HANSARD
SITTING CALENDAR
SEARCH
LIVE BROADCAST
Hansard Dynamic Subject Index
House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2025-11-25 Daily Xml
Contents
Xml

Valedictory

Ms WORTLEY (Torrens) (17:38): Australia is a nation built on multiculturalism. Whether we are first, second, third, fourth or even fifth generations, we are new to Australia unless you are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, and so I begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we gather, the Kaurna people of the Adelaide Plains, their elders past, present and emerging, as together we continue along the path of reconciliation.

It is with reflection on the past 12 years as the member for Torrens that I today seek the indulgence of the house. I stand here this evening on this side of the chamber where I have had the good fortune to be for eight of my 12 years in this parliament, having served in the Weatherill government and now the Malinauskas government. To hold government is what we all aspire to and work towards in the South Australian Labor Party to deliver on our policies, to make the best state in Australia even better and to do all we can to ensure a fair go for all, no matter what postcode you live in.

In the final year of my teaching degree, I joined the Labor Party. Over the years, I served on numerous committees and worked on numerous election campaigns, both state and federal, and have had the privilege to represent the Labor Party at both federal and state levels. Following my pre-selection for the seat of Torrens in 2013, I set straight to work campaigning, wanting to ensure the work carried out by Robyn Geraghty, who had won the seat from the Liberals in a by-election, was continued.

Torrens had a changing demographic, with new houses being built and many new migrants from the subcontinent making it their home. I was doorknocking in Northgate with Russell, the temperature soaring above 35 degrees, at which point we were going to call it a day. However, he had knocked on a door on Meadowbank Terrace and the Indian gentleman who answered whispered that his wife was sleeping and could not be disturbed. On the 'Sorry I missed you' card, I had written 'Please call me if I can be of assistance.' The following day I received a call from Monika Kumar and we arranged to meet. It was the beginning of what I am sure will be a lifelong friendship.

Through Monika and her family, Raj, Dhruv and Tarini, I learned of the many challenges facing new migrants in Australia. I was introduced to local Indian and Nepalese families and, as time went on, the broader community across South Australia including leaders in the Punjabi Gujarati, South Indian, Hindu and Sikh communities to name just a handful. The issues new migrants are often faced with can be overwhelming in number and my heart went out to the families confronting unplanned change to circumstances in a new country, not knowing what to do or who to turn to. As we all know, bureaucracy can be confronting, time-consuming and extra difficult, particularly when English is not your first language. I wonder how my father and his family survived at the time, when they were some of the issues that would have been facing them.

The plight of a local family was brought to my attention. Struggling with the mother being diagnosed with terminal cancer, and the father working while trying to look after her and their two children, one at state primary school, the other at state secondary school. They were in Australia on the mother's visa. They were from India and not being Australian citizens, the school fees were around $5,000 for primary school and $6,000 for secondary school. To add to this worry, the reality was that with her passing, the family's visa would expire and they would be forced to return to India, even though their life was here, with other family members who were already citizens in South Australia.

I worked with our South Australian senators providing information for them to seek a special visa that could lead to PR. I also wrote to the then Minister for Education, the member for Morialta, seeking an exemption from paying school fees for the son, as the father was on a basic wage and had to contend with paying rent, medical expenses, funeral expenses along with everyday living expenses. The minister signed off on the exemption and I was able to relay this to the mother a few days before she died. She smiled with relief, happy knowing her boy was able to go to the same school as his sister and get a good education. And I cannot tell you how delighted I was recently to present the son with the Torrens School Spirit award at his year 12 graduation ceremony.

There are so many new migrant stories to tell: the nurse from India who completed her three-year Bachelor of Nursing at the University of South Australia, who then went on to work through COVID until she was seven months pregnant. Her son was diagnosed with autism and, as a result, she was not going to be able to renew her visa. I wrote to the federal minister seeking the support of both the Premier and our Minister for Autism. Her son is now in year 4 at the local school.

