, where a new tour guide, who specialises in tours for Australians and New Zealanders and is a World War I specialist, was engaged. They undertook site visits to Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Polygon Wood, Passchendale, the Tyne Cot Military Cemetery and the In Flanders Fields Museum.

Members would have heard of the new Australian film recently released called Beneath Hill 60, the story about the secret struggle beneath the Western Front and the men who dug the tunnels under that hill. I was delighted to hear that a visit to Hill 60 was included on this year's itinerary. Other destinations included Messines, Armentieres, Fromelles and the new cemetery Cobbers Memorial and VC Corner, as well as their German cemetery at Illies.

As I have mentioned to members before, a commemorative service is held every night of the year at 8pm at the Menin Gate. The students attended a service, and both Hieu Van Le and John Spencer placed wreaths. From Ypres (not, as my grandfather who fought there referred to it, 'Wipers') it was on to Amiens in France with a visit to Escanaffles Communal Cemetery and the Wellington quarry to see the World War I tunnels.

In Perrone, the students joined an English class at the Perrone High School with like-minded French students. Following that, they taught French students how to play and kick an Aussie rules football. Students then met officials from the city council and enjoyed a three course French cuisine lunch catered by the high school students. I am advised that both the French students and our students are now excitedly communicating via Facebook.

Following lunch, they visited the Great War Museum, viewed the Mont Saint Quentin digger statue and visited a farm. Other sites included the Normandy region as well as battlefields in the Somme, the township of Villers-Bretonneux the Victoria School, the Australian War Memorial and a cemetery close to the township of Hazebrouck, where many South Australians are buried. In Dernancourt the students were warmly received by the mayor, Mr Lionel LaMotte (people remember the mayor's visit here last year), who accompanied them, along with other young children of the township, to the local cemetery where two wreath laying ceremonies took place.

On Sunday 25 April students attended that sacred ceremony the Anzac Day dawn service at the Australian War Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux in France. Hieu van Le and the students placed wreaths at the ceremony, the most anticipated event of the tour. After the service they travelled to the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles where the Armistice was signed.

I take this opportunity to thank Hieu van Le, his wife, Lan, John Spencer and the teachers for escorting the students to Europe and for the guidance and support which they showed them. I have to say that I think all members have probably met some of the students both in their electorates and after past visits. There is absolutely no doubt that these opportunities will have a life changing impact upon them.

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