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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-11-18 Daily Xml
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Torrens Electorate

Ms WORTLEY (Torrens) (15:49): It is a privilege to advocate on behalf of the electorate of Torrens in this place, particularly during these challenging times. I am sure members here would join me in acknowledging and thanking South Australians across the state for their ongoing efforts in doing the right thing regarding COVID restrictions, from checking in with QR codes to wearing a mask in designated areas, staying at home when they feel unwell and being tested when they have cold-like symptoms.

These efforts are particularly important, but what is difficult for me to understand here is why the government is not doing the right thing in relation to promises it made to residents of Torrens in the lead-up to the last election. There are a number of issues that remain unresolved. In some cases, we have waited in excess of six weeks for a response to letters to the Premier and ministers, with some unanswered. In fact, I am still waiting for a response from the Premier, which has been outstanding for eight months.

There are related local issues that are of considerable importance. One of them is the need for Hampstead Primary School to have the Minister for Education take them seriously following the fire that destroyed buildings in 2019, leaving some burnt-out shells. After numerous cancelled start dates, work is now scheduled to begin in the school holidays, a start date that I asked the minister to put his stamp on to ensure it is well underway before the students return in January, more than two years from the day of the fire.

In Hillcrest, we have the North East Community Assistance Project (NECAP), which I understand was promised in the lead-up to the election by Liberal members and the candidate that a new suitable home would be found for them. Despite having three years of uncertainty around their future due to the government selling the land, they were finally told in December 2020 that they could stay at their premises, but this was followed by a 'however', and the minister states they would need to pay the ongoing maintenance on the building they reside in, which is not in a reasonable condition to start with, and they had already pointed that out.

They are a registered charity, run by volunteers, that provides emergency relief to domestic and family violence victims, people who find themselves homeless and often unable to afford groceries and clothing. This just reinforces how out of touch and uncaring this government is. NECAP has been providing a valuable service to our community in the north-eastern suburbs since 1980. A relatively small sum would be required to ensure the future of NECAP. Today, I call on the government to provide adequate funding to enable NECAP to continue its wonderful work in our community.

Right next door to NECAP is North East Community Children's Centre, which has been desperately trying to negotiate with the minister for increased access to their site, including for emergency services vehicles and sufficient parking for staff and parents. The minister again decided to make a decision that impacts our community instead of helping it, by subdividing and selling the land that borders the centre, leaving them with no dedicated car park, no suitable access point for emergency services and no capacity to increase services to the community. Today, I again call on the minister to allocate the funding to address these significant safety issues.

We know the government closed the Strathmont pool. The Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre pool has been closed to the public and the government refuse to respond to my many requests for consideration of land to be put aside for a swimming pool in our local area, prior to the government selling the land to Villawood Properties to build the 1,500 homes they have highlighted.

I have highlighted the fact that closures and lack of swimming pool facilities have resulted in members of our community missing out on swimming, water safety, water therapy for young and old and people with a disability, impacting also on our culturally and linguistically diverse families, many who come from land-locked countries have little or no swimming or Australian water safety knowledge.

Now, with the additional 1,500 houses to be built in Oakden on the former Strathmont site and the Villawood plan to build a swimming pool to be accessed only by those in the development, again the residents of Torrens will be left out. I call on the government to actively pursue the building of a public swimming pool on the site or nearby in partnership with the City of Port Adelaide Enfield and the federal government. They could even include Villawood. It would benefit greatly the residents of our north-eastern suburbs.

Gaza football club is still awaiting the election promise by the former Liberal candidate for Torrens who told the committee that, if elected, a Liberal government would meet Labor's commitment for new female change facilities. When the sports minister stands up and says they are delivering on their promises, he forgets about the promise made to Gaza football club. I call on the minister to honour this 2018 election promise.

This is just a small snapshot of issues I raise again on behalf of the residents of Torrens and the wider community. I can only hope those opposite can see the genuine need to keep the promises they have made and to deliver.

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