Back on the campaign trail in 2013, it became apparent to me that we had a growing population in Torrens with what was then a new housing development in the suburb of Northgate, which I later pursued, on behalf of residents, for an official name change from the suburb of Northgate to the suburb of Lightsview. It was a laborious process. Both Northgate and the new development residents were thrilled with the name change. I was concerned, though, that young families were moving in with little provision for general recreation and sporting. There was no central point. It was my view that a community sports hub was the answer but getting support for it was the challenge.

The first site I mapped out was SA Health land surrounding Adelaide City Football Club on Fosters Road which required cooperation and support from the state government, Port Adelaide Enfield council and the club. Unfortunately, after a number of meetings, it became evident this was not going to align.

A section of the former Ross Smith school site was my next choice, but convincing the Treasurer, the member for West Torrens, that the land needed to be used for that purpose was no easy feat, as many of you here would be aware. Knowing the important role a recreation and sporting facility can play in wellbeing and bringing community together and, importantly, providing a place for children and young people to engage socially and to participate in physical activities, I pushed on, knocking on the Treasurer's door. I am sure he was deliberately avoiding eye contact with me.

My persistence eventually brought dividends. First the land, then the Port Adelaide Enfield council coming on board, along with the North Adelaide Rockets Basketball Club president David Durant and the committee, and in November 2017 we were turning the sod on what today is known as The Lights Community and Sports Centre operated by the Port Adelaide Enfield council.

Opened in 2021, the $21.7 million facility comprises two stadiums with five multipurpose courts, retractable seating for 1,000 people, function spaces, a community room and sporting viewing areas. This is a terrific example of state and local government working together. I place on record my thanks to the Treasurer for eventually seeing the light and the Port Adelaide CEO Mark Withers, then mayor Gary Johanson and councillors for their support, turning my vision for residents of Torrens into a reality. While the Electoral Boundaries Commission, in their wisdom, prior to the following election, moved Lightsview from the seat of Torrens to the seat of Enfield, it continues to service well the local community and is a place I have great delight in visiting.

As state members, we all work hard to deliver for our communities, whether it is addressing issues they raise or delivering on projects and infrastructure. I have truly valued the opportunity to meet with residents across our community to discuss important issues, at street-corner meetings, in my office, at local sports clubs, schools, shopping centres, community events or one of my community forums.

Locally, I am proud that as a government and community we have achieved together a new gymnasium at Hillcrest Primary School, which will be opened by the Minister for Education next week; the STEM centre at Hampstead Primary School; the establishment of the B-12 Avenues College and the new and upgraded learning and study areas; the major improvements to Wandana Primary School; the Oakden Ambulance Station; safer roads with new pedestrian lights, refuges, turning lanes, resurfacing; synthetic pitches at Adelaide City and MetroStars soccer clubs; the reopening of the swimming pool on the Royal Society for the Blind site; the Gilles Plains and Hampstead RSL weather shelter; the recent upgrade and delivery of the program for Girls and Women at Gaza Sports and Community Club; and numerous facility upgrades for organisations including the Molinara Social and Sports Club and Sicilia Social and Sports Club, and that is just to name a few.

Working together with local government, particularly the Port Adelaide Enfield council, in addition to The Lights Community and Sports Centre, we have delivered significant projects, including new facilities for MetroStars; the upgrade to Greenacres Reserve, numerous bus shelters; the Regency Community Men's Shed; Greenacres Community Garden; the little free libraries in Oakden, Klemzig, Windsor Gardens, Vale Park and out the front of Hampstead Primary School and Avenues College.

As a parent, former teacher and a member of parliament, for me, the education of our children and young people is a high priority and I am so very pleased it has been high on the agenda of our government and that considerable progress has been made on education. It is my view that education is a window to the world and that through education comes knowledge and opportunity, that it is only right that all people should have the opportunity to access good-quality education at all levels, as children, as youth and as adults, an education that will enable them to develop and to fully realise their potential throughout their lifetime. This is delivered through quality school leadership, teachers and support staff, along with the necessary infrastructure to support learning.

