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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2019-06-05 Daily Xml
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National Volunteer Week

Ms LUETHEN (King) (15:19): My question is to the Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing. Can the minister please update the house about National Volunteer Week?

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD (Gibson—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (15:19): I thank the member for her question and of course we acknowledge that Monday 20 May until Friday 26 May was National Volunteer Week. In part of my role, I know, getting out into the community and thanking our volunteers, there really aren't enough hours in the day. It was with great pleasure just recently that I was out with the member of King visiting the CFS station in her local community, the Salisbury CFS station and the para group that is based there as well. We met some wonderful people. Mike Gordon, of course, was great to show us around.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: These are volunteers who we on this side of the house truly appreciate. I am not sure about the comments coming from the other side of the house, but we do truly appreciate our volunteers—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: —on this side of the house. We also went to the SES and the member for King had beaten me there when we went to catch up—

The Hon. S.C. Mullighan interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Lee is warned.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: —with the SES. She had been there the week before, she is such a keen advocate for those wonderful people in her community. On national volunteers day, on the Monday, I was very pleased to join the Governor. I think the Leader of the Opposition and the member for Hurtle Vale were there as well. We had the chance to thank all the volunteers in South Australia. We had the parade to recognise our volunteers. The weather was a bit inclement, but it was great to see so many people come out for that.

Only South Australia and only Adelaide give a parade for our volunteers, so that was fantastic. We had a number of people there cooking a barbecue. There was food. They were enjoying the day and it was fantastic to get around and thank all the different volunteer groups that were there. I was representing Michelle Lensink, the member from other place. I actually whisked out of cabinet to make sure I got there on time because that's how much we appreciate our volunteers here in South Australia, across the city and the country regions.

The theme this year was 'Making a world of difference', and volunteers really do. Again, on this side of the house, and I would like to think on the other side as well, we do appreciate the volunteers. The hours and the figures are quite phenomenal: 1.7 million hours equates to 107,400 full-time jobs and about $5 million put back into the economy. No government can ever pay for that sort of service but what we can do is take our time and say thank you to each and every one of them who go over and above to help in our community.

It has been a great pleasure as well to get out in the regions as part of our Project Renew through the CFS. I know I have been out with a number of members on this side of the house to thank the volunteers there and just give a little back. Unfortunately, whilst we were in opposition and the previous government was in place, a number of our CFS brigades had been neglected somewhat with their facilities around their local service areas.

So it was with great pleasure that we were able to go and help them out and put back into their communities, be it just helping maybe reclad the kitchen or put a new kitchen in, so that when they are there giving their time in service, in particular through the summer months, they have the facilities and the amenities of a decent standard. Again, it was a little way to say thank you. That is a $5 million project over two years as well.

Our surf lifesaving groups, as well, I have mentioned in this house many times before, but they are great volunteers. Again, I know on this side of the house we can't thank our surf lifesavers enough and I think can speak for those on the other side to say thank you for what they do—22 surf clubs, I note. The member for Flinders will be keen to know that Port Lincoln are pushing to establish a surf club over there, too, so we hope that can come to fruition. I know that the member for Flinders will be very supportive of that as well.

We thank all our surf lifesaving volunteers and as a show of appreciation—again we can't pay them for all the hours they put in, but they do an outstanding job—we did make a commitment when we formed government to give each club $5,000 over the four years to make sure they can keep providing the services they do to keep our communities safe. We are very happy to support them as well.

During Volunteer Week, again, I spent a lot of time getting out into the communities. I know I was in the member for Stuart's electorate, as well, speaking to a lot of people up there, but I went right across the state, and it was great to visit our country regions as always. I apologise, I don't have enough time to thank everyone, but it is wonderful to get out in the community and thank our volunteers for the marvellous work they do, especially during Volunteer Week.

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