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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2020-09-08 Daily Xml
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Elder Electorate

Mrs POWER (Elder) (15:56): During this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us—whether that be the Marshall Liberal government or us as individuals in our homes and amongst our friends—have acknowledged those at the front line as our heroes, and rightly so. To all these South Australians and other essential workers, especially those who have spearheaded our world-class response to the pandemic, I say a heartfelt thankyou.

From nurses, doctors and other health professionals, to teachers, police officers and those serving us at the supermarkets in our local community, you have continued to work, adapting and changing to keep us safe and secure. We have all noticed your efforts, your courage and your hard work during these uncertain times, and today in this place I acknowledge you as our heroes during this pandemic. At a local level, I know the electorate of Elder is also full of everyday heroes. I believe strong communities are made great by the people in them, and so I always enjoy meeting local residents.

On 10 July, I met Mavis Dutton and her family. Mavis was celebrating her 103rd birthday and I was truly inspired by her energy and generosity of spirit. Mavis loves music and shared this love of music with her husband. He sang and she played the piano. Together, they have two children, and now Mavis has five grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. At the grand young age of 103, Mavis had a sparkle in her eye that reflected the incredible youth in her spirit. When I asked Mavis the secret to living a long and happy life, she replied: 'Be interested in other people and keep busy.' What a beautiful reminder to us all to take an interest in others and give generously of ourselves in all that we do—the foundation of any strong community.

Two other local residents impacting and inspiring others are Greg and Helen O'Leary. As part of the SALA Festival, for the past 10 years Greg and Helen have opened up their home on a Sunday during the month of August and showcased their art. Greg is largely a self-taught artist, painting still-life portraits and landscapes. He has been a full-time painter for 20 years and spent a lifetime studying painting. He is also the deputy chair of the Royal SA Society of Arts.

As part of the festival, Greg provides a live demonstration in which he either paints or sketches a portrait. It is quite unreal to be part of it. It is really special to see artwork come to life in front of you. Over the years, I have seen him draw other local heroes, including Professor Warren Jones, who was instrumental in saving the Repat and positively shaping and repairing our healthcare system right across South Australia, and the federal member for Boothby, Ms Nicolle Flint.

A special thankyou to both Greg and Helen for opening not only their homes but also their hearts, through their art, to our community. While each is very different in their accomplishments, it is people like our frontline workers, and locals like Mavis, Greg and Helen, who make our community that much richer.

Finally, I would like to acknowledge two other local heroes whom many people in my local community have already met as they have sought the services of a justice of the peace: Geoff Richards and Ian Budge. Both Geoff and Ian volunteer their time as JPs in my office, and I commend their community spirit. It is a privilege to meet our local heroes, and I look forward to continuing to meet many more exceptional residents in my local community.

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