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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, First Session (53-1)
2014-09-25 Daily Xml
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Habitat for Humanity

Mr GEE (Napier) (15:36): I rise today to speak about some exciting developments in my electorate that show the state government is committed to delivering for the local community. I will also talk about a community organisation that is doing some fantastic work in my electorate to get people into homes and others into the workforce.

The first development I will speak about is the new park-and-ride car park at the Smithfield interchange, unlike the member for Hartley who only sees the negative things in his area. This car park, which I opened last week, sees the delivery of an extra 190 car parking spaces in a modern car park with quality lighting and CCTV next to the platform.

This car park was one of my election commitments and is part of the state government's program to deliver more car parks at transport interchanges to encourage the use of public transport. The state government has delivered more than 5,000 car parks at suburban interchanges over the past 12 years and increased the number of park-and-ride facilities to 72. Smithfield is the most popular station in my electorate. Residents use the station not only to commute to work, school, uni or TAFE, but to watch the footy and cricket at Adelaide Oval or head to the beach at Glenelg or Semaphore.

Mr Pengilly: Don't you live in Springfield with O'Brien?

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!

Mr GEE: I don't think anybody in my electorate, Deputy Speaker, would know anybody who lives in Springfield.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: No interjections and no responding.

Mr GEE: The second development I will talk about is the commitment by the Premier and road safety minister two weeks ago to upgrade the One Tree Hill-Kersbrook Road, Gawler-One Tree Hill Road, Humbug Scrub Road and One Tree Hill Road intersection. For those people who know that stretch of road, it is a very serious and dangerous blackspot. I have to say this is one of those things that the local council, people in that area and previous members have been trying to get something done about for the last 12 years. This was another one of my election commitments. Recently, $3.5 million was committed to putting a roundabout there, which will be in place pretty soon.

I will now speak about Habitat for Humanity, starting with the Edgecombe Neighbourhood Rejuvenation Precinct Project. This project sees Habitat for Humanity, in partnership with a number of agencies and businesses, deliver homes to individuals who deserve their own home and who have put in hard work to achieve it. The state government is assisting with this development through stamp duty concessions and other measures.

Habitat for Humanity recently handed over a house to a mum in Davoren Park who had been through the rigours of the rental market and had spent 12 years renting. Tracey dreamed of her own house and, in partnership with Habitat, she has seen that dream become a reality. Like all new Habitat homeowners, she did not just sit and wait for it to be built. Tracey contributed sweat equity that saw her assist in the building of her own home. Under the Habitat model, the homeowner has real ownership of the house by participating in the building or design of the house and assisting others with their homes. Tracey now has a job at a local small business and a bright future.

I acknowledge the great work that Habitat for Humanity is doing in the local community throughout the Peachey Belt in my electorate. Habitat is on track towards its 30th home in northern Adelaide, a real commitment to the local community, ensuring that local people have the opportunity to call a property home rather than just a house.

Recently, I was at a mortgage burning ceremony for one of the first couples to receive a Habitat home in northern Adelaide. The couple had strived to pay their mortgage over the last 12 years and paid it off this year. The joy and relief shown by the couple as they burned their mortgage papers showed what home ownership means to a family. It is more than an end to the rent cycle: it is having something they can be proud of.

I also congratulate Habitat for the work they do through their Habitat shed at Para West Adult Campus. They have assisted well over 30 local young people recently to receive their certificate I and II in construction and have assisted more than 15 unemployed people to gain work whilst supporting over 20 volunteers. Habitat is training people for the jobs of today and the future, jobs that will help build the expansion of Blakeview and the new developments at Munno Para, Evanston South and throughout the Peachey Belt in my electorate. This is where the new homes will come.

Habitat's workers and volunteers build everything from bird and bat boxes for the City of Playford to letterboxes, fencing, site toilets and house frames for the Habitat homes in the local area. The shed will be on the move next year but the good work will continue.

Lastly, I must mention a sod turning ceremony I attended, along with a church service, at the site of the new Playford Uniting Church. The service was joyous, and I look forward to the church contributing a great deal to my community in the coming years. Congratulations to minister Peter Riggs and his team. The northern suburbs are a great place to live, work and play.

Time expired.

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