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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2020-09-10 Daily Xml
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Waite Electorate

Mr DULUK (Waite) (16:33): Thank you, sir, and thank you for your deliberations there. I rise today to recognise the outstanding members of my community who continue to demonstrate their wonderful respect and values for our community, care for the environment and conscientious efforts to improving the electorate that we all live in.

Recently, I joined with the local Blackwood Reconciliation Group members and over 100 volunteers to plant some 600 native trees at the Colebrook Reconciliation Park. Kaurna food, medicine plants and other native plants from the Plains and Adelaide Hills were selected in consultation with local Kaurna educator Tamaru Kartinyeri. A majority of the plants were propagated, donated or locally sourced from the Coromandel Native Nursery, so thank you to them.

I would like to thank the collaborative efforts Peter Stokes from the Department for Environment and Water, John Sandham of the Botanical Gardens of South Australia and the Australian Plant Society—and, of course, a very active member in Rotary—Trees for Life and Blackwood Uniting Church, especially Allen Edwards, who is chair of the Blackwood Reconciliation Group, Helen Sage, Di Griggs, and once again Tamaru for his fantastic Welcome to Country. The Blackwood Reconciliation Group works actively towards reconciliation in our community in conjunction with the former Colebrook Home in Eden Hills and really aims to create a place of peace and reflection and of healing in our community.

This month, I also met with the Friends of Waite Conservation Group to discuss the importance of volunteering and their volunteers in combating feral pests, such as olive trees, in our national parks and reserves. As part of celebrating National Landcare Week last month, I urge people to get out and join their local landcare group. If you live in a community that does not have a landcare group, come join the ones up in Waite. Actively partaking of these activities and connecting with nature is so important for one's mental health and physical health, as well as an array of social benefits. As many members have also indicated, today is R U OK? Day and World Suicide Prevention Day.

In my electorate, there are a number of groups dedicated to positive environmental outcomes, such as the Blackwood Action Group, Upper Sturt Reaches Landcare Group, Friends of Sturt Gorge Recreation Park, Friends of Shepherds Hill Recreation Park and Friends of Belair National Park. I would like to thank all those who take time out of their lives to green our suburbs and to improve our environment.

On this note, the Belair National Park has been receiving some much warranted attention since we last sat here before the winter break. The new community reference group has been meeting regularly to discuss the master plan for the recreation space at the former country club and golf course site. I have been meeting with the local groups associated with the developments, and it was great to see some announcements today around additional mountain bike trails in the park.

I was also pleased recently to join the Minister for Environment and Water and the federal member for Boothby to celebrate the opening of the new Long Gully Volunteer Centre kitchen and those renovations, and that, of course, was part of both state and federal election commitments and money from the Adelaide City Deal with the federal Morrison government. As part of that money from the City Deal, there are works that are going to Old Government House for garden landscaping works and the redevelopment of the coach house.

In terms of sport in my community, I am happy to see once again both state and federal funds flowing into Waite. The community is very excited for the Sturt Lions Football Club, which has received some funds recently for the development of Karinya Reserve. After 17 years, the Lions and its president, John Vander Veeken, will finally have a home ground which will include a new two-storey clubroom building, a grandstand and a Football Federation Australia compliant artificial turf pitch. The good thing about the completion of this project is that John can finally retire as president.

Recently, I had the great honour of meeting two centurions from my community. Lois Liebing from Kalyra Communities turned 100 last week, and she told me that the secret to her long life has been working hard. And I met with Viv Samuel, aged 101, last Friday and presented him with a certificate marking VP Day. Viv was awarded the Military Medal in the Africa campaign in World War II, and served in the British 7th Armoured Division, which was known as the Desert Rats, at Tobruk—an absolute true living legend. When we were meeting and talking on Friday he said, 'Sam, we've got to wrap things up because I'm off to Rostrum this afternoon,' at 101 years old not out.

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