I am particularly pleased about the recent proposed legislation regarding bullying in our schools and the two-day reporting turnaround. It is an issue often raised in our community, as there is no other issue that impacts more on families with school-aged children and it can lead to lifelong consequences. I have valued my position on each of the six state school governing councils, a seat that meant I could hear firsthand of school successes, concerns and needs and act accordingly. I thank the Minister for Education, the member for Wright, for the times he has signed off on issues brought to his attention.

There was probably no more complex situation for us as members of parliament than the one we found ourselves in through the COVID pandemic. Our community reached out to us when they were confused, when they needed support, and when they were afraid, angry, sick and even stranded at the border. We did all we could, delivering groceries, having prescriptions filled, and writing to and calling departments.

There are two examples in particular that I want to mention. There were a couple of women from Hampstead Gardens in my electorate who were stranded in Western Australia. They had been on a cruise ship and they really wanted to come home. The cruise ship had no COVID, but when they came into port they were put into isolation for two weeks. The nurse was desperate to get back to the RAH and their mental health really suffered as a result. I would ring them every day to speak with them. I wrote to the Western Australian Premier, who said he was not concerned about whether they liked their food or being caught up in there, but he had a job to do and he was going to keep his state safe. The women still come and visit me in the office, and it is really terrific that we have people who appreciate what we do as members of parliament.

Another one was a couple in their 80s in my electorate, whose children would normally do their grocery shopping but on this occasion both of their children had COVID. The gentleman rang me and told me that he was desperate for me to do some shopping for him. He gave me a list of things he needed and he kept on pressing, 'Kale. Don't forget the kale.' I did his shopping, delivered it to his house and rang to say it was on his doorstep. We got into a conversation and I said, 'I bought kale; in fact, I bought two bunches of kale. Obviously you really love it,' and he said, 'No, I know it's not really crucial to you but the kale is for our rabbit.' I asked him what the name of the rabbit was and this gentleman—who was probably in his late 80s—said, 'We gave it a name, but we keep forgetting what it was, so now we just call it Rabbit.'

A significant amount of time in this place is dedicated to committee work. I have served on many committees; however, today I want to touch on a couple. One is the Social Development Committee's inquiry into the implantation of medical mesh in South Australia, established on motion by me in this place in opposition on behalf of the hundreds of people impacted by the failure of medical mesh devices in South Australia. The first time I heard about mesh was from a constituent, Tracey, who left a message with my trainee. She wanted me to return her call. A couple of days later, I knocked on Tracey's door. She opened it, grabbed my hand and said, 'You have to hear what I have to say. I'm a woman who was just 29 years old when mesh ruined my life.'

The inquiry heard that for years women in South Australia were going to doctors and specialists with all sorts of symptoms, suffering ridicule and frustration and not being listened to about the pain they were experiencing through failed mesh devices. Some had numerous tests searching for the cause of their symptoms, and some were told their symptoms were in their head, given medication and diagnosed as hypochondriacs or suffering from anxiety.

I thank again all those women and men who contributed evidence to the inquiry. Your courage and your bravery has driven systemic change, and your voices will continue to guide the response. I acknowledge and thank the ministers for health who took this seriously and established the mesh clinic at the RAH, and I acknowledge the recent apology by the Minister for Health, the member for Kaurna. It meant so much.

Two other committees of which I was a member were the Select Committee on Stillbirth, chaired by the member for Newland, and the Select Committee on Endometriosis, chaired by the member for Waite. Both committees have had recommendations accepted by the government that will deliver life-altering outcomes.

While we like to highlight our achievements as members giving valedictory speeches, I leave at a time when there are still more things to be done, for which I have strongly advocated in government and in opposition, and I want the residents of Torrens to know these have not been forgotten.

