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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2020-07-23 Daily Xml
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Noarlunga State Emergency Service

Ms COOK (Hurtle Vale) (15:42): Annually, and this year on Wednesday 20 May, we have celebrated Wear Orange Wednesday. This day recognises and highlights the importance of our State Emergency Service and, of course, its volunteers in units across all of our great state. It is an opportunity to make these acknowledgments and value all our volunteers who play such a vital role in protecting and keeping our community safe when they respond to emergencies, disasters and some everyday incidents.

I regularly have the pleasure of visiting the Noarlunga SES that really does service the seat of Hurtle Vale brilliantly. I say thank you for their commitment and I am proud to support the group and the hard work they do. The community also supports and appreciates this valued organisation. I know the community will continue to acknowledge and receive the benefits to all southern suburbs residents and beyond from this wonderful organisation.

The Noarlunga State Emergency Service has been located within the Lonsdale unit for about 45 years now, and they are most welcome members of our southern community. The facilities have been built by the hands of its own members, constructing a whole range of wonderful test sites and experiences where they can have practical exercises and undertake rescues and such. The towers and tunnels are particularly interesting to visit.

It is a special place that hundreds of volunteers have poured their blood, sweat and tears into to create this training facility to benefit the larger community. The unit manager, Peter Higgins, and the Noarlunga SES team have done their absolute best on this site for as long as they can to work with what they have. They hold their meetings in a tin shed. They conduct their own maintenance and development. They store trailers and equipment across multiple sheds and shipping containers. It really has been popped together and assembled like some kind of meccano set over the years as they have grown.

I have been supporting and continue to support the Noarlunga SES in finding a redevelopment outcome that allows them to both retain their specialist training facilities, which are of enormous benefit to them, and also maintain that connection in the community. I understand that development is scheduled for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 financial years, pending final plans and subject to feasibility assessment and planning approval. It is one of the biggest and busiest SES units in the state.

The team is extremely dedicated, professional, passionate and driven. There is no chance of diminishing or wavering these values in the near future. In our community, where climate change is an issue and we are exposed to more frequent extreme weather events, it is really important for people who do have the knowledge and the training and requisite skills to be housed in the most up-to-date facilities we can afford. I know that the minister is aware and does support this, so I look forward to a good outcome.

Recently, on 25 June, I attended the soft launch of the Wilfred Taylor nature play space at Morphett Vale. The play space at Wilfred Taylor Reserve started with an idea over a cup of tea with the previous mayor, Lorraine Rosenberg, and this turned into a vision and is now a reality. I think that cup of tea happened more than three years ago. I do not think either of us could have imagined just how wonderful the opening was, with so many kids there just in time for the school holidays.

It was my privilege to secure funding towards this beautiful space—about $1.3 million—just prior to the last state election, which thankfully was matched by a commitment by the then Liberal opposition. We have seen that, with an equal contribution by the City of Onkaparinga, turn into the most amazing place that is inclusive for all and able to be accessed by our whole community. Thank you to Mayor Erin Thompson for continuing with that vision, with construction partners and Allan Sumner. It really is an incredible space.

I would like to say a special thanks to my little mate Thomas, from Antonio Catholic School, who cut the ribbon; Bethany from Suneden Specialist School; Ayla from Morphett Vale Primary School; and Emilia from Emmaus Catholic School. Ayla attended on behalf of her brother, Levi, who was not well. All these children have challenges in their life, and it was really great to see that the Rotary Club of Noarlunga contributed by putting money in to have an accessible roundabout so this inclusive play space is for everyone. I would encourage you all to bring your dollars to the local shops and the local communities down south and have a day at the Wilfred Taylor Reserve.

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