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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2024-09-11 Daily Xml
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Light Electorate

The Hon. A. PICCOLO (Light) (15:40): Today, I rise to share some remarkable stories and achievements within my Light electorate, highlighting the spirit of dedication, celebration and community engagement that actually defines our region.

Not many can boast about celebrating their 21st birthday in Parliament House, but the Gawler VIEW Club can. It was my pleasure to host the club members for a tour of parliament and lunch in the Speaker's dining room to mark this milestone. VIEW, which stands for the Voice, Interests and Education of Women, has nearly 300 clubs across Australia, fostering friendships and supporting disadvantaged children through the Smith Family.

I had the honour of attending the Gawler club's inaugural meeting in 2003 at the Kingsford Hotel during my tenure as the Mayor of Gawler. Celebrating with these dedicated volunteers, who have tirelessly worked to open up educational opportunities for young people, was truly a special occasion. It was a day filled with joy, reminiscing, and sharing ideas for our region's future.

I, like many across our state, recently attended the Royal Adelaide Show. I was there to witness a City of Playford citizenship ceremony conducted by Mayor Glenn Docherty. It was a heartwarming event where new citizens from 25 different countries were welcomed to Australia. Among them was Ardyce Hughes, the partner of my long-term friend, Mr Anthony Hughes.

While at the show, I also had the pleasure of meeting Gawler's own award-winning cake maker, Josie Ireland, who won first prize in the Genoa cake competition. Congratulations to our new citizens, and to Josie for her outstanding achievement at the Show. It was a day of celebration and pride for our community, and a great opportunity to welcome and immerse our new citizens in one of our major cultural events—the Royal Adelaide Show.

I would also like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Bob and Gwenda Green who on 31 August celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. I had the good fortune to be able to meet up with them on the day and share the occasion with them. Their love story, which began in the workplace with Bob working as a mechanic and Gwenda in the office, blossomed into a lifelong commitment as the pair tied the knot at Hamley Bridge. This is not only a taste of their story of dedication, patience and love but their journey is an inspiration to all of us living in the area.

Our local schools recently celebrated SSO/ESO Week, recognising the valuable contributions of school support officers and education support officers to our school communities. I had the privilege of signing and delivering over 540 certificates of appreciation to 11 schools and 14 different campuses across our region. These dedicated individuals play crucial roles in our schools, from supporting students' learning and wellbeing, to handling administrative tasks and providing customer service. Their efforts often go unnoticed, but they are an important part of the backbone of our education system and it is important to acknowledge that. It was an honour to personally present certificates at the Gawler and District, and Playford colleges. We must continue to recognise and appreciate their hard work every day.

Lastly, I would like to congratulate our local football and netball clubs—Willaston, Gawler Central and South Gawler—on winning their way into grand final appearances on the weekend. There are still teams vying for the second grand final spot this weekend, but all Gawler teams already have representatives playing in the big dance in both netball and football.

Special mention to my club, the might Willaston Donnybrooks, for securing spots in both the A and B grades in the grand final in the Barossa, Light and Gawler Football Association. We were fortunate enough to have the Willaston women's seniors, under 16s and under 13s all make the grand final as well last month. Unfortunately, none of them took home the premiership, but here's hoping that the Donnybrooks can buck the trend come next Saturday 21 September at Tanunda oval. I would also like to thank the volunteers and the footy presidents, Aldo Pasin, Cosie Costa and Damian Brook, for their dedication and support throughout the season. Their efforts have made this success possible and I look forward to cheering on the teams in the grand finals.

These stories reflect the vibrant and resilient spirit of our community. From celebrating milestones and achievements to recognising the hard work of our unsung heroes, it is clear that our region is thriving. All that I have spoken about today has been because of the support of our volunteers. Let us continue to support and uplift each other as we work towards a brighter future in Light for all.

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