Firstly, Fosters Road: governments of both persuasions have made commitments to provide a solution to the growing problem of Fosters Road for local residents. The heavy flow of traffic along Fosters Road, inadequate access at the North East Road end for incoming and outgoing motorists, traffic congestion, and the Fosters Road/Sir Ross Smith Boulevard/Folland Avenue roundabout are a daily challenge for residents.

Secondly, access to a swimming pool for recreation, swimming lessons, water education and aquatic therapy is a must for our side of town. Of course, I congratulate and acknowledge the government on the new Adelaide Aquatic Centre, which I think the minister said during question time is going to be opened in January.

Sitting extended beyond 18:00 on motion of Hon. A. Koutsantonis.

Ms WORTLEY: With the closing of the Strathmont Centre and currently no public access to Hampstead Centre and with a growing population, the need has become even greater. While I was able to secure a Malinauskas government election commitment of $150,000 to re-open the pool at the Royal Society for the Blind on Blacks Road with then CEO of Royal Life Saving South Australia, Jayne Minear, and general manager Jake Culkin running programs providing access to some of the most vulnerable in our community, it really does need more.

Labor's candidate for Torrens, Meagan Spencer, has been joining me out in the community, meeting with our community organisations, schools and small businesses and hopefully will be elected as the next member for Torrens in March 2026. I wish her every success in having these ongoing issues addressed for the benefit of our community.

To my staff: to Naomi, Rosemary and Donna, thank you. Thank you for all you have done for our residents, following up on queries on the Housing Trust, health, council issues, citizenship, schools—the list goes on. Importantly, you reach out to our residents and you treat them as individuals with respect, welcoming them to our office, a place they know they can come to or contact where they will be listened to with empathy and understanding.

I thank my trainees, some of whom received regular advice from me about completing their university studies and took that advice and have gone on to follow successful career paths. To those who listened and learned about the important role of our electorate office and have been successful in securing positions in other offices, well done to you, too.

I would like to thank Hannah, who worked with me for eight years, coming into the office as a 21 year old with little knowledge of the operation of a political office but who learned quickly and embraced the importance of the role in our local community. It is without doubt that the Torrens community has benefited through our joint advocacy. You excelled in your role as EO communications and office manager and as councillor and deputy mayor for Port Adelaide Enfield. You were always principled and always acted in the best interests of our shared community.

To my communications and office manager, Naomi: thank you so much for coming on board at a particularly busy time. Your expert skills, knowledge, ability to learn quickly, and caring and calming manner are greatly appreciated and no doubt will serve you well into the future.

I thank also staff in Parliament House: the catering staff, led by Creon—thanks, Creon, for your patience with menus for our multicultural communities—the Clerk and chamber staff. A special thank you to Will whose assistance at a recent medical emergency at an event was greatly appreciated. I thank Dr Weste from our library: I am forever grateful for the wonderful way you embrace our visitors, your sometimes wicked sense of humour, your eye for detail and your passion for our historic state Parliament House.

No-one gets to be here without the support of many, which I detailed in my first speech in this place. Thank you again to the South Australian Labor Party and SA Unions, which continue to fight the good fight.

Now to my family. Thank you for your support over the past 12 years and the six years I served in the federal parliament. My dad is sitting in the Speaker's Gallery, 90 years young. He still bowls twice a week, he follows me on Facebook and has become quite good at using his iPad. Thank you for your understanding of the demands my work has had. Never let anyone tell you you need to be a digital native to get a good grasp of new technology.

My sister Angelique and nephew Cale, thank you for always being there at the end of the phone and all that you do for our family. My sister Toni listening online, thank you for the times you drove the 30-plus kilometres to come back to the Torrens EO where you had worked as an EO officer for Robyn at only a few hours' notice to provide JP services, on a voluntary basis. My brother, Tyrone, you are a legend. Your community work over the years makes me so proud.

