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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2024-09-11 Daily Xml
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Private Members' Statements

Private Members' Statements

The Hon. D.G. PISONI (Unley) (15:46): The Unley Business Awards opened on 27 May and they are about celebrating the achievements of local businesses in Unley. The headings of the categories are business community leader, supported by the Community Bank at Goodwood. This award recognises businesses that foster a diverse community through inclusive employment practices, have focused on making their business accessible to all individuals, and are a leader within their business community.

The leader in sustainability and environment is supported by Norman Waterhouse, and is for organisations where a positive environmental outcome is the priority, and focusing on sustainability and climate change adaption initiatives, such as reducing carbon footprint and applying resources to climate change. Transformation, innovation and growth is category 3, supported by Toop+Toop. This award recognises businesses that have been innovative or adapted to market changes, adopting new types of business models or technology to deliver quality products and services.

The people's choice award is supported by the City of Unley, which is nominated by peers and customers who have experienced service excellence and have shown their appreciation by submitting their thoughts in writing and nominating for this award. I am looking forward to attending the announcement of the finalists tonight, with the awards night being on 13 September later in the year.

Ms HUTCHESSON (Waite) (15:47): Today is 9/11 and it is the 23rd anniversary of the terrorist attacks that changed the world. Nearly 3,000 people were killed when hijacked jetliners crashed into the World Trade Centre, the Pentagon and the field in Pennsylvania. On that day, 343 New York firefighters lost their lives in an instant.

Battalion chief of the New York City Fire Department, Orio Joseph Palmer, died whilst rescuing civilians trapped inside the World Trade Centre. He led his team up 78 floors of the South Tower to the floor where the plane had hit the building. As of today, his remains, along with many others, are still unidentified. Since the attack, a further 370 firefighters, more than were killed in the initial attack, have died from illness derived from exposure to toxins. It is a harsh reminder of the risk that firefighters face every time they answer the call, not only at the emergency but afterwards.

On the weekend, members of the Sturt CFS group from Eden Hills and the Coromandel Valley brigades within our community, after many months of training, took part in the Melbourne Firefighter Stair Climb. The stair climb is a charity event that sees firefighters don their full turnout gear, walking up 28 floors over 500 steps as a symbol of the burden of significant health and wellbeing issues faced by our first responders and their families to raise awareness and funds for cancer research and crisis support.

The Coromandel Valley brigade members, who even did our Belair National Park parkrun in their full turnout gear, raised over $8,000. What an achievement. Our firefighters are worth their weight in gold. Today, I take this opportunity to thank them, to remember the fallen, their families and those who are battling illness, be it physical or mental.

Mr COWDREY (Colton) (15:49): I am very excited for our two local football clubs this weekend, the Lockleys Demons and the Henley Sharks, because it is going to be a blockbuster Saturday of local footy grand final rivalry game. At Woodville Oval we will have Lockleys v Henley, not one addition but three. The C grade kicks off at 10am, the B grade at 12.15pm and then the A grade game at 2.30pm. This builds on the two Cowdrey Cup games that have already taken place this year. The first game was won by Henley, with a 21-point margin, the second game by Lockleys in the return league, a five-point margin in that win. Both winning away from home. To meet in the grand final this weekend it is going to be a cracker of a match.

The Cowdrey Cup I brought in, with the support of the two local clubs, to highlight the power of local footy, the importance of grassroots sport and to draw attention to this local rivalry, and I thank both clubs for helping to facilitate that. It has also allowed both clubs and the MVPs of both games, Bailey Chamberlain in the first, Bowen Hosking in the second, to support some important charities. The Little Heroes Foundation was chosen by Bailey. They do a lot of work, but particularly in regard to childhood dementia and Bowen chose the Sliding Doors Foundation, a charity that supports young people from socially or economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Both teams beat Henley to get to the grand final and may the best team win this weekend.

Ms O'HANLON (Dunstan) (15:50): I rise to give praise and acknowledgement to an excellent initiative that was celebrated today at a school in my electorate. Today Marryatville Primary School celebrated Neurodiversity Day. Cathy Cook, their autism inclusion teacher, is the perfect example of the difference teachers in her role can make in our primary schools.

Through her nation-leading role she has brought her school community together on this excellent day to not just learn about neurodiversity, but to celebrate it. I was invited and very much looking forward to attending, but being a parent of a neurodivergent child myself was not able to leave quickly from her school this morning to get there. However, that lived experience makes me all the more appreciative of the wonderful initiative of autism-inclusion teachers like Cathy Cook, the initiative of the truly excellent Assistant Minister for Autism Emily Bourke in the other place. This is an initiative that has made a real difference to families like mine who for so long were calling for support for our neurodivergent children and now, because of this excellent initiative, we have the support and the understanding that our families and, more importantly, our children need.

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