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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2024-08-29 Daily Xml
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Frome Electorate

Ms PRATT (Frome) (15:17): I love taking the opportunity when we note grievances to reflect on my community of Frome. Most recently, I had the pleasure of being invited to the Mallala Bowls Club, which is always a good day out, but they did something very special on the weekend. As organised by Ian O'Loan, they used the bowls afternoon as an awareness opportunity for the risk factors associated with stroke.

The Stroke Foundation representatives were a part of the afternoon. I was happy to speak in my role reflecting on regional health, but most poignant of all was the address that we received by Greg Tucker. He was certainly there supported by his wife, Judy, and family members. Greg proved to us again that laughter is the best medicine. While we were crying in our cups, what we were also understanding was Greg's journey post stroke and the recovery pathway that he was on, as well as the comfort that he gets from the enormous wraparound team—clinicians, neuroscientists and experts in their field from the University of South Australia.

It was an opportunity for us to come together to talk about the symptoms and the early warning signs, and to remind people that time is of the essence. We have to remember to be FAST and focus on face, on arms, on speech slurring and a timely response. As I mentioned, it was good to be a part of the Mallala community. While they enjoyed a good day out on the green, they were also very mindful of what it means to live in a country community where, when something is going wrong and you are experiencing a health emergency, time is of the essence. We all reflected and gave thanks for the volunteer paramedics who serve their communities with distinction, and on the importance of continuing to see investment in regional health services so that even though we might be further away from that service, we know that help is a hand.

The weekend afforded me an opportunity to travel up to the Riverland. While, sadly, my friend and colleague the member for Chaffey was fulfilling his portfolio duties elsewhere, he was right to tell me that when I got to the 23rd Street Distillery in Renmark I was going to have a good time. Why did I have a good time? It was because the Rural Doctors Association of SA had chosen that location for their awards night. A roomful of 150 doctors, graduates, clinicians, medical students, allied health professionals and researchers, really the upper echelons, the distinctive and excelling doctors we have in our regional health system, were all on display.

Dr Bill Geyer is the President of the RDASA, and he kicked off the evening with two very special awards that were being presented that evening. One award was to Dr Tony Lian Lloyd, who experienced a standing ovation. The room broke into applause; men and women, young and old, were on their feet applauding this gentleman for the services he has contributed to Quorn, living in Quorn for the last 30 years, practising as a GP, and with his wife building a life for themselves that involves a love of horses and of hobbies, particularly working with leather. People were on their feet because of his services to regional health, and we cannot thank him enough for his dedicated career.

The other special mention goes to Emeritus Professor Paul Worley, who is known to many and whose contributions to regional health services cannot be summarised in the time I have left. It was a privilege to be there, and I proudly represented the opposition. It was unfortunate that no-one from the government could attend; I know that Renmark is a long way away, but we really want to signal to health professionals that we can come together when we recognise their service.

I look forward to further opportunities to bring attention in this house to the importance of an established and well-funded regional health service in South Australia.

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