Che', thank you for your support, not just for the thousands of letters you have delivered with your cousin Cale to letterboxes across Torrens but for your sharp scrutineering ability and your outstanding knowledge on everything political. Whether it was the explanation of a sporting event, the names of the captains, the rules or the legal ramifications, the member of a state or federal seat or the margin by which it was held, a quick description of a recent political event, or the government of a country when I had just left an event and was heading to another multicultural community event, you have been a wealth of knowledge, often at the end of a quick but urgent phone call.

Che', I know having parents as members of parliament, both state and federal, has not always been easy to wear. I recall a conversation with you on day one of year 7, when the class had to introduce themselves and say something about their families. You stood up and said, 'I live with our dog, Summer; my mum, who is the union secretary for the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance; and my dad who is a union secretary for the gas branch of the Transport Workers' Union.' Yes, we had been, but at that time I was a senator and Russell was a member of the Legislative Council. Love you to the moon and back.

The Hon. Russell Wortley—well, what a journey we have had. It is quite a unique situation, serving for the past 12 years with you in the same parliament, albeit different houses. When it was first announced those opposite had a field day. They may be pleased to know that I did not actually take that car. How fortunate was I to have you by my side, so willing to assist. I lost count the number of times I heard you say, 'You've only got 27,000 constituents but I've got the whole state.'

Thank you for your support and assistance with the many events in Torrens, for organising what seemed like endless letterbox deliveries weekend after weekend with the stand-out being 72,000 hand-delivered letters, more than half of which were direct mail delivered by our wonderful multicultural community in the lead-up to the 2022 state election. I would like to thank Dhruv and Sukhman as well for organising everyone. It saved an incredible amount of money that was able to be redirected to other areas.

Finally, my heartfelt thank you to the constituents of Torrens. It has been an honour and a privilege to be elected as the member for Torrens on three occasions and to be your representative in our state parliament. To my colleagues, thank you for your camaraderie. My very best wishes for all that you do for your electorates and for the upcoming election.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier, Minister for Defence and Space Industries) (18:03): I rise to thank and applaud the member for Torrens, firstly on her heartfelt address and certainly on some of her remarks, which I will speak to in a moment, particularly regarding the work that she has done with multicultural communities in our state. Her remarks were heartfelt and well spoken.

It takes a pretty tenacious and committed individual to serve in the two parliaments she is capable of serving in: her home state of South Australia and, of course, in our nation's federal parliament.

Dana's history in contributing to the labour movement actually goes well before she started contributing in parliamentary politics. Dana first cut her teeth on engaging with the labour movement as a teacher, which resulted in her becoming the union delegate and then participating in the UTLC only a few years ago, because Dana is quite young. She made a contribution that was formidable in the trade union movement, starting out in the teachers union and then rapidly ascended and grew from there, highlighted of course by her contribution through MEAA.

Dana made a contribution through teaching, then was seconded to The 'Tiser and then ended up being engaged by MEAA, before of course becoming secretary of the South Australia-Northern Territory branch, where she led some pretty important work in advocating the case against non-union agreements that would otherwise erode the conditions of journalists, who of course are essential for the functioning of our liberal democracy.

It was when Dana got preselected for No. 3 on the Senate ticket at the 2004 federal election that she was provided the opportunity, which was more than well deserved, to be able to contribute in our nation's parliament. Being preselected for position No. 3 federally does not always result—in fact, I think up to that point, or thereabouts, had never resulted—in ascension to our federal parliament. But of course Dana was able to achieve that milestone in an election that otherwise did not go too well for federal Labor nationally. Over the course of those six years, Dana was able to earn a reputation for an extraordinary work ethic and a genuine commitment to multiculturalism in our country, and she was also a powerful and tenacious advocate for causes that she took up as her own.

Through no fault of Dana's, of course, at the 2010 election she missed out, by an absolute whisker, on being re-elected to the Senate. There was not much in it at all. But in 2014 the opportunity came to be preselected for the seat of Torrens in what was set to be a very hard-fought election, which is not lost on those of us who bore witness to that campaign. In 2014 the state Liberal Party put up a high-quality candidate and also put a fair bit of effort into the seat of Torrens. I remember there were some pundits predicting that this would be a very close-run thing. In fact, there were some who were predicting that potentially Labor would lose the seat of Torrens. Of course, since then Dana has been re-elected and re-elected again, resulting in her substantial contribution to parliament.

I only mention the electoral dynamic because I think people in some quarters have underestimated just how much Dana works for her local community. Every time I have had the opportunity, as leader of the party, to spend time with Dana in her electorate, her presence is well known. I do not mind saying that she is adored by her community. Everywhere you go in that part of our state they know Dana—and that is particularly true for anyone who is connected to the public education system or the education system in the seat of Torrens, writ large.

Dana has had a number of causes that she has contributed to over the years, but education has been one of the most profound. I remember that one day we were at Avenues, and there was not a teacher or a parent, let alone a student, who did not know Dana well. That speaks to her commitment. I think even when the Hampstead Primary School fire happened, which was sometime around 2019, and it was a bit of an issue, Dana was the first on the case to make sure that the school was being attended to. I think she took up the matter with the then Minister for Education, and eventually there was a response which the local community was genuinely entitled to.

That was not just true for Hampstead Primary School: there is a whole range of different examples of Dana going in to fight, including with the now Minister for Education, to ensure that her schools get the resources they require to look after the next generation, done in the way that the member for Torrens, Dana, has always been an advocate.

Regarding the pelvic mesh implants advocacy, I knew nothing about this issue until the member for Torrens took it up. In fact, I think that would be true for a lot of South Australians. It was a pretty special day when the apology occurred, and that was almost exclusively because of the member for Torrens's advocacy.

As I referred to earlier, I hate to think how many multicultural events the member for Torrens, along with the Hon. Russell Wortley from the other place, have attended between them over the course of their parliamentary careers. That number would be incalculable; it would blow people's minds. They are at anything and everything to show support to multicultural communities throughout the state in a way that is valued, I know, both in your electorate but also more broadly throughout the state. Their advocacy for multiculturalism is heartfelt, sincere and consistent, even when the politics of multiculturalism and migration has not necessarily been running their way. That is something to be acknowledged but also celebrated, and we thank you for it.

You should be very, very proud of the contribution that you have made across both parliaments but particularly proud of the contribution that you have made in the South Australian parliament. Between yourself and your husband, your legacy in the labour movement will be rather profound. But you are also an extraordinarily committed family person, Dana. Sorry, Che', to raise it, but we all in the labour movement have borne witness to Che'. I remember when I first met Che' as a young fella at various events, and now he is a fully grown man and a successful adult in his own right, but this has been a labour of love to the movement that your whole family has contributed to.

That was a really nice day in parliament last week as well, but we are here to acknowledge and celebrate your contribution, Dana—yours and yours alone. Anybody who has spent any time with you in the seat in the Torrens knows all too well how steadfast and enduring your commitment has been to your community. It is something that I know that they will miss, and your successor has big shoes to fill. Hopefully, you can provide them guidance, from whatever party they come from—I have a preference—because they will be well served by your stewardship and your advice hopefully over many years to come.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta) (18:12): In rising on behalf of the Liberal Party to put on the record our respect and appreciation for the service of Dana Wortley as the member for Torrens, I reflect on the engagement that I have had with Dana over the years. There are three real areas: our neighbouring electorates give us the opportunity to engage in community things, particularly multicultural communities; our neighbouring electorates also provide an opportunity for me as a sitting member to help out the Liberal candidates in those areas; and also as Minister for Education, as has been identified, Dana's particular interest in education.

First, in relation to multicultural South Australia, in the Indian community, as I think a couple of people have reflected on, Dana is held in high regard. The number of times I have seen her speaking at events and being welcomed warmly by crowds of people who have had personal engagement with her is testament to her hard work in that area and also her clear support over many years for the issues that have confronted many Indian Australians. Also, there is her support in the Italian community, where there are potentially a lower number of people in Torrens compared to Morialta—it is sort of vice versa with the Indian community. Nevertheless, at two strong Italian community clubs, the Molinara club and the Sicilia club, Dana's personal presence has been regular and appreciated. We were at a function the other night where Seb Galipo expressed to me the strong appreciation that he and many of the other members of the Sicilia club, for example, have had for Dana's particular energies there.

That feeds into the second point I want to make, which the Premier also alluded to. I have been involved in three losing campaigns in Torrens, so I for one am very grateful that Dana is retiring from politics. After Robyn Geraghty announced her retirement ahead of the 2014 election, we thought we were in with a real crack. We raised a lot of money and we had a very articulate, very capable person as our candidate. Through Michael Manetta's campaign, through Therese Kenny's campaign and then through Ursula Henderson's campaign, from our point of view, we had great candidates. I mean, these are three substantial South Australians who have run against Dana and not been able to win.

More than that, in 2014 we could feel there was a tide in many seats coming. We did not win enough seats to get over the line, and Torrens was one of the seats that outperformed expectations from the Labor Party's point of view. Then in 2018 we felt that the time had now come and we had a great candidate, which the Premier alluded to, and a great campaign, but it was not enough. Last time, I had high hopes that Ursula Henderson, a high-quality person, might withstand some of the challenges against us. However, on each occasion Dana Wortley performed admirably for the Labor Party and I hope—actually, I do not hope. Nevertheless, the Labor Party should appreciate the personal popularity and work of the member for Torrens in securing that seat for the Labor Party.

The third area is on education, and I will not dwell on it because in her speech Dana has already spoken of a couple of things. There were quite a number of complicated issues at a local level that arose in some of the schools and preschools in the member for Torrens' electorate during the time that I was the Minister for Education. On each occasion, her approach would first be to me as the minister on a personal level to try to resolve the issue rather than to try to take political advantage.

The good faith that that fostered and generated meant that I had confidence, when I became aware of an issue, even potentially before it had been brought to her attention, that I could reach out to her knowing that she would play a constructive role in creating a solution. The way in which she behaved as a member of parliament, putting her community ahead of the politics, led directly to her ability to productively improve the quality of outcomes that we had in subsequent cases. I put on the record my appreciation for that and I hope that she enjoys her retirement. To Russell and Che'—well, to Che' perhaps—it will be great to have more of Dana at home, I am sure. I wish you all the best.

Ms SAVVAS (Newland) (18:16): I thought I might take the opportunity as well to place on the record my thanks to the member for Torrens not only for her friendship but for her mentorship over a period of time, not just while I have been in this place as the member for Newland. I was elected to the Tea Tree Gully Council in 2018 at the tender age of having just turned 22, and the majority of my council ward was in the seat of Newland, which had recently been won by the Liberal Party. The rest of my ward was, of course, in the seat of Torrens.

It was a great support to me, as a newly elected councillor with the state government against me, to have not just a Labor person but a Labor woman and a Labor friend in Dana supporting me as I took on that journey. She involved me in a lot of her community engagement, including her regular street corner meetings, where the councillors were always not just invited but expected to come along.

Since I have been in the parliament, that relationship has deepened and I have had the great pleasure to get to know Dana on a more personal level as we have held neighbouring seats. I always very much enjoy our time together, whether it be at my old school, Kildare College, which is in the electorate of Torrens, or at various multicultural events, particularly Italian events, where I get to spend time with Dana. That is not just because she gives excellent advice—and she is one of the fiercest campaigners that our party knows and her advice is always correct—but also because we get along really well. We always love a chat about whatever it may be, but usually it is clothes. We have developed a really genuine friendship and relationship, which I have been really grateful for.

One opportunity that I had to get to know Dana, Russell and Che' even better was when I accidentally ended up on a family holiday to Kangaroo Island, when we ran into each other multiple days in a row when on the island, in your electorate, of course, sir. It was a reminder for me, or maybe a realisation for me, about the welcoming nature of the Wortleys. They are so welcoming, so generous and so kind with their time, and I very much have been grateful for that in different ways over a period of time.

I would also like to take a moment to mention the incredible advocacy that Dana has been responsible for over a period of time in both parliaments. I was very lucky to be witness to that as Dana took up a role on the Select Committee into Stillbirth this year. I was incredibly grateful for not only the way that she listened but also the way that she engaged with bereaved parents. It was not an easy committee to be part of. A lot of the time I found myself quite emotional and not always necessarily knowing the best path to take. Dana showed strength of conviction, she showed purpose but she also showed incredible empathy for the families that were affected, and strength for me in times when I found it a little bit overwhelming. I was very grateful to have her there as a support.

Another thing that she did, which not everyone always does necessarily, was to show me a lot of support and encouraged me as a leader in that opportunity. I am really grateful for that. Dana always told me when I was doing a good job or told me the way that she was impressed by something that I had done. To someone coming through who is very new to politics—compared to the long dynasty of the Wortleys here in the South Australian Labor Party—that means a lot to have someone who knows advocacy, who knows the party, who knows the systems to lift you up. I have always found Dana to be someone who lifts me up, and I am really grateful for that. Whether that be in the committee that I mentioned, whether it be pool advocacy in terms of safety, whether it be road traffic advocacy or whether it be the pelvic mesh issue, Dana is fierce in her values, she is fierce in the way that she advocates.

Dana and Russell as a duo are people who have some of the strongest Labor values that I think I will know. There is never a question about where their values lie. They are Labor to their core and, as someone who is a born-and-bred Labor person, someone who just adores our party and our movement more than anything, I always really value in Dana and in Russell the strength of their commitment to being Labor. They really hold themselves true to what we believe in and who we are as a party in everything they do, and I think that they should be acknowledged for that. I will certainly remember Dana's service for that, though I am sure we will catch up well and truly after we are not in this place.

I do also want to acknowledge, of course, Dana's incredible work in the multicultural community. I am sure, I have no question, that she will continue to be involved in the multicultural community moving forward, though she did just offer me some of her saris as we were sitting there a minute ago. Maybe someone else is going to have to take on that work. I am sure we do not quite understand the level that both Dana and Russell have taken on I guess, on our side, in terms of that multicultural event attendance and/or advocacy, and that will be a gap that will have to be filled.

So I just want to put on the record my sincere thanks to Dana. She has been a real mentor to me, a support to me, always there with advice whether it be about the seniors forum, campaigning or whatever it might be. She is well and truly one of the best campaigners that we have had in this parliament and I am really grateful to have had her here as a colleague and a friend. So I am very excited for you in your retirement Dana—and for Che' to get mum at home, perhaps. Russell will still be here for the next 30 years, so I will not get to speak at his valedictory! But again I want to thank Dana, and also Russell and Che'. We all know that, where Dana is, the other two are around and they do everything as a team. We are all the better for that, so thank you.

The SPEAKER (18:22): I would like to also congratulate Dana, and to thank you for your friendship and the great work that you have done in this place. So often you have brought subjects up that I had no idea about and then they have resulted in select committees, and the parliament is richer and the public of South Australia are better because of the work that you have done in this place, not just for your local community but for issues that are really important to so many who do not always have a voice.

I would also like to put on the record my thanks for being my union rep. I am still a member of the Media—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Well, we had a few run-ins at the ABC with management out there. Change did not come easily for them, but we got there in the end. For the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, thank you for all the work that you did there too.

PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS
MEMBERS
GET INVOLVED
ABOUT PARLIAMENT
VISIT
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY
CONTACT