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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2015-11-18 Daily Xml
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Florey Electorate

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (15:12): The end of the year looms and so too many traditions that many of us really look forward to. Christmas pageants are abounding. We had the Credit Union city pageant last weekend and, of course, the weekend before that we had the Tea Tree Plaza Christmas pageant, in which the Florey mobile proudly participates, and which heralds the arrival of Santa to not only Adelaide but of course Modbury; and so formally begins the Christmas season.

Community groups all over Modbury and the Tea Tree Gully area come together for our annual pageant, which starts at the Tea Tree Gully council depot and progresses along Smart Road to Westfield's Tea Tree Plaza shopping centre. Westfield provides organisation and hundreds of balloons for the many participants and people who come along to watch. Participants include footy clubs, pony clubs, calisthenics clubs, churches, car clubs, the Tea Tree Gully Redbacks band and many more groups, like the Modbury Lions, who for years have provided the beautiful green pony float providing an unforgettable day for the pageant fairy princess.

Lions do a great job in the community and Lions Peter, Alan and, of course, our own former colleague Bob Gregory are always on hand for the pageant and many other good works, and they do a great sausage sizzle at Bunnings to make sure they can raise the funds to do the good works they do. They provide many people, and me in particular, sir, with dozens of wonderful Lions Christmas cakes, conveniently available in one kilogram and 1.5 kilogram sizes, and they also do a great pudding. These funds also go straight back into the community for the good works that the Lions are well known for.

Groups all around the state are organising their end-of-year get-togethers and there is an air of excitement as we begin our preparations for the big day so many of us celebrate. Schools are having their graduations. I have been able to briefly attend the Modbury High School graduation assembly. On Monday I witnessed the Valley View Secondary School's graduating class receive their certificates. The Florey Music Awards also play a big part in the end-of-year activities in our area, and I have been lucky enough to present the trophies at the Valley View Secondary School and the Modbury High School already.

Now in its 18th year, the Florey Music Award recognises a student, judged by the school's own criteria, and each school has a different awarding regime: either talent for effort or instrumental or choral work. Music is a vital part of every child's development. I acknowledge the great work of music teachers, the instrumental music branch and those involved with the primary school's choir program which culminates each year with such wonderful performances at the Adelaide Festival Theatre. This concert has become a much loved tradition and highlight of the school year.

I have also been able to officiate at Premier's Reading Challenge presentations at Modbury school, Modbury Special School, Burc College, Prescott College and many others in the next few days. Thanks must go to all classroom teachers and librarians for their support of this great program. When it started over 10 years ago, I do not think anyone really guessed how well it would be embraced and how important it would be in making sure all participants become great readers. I would like to remind students to thank the people who started them reading: their mums, dads and caregivers. Reading well is a gift for life.

While thinking about all the joys of the end of the year, I would like to remind everyone how precious life is and how an accident can really forever change life in a second. Sadly, so many people will die or be injured to varying degrees all over Australia, more particularly here at home in South Australia where our year has seen so many tragedies. The grief such accidents bring is enormous and, if we all play our part, preventable.

It is my wish for everyone to take things a little slower, enjoy each other and the many good things we have to share and to spare a moment to think about how we can help each other beyond the commercial aspects of the season. It is in giving that we truly receive. Thanks have to go to all the volunteers, all our ambulance and healthcare workers, our police officers, our fire officers in the MFS and the CFS, our State Emergency Service workers, and all the people who will keep the state going while we celebrate. We appreciate all that you do and hope that you will not have to do too much this Christmas, particularly not for us or our